Robert Ludlum's The Altman Code

A Covert-One Novel

By: Robert Ludlum, Gayle Lynds

Narrated by: Don Leslie

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.

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.

Becoming difficult to believe

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

Not Ludlum's Best Work

I am a Robert Ludlum fan and have read nearly all of the covert one books. This books is predictable and over dramatic in many areas. While entertaining, it is not one that will keep you listening in your car after you arrive at your destination.