Customer Reviews

Rhinemann Exchange

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

This was another good book written by Robert Ludlum. You could use the term pageturner with the Rhinemann Exchange. The two nations at war during World War II are in a desperate need for certain products to make their war efforts sucessful. The Nazis are trying to get their rocket factory Peenemunde on line in order to have a good war effort. The Americans need to get a gyroscope design to help their bombers. For the Americans their main invasion Operation Overlord is in jeapordy.The Nazis need to obtain industrial diamonds in order to put Peenemunde on line. The Nazis have the designs for a gyroscopic guidance system. The Americans (the Aircraft Company) can produce the industrial diamonds. The trading of these two products are a must for both sides. A meeting is arranged in South America in Buenos Aires. David Spaulding who is an undercover agent in Lisbon is sent to represent America. He knows only of the designs. Into the picture enters the Haganah(Jewish underground group).After several attempts the Haganah finally shows Spaulding the other side of the excahnge. Spauldin springs into action and sabotages the master conspiracy. With the help of the Haganah David is able to bring a close to this evil plan. This is a must read book. Another masterpiece from Ludlum.

This was the first Ludlum book I read, and I think the best. It has a good plot, easy to understand characters and none of the confusing plots and paranoia that were so evident in his later books. This is a great read, a thriller up there with the Ipcress file and others of that genre.

It's WWII. The German rocket plant Peenemunde is in trouble because it's out of industrial grade diamonds to use in their machinery. The United States are trying to develop gyroscopes that will work with high altitude bombers. Realizing they can help each other, Germany and the United States develop a clandestine exchange; diamonds for schematics. David Spaulding is the American agent sent to Argentina to complete the trade, but naturally their are a myriad of complications including an underground organization who will stop at nothing to stop the exchange.

Ludlum creates characters you can root for and against and puts them in the middle of a fascinating scenario. There are a lot of twists and turns, some I didn't see coming and the action keeps moving at a fast pace.

The governed have always been suspicious of an unhealthy collusion between their government and the industrial interests. Here, Robert Ludlum plays to our wildest fears.

The Rhinemann Exchange takes us to the Second World War with America barely in the sidelines, when David Spaulding, son of concert pianists, is co-opted to wage clandestine warfare in Portugal.

The Germans have been unable to get industrial diamonds for their rockets, while the Americans cannot develop high-altitude altimeters for their bombers. Each side has what the other needs. An exchange is planned in Argentina. Spaulding is transferred there with some codes. The result is an exploding aircraft and tons of dead bodies.

The Rhinemann Exchange does not disappoint. A gripping plot and crisp writing, where tension jumps out the pages. Spaulding is a killing machine we can relate to.

However this is the Ludlum. So we get the unconscionable body count, the near fatal misses, and the pudgy bureaucrats who move men like pawns: if not realistic, then at least, plausible.

Thirty years since, we still grapple with some of the issues. For instance, how close should government and industry work? Should companies profit from a war effort?

The Exchange does not produce answers, but it does make for better questions.

The Rhinemann Exchange features a fascinating fictional premise that Ludlum has dreamed up within the setting of the closing stages of the Second World War. Germany desperately needs shipments of industrial diamonds to perfect its rockets. The USA desperately needs functional high-altitude gyroscopes to perfect aircraft guidance systems. Both sides have what the other needs. And so unfolds "an exchange between enemies at the height of the bitterest war in the history of mankind" (p97), with Erich Rhinemann functioning as the liaison in the neutral territory of Buenos Aires to oversee the exchange. David Spaulding, the man from Lisbon, is the American agent released from his service in Portugal and commissioned on a secret mission to bring the gyroscope blueprints back to the USA. But he doesn't know the terrible secret of the diamond transfer which his country is giving up in exchange. And who is trying desperately to stop the exchange? And what role in the action does the fanatical Jewish group Haganah play? What unfolds is combination of action and suspense, in typical Ludlum style. But in the end the novel didn't quite live up to the potential that the premise offered, and the story lacked the heart-stopping action and suspense of Ludlum's better page-turners, and was burdened with too much confusing political dialogue, and unexplained loose ends. An interesting read, but newcomers to Ludlum would be advised to begin instead with some of his better books, such as (in my preferred order) The Bourne Identity, The Materese Circle, The Holcroft Covenant, and The Aquitaine Progression. -GODLY GADFLY

It had been quite a while since I read an old-fashioned WWII novel. Saw a book review on TV of a different novel and ended up buying this. The book is extremely well narrated by the great Ludlum. The plot, characters, pace, and style of narration are brilliant. I used to be a big Ludlum reader, and I guess I read this after a hiatus of 7-8 years. Really loved the book. Thinking of taking out time for more of his novels that I haven't read (there aren't that many).

Robert Ludlum definitely hits his straps with this one. The protagonist in this book is an ultra competent spy, based in Portugal. He is 'That Man in Lisbon'. The roots of the plot come out of WWII.

The Rhinemann exchange is diamonds for technology, pretty much, the Rhinemann being a scientist. Our man in Lisbon gets involved with a woman, and also realises a Jewish activist group is trying to stop what he is up to.

Definitely one of Ludlum's works to pick out, if you are only going to sample a few.