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writtenbysime's review against another edition
3.0
Steve Berry has produced another propulsive thriller that won’t live long in the memory, but dutifully entertains. Plenty of thriller writers provide the thrills and spills expected of the genre; few do so with as much style and factual accuracy as Berry.
The 14th Colony centres around a devastating scenario: what would happen if both the president and the vice-president elect of the United States died before taking the oath of office? Would the government survive the resultant turmoil? In this eleventh Cotton Malone escapade, that’s precisely what former KGB operative Aleksandr Zorin has plotted; and armed with like-minded allies, and several decades-old suitcase nukes, he has the capacity to do so. Also involved is The Society of Cincinnati, a fraternity founded after the Revolutionary War, whose desire for a 14th colony somehow ties into the Russian’s plot. Standing in Zorin’s way are the Magellen Billet’s operatives – but with their long-time proponent, President Danny Daniels, on his way out of the Oval Office, they are a fading force, destined for obliteration by the incoming government.
In the opening chapters, Berry posits an allegiance between Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II to destabilize the Soviet Union, which offers such fertile ground for further exploration, it’s almost a shame that alone was not the focus of the novel, as what follows is a fairly formulaic romp. The 14th Colony is laced with plenty of action and fascinating history, and moves at breakneck speed guaranteed to keep readers’ eyes glued to the page —but it’s all very methodical.
The 14th Colony follows Berry’s long line of stellar thrillers, and while this one can sit proudly alongside its brethren, there doesn’t appear any attempt to advance his successful formula. That won’t matter to some – perhaps most – readers, who delve into their annual dose of Berry seeking nothing more than the shootouts, explosions, and historical intrigue he’s guaranteed to provide. But with the series now in double-figures, I’ve a desire for something fresh; perhaps a standalone, which would unshackle Berry from the constraints of his series continuity.
My desire for innovation aside – a decidedly biased condemnation, I am well aware – The 14th Colony is a fine thriller, and a page-turner in the truest sense, blending history, speculation and rip-roaring action.
The 14th Colony centres around a devastating scenario: what would happen if both the president and the vice-president elect of the United States died before taking the oath of office? Would the government survive the resultant turmoil? In this eleventh Cotton Malone escapade, that’s precisely what former KGB operative Aleksandr Zorin has plotted; and armed with like-minded allies, and several decades-old suitcase nukes, he has the capacity to do so. Also involved is The Society of Cincinnati, a fraternity founded after the Revolutionary War, whose desire for a 14th colony somehow ties into the Russian’s plot. Standing in Zorin’s way are the Magellen Billet’s operatives – but with their long-time proponent, President Danny Daniels, on his way out of the Oval Office, they are a fading force, destined for obliteration by the incoming government.
In the opening chapters, Berry posits an allegiance between Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II to destabilize the Soviet Union, which offers such fertile ground for further exploration, it’s almost a shame that alone was not the focus of the novel, as what follows is a fairly formulaic romp. The 14th Colony is laced with plenty of action and fascinating history, and moves at breakneck speed guaranteed to keep readers’ eyes glued to the page —but it’s all very methodical.
The 14th Colony follows Berry’s long line of stellar thrillers, and while this one can sit proudly alongside its brethren, there doesn’t appear any attempt to advance his successful formula. That won’t matter to some – perhaps most – readers, who delve into their annual dose of Berry seeking nothing more than the shootouts, explosions, and historical intrigue he’s guaranteed to provide. But with the series now in double-figures, I’ve a desire for something fresh; perhaps a standalone, which would unshackle Berry from the constraints of his series continuity.
My desire for innovation aside – a decidedly biased condemnation, I am well aware – The 14th Colony is a fine thriller, and a page-turner in the truest sense, blending history, speculation and rip-roaring action.
jcheidel's review against another edition
4.0
It's not particularly deep, but it completely fulfilled it's role as a page-turner with some very interesting bits of history and political science thrown in. A good isolation read.
nearonis's review against another edition
4.0
Altogether a good romp, but slow in places. I think it could have been trimmed down to up the tension, but if you love the Cold War, the KGB, and secret Revolutionary War societies (as well as like the idea of taking Canada over, if only in theory), this one's for you.
kc1005us's review against another edition
5.0
Love reading the Cotton Malone series! With Cassiopeia back in the picture & a new adventure on the horizon, can't wait to read what happens next.
jeanetterenee's review against another edition
DNF Gave up after 3 1/2 disks. Sometimes I really like Steve Berry, and sometimes he's a bit much for me.
kenziem's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 I skipped sections because it was just too much dry history. Picked up quite a bit in the last hundred pages.
beckmank's review against another edition
3.0
Cotton Malone novels are fast-paced and fun reads, and The 14th Colony is no exception. Normally these are 4- or 5-star reads for me, but this outing fell a little short. While the actual loophole in the Constitution was an interesting twist (and it really exists), the Russian spy story line wasn’t as engaging for me as previous Cotton Malone books.
For my full review, please visit Hidden Staircase.
For my full review, please visit Hidden Staircase.
canada_matt's review against another edition
4.0
Berry offers readers another wonderfully crafted piece of fiction, peppered with factual information, sure to impress long-time fans and newbies alike. Imagine the Vatican and US were working together to bring down the U.S.S.R. Such is the premise of this latest Cotton Malone adventure. In June 1982, US President Ronald Reagan met in private with Pope John Paul II. This unprecedented meeting led to a number of secret discussions and negotiations to bring down the powerful Soviet empire from two fronts. Their mission proved successful in 1989, leaving a power void in the world and disaster for Russia, who had not seen anything close to democracy for over 800 years. In the present day, Cotton Malone is again on contract with the Magellan Billet, which is set to be defunct, this time on a reconnaissance mission in Siberia. Malone's plane is shot down and he is left as a temporary captive. While in custody, he learns scraps of a plan to punish America for destroying the USSR, though he cannot decipher what's to come. Armed with phrases "Zero Amendment" and "Fool's Mate", Malone escapes and is rescued by a former flame, Cassiopeia Vitt. They follow their mark across to Canada and into the United States, where Washington is preparing for the Presidential Inauguration. In a separate plot-line, Stephanie Nelle and one of her Billet agents learn about the Society of Cincinnati, a secret collection of individuals that dates back to the Revolutionary War. Within some of their journals is a collection of plans related to something called The 14th Colony. Further exploration determines that a KGB operative may have seen these plans with an interest in the nuances found therein. With time running out before the change of power, Malone uncovers that the inauguration might be the key to the Soviet retaliation and complete chaos for America, which has political, social, and constitutional ramifications on par with the end of the Cold War. Time is of the essence, though no one can be sure if this spells the end of everything that Berry has built up over the past ten novels. In true Berry form, the reader is sucked in and forced to wonder where fact ends and fiction begins in this explosive thriller.
Steve Berry has a knack for overlaying obscure meetings or documents with a powerful plot that seeks to understand said event. Placing Cotton Malone and the larger Magellan Billet in the middle of the story, the reader can relate to a cast of characters whose backstories continue to grow as the series continues. It is only when the reader reaches the end of the novel that Berry's famed "author's note" helps to sift through the truth from that which he has spun to fuel the story. This novel's strength lies in the duel plots and historical events, the Zero Amendment and the 14th Colony. Seeped in history and potential chaos, Berry uses them to keep the story fresh, even as the Danny Daniels era as president comes to an end. One can only hope that Berry has new twists to keep Malone in the story and these constitutional conundrums at the heart of the series. Crafted with precision, adventure, and always propelling the characters forward, Berry shows that he is a master at fiction writing, amassing new fans with each new novel.
Kudos, Mr. Berry for another wonderful story. I anticipate your annual additions to the Cotton Malone series and all the intricacies you have to offer.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Steve Berry has a knack for overlaying obscure meetings or documents with a powerful plot that seeks to understand said event. Placing Cotton Malone and the larger Magellan Billet in the middle of the story, the reader can relate to a cast of characters whose backstories continue to grow as the series continues. It is only when the reader reaches the end of the novel that Berry's famed "author's note" helps to sift through the truth from that which he has spun to fuel the story. This novel's strength lies in the duel plots and historical events, the Zero Amendment and the 14th Colony. Seeped in history and potential chaos, Berry uses them to keep the story fresh, even as the Danny Daniels era as president comes to an end. One can only hope that Berry has new twists to keep Malone in the story and these constitutional conundrums at the heart of the series. Crafted with precision, adventure, and always propelling the characters forward, Berry shows that he is a master at fiction writing, amassing new fans with each new novel.
Kudos, Mr. Berry for another wonderful story. I anticipate your annual additions to the Cotton Malone series and all the intricacies you have to offer.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
kathijo63's review against another edition
2.0
Week 16 of the 2017 Reading Challenge: A Mystery. I have always enjoyed Steve Berry's Cotton Malone series but this one was disappointing. The in depth discussions about US Amendments was boring and I skipped over chunks of it. Let's get back to more adventure and less history lesson in the future, shall we?
krys's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyable, but a little bit predictable. I did not know this was part of a series, but didn't feel lost at all!