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In the increasingly turbulent atmosphere of international politics, the once grassroots anti-globalisation movement has been slowly taken over by an underground radical anti-technology group fronted by the mysterious figure known only as Lazarus. All attempts to infiltrate the group have failed, the intelligence agents involved have all disappeared without a trace. Now U.S. Intelligence believes that Lazarus is preparing to make his boldest move yet.
Lt. Col. Jon Smith is activated by Covert-One to bring his skills to bear in uncovering the truth behind the terrorists. Smith must find and uncover the truth where all others have failed - but the Lazarus Movement is linked to a deadly scheme that will risk the lives of billions, and forever change the world.
Can Jon Smith succeed in time, or will humanity pay the ultimate price?
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Review by: kiwireviewer-00
Dated: 31st of March, 2006
With today's scientific minds bending their strengths to a number of 'super-science' technologies such as nanotechnology and biogenics, this story is enough to give any serious science-watcher the screaming willies... and if it doesn't, there's something wrong with the wiring in their brains, because let's face it... a swarming army of machines as small as a knotted protein flowing through our bloodstreams and dissolving us at a cellular level is pretty darned terrifying really.
Ludlum has created a world of maniac powermongers hell-bent on total domination of humanity... and with the able assistance of Patrick Larkin, has crafted another tale of Jon Smith, modest and low-key saviour of the world. The right man, in the right place, at the right time can change the course of history... so you can imagine how Jon feels, being the right man in the bad places at the wrong time... poor bugger.
I was particularly taken with the concept behind the destructive nanophages (microscopic nano machine swarms).. using a 'co-operative' control methodology instead of a 'self-contained' or 'singular unit' methodology raises a number of options, many of which are entirely beneficial. The idea of a swarm of 'do-ers' and a smaller number of more specialised 'sensors' and 'controllers' allows for a much more intelligent approach to nanoprocessing, meaning that all the worker units have no 'brain' other than a set of simple receptors which will trigger pre-defined behaviours, depending on what chemical signal they pick up from the controller units. Imagine a swarm of nanobot that can not only clean up an oil-spill, but process the raw crude into refined petrol in the process, leaving behind nothing more than softball-sized spheres of polymerised carbon chains filled with purified petroleum...
Overall, the story was well constructed, the characters detailed and whole, and the action was astounding, if perhaps a little TOO detailed in places. If you enjoy a good spy novel, then you really should start investigating Ludlum's 'Covert-One' books, if you haven't done so already. This is another winner in that family of titles.
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