The Hades Factor

The story is interesting but the barrage of banal expressions and dime store sentimentality erodes the telling. And there is the modicum of turgid prose thrown in. Even though I did not expect literature, the writing was woeful enough that I found myself yelling "hack" periodically (or other phrases). The usual superman hero is present who appears to not require much sleep, is not fazed by an occasional wound, etc. that's not much different than the flat characters we've become accustomed to on TV. If you want a more reality based portrayal of clandestine operations (CIA), I recommend The Company (Robert Littell). With Hades it is too often difficult to suspend disbelief and get into the tale because of Ludlum's overwrought prose.

This was my first Robert Ludlum novel - indeed, my first real crime thriller - and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. It opens with a handful of people dying suddenly and horribly from hemorrhagic fever. A team of army research scientists immediately set to work to isolate the virus and find a way to stop it. Meanwhile Jonathan Smith, one of their number, away on other business and blissfully unaware of the crisis, receives a blunt warning for his life from an old friend and is promptly attacked.

His fiancee, fellow scientist Sophia Russell, finally has a breakthrough, linking the virus with something she has seen before on a research trip to Peru... but the only person who might be able to help denies all knowledge, and she too is show more attacked. By the time Jon reaches her back home she is dying from the same virus.

From here it becomes a race against time to find out who is responsible for the attacks, Sophia's death - and, it would seem, the virus itself. Who has unleashed it, who is keeping secrets, what do they stand to gain - and how on earth can they be stopped?

It definitely kept my interest all the way through, though there were odd moments when I was jerked out of the story and thought, 'whoah, that was bad.' Ludlum insists on repeating the ranking of many of his characters, and while the descriptions of gun fights and stealth operations ring with authenticity and knowledge, the personal relationships that cement the story are a bit clunky. It might have increased the thrill factor had the romance between Jon and Sophia, and the tight bonds between Jon and his friends (and partners-in-crime), been a little less awkward in their portrayal.

All in all, a really good, well paced novel - and I would certainly read more Robert Ludlum now I've started. show less

I was so-so on the other Ludlum book I read titled "The Sigma Protocol". This book was lying around and I decided to try it and I am glad I did.

Contrary to the other book The Hades Factor is more of a mystery than a killing feast. In fact Ludlum goes out of his way to avoid killing scenes though it does not lack for action or suspense.

This is the first of a series of novels under the umbrella "Covert-One". I will certainly be on the lookout for more of this series. I loved the characters especially Marty the computer genius, Jon, Randi and others are equally well developed.

The reason for the 1/2 star deduction was simply the constant reference by Jon to the loss of his wife in the story. It got boring after a while to me...that is the show more only flaw in the story as I see it. show less

An enjoyable action-adventure read and the first of the Covert-One Novels. I've read others, so it was interesting to go back to the beginning when Jon and Randi first met.

As with all of these books -- it is truly amazing how quickly the other side totally deduces the others plans and intentions. For that reason they should be called the Covert-Sherlock Novels. Just like Clive Cussler's novels there is no predicament that is too impossible that our heroes can't quickly extricate themselves from. Ah, if only they were mere mortals -- but then again, where's the fun in that?

Finished reading this book in nearly one day. It had all the infredient for a good thriller: suspence, action, fear, several story threads.
It did feel quite familiar though, but I was sure that I had not read this book before. A bit of digging in the www learned, that I've seen the movie too. The book was better ;-)

Great storytelling, although somewhat predictable.

A dangerous, unstoppable dieses strikes random people all over the world. Jon Smith, a military doctor is warned by a close friend to runaway and hide. Jon’s fiancé is also a scientist and discovers a way to stop the virus. Jon finds his fiancé to be infected by the disease and is puzzled because he knows there is no way she could have been infected. Jon discovers that she has been murdered and is set out on a course of vengeance. Jon learns that the virus is manufactured, and that there is a cure. Will Jon be able to find the people with cure, or will he be stopped?