Robert Ludlum's The Arctic Event (Covert-One) (Paperback)

~ Robert Ludlum (Author), James Cobb (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ponderous prose and a less than credible plot-line weigh down Cobb's Covert-One novel, the seventh in a series (The Hades Factor, etc.) based on a concept created by the late Robert Ludlum. After the chance discovery of a crashed aircraft in the Arctic Circle, the Russians, who are on the verge of signing a landmark antiterrorism pact with the United States, inform President Samuel Castilla that it's a Soviet plane that went down in the 1950s while carrying a ton of weaponized anthrax. Castilla, who suspects that there's more to the story than the Russians are letting on, orders series Jonathan Smith, chief operative for the shadowy Covert-One intelligence service, and his team to investigate. Two women whose field skills are matched by their physical attractiveness join Smith, setting up predictable situations when they fall into the hands of the bad guys. Veteran thriller fans are likely to find the underlying premise behind the Russians' duplicity unconvincing.
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Product Description

On a remote island in the Canadian Arctic, researchers discover the wreckage of a mysterious World War II-era aircraft, a discovery that forces the Russian Federation into a shocking admission. The unmarked plane is a Soviet strategic bomber that disappeared with its crew more than fifty years ago while carrying two metric tons of weaponized anthrax.
Desperate to prevent a political and diplomatic firestorm, the U.S. president dispatches a Covert-One team led by Lieutenant Colonel Jon Smith to the crash site. But others have reached the frigid, windswept island first, including an international arms dealer and his crew of vicious mercenaries. As for the Russians, they are lying: a second, even deadlier secret rests within the hulk of the lost bomber, a secret the Russians are willing to kill to protect. Trapped in a polar wilderness, Smith and his team find themselves fighting a savage war on two front--against an enemy they can see and another hiding within their own ranks.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (September 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446699071
• ISBN-13: 978-0446699075
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #188,616 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Covert Operations in the cold Canadian Arctic, September 10, 2007

By	Cy B. Hilterman "Cy. Hilterman" (Cherry Tree, PA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have read Robert Ludlum's books about Covert One previously and the author, James H. Cobb has taken the characters that Ludlum created and wrote a very good story containing those characters. Lieutenant Colonel Jon Smith is a member of Covert One, a secret spy agency made up of top spooks from various agencies. They work together as teams when and where needed.

A random photo taken in the wilds of the Canadian Arctic contained the image of an airplane, vintage WW II and apparently Russian. This image started a hastily arranged covert operation to seek out this airplane that had disappeared with its crew some fifty-years ago. The Russians and the United States government joined forces to find this wreckage and seek out what had happened to cause this crash and what cargo was aboard. Smith, a medical doctor with the US army is teamed with an old acquaintance, Randi Russell, a CIA operative, and Valentina (Val) Metrace, Professor of History, to become the Covert One team to go and investigate the wreckage.

Major Gregori Smyslov was assigned by the Russian government to join with Jon Smith and his team. The cargo in the plane was sealed containers of Anthrax that no one knew the stability of it or what condition the plane was in after fifty-years. Also there was something very secret and urgent that the Russians had to find first and destroy. Major Smyslov was sworn to secrecy to the point of having orders to kill anyone that found this "secret" also, even if it was the Americans. The level of trust between the Covert One team and the Russian major was non-existent, at least to begin with. Unknown to any of this investigative team was that a group of rogue armament dealers were in search of the anthrax and would kill anyone that got in their way.

The above circumstances of trust or lack of it between the United States and Russian governments was always there as this mission got underway. The brutal weather conditions in that area of the world was not people friendly. They never knew when a storm would come up and stop any progress while trapping the groups where they were until the storm subsided. The only way to reach the area was by helicopter, airplane, or ice-cutting ships that sometimes could cut through to reach Wednesday Island, where all the activity occurred.

There were many mental and physical battles occurring making the reader eager to keep reading this fast paced story with lots of action. The struggle became a mental game for those involved. As you read you may think that some of the action is a bit predictable but the way it played out made your predictions waver and change as you read. The breakdown of communications becomes a huge part of the story. Knowing there was a support ship with helicopter crews and soldiers off the coast was comforting but not having communications at many times with them made things terrible. The land communications also were a struggle partly because of weather and partly because of sabotage.

That level of trust still wavered between the Russian and Covert One but at times that trust had to be strong, with the circumstances and the weather, continually presenting such a fierce enemy. Lots of strategic planning sometimes worked out but many times it backfired requiring the return to another plan, and that new plan had to be followed through at once.
This is a very good read. As I finished "The Arctic Event" I couldn't help but think that the author had a great platform for a series containing some of the same characters in the book. I hope this team of writers continues to give us more interesting and exciting reading.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This spine tingling suspense will keep you on the edge of your seat, September 26, 2007

By	Reader Views "www.readerviews.com" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (9/07)

"The Artic Event" is part of the Covert One Series that was created by Robert Ludlum. This novel, written by James H. Cobb, is a fast-paced, suspense-filled, espionage thriller. It takes place on a frozen island in the Canadian Artic. The plot actually begins over fifty years ago when a Soviet bomber mysteriously crash lands on the island. It was carrying a biological weapon that consisted of four thousand pounds of anthrax. For some reason, Russia never attempted to rescue the crew or the plane and its cargo. The reason that the plane had been in the area seems very suspicious, especially since it was during the Cold War. The Russian's claim it to have been on a training mission gone awry.

The Covert One team is sent to the island to see that the anthrax is contained and to investigate what really happened. When they arrive, they discover that not only are the Russians trying to cover something up, but another group is trying to gain control of the anthrax. The team's lives are in danger. Rushing against time with two groups out to kill them, and incredibly cold weather, they have to rely on their wits and their special training to survive and to save thousands of lives.

I was immediately drawn into the novel. It was very fast-paced all the way through. I had goose bumps the whole time I was reading it. Being that it is about 110 degrees where I live, Cobb was really able to make me feel like I was on that frozen island. The characters are very well-developed and I was thrilled that there were two, not just one, women on the team. Cobb takes you into their minds and lets you know how they think and how they have to rely on their inner strength and disciplined training to make it through alive. The leader of the team, Lieutenant Colonel Jon Smith, has an incredible sense of integrity that hugely factors into the story.

"The Arctic Event" is perfect for fans of espionage thrillers. Both men and women will find themselves immediately hooked and unable to put the book down. Ludlum fans will not be disappointed in the seventh novel of this series. If you have not read any of James H. Cobb's novels before, you will be thrilled to discover him.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Covert-One Winner, December 2, 2007

By	Bonnie Toews (Newcastle, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Though I agree with the reviewer who thinks the title is missing a beat--how about "Arctic Jackpot?"--I don't agree with the reviewer for Publish Weekly. The premise of the plot is most credible, especially with the mentality of the Russians during the Cold War and Soviet experiments in biochemical weapons (the West was equally guilty), and those who close their eyes to the threat today's Putin poses to the world is living with their heads in the sand. James Cobb carries on Robert Ludlum's story plots with great entertainment, and it would seem the Covert One team is adding new members for future bone-chilling missions. An excellent read.