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chiara_fontanazza's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
latas's review against another edition
2.0
I picked up this book with high hopes only because it was written by Ken Follet. Now I am asking the same question that most of the reviewers have asked- did Ken Follett really write this?
The thriller had a very interesting premise, which started well but later messed up with badly written characters, ridiculous action, and cringe-worthy romance.
I have read a book by Robin Cook with a similar plot. I don’t remember much, but I don’t think he made a sleaze-fest out of it.
One positive thing was the mention of a search engine, which was quite futuristic at the time when the book was published (Google founded in 1998 and this book published in 1996)
The characters - I wish he could write strong female characters like he did in 'Pillars of the earth'. Just because the heroine Jeannie has a PhD, 6 ft tall with model-like looks and a tennis- pro, doesn’t make her strong. She was self-centered and had skewed set of priorities and morals.
-She uses her search program to look for identical twins who were raised apart (and probably don't even know of the other's existence) and still claims that there is no invasion of privacy. But when she unearths a questionable experiment, she starts freaking about unethical practices.
- I am glad I don’t have any friend like Jeannie. She gets her friend Ghita into trouble asking her to run dubious tests, posing some unreasonable arguments. She doesn’t believe her friend Lisa when she points to Steve as a rapist, and believes Steve whom she has just met, even before seeing any proof of his innocence ? She even blackmails Lisa into helping her telling her how she saved Lisa from a burning building.
All characters behave irrationally. Why else would a man accused of rape released on bail first think of professing love to a woman he just met, than trying to get his name cleared.
The last third of the book where the protagonists uncovered the conspiracy was laughable.
1. Getting classified information from Pentagon? Piece of cake. Just go to the Pentagon on a Saturday night, ask them to run your search engine on their database, copy the results into a floppy disk, take a print out and walk out.
2. Finding the current address and phone number of the clones? No Problem. Open the directory. Call the numbers at midnight. Bingo! Each one is easily traced.
3. Getting the clones to attend the press conference? Everything falls in place easily for the MCs. They just call up the clones, and these grown-up men just attend the conference without any questions.
Caution- if this is the first Ken Follett you are reading, please don’t, you might never pick up another Ken Follet again, which is a pity because his historical fiction is a class apart from this crap.
The thriller had a very interesting premise, which started well but later messed up with badly written characters, ridiculous action, and cringe-worthy romance.
I have read a book by Robin Cook with a similar plot. I don’t remember much, but I don’t think he made a sleaze-fest out of it.
One positive thing was the mention of a search engine, which was quite futuristic at the time when the book was published (Google founded in 1998 and this book published in 1996)
The characters - I wish he could write strong female characters like he did in 'Pillars of the earth'. Just because the heroine Jeannie has a PhD, 6 ft tall with model-like looks and a tennis- pro, doesn’t make her strong. She was self-centered and had skewed set of priorities and morals.
-She uses her search program to look for identical twins who were raised apart (and probably don't even know of the other's existence) and still claims that there is no invasion of privacy. But when she unearths a questionable experiment, she starts freaking about unethical practices.
- I am glad I don’t have any friend like Jeannie. She gets her friend Ghita into trouble asking her to run dubious tests, posing some unreasonable arguments. She doesn’t believe her friend Lisa when she points to Steve as a rapist, and believes Steve whom she has just met, even before seeing any proof of his innocence ? She even blackmails Lisa into helping her telling her how she saved Lisa from a burning building.
All characters behave irrationally. Why else would a man accused of rape released on bail first think of professing love to a woman he just met, than trying to get his name cleared.
The last third of the book where the protagonists uncovered the conspiracy was laughable.
2. Finding the current address and phone number of the clones? No Problem. Open the directory. Call the numbers at midnight. Bingo! Each one is easily traced.
3. Getting the clones to attend the press conference? Everything falls in place easily for the MCs. They just call up the clones, and these grown-up men just attend the conference without any questions.
Caution- if this is the first Ken Follett you are reading, please don’t, you might never pick up another Ken Follet again, which is a pity because his historical fiction is a class apart from this crap.
aprater's review against another edition
4.0
This book is a quick read from start to finish. I like the pace of the story and the attention to detail. Having said that, several times I screamed in my head for a character to use the caller ID or find a cell phone or get on the internet. It was a good reminder of the differences at the time the book was written and how this tale might be different today. We are lucky.
thedutchbookreviewer's review against another edition
4.0
leirearr's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hockeyceres's review against another edition
4.0
Trama appassionante, colpi di scena e scrittura di buon livello. Il terzo gemello è un classico di Ken Follett nel bene e nel male. Nel bene la scrittura scorrevole, la trama e i colpi di scena, nel male l'ossessione di Follett di essere sempre politicamente corretto (vedi trilogia del XX secolo), che purtroppo si sente anche in un libro di quasi 30 anni fa.
Nel complesso un libro che si fa leggere fin dalle prime pagine e che ha la capacità, non rara nei libri dell'autore, bisogna riconoscerlo, di incollare il lettore alla trama per vedere cosa succede nel capitolo successivo.
Preferisco però il Follett "medievale", dove i personaggi, inseriti in un contesto più ampio, hanno molta più libertà di azione e risultano più liberi, profondi e soprattutto credibili rispetto ai libri ambientati nella modernità dove i buoni stanno sempre dalla stessa parte, credono tutti negli stessi "valori" e alla fine fanno sempre le stesse cose.
Nel complesso un libro che si fa leggere fin dalle prime pagine e che ha la capacità, non rara nei libri dell'autore, bisogna riconoscerlo, di incollare il lettore alla trama per vedere cosa succede nel capitolo successivo.
Preferisco però il Follett "medievale", dove i personaggi, inseriti in un contesto più ampio, hanno molta più libertà di azione e risultano più liberi, profondi e soprattutto credibili rispetto ai libri ambientati nella modernità dove i buoni stanno sempre dalla stessa parte, credono tutti negli stessi "valori" e alla fine fanno sempre le stesse cose.
sspringer16's review against another edition
The first chapter was disgusting and I don’t need to read anything like that again
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Violence, Rape, Racism, Misogyny, and Police brutality
catsflipped's review against another edition
5.0
Ken Follet is an amazing story teller, whether he is bringing an historic moment to life or simply using his imagination to entertain, you are never disappointed.
This book starts with a bang and you are carried on a wave the whole way through as it twists and turns frustrating our heros as they battle to stop the sale of a company built on illegal experimentation 22 years prior.
Steve is accused of a crime he did not commit but DNA evidence proves his guilt, his only hope is that Jeannie can find the proof needed to show he is not the only person with that DNA. The more she digs the bigger the crime she exposes but the people she is up against will stop at nothing to cover their tracks.
This book starts with a bang and you are carried on a wave the whole way through as it twists and turns frustrating our heros as they battle to stop the sale of a company built on illegal experimentation 22 years prior.
Steve is accused of a crime he did not commit but DNA evidence proves his guilt, his only hope is that Jeannie can find the proof needed to show he is not the only person with that DNA. The more she digs the bigger the crime she exposes but the people she is up against will stop at nothing to cover their tracks.
khongorzul's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A nice read for getting out of a reading rut.
niallmc's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5