The Cassandra Compact: A Covert-One Novel

Rating:
Summary: 3 1/2 stars Cassandra Compact worth a look
Review: As a long-term fan of Robert Ludlum and not knowing how involved Ludlum really was in the actual composition of the Covert One series, I had been hesitant up to this point to give the books a try. Not knowing exactly what to expect, but having read an enjoyed the previous solo works from Philip Shelby, I decided to give the Cassandra Compact a try when faced with a need to pick up a book at an airport bookstore.

In short, I was pleasantly surprised. The tale, although lighter and clearly not nearly as complex as the typical Ludlum, kept me turning the pages. This book, which grabs the reader early and does not let go, contains much of the suspense and plot twists that Ludlum aficionados have come to love in the conspiracy-thriller genre. Upon final evaluation, the Cassandra Compact made my four-hour plane ride easy duty. My first experience with the series will make me go back to the beginning to try some of the others.

Rating:
Summary: A time-passer
Review: OOPS! REVIEW MODIFIED TO REFER TO THE FIRST BOOK IN THE COVERT-ONE SERIES, THE HADES FACTOR (NOT THE PROMETHEUS DECEPTION AS INDICATED IN THE FIRST REVIEW).

I happened to really like the Hades Factor (HF), and therefore, fully expected to like this book too. Like the HF, you'll find action, suspense, and diabolical characters. However, unlike the HF, this book just didn't add up. It's more like a movie that you go to see that has so much action going on that you don't realize that there really is no compelling story until the end.

The plot was a familiar one and decent, but the events that took place -- at times, seemed a little far-fetched. There wasn't a lot of character development, but what was done was sufficient. However, the inclusion of characters from the earlier book seemed to be just to show continuity -- which isn't a bad thing, but it didn't seem necessary since there was no in-depth interaction among them. Despite its "faults", the book is entertaining enough to pass the time with and it is a decent read. And, there were some pretty good suspenseful scenes in the book that kept me on pins and needles.

If you read the book and don't expect the caliber of story you typically get from a Ludlum book, you'll be okay.

Rating:
Summary: A quick, cool novel...
Review: This excellent novel is fast-paced and interesting until the very end. With unrelenting action that keeps you wanting to turn to the next page, or read the next chapter.
I believe that this is the best Covert-one novel (although I haven't read the Altman Code just yet).
If the synopsis of the story at the back of the book makes you think this book is unoriginal, think again. I thought the same thing and in the end I loved it!