8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pot-boiling Thriller, May 26, 2006
Ludlum has written several other very good spy stories, but in my opinion, this is his best. The events he desribes which go to make up the story follow each other in a logical progression, and therefore it is easy to see why what came after was necessarily preceded by what came before, and you are not left with asking yourself "how did this happen"? The mystery is neatly unfolded. The characters are well-described and interesting.
The most basic premise of the story is the trade being arranged between the United States and Germany for materials critical to the war effort for both. The Germans need industrial diamonds for their Peenemunde rocket project, and the US needs a high-altitude gyroscope for its bombing runs, and an exchange is arranged in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a neutral venue. But our Man from Lisbon, Secret Agent David Spaulding is unaware of this treasonous act of helping the enemy by supplying them with the diamonds they need, because he is only aware of his assignment to bring back the gyroscope plans. But a very interested third party intervenes and makes him aware of the true nature of the deal, and from that point he has to deal with a new situation, and does he ever ! No review that I have read explicitly mentions the industrial treason on the part of a US manufacturer who can fulfill the contract for the gyroscope only by arranging this trade, but it is an important part of the story.
I would agree with some critics that, in broad outline, there is a sameness to all of Ludlum's works, but this is his genre - he writes spy novels. In this particular one, the plot is very interesting, the characters are distinguishable one from the other and are interesting as well, and they are believable.
From beginning to end, and throughout the middle, as well, it is a fast-paced, gripping tale, and a good read indeed.
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14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Exciting Ludlum Book!, September 12, 2000
Ludlum has used a unique plot and a very original approach to writing this book. Both of the powers in World War II are in need of a product to have a sucessful war effort. The Nazis are in need of industrial diamond to finish Peenemunde and the Allies need a gyro guidance system in order to effectively bomb the Germans. The two sides are finally brought together and a deal is made. The two parties will meet in Argentina. David Spaulding an excellent agent in Spain is sent to Argentina by his government. He doesn't know the real purpose of the illegal transaction. The Nazis are going to trade the gyro system foe the industrial diamonds. In the meantime the Haganah(an underground Jewish group) brings Spaulding the real nature of the transaction. Spaulding is finally able to crash the deal. The Nazis lose thanks to Spaulding, with the help of the Haganah. This is a very good book that is definitely a page turner.Buy it,you will not be dissapointed.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
What it lacked is a good motive for the "disruptors", September 7, 2000
Okay, stranger things probably did happen in real-life besides enemies exchanging vital resources while continuing their fight. However, the motive supplied for the Hagannah's violent intervention was unjustified, potential of failure high with great risks of exposure. Secrecy was the key to the success of the Tortugas players (ie, to get what they wanted and avoid being exposed for dealing with the enemy). All the Haganah needed to have done was make some public exposure, or even give just a hint to make things hot for the players and all Tortugas players would be stopped cold. The rest of the book was okay, fast moving and the action sequences rather lame. That David Spaulding led such a charmed life that his life was continually spared while Ed Pace was snuffed out was rather hard to swallow. Furthermore, no explanation was given about Leslie's mention of Bonner.
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