Robert Ludlum's The Moscow Vector

A Covert-One Novel

By: Patrick Larkin

Narrated by: Erik Bergmann

The thrilling new novel in the bestselling Covert-One series

At an international medical conference in Prague, Dr. Fiona Devin—an American scientist attached to the Department of Defense—is contacted by one of her Russian colleagues. Dr. Valentin Petrenko, a specialist in rare diseases, is concerned about a small cluster of deaths in Moscow but even more concerned by the Russian government's refusal to publicly release any information or data on the outbreak.

When he meets with Devin to pass on his case notes and samples, the two are attacked, Petrenko is killed while Devin barely escapes with the notes and medical samples. Covert-One operative Lt. Col. Jon Smith, is dispatched to Prague to get Devin and her information safely back to the U.S.

As Devin begins to analyze the information, a series of highly placed figures in the U.S. government become ill with a mysterious illness that bears a close resemblance to the disease described in Petrenko's notes. The disease is the perfect assassination tool—a bioweapon that, using each target's DNA, is undetectable, unstoppable, and incurable. With few clues and little time, Jon Smith must find the mysterious figure who stands at the center of this nefarious plot.

©2005 Myn Pyn, LLC (P)2005 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers, LLC

Excellent intrigue

Enjoyed this one very much!! Looking forward to the next adventure of John Smith and the gang👍

The Thaw War

More enjoyable airport ear-candy, well-read by Erik Bergmann in the approved “tough guy” fashion. Fiendish Russians, Serbians and renegade Germans are opposed by idealistic Americans. Unique high tech poison (now where have I heard of that recently?), corrupt oligarchs, spies galore – if not quite the cold war, perhaps it can be dubbed the “thaw war”. Remember kids – it didn’t really happen! Or did it?

Entertaining

I look forward to each addition to the Covert One Series. This was a good read, however, I missed some of the characters that make this series so enjoyable.

Pretty Predicable.......

Obviously not a "traditional" Ludlum book that you might expect. Most of the plot line was predicable and almost felt like you were reading a movie script......maybe, that was why it was written.

Pedestrian and predicatable

The plot sounds like this ought to be an interesting book. A DNA based biological weapon used to remove those most likely to be able to effectively oppose a coming military action. A ticking clock, an unstoppable weapon and an effective evil organization. So why does this book just feel old and tired?

I have read other books in this series and bought this one quite some time ago. Apparently I forgot to listen to it because, looking for something to read I came across this in my library, still unread.

I did plow through it but it took some doing. The characters are stale, the plot predicable, the "impossible" happens with all too much frequency and the end the mix is a dull and not too interesting read. OK if you have nothing better, but Audible has enough books to easily find something much better. Escapism is fine in its place, but you have to have some ability to believe what you are reading. They lost me when the bullet-ridden car plunged down the steep cliff and nothing bad happened to the driver. I am sorry if it sounds like I am giving away part of the plot but, by the time you get to this, you know that the driver will survive. Too many "certain deaths" have already come and gone with every one still healthy and functioning.

On the positive side the narrator did an excellent job and his Irish accent almost made listening to the book worth my time. Almost.

Moscow Vector

Moscow Vector best "read" of the year!

Hard to follow

This could have been a good book but it was very hard to follow all of the characters and what they were doing. I tried to finish it but it just wasn't possible. I like Covert-one books but this one fell short.

Good story

I've listened to all the other Covert One Novels. I found the story fast paced and enjoyable. The new narrator took a while to get used to. Erik Bergmann did a good job on the character voices, although the voice of Klein was so different from the prior readings that I never got used to the new Klein. Quite a good story - for Covert One fans.

Moscow Vector

I bought this book from Audible during the 50% off sale at the same time I bougt THE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE. I feel that I got a real bargain. Ludlams's book is sweeping in its range and includes a tremendous amount of detail about Russia and other former Soviet contries. I'm not normally a fan of spy books, but this book made it very real and quite frightening. Staneks's THE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE was also excellent and simply amazed me with its twists and turns, and its amazing story centered around a very real financial crisis. Enjoyment wise, you can't miss with these two books.

Good Story

I found this story to be fast paced and very enjoyable. I really do like Paul Michael as a reader (think he's the best), but the new narrator - Erik Bergmann did a fine job. I like any of the Jon Smith Covert One stories and this one folded in quite well with other Ludlum books. This book brings us in to the world of Russian leaders with an agenda to take over the old Soviet Union countries and unite them once again. Then there's the billionaire that plans to make a buck trying to poison the people throughout the world that would reveal the Russian leader's plans. This story, as in others, includes a nasty bad-guy that seems to be a good match for Smith and a new woman cohort named Devin. Randy Russel is also back as a CIA member trying to determine what's going on while operating from the side. At least until she teams up with Smith near the end of the story. Too bad Peter Howell couldn't be added in to the story since I enjoy his role in other stories by Ludlum. My favorite Ludlum stories are The Janson Directive and The Paris Option. Moscow Vector isn't quite as good as these two, but still a very good book on its own.