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A review of The Sigma Protocol

by Robert Ludlum

Thriller with a sci-fi twist

Reviewed by: Twelve
About Twelve

The Sigma Protocol The Sigma Protocol, by Robert Ludlum, is yet another one of the author's thrillers meant to play on the fear of not knowing exactly what is behind the governments of the world. While intellectuals should realize that the numerous conflicting conspiracy stories are a load of hogwash, it's always fun to pretend every now and then. That's why I find this, Ludlum's mid-thirtieth published book, to be quite a good read.

It's about a rich New Yorker named Ben Hartman who takes a trip to Switzerland and is suddenly in a whole heap of trouble. It doesn't take long for Ben to realize that many people want him dead, and for reasons that completely escape him. He wouldn't be able to realistically solve the riddle without the help of an Anna Navarro, a field agent for the Department of Justice. Together, they dive into an international chase-and-escape affair, where life and death seem to be just opposite sides of a coin that anyone can flip.

It is the deep international flavor of this book that really makes it stand out for me. Ludlum doesn't just place his characters in Washington, Argentina, Austria, or Switzerland and expect you to imagine how such places can be like. He gets down to amazing detail, mentioning specific geography, cultural nuances, various laws, and even the different accents of English-speaking peoples of other lands. One might say that Ludlum can simply make things up and nobody would know the difference, but as a person who lives in Switzerland, I know that he is shockingly accurate with the details he describes. For example, he writes very accurately of the roads, stores, and scenery surrounding the Zurich Bahnhof, and even knows that the Swiss tease their police by using the word "Bullen"(bulls). These are only a couple of his exact references to Switzerland, and he does the same with the many other countries his characters visit in The Sigma Protocol. This is the outstanding work of an experienced writer. Even if he's never been to these places, it's clear that he's done some major homework to put together a book that feels very real.

Furthermore, Ludlum isn't afraid to play around with his characters. Nobody can really go through the kinds of things the hero and heroine endure in this tale, yet it is entertaining to see them do it anyway. Sometimes, certain figures perform outstanding deeds that one can find quite often in comic books, like single handily killing three enemies with one pistol. Let the complainers say what they will, but this kind of work takes the characters and moves them well away from becoming boring stacks of prose. Ludlum doesn't over-dialogue his way over action; he lets his characters perform.

The Sigma Protocol is a wonderful book for the international-minded, it contains loads of action and adventure, and even flirts with the science-fiction genre. To say more would give away too much of the tale, but Ludlum spins one that's solidly based in reality, yet daring to enter the realm of what CAN be. A quality work from smart beginning to fantastic end.

Click here to buy this book, or read more about it at Amazon.com: The Sigma Protocol

Copyright © by Twelve, 2002

Reviewed by Twelve :
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-- The Sigma Protocol - by Robert Ludlum
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-- The Dragonbone Chair - by Tad Williams
-- Corpse Candle - by Paul Doherty
-- Flood Tide - by Clive Cussler
-- Samurai! - by Saburo Sakai
-- The Sky of Peleg - by Twelve
-- Disclosure - by Michael Crichton
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