Robert Ludlum's The Altman Code

A Covert-One Novel

By: Robert Ludlum, Gayle Lynds

Narrated by: Don Leslie

Length: 15 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

On the dark waterside docks of Shanghai, a photographer is recording cargo being secretly loaded when he's brutally killed and his camera destroyed. Shortly thereafter Covert-One director Fred Klein brings the word to the President that there's a Chinese cargo ship rumored to be carrying tons of chemicals to be used by a rogue nation to create new biological weapons. Klein is ordered to get the President solid proof of what the Chinese ship is ferrying.

Covert-One agent Jon Smith is sent to Taiwan to meet with another agent who has acquired the ship's true manifest. But before Smith can get it, they are ambushed, the second agent is murdered, the proof is destroyed, and Smith escapes with only his life and scant clues to mystery behind the cargo ship. As the Chinese cargo ship draws ever closer to its end port, Smith must race against the clock to uncover the truth about the ship and its cargo, a truth that probes the deepest secrets of the Chinese ruling party, the faction in Washington working to undermine the elected government, and the international cabal who is thrusting the world to the very brink of war.

©2003 Myn Pyn, LLC (P)2003 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers, LLC.

O.K. but predictable

The book definitely had its moments, but overall it seemed to be quite predictable. It also tended to get confusing with the various names and locations.

There is too many actors in the play. Hard to keep straight. Lost interest at times. Don’t enjoy as much as before

Too many characters, hard to follow and becomes redundant. Too much like previous work.
Develop more like The Rheinman Exchange, Chancellor Manuscript, Materase Circle, etc.

Becoming difficult to believe

This is not Ian Fleming but Dr Smith sounds too much like James Bond, coincidence?

Best Covert-One yet

I’m reading them in order, this being the 4th in the series. Very very enjoyable. Not to spoil too much but a hilarious interaction between John and Randy about half way through. Excellent reading performance as well.

Visiting an Old Friend

I was saddened in the recent past to read of Robert Ludlum's passing. Therefore, I was surprised to realize that there are still some of his novels left to be published. Ludlum's plots though predictable after reading a number of them, are so much fun and so exciting that their predictability take a back seat. His novels are also wonderful travelogues, taking you to some seldom visited parts of the world and giving the reader insight into the character and people in exotic places.

If you are listening to an Ludlum novel for the first time you will find it fast moving and rewarding. If you are a repeat visitor it will be like "old home week"... Enjoy!

Okay

This selections just never got me going. I wasn't excited to find out the ending.

Great

A great tale. I have enjoyed all books heard so far by Ludlum. A great story teller of espionage.

A great pass time for Robert Ludlum fans!

The book is quite a good pass time for Robert Ludlum fans.

Couldn't put it down!

Was hard to get into plot because of so many characters. Once they were established it great as the story moved from place to place. Epilog was nicely done, a nice recap of the book.

Wow

What did you love best about Robert Ludlum's The Altman Code?

I love how he keeps you on the edge and then brings you back and does it again and again, before he finds a ways to rap things up in a satisfying way

What other book might you compare Robert Ludlum's The Altman Code to and why?

I can not compare it to anything, and this is why I love his work so much.

What about Don Leslie’s performance did you like?

It was also great.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

That I keep for myself but I am compelled to continue the series.

Any additional comments?

I will keep reading until I have read the whole series.