The Ambler Warning

A Novel

By: Robert Ludlum

Narrated by: Scott Sowers

Length: 16 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

"Welcome to Robert Ludlum's world...fast pacing, tight plotting, international intrigue." (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

In Robert Ludlum's The Ambler Warning, an agent breaks out of a top security institution where the government has kept him drugged for years only to discover that he's not the person he thinks he is.

On Parrish Island, a restricted island off the coast of Virginia, there is a little known and never visited psychiatric facility. There, far from prying eyes, the government stores former intelligence employees whose psychiatric state make them a danger to their own government, people whose ramblings might endanger ongoing operations or prove dangerously inconvenient.

One of these employees, former Consular Operations agent Hal Ambler, is kept heavily medicated and closely watched. But there's one difference between Hal and the other patients - Hal isn't crazy. With the help of a sympathetic nurse, Hal manages to first clear his mind of the drug-induced haze and then pulls off a daring escape. Free, he's out to discover who stashed him there and why - but the world he returns to isn't the one he remembers.

Friends and longtime associates don't remember him, there are no official records of Hal Ambler, and when he first sees himself in the mirror, the face that looks back at him is not the one he knows as his own.

©2005 Myn Pyn, LLC (P)2005 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers, LLC

Critic reviews

"Ludlum packs more suspense into his novels than any other six-pack of thriller writers combined." (The New York Times)

Great Great Listen!!.

This is an incredibly entertaining book to listen to. The character is engaging and the story line though not complicated is nice and the ending a little twist. Recommend.

great book

A typical Ludlum book, intreging to the end. I would love to see this as a movie. Get the abridged version, other wise it takes a long time to listen to.

Donut factory

A rollicking Ludlum tale, perfect for escaping the commuter blahs. Fast paced, some clever touches, but has more holes than a donut factory. Well worth a listen, but suspend your rational side.

Fun Listen

Overall, I would recommend this novel to those who enjoy Ludlum's other stuff. The book moves along at a good clip and puts some effort into avoiding predictability. If you are looking for a realistic novel, however, this won't fit the bill. The story is a little far fetched when you think about it for a little over a second. But, this is not too much of a problem for readers. Realism is not what you should be expecting from this genre.

Not a bad listen. Try it.

Never a disappointment.

Enjoyed the story. Scott Sowers did a great job in his interpretation and presentation. will be looking for more by both.

Excellant

What did you love best about The Ambler Warning?

I think the story its self was a departure from the norm.

What did you like best about this story?

I think the actual descriptive writing style was a step apart. The clarity of the scene set and the strength of the character was first rate given the subject matter.

What does Scott Sowers bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I just appreciated his delivery, and the pronunciation of the French place names was good.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes but it was not possible, I am a busy one.

Any additional comments?

Thanks Audible.

Not one of his best books

The book was slow to start and came to an abrupt unbelievable end. I generally like Ludlum’s. Books but found this one very disappointing
Boo

Ludlum never disappoints

Great storyline, great twists as always.How does he think of all these great espionage
stories??

The Ambler Warning

A typical Ludlum, fast paced and exciting and because of that a lack of reality. The audio was quite good but the narrator lacked the ability to make the different characters stand out through their different voices. This genre works best in books, then on film and less so on audio tape in my view. It did help me get through long drives across the southern U.S. deserts!

Are there really people who are as skilled and knowledgeable as Hal Ambler? The "Jason Bourne" type character has been well used by Ludlum albeit highly successfully. I still rate the Gemini Contenders as my first and favourite Ludlum and one of my favourite books of all time but that judgment was made many moons ago when the genre was all quite fresh and new!

Heed The Warning

Yes, this is a long book. Yes it is not easily digested, and yes it requires more than average concentration to enjoy, but it is also Robert Ludlum's work. To those reviewers who complain about it's pace and about its complexity I have to ask what they expected? Ludlum's work is a finely detailed portrait of implausible heroes thrust into near impossible situations against powerful foes. Anyone expecting a light,breezy watercolor of a book has no business reading Ludlum in the first place. If you are not into finely detailed characters and their interaction with one another, read another book. If you can't appreciate a complex plot, with many turns and twists, read another book. When you make the decision to read a Ludlum book you are committing yourself to investing time and concentration into it. This book, like all of my favorite Ludlum books, requires an effort to grasp and understand it's intricate structure. If you know Ludlum you understand that starting one of his novels is going to take you on a trip that is not suited for a day's effort. This book requires at least a long week-end, preferable longer, to absorb and savor in order to appreciate it. This book is not "fast food", it is an exquisite dinner to be enjoyed slowly and with deep appreciation of characters who you can only envy for their perseverence and originality as they grapple with great adversity. If you are willing to give it the time and effort it deserves, The Amsler Warning will remind you why Mr. Ludlum's passing is a cause of regret and mourning for his fans worldwide.