Customer Reviews

The Icarus Agenda

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

In his prime, absolutely nobody could touch Ludlum's sheer plotting brilliance when it came to the international thriller, NOBODY. 'The Icarus Agenda' is a great example of his style, and the ONLY thing that kept this book from 5-stars was that it slightly dragged in a couple areas...but remember, Ludlum at his worst is still better than most authors at their BEST.

As another reviewer mentioned, this book was more like 3 books-in-one, and I agree. First we have Evan Kendrick making a daring rescue. Next we have his being identified as the person responsible -- which is exactly what he DIDN'T want. And finally we have the real meat of the story: the ultimate action of who is REALLY responsible for the whole thing, and how Evan goes about handling the situation and solving the problem at the same time. Action on top of suspense on top of even more action. Aside from the small tedious slow writing in the middle, this book has about as much action as a novel can possibly have. If you are searching for a James Bond meets Die Hard meets True Lies type book, trust me, 'The Icarus Agenda' most definitely fills the bill. I have heard rumors for years how Ludlum was going to try and turn Evan Kendrick into a series similar to Jason Bourne, but unfortunately, he passed away, and that remains one of the greatest losses in the literary world in a very long time. He will be sorely missed.

ICARUS AGENDA has all the hallmarks of a typical Robert Ludlum thriller - suspense, mystery, surprises around the corner, memorable characters and well-researched locales - also, the elephantine narrative which in this case unfortunately seems to go nowhere, particularly in the midsection. Hence a 4 star rating. However, the book's finer points are many. The story concerns Evan Kendrick, a quiet, mild-mannered Congressman who becomes an unlikely hero when over two hundred hostages are held by Islamic terrorists at the US Embassy in Muscat(spelt MASQAT in the book), Sultanate of Oman. Kendrick dares to avert the crisis by using his work experience in the Middle East and the deaths of several of his employees as a platform for vengeance against the Arab terrorists. He infiltrates an Omani prison to gather information, but when he is hailed a hero for bringing the hostage situation to an end, Israeli Mossad agents seek revenge as his intervention has prevented their rescue of a Mossad agent, Ben-Ami, who holds a secret. Someone is controlling both sets of terrorists, and who is the Mahdi? One year after the Oman affair, Kendrick's life is shattered again as the Arabs come after him, corruption in the White House and CIA is rife as his past is revealed, then his home is attacked. Events lead to a massive arms dealing ring. Can Kendrick save the day in 808 pages time! This Ludlum monster is well worth a read, but I'm surprised his editor didn't do any more cutting and editing, in my view. A lot of the political White House talkative scenes could have been cut down . . . obviously Ludlum's not renowned for the KISS(keep it simple stupid) approach! So, summing up, a great and susupenseful(in most parts) read, but if you're new to Ludlum, THE AQUITAINE PROGRESSION or MATARESE CIRCLE are the best ones to read first.

Nick Warren.

If you like the nonstop action of James Bond's movies, then you will instantly be lured into any of Robert Ludlum's books. Ludlum inserts life into the most thrilling and twisting plots in such a compelling way that you believe they are true. All good books make you want to keep reading; however, in each of the many Ludlum novels I have read there is simply no stopping. Ludlum pulls his readers into his stories and gets them hooked in a way few authors can. The Icarus Agenda by Robert Ludlum is no exception and will leave even the most read Ludlum fan intrigued and involved. Once you start this book, you go from interested to absorbed in about two pages. The scenario involves hundreds of Americans being held hostage in an American Embassy in the Middle East. All divisions of the government are desperately trying to free the hostages; however, only one man who bid farewell to the Middle East long ago after a tragic accident can truly save them. Behind the somewhat simplistic terrorists is a group of wealthy and powerful individuals who will stop at nothing until they have complete control of the region. Ludlum takes us through a heart-pumping journey of one man's fight to save the hostages and break the mysterious group of individuals fueling the terrorism. After what must be one of the most intense struggles for freedom ever put on paper, the reader is only done with part one of the three-part book. The first part of the book could be a novel in itself and if it were, I would still be writing its praises; however after the roller-coaster ride of the first 200 pages, the reader learns that this is only the beginning. The man who rescued the hostages took neither credit nor praise for his heroic accomplishments because he did not want anyone to know what he had done. " No one's to know I've been here. I never talked to you or anyone else." (pg.11) One reason that he did not want people knowing his identity was that he did not want people thinking that he saved the hostages purely for his own well being. He did what he did because the people that were holding the hostages were the same people that had killed his friends years earlier. Out of a desire for revenge, he had performed acts of heroism unseen in the world today. He then disappeared back to his normal life, or at least he tried to. This is where Part Two takes over. The courageous hero's identity is revealed and he suddenly becomes the most hunted man in the world. He is the target of every terrorist organization because of his daring rescue actions at the embassy. The question is though can those around him and those whom he helped by freeing the hostages save him, or are the people that he helped the ones he should be truly concerned about. Compelling twists and turns leaves the reader zealously searching for answers like a mouse in a maze frantically searching for the cheese. One of the only bad things about this book is that it is well over 600 pages long. However, the length of the book is only a bad thing if you don't have a lot of time. Despite its length, the author fills the whole book with action and never makes you question its length once starting reading it. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes action filled books and once reading wants to become part of the book. The Icarus Agenda envelops the reader into the story and makes them feel like they are a part of the action.

I read my first Ludlum book when I was 11. Needless to say, I wasn't ready for it and it didn't make any sense to me. The next book I read by him, however, was when I was 14 and hooked me on him - The Bourne Identity.

Since then, I've enjoyed reading Ludlum when I'm able to. I read a lot of different things, and he's got so many books out that it's hard to make any real effort to read them all, but when I can, I get into Ludlum.

A long time ago I read The Chancellor Manuscript and was fascinated by it. So it struck me as really weird that The Icarus Agenda somehow reminded me of The Chancellor Manuscript - till I got further through the book and discovered it's connected. Not directly a sequel, mind you, but there are ties.

OK, The Icarus Agenda. Certain elements in the USA have a vested interest in keeping the Vice President in his position in an upcoming election - he can be controlled, allowing them to work through him to keep money flowing into Defense contracts and make new laws that work in their favor. Allowing, essentially, rich people to get richer at the cost of American stability and world peace.

These elements have a counterpart - a small group of people dedicated to finding a different candidate for Vice President, one who can't be bought or controlled.

So there's 2 opposing parties, both manipulating behind-the-scenes elements, one operating for personal gain, one for the good of the country.

Stuck in the middle is going to be Evan Kendrick, a Congressman who sought office in his district solely to oust a representative who was for sale.

Kendrick used to be a bigshot in the turbulent areas of the middle EDast and southwest Asia. After losing a lot of his people in what was marked up as an accident, he sold his company. While bouncing around without a course, he found the above-mentioned for-sale representative and decided to do something about it, as the guy represented Kendrick's area of Colorado.

While he takes off for a while on a rafting trip, a hostage crisis occurs in Oman. Upon finding out what's going on, he volunteers to help - he has influence and contacts in that area that the US government does not. His only condition - that no one know of his involvement. This is a mission of revenge as much as conscience - the "accident" that killed his people was no accident, and Kendrick is certain the one behind is has also engineered the current hostage crisis. Kendrick wants to expose him. After that, he plans to begin rebuilding his company, and he can't do that if he and by extension everyone he cares about are targets because of his involvement in the crisis.

With help, Kendrick succeeds in his mission, and thinks he can now finish his term as a Congressman and begin rebuilding the life he wants.

Think again. He's now caught in the struggle between two opposing factions. He's placed in a couple situations that put him in the eye of a lot of people, then comes the coup de grace - his involvement in the Oman crisis is leaked.

Suddenly he's a target of a hidden faction within the US government as well as terrorists. The only people he's sure he can trust are an eccentric old friend and a woman who saved his life in Oman. He didn't ask for this, but the only options he's got are to rise to the challenge, or die.

This has one of my favorite Ludlum trademarks - take an ordinary man and place him in extraordinary circumstances, and watch the resulting fireworks.

The book's a tad long. The Oman hostage segment is virtually a book unto itself and could have been taken off and had a few things added to it to make this tale into 2 separate books. But even with the length, I found myself really drawbn into it.

Nothing can top the Bourne books, but I REALLY like this one. It makes me wonder if there are any real-life Kendricks, and made me ponder the rightness of operating outside the law, however good the intentions may be.

Ludlum's books always start slow and lure you in. Icarus is no exception. I only wish that he made this novel the first of a series (like Bourne). The main characters are more believable. I suppose, however, that he may have overfed us Kendrick, as he did Jason Bourne. This book only lasted me a couple of days.

I only give this book one star since I can't rate it at no stars. I have read several Ludlums in the past and have enjoyed his writing but after reading this book I'm sure I won't read any more Ludlum. Ludlum books frequently start slow and start moving after a few pages but the writing in this book is unbelivably dull. Although there were some parts where it looked as though the story was going to pick up the pace, he managed to quickly turn the story back to absolute drivel within a page or two. Apparently this book was a platform for him to bore the reader rigid with political ramblings. I suggest any other Ludlum but this one - Apocalypse Watch was my first Ludlum and I enjoyed it, a first rate, tense thriller. Best thing to do with this book is to prop up a table leg with it.

Having loved the Bourne series I was eagerly looking forward to reading this book, but it was almost painful to read. The story was boring, the language was pretentious and constantly mentions the various wars and skirmishes which, although relevant to the story in the broader sense, left me lost in all the details as I am not a Middle East expert, neither do I want to be. I could not get into the story and imagine the scenes. I was completely aware that I was reading a book, and not a good one at all times.
Ludlum is trying too hard to write a good book and it's very contrived.

The plots are good, the characters are well defined and fleshed out, and the ending is spectacular. There is excitement galore as Evan Kendrick, the protagonist, takes on several Herculean tasks and performs them all very well. Throughout the book there is suspense everywhere, making for good reading.

Kendrick is a successful engineer, having worked principally in the oil-rich mideast, making a lot of money before he sold his business, following a terrible "accident" which left most of his company dead. Coming back to the USA he decides to start a new life and run for Congress to oust a corrupt incumbent, and he is successful. While on a solo whitewater rafting vacation, a hostage crisis developes in the mideast, but he is incommunicado with civilization, and only finds out about it when he gets back. At that point he decides to volunteer to attempt a rescue, but insists on doing it anonymously as he disguises himself as an arab terrorist. With the help of Israeli commandos he pulls it off, but after he returns home his cover is blown and he becomes known as the "Hero of Oman". His celebrity and heroism is noted by a small elite group of very prominent people who do not wish to be identified in their relationship to each other. It is a secret group that seeks to propel the hero into the limelight and get him elected to the Vice Presidency, and this activity is the height of intrigue and suspense. The elite group makes the decisions that they hope will push Kendrick to the highest ranks of government, and for this they enlist the expert work of an "aide" who can do anything and everything, and it is amazing what he can accomplish.

Because of his successful mission in the mideast, Kendrick finds himself and his friends assailed from several groups, and there is plenty of action in his effort to stay alive, as well as protecting the lives of his friends.

His love interest is an Arab-Westerner women, an agent he met while on his hero mission in the mideast who was responsible for saving his life. Back in the USA she is very involved in helping him find and identify those that are trying to kill him. It is she who provides the "happily ever after" part.

The ending is too good to give away, but I can tell you that it involves the President and Kendrick and the elite group.

It is a very good story from a writer who knows how to write this kind of thing, and is certainly worth reading.

I'm a bit surprised at the high ratings by the other reviewers. I've read eight other Ludlum novels, enjoyed them tremendously... then the Icarus Agenda happened. This was an awful yawner. All the minor irritating ticks of his other novels become the focal points in this one simply because of a lack of sustained action. You get the worst of Ludlum, namely his political naïvety and stereotyped ethnic characters. And let's not forget his tendency to reuse canned personalities - a drinking, smoking Johnny do-gooder who has a drinking, smoking do-gooder girlfriend, with a crotchety sidekick doing the grumpy old man schtick. Our heroes go on endless rants about greed and corruption in the US government, while somewhere in the story our do-gooder friends somehow end up with millions in their laps from the same government and live happily ever after (in this case, our protagonist keeps the 50 million dollars with which the government/lobbyist villians attempted to bribe him).

It took me 3 months to get through this one. A word of advice: Ludlum fans don't let future Ludlum fans read Icarus Agenda.

Recommend instead: The Bourne Identity, Apocalypse Watch, Gemini Contenders, The Sigma Protocol

I am a fan of Ludlum and have liked a number of his books but this one is -
1. too predictable not only on story line after the 1st book but also what the characters are going to say next.
2. too long. Like other reviewers noted its supposed to be 3 books in one but it is really 2 books and that is 2 books too long.
3. at the end I think he himself got bored of the book because the last operation is finished too easily and too quickly.
4. the main characters can never die no matter how deadly is the disease or improbable the situation..

This must have been the first review I wrote because I want others to avoid the mistake I made of starting this book. I finished the book only because I have never started one and left it midways but I was very close to letting go of that rule for this one..

The Bourne series are definitely written at a different stage of his writing career.