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haydenjweal's review against another edition
4.0
Suspenseful and fun, with historical details that feel nostalgic even though I wasn't alive during the time the book is set.
I read in an interview that Follett's approach to writing is straightforward: the simpler the prose is to understand, the better.
Gotta dig that. Even though flowery prose can be tasty, I read books to feel things, and I feel things when I love characters who are being put through the ringer, not when an author uses a florid turn of phrase. The characters in Code to Zero are vivid and a joy to be around, and the plot is fast-paced and electric. I had a blast!
I read in an interview that Follett's approach to writing is straightforward: the simpler the prose is to understand, the better.
Gotta dig that. Even though flowery prose can be tasty, I read books to feel things, and I feel things when I love characters who are being put through the ringer, not when an author uses a florid turn of phrase. The characters in Code to Zero are vivid and a joy to be around, and the plot is fast-paced and electric. I had a blast!
naturalistnatalie's review
3.0
A highly enjoyable book, but perhaps a bit more adult than I usually assign for the 13-year old boys in American History Club. (There was a fair amount of swearing and some mild sex scenes.) Even so, both of the boys loved the non-stop action. I agree that the book was pretty exciting - will Luke get his memory back? Will he be able to outwit Anthony? What is Anthony's problem with Luke, anyways? Even once Luke figures out Anthony and Elspeth are Soviet agents, there's still quite a bit of tension over whether or not they'll be able to trigger the self-destruct mechanism on the rocket or not.
One of the interesting components of the story was Luke's memory loss and the rediscovery of his relationships. He did remember all of his skills, which is how he was able to narrow down his job title. Since he's coming fresh to the relationships, he basically got to make a new choice of how to interact with everyone. Luke realized he'd made some poor choices in the past and was sure to make different choices this time around. Good thing his wife was a Soviet spy, or there were going to be some very difficult discussions about who he wanted to spend the rest of his days with (hat tip - not his wife).
One of the interesting components of the story was Luke's memory loss and the rediscovery of his relationships. He did remember all of his skills, which is how he was able to narrow down his job title. Since he's coming fresh to the relationships, he basically got to make a new choice of how to interact with everyone. Luke realized he'd made some poor choices in the past and was sure to make different choices this time around. Good thing his wife was a Soviet spy, or there were going to be some very difficult discussions about who he wanted to spend the rest of his days with (hat tip - not his wife).
allieeww's review
4.0
This was an entertaining book. But the problem with reading a spy novel (or any novel involving technology in a time before the present), is that EVERYTHING could have easily been solved with a)cell phones or b)the internet. It felt a bit like the conflicts and issues were specifically written to require technology not yet invented.
kizzie982's review against another edition
4.0
I really like Follett's writing. He is a master at writing a page turner! I liked his military books and Code to Zero was a great science/psychological thriller :)
maribooked's review against another edition
4.0
*4.5*
Έχουν περάσει τόσες μέρες και ακόμα το έχω στο μυαλό μου..
Ο Λουκ ξυπνάει στις τουαλέτες του σιδηροδρομικού σταθμού και δεν θυμάται απολύτως τίποτα.
Ούτε πως τον λένε ούτε πως βρέθηκε εκεί.Έτσι προσπαθεί ν' ανακαλύψει μια ζωή που δεν θυμάται και να βρει τι του έχει συμβεί και έχασε ξαφνικά την μνήμη του.
Θα ανακαλύψει ποιος και γιατί τον έφερε σε αυτή την κατάσταση?
Ποιον θα πρέπει να εμπιστευτεί και ποιον όχι?
Ο πύραυλος θα εκτοξευτεί και ο Λουκ πρέπει μάθει τι του έχει συμβεί πριν την εκτόξευση,γιατί το μελλον της Αμερικής θα κριθεί από εκείνον!
Η αντίστροφη μέτρηση ξεκίνησε..
Ένα βιβλίο με πολλή αγωνία και δράση που δύσκολα θα αφήσεις απ΄τα χέρια σου.
Έχω ενθουσιαστεί!Πρώτη μου επαφή με τον συγγραφέα και σίγουρα όχι τελευταία!
Αν το πετύχετε σε κανένα βιβλιοπωλείο πάρτε το!!!
Έχουν περάσει τόσες μέρες και ακόμα το έχω στο μυαλό μου..
Ο Λουκ ξυπνάει στις τουαλέτες του σιδηροδρομικού σταθμού και δεν θυμάται απολύτως τίποτα.
Ούτε πως τον λένε ούτε πως βρέθηκε εκεί.Έτσι προσπαθεί ν' ανακαλύψει μια ζωή που δεν θυμάται και να βρει τι του έχει συμβεί και έχασε ξαφνικά την μνήμη του.
Θα ανακαλύψει ποιος και γιατί τον έφερε σε αυτή την κατάσταση?
Ποιον θα πρέπει να εμπιστευτεί και ποιον όχι?
Ο πύραυλος θα εκτοξευτεί και ο Λουκ πρέπει μάθει τι του έχει συμβεί πριν την εκτόξευση,γιατί το μελλον της Αμερικής θα κριθεί από εκείνον!
Η αντίστροφη μέτρηση ξεκίνησε..
Ένα βιβλίο με πολλή αγωνία και δράση που δύσκολα θα αφήσεις απ΄τα χέρια σου.
Έχω ενθουσιαστεί!Πρώτη μου επαφή με τον συγγραφέα και σίγουρα όχι τελευταία!
Αν το πετύχετε σε κανένα βιβλιοπωλείο πάρτε το!!!
kazza86's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
ericwelch's review
3.0
Follett has written some fascinating historical novels, my favorite being [b:Pillars of the Earth|5043|The Pillars of the Earth|Ken Follett|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165517379s/5043.jpg|3359698], the story of building a medieval cathedral, but this is the first spy novel. It’s riveting.
Shortly before the launch of America’s first attempt at a response to Sputnik in 1958, a man awakens in the men’s room of Union Station in Washington, D.C. and he has absolutely no idea who he is. He’s covered in vomit and dressed like a bum, but at a local shelter he puzzles the priest in charge by displaying rather extraordinary crossword puzzle skills. He soon discovers that someone is following him, and that he seems to have all sorts of skills that unfathomably seem innate. By dint of some very clever self-analysis of these skills, he manages to go to a lecture where he is sure someone will recognize him and help him to restore his identity.
He learns he is Dr. Claude “Luke” Lucas, a well-known rocket scientist working with Werner von Braun and had been en route to Washington from Cape Canaveral to warn someone in the security agencies about something he can’t remember. Flashbacks inform the reader of the intricate relationships during his college years that he had had with Elspeth, his wife; Billie, a woman he once loved who is now a renowned memory expert; and Anthony Carroll, his former colleague in the OSS who ostensibly believes Luke is a Russian spy intent on sabotaging the American space program. Anthony, now a CIA operative, is the one behind the memory loss. His motive is to protect Luke, whom he still values as a friend, but now knows to be a Russian spy. He has proof that Like has been delivering blueprints to the Russians. At least that’s the cover story.
The United States is about to send the Explorer I spacecraft into space in hopes of thwarting the Russian dominance of space following its successful launch of Sputnik. Each chapter begins with a short piece about the mechanisms of the rocket — although one reviewer noted these sections are riddled (pun intended) with errors.
Luke begins to piece together who he is while trying to evade Anthony’s agents. It’s done very realistically with shades of the Manchurian Candidate — it’s even obliquely referred to by one of the characters who supposedly had submitted the manuscript to Hollywood.
Great fun. I'd give it 4 stars but it doesn't reach the level of masters like John Le Carre et al
Shortly before the launch of America’s first attempt at a response to Sputnik in 1958, a man awakens in the men’s room of Union Station in Washington, D.C. and he has absolutely no idea who he is. He’s covered in vomit and dressed like a bum, but at a local shelter he puzzles the priest in charge by displaying rather extraordinary crossword puzzle skills. He soon discovers that someone is following him, and that he seems to have all sorts of skills that unfathomably seem innate. By dint of some very clever self-analysis of these skills, he manages to go to a lecture where he is sure someone will recognize him and help him to restore his identity.
He learns he is Dr. Claude “Luke” Lucas, a well-known rocket scientist working with Werner von Braun and had been en route to Washington from Cape Canaveral to warn someone in the security agencies about something he can’t remember. Flashbacks inform the reader of the intricate relationships during his college years that he had had with Elspeth, his wife; Billie, a woman he once loved who is now a renowned memory expert; and Anthony Carroll, his former colleague in the OSS who ostensibly believes Luke is a Russian spy intent on sabotaging the American space program. Anthony, now a CIA operative, is the one behind the memory loss. His motive is to protect Luke, whom he still values as a friend, but now knows to be a Russian spy. He has proof that Like has been delivering blueprints to the Russians. At least that’s the cover story.
The United States is about to send the Explorer I spacecraft into space in hopes of thwarting the Russian dominance of space following its successful launch of Sputnik. Each chapter begins with a short piece about the mechanisms of the rocket — although one reviewer noted these sections are riddled (pun intended) with errors.
Luke begins to piece together who he is while trying to evade Anthony’s agents. It’s done very realistically with shades of the Manchurian Candidate — it’s even obliquely referred to by one of the characters who supposedly had submitted the manuscript to Hollywood.
Great fun. I'd give it 4 stars but it doesn't reach the level of masters like John Le Carre et al
kathleenitpdx's review against another edition
3.0
A Soviet plot to damage the US's first space satellite launch involves a group of pre-war college friends. Loyalty, friendship and love are all challenged. Good suspense.
borisfeldman's review against another edition
3.0
Not as good as Eye of the Needle. More like airplane reading.