Code to Zero

I have always loved Ken Follett's books! He keeps you glued to the story through the whole book. If you like mysteries/thrillers, this is a must read. There was nothing that I disliked about this book! Faith

This gripping thriller brings back the terrors of the Cold War as it follows four friends' lives after their Ivy-league college days. Follett curses his protagonist with amnesia, and follows his responses to this mysterious problem to reconstruct a saga of jealousy, betrayal, ideological commitment, and political ambition. He skillfully brings back the restrictions of social classs and behavioral codes of the times, nevertheless giving both the young men and young women action-filled parts to play. The novel effectively probes the issues of competing loyalties and loves, leaving it to the reader to identify with the best of these ambivalent heroes.

As someone who lives in Alabama, and grew up watching the space race unfold, I was happy to know that the nearby city of Huntsville, AL was playing a part in making the rockets that went into outer space. Ken Follett once again has used unusual characters to cleverly weave a suspenseful story. A great read.

This is a wonderful book, a real page turner. I just couldn't put it down, and if I didn't need any sleep at all, I could have read it all at once. I know some readers have mentioned some discrepancies and while all that may be true, don't let it deter you from trying this book! I am looking for more books by Mr. Follett, now that I have discovered him.

Espionage is at the core of this Cold War era thriller and the suspense sizzles. The time is 1958 when the space race was young and the Soviets seemed to be outdistancing the America. The protagonist is an inventive, complex study - he's Dr. Claude Lucas, an important cog in a new space launch. However, he's also a victim of amnesia, an apparent vagrant in Washington D.C.'s Union Station. Toss in the CIA, a covey of spies, and an old college buddy of Lucas's who is more foe than friend. Some might deem this a classic take on chased and chasers - not so. Thanks to the deft Mr. Follett, it's a no-holds-barred, riveting epic. And, so are the readings. Frank Muller, who has been featured on over 150 audiobooks, offers a splendid rendering of crisp, character driven dialogue in the two abridged versions on cassette and CD. While Obie award-winner George Guidall, an actor for 40 plus years, reads the unabridged version. He takes sinister and dramatic to their zenith.

In 1958, he awakens in the public toilet Of DC's Union Station. In the mirror he looks at the reflection of a bum. Still, the image means nothing to him, as he has no idea who he is. A companion Pete informs him he is Luke, a wino and that they shared a bottle last night. However, in spite of his buddy's insistence, being a derelict seems wrong to Luke and when he has no psychological need to find alcohol he concludes that Pete is a liar. Luke begins to search for his lost identity and the someone who went to the trouble of setting up the tramp scenario. As he uncovers more and more of the truth, Luke realizes that he is somehow involved in the American space race to match the Russian successful launch of Sputnik. How and what his role was eludes Luke who remains unaware of the master plan to abort the space program. Ken Follett returns to his most comfortable milieu, the heated period of the Cold War with a fabulous, fast-paced thriller. The story line moves forward quickly as readers obtain a look back to an era that seems so much like ancient history though it is only four decades ago. Though a bit formulaic, the plot keeps the attention of the audience due to Luke's everyman fighting impossible odds a la Grant on Rushmore.Harriet Klausner