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Triple
From Ken Follett the #1 name in electrifying international suspense comes a remarkable novel of intrigue and doomsday possibilities.The world's balance of power is about to shift dangerously as the ultimate weapon nears completion in a secret facility in the heart of the desert. Across the globe, operatives from the great nations set a deadly game in motion, covertly maneuvering pawns and kings to achieve a frightening advantage while terrorists and their hunters prepare for the contest's final, bloody moves. And one man a razor-sharp master of disguise, deceit, and triple-cross must somehow do the steal 200 tons of uranium without any of the other players discovering the theft.
The clock is ticking.
And the price of failure is Apocalypse.
Audio Cassette
First published October 1, 1979
About the author
Ken Follett
511 books60.4k followersKen Follett is one of the world’s most successful authors. Over 170 million copies of the 36 books he has written have been sold in over 80 countries and in 33 languages.
Born on June 5th, 1949 in Cardiff, Wales, the son of a tax inspector, Ken was educated at state schools and went on to graduate from University College, London, with an Honours degree in Philosophy – later to be made a Fellow of the College in 1995.
He started his career as a reporter, first with his hometown newspaper the South Wales Echo and then with the London Evening News. Subsequently, he worked for a small London publishing house, Everest Books, eventually becoming Deputy Managing Director.
Ken’s first major success came with the publication of Eye of the Needle in 1978. A World War II thriller set in England, this book earned him the 1979 Edgar Award for Best Novel from the Mystery Writers of America. It remains one of Ken’s most popular books.
In 1989, Ken’s epic novel about the building of a medieval cathedral, The Pillars of the Earth, was published. It reached number one on best-seller lists everywhere and was turned into a major television series produced by Ridley Scott, which aired in 2010. World Without End, the sequel to The Pillars of the Earth, proved equally popular when it was published in 2007.
Ken’s new book, The Evening and the Morning, will be published in September 2020. It is a prequel to The Pillars of the Earth and is set around the year 1,000, when Kingsbridge was an Anglo-Saxon settlement threatened by Viking invaders.
Ken has been active in numerous literacy charities and was president of Dyslexia Action for ten years. He was chair of the National Year of Reading, a joint initiative between government and businesses. He is also active in many Stevenage charities and is President of the Stevenage Community Trust and Patron of Home-Start Hertfordshire.
Ken, who loves music almost as much as he loves books, is an enthusiastic bass guitar player. He lives in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, with his wife Barbara, the former Labour Member of Parliament for Stevenage. Between them they have five children, six grandchildren and two Labradors.
Born on June 5th, 1949 in Cardiff, Wales, the son of a tax inspector, Ken was educated at state schools and went on to graduate from University College, London, with an Honours degree in Philosophy – later to be made a Fellow of the College in 1995.
He started his career as a reporter, first with his hometown newspaper the South Wales Echo and then with the London Evening News. Subsequently, he worked for a small London publishing house, Everest Books, eventually becoming Deputy Managing Director.
Ken’s first major success came with the publication of Eye of the Needle in 1978. A World War II thriller set in England, this book earned him the 1979 Edgar Award for Best Novel from the Mystery Writers of America. It remains one of Ken’s most popular books.
In 1989, Ken’s epic novel about the building of a medieval cathedral, The Pillars of the Earth, was published. It reached number one on best-seller lists everywhere and was turned into a major television series produced by Ridley Scott, which aired in 2010. World Without End, the sequel to The Pillars of the Earth, proved equally popular when it was published in 2007.
Ken’s new book, The Evening and the Morning, will be published in September 2020. It is a prequel to The Pillars of the Earth and is set around the year 1,000, when Kingsbridge was an Anglo-Saxon settlement threatened by Viking invaders.
Ken has been active in numerous literacy charities and was president of Dyslexia Action for ten years. He was chair of the National Year of Reading, a joint initiative between government and businesses. He is also active in many Stevenage charities and is President of the Stevenage Community Trust and Patron of Home-Start Hertfordshire.
Ken, who loves music almost as much as he loves books, is an enthusiastic bass guitar player. He lives in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, with his wife Barbara, the former Labour Member of Parliament for Stevenage. Between them they have five children, six grandchildren and two Labradors.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 784 reviews
December 16, 2022
¡¡Qué pedazo de novela!! Una trama terriblemente enrevesada pero a la vez adictiva y bien contada, al estilo inconfundible de Ken Follett, que permite que no te pierdas entre tanto Servicio Secreto, espías y contraespionaje (siempre y cuando te mantengas atento). Por ahí leí que está basada en un hecho real, la Operación Plumbat, llevada a cabo por el Mossad en 1968 con el objetivo de conseguir el material que Israel necesitaba para construir armas nucleares, pero hasta ahí llega la similitud, dudo que cualquier información sobre los hechos reales haya salido del cerrado círculo en que se mantenía este tipo de información durante la Guerra Fría.
Por lo mismo, me asombra el ingenio de Follett al desarrollar una historia tan compleja, pero a la vez contundente y con personajes caracterizados de forma impecable en el contexto de la novela. De más está decir que está excelentemente documentada y he aprendido mucho sobre aspectos del conflicto árabe-israelí que realmente desconocía. Como dato, el título hace referencia a la coincidencia en la trama de los servicios secretos de Israel, Egipto y la Unión Soviética.
Libro recomendadísimo para quienes gustan de las novelas de espionaje duro.
Reto #36 PopSugar 2018: Un libro ambientado en la década en que naciste
Por lo mismo, me asombra el ingenio de Follett al desarrollar una historia tan compleja, pero a la vez contundente y con personajes caracterizados de forma impecable en el contexto de la novela. De más está decir que está excelentemente documentada y he aprendido mucho sobre aspectos del conflicto árabe-israelí que realmente desconocía. Como dato, el título hace referencia a la coincidencia en la trama de los servicios secretos de Israel, Egipto y la Unión Soviética.
Libro recomendadísimo para quienes gustan de las novelas de espionaje duro.
Reto #36 PopSugar 2018: Un libro ambientado en la década en que naciste
August 19, 2025
Um Thriller da Vida Real
Embora o governo israelita tenha optado por uma política de opacidade nuclear, pois sempre se recusou a admitir publicamente a posse de armas atómicas, consta que em 1949, teve início um programa nuclear que contou com o apoio secreto da França. Esta colaborou na construção dum reator atómico, além de se comprometer a fornecer o urânio necessário ao empreendimento. Porém, tal abastecimento foi abruptamente interrompido pelo General De Gaulle, deixando Israel num desespero tal, que Mossad, a polícia secreta israelita, se viu compelida a engendrar uma operação de pirataria 🏴☠️: foi interceptado um navio com destino a Itália, que transportava urânio. Só após aliviado da respectiva carga, é que o cargueiro foi devolvido à origem ...
Tendo em conta que os pormenores mais sórdidos da operação urânio permaneceram na obscuridade, Ken Follet, após uma acurada investigação, reconstituiu o evento, preenchendo os espaços em branco com uma sagacidade tal, que a própria Mossad andou a indagar sobre quais teriam sido as suas fontes, pois este Triplo ficcional, rasava perigosamente a verdade! 😉
Em suma, Triplo está longe de ser um thriller banal! É, sim, uma obra ímpar e quase factual que expõe um acontecimento histórico, sobre o qual muito pouco foi revelado! 👍💖💖💖💖👍
Embora o governo israelita tenha optado por uma política de opacidade nuclear, pois sempre se recusou a admitir publicamente a posse de armas atómicas, consta que em 1949, teve início um programa nuclear que contou com o apoio secreto da França. Esta colaborou na construção dum reator atómico, além de se comprometer a fornecer o urânio necessário ao empreendimento. Porém, tal abastecimento foi abruptamente interrompido pelo General De Gaulle, deixando Israel num desespero tal, que Mossad, a polícia secreta israelita, se viu compelida a engendrar uma operação de pirataria 🏴☠️: foi interceptado um navio com destino a Itália, que transportava urânio. Só após aliviado da respectiva carga, é que o cargueiro foi devolvido à origem ...
Tendo em conta que os pormenores mais sórdidos da operação urânio permaneceram na obscuridade, Ken Follet, após uma acurada investigação, reconstituiu o evento, preenchendo os espaços em branco com uma sagacidade tal, que a própria Mossad andou a indagar sobre quais teriam sido as suas fontes, pois este Triplo ficcional, rasava perigosamente a verdade! 😉
Em suma, Triplo está longe de ser um thriller banal! É, sim, uma obra ímpar e quase factual que expõe um acontecimento histórico, sobre o qual muito pouco foi revelado! 👍💖💖💖💖👍
March 8, 2018
For the most part, it was written well enough. But the structure was a bit messy. Some parts were rushed while others were drawn out. It didn’t hold my attention that well; I couldn’t read more than 40 pages in a single sitting. The story could have been better with this premise.
Not particularly memorable.
Not particularly memorable.
August 8, 2019
I tried to read one of Follett's historical books several years ago, and it didn't "do it" for me. So when I came across Triple, I decided to give his work another try.
There are many things to like about Triple. Follett obviously knows his way around constructing a story, and his character development is distinct and strong. The story is complex, intriguing, and (I think) completely unrealistic, but this is fiction, right?
I have a few issues with the pacing and detail: the former seems erratic, and the latter overwhelming at times, bogging the story down. Some of the scenes were more graphic than I believe necessary, and the ending drew out to the point that I skimmed a lot. Also, I can't help but think that a seasoned, battered, weathered Israeli spy would have better sense than to capitulate to a "strikingly beautiful" younger woman as quickly as Follett's protagonist does. (Maybe I'm just a cynical old dame, or I've read too much of Silva's Gabriel Allon.)
Recommended.
There are many things to like about Triple. Follett obviously knows his way around constructing a story, and his character development is distinct and strong. The story is complex, intriguing, and (I think) completely unrealistic, but this is fiction, right?
I have a few issues with the pacing and detail: the former seems erratic, and the latter overwhelming at times, bogging the story down. Some of the scenes were more graphic than I believe necessary, and the ending drew out to the point that I skimmed a lot. Also, I can't help but think that a seasoned, battered, weathered Israeli spy would have better sense than to capitulate to a "strikingly beautiful" younger woman as quickly as Follett's protagonist does. (Maybe I'm just a cynical old dame, or I've read too much of Silva's Gabriel Allon.)
Recommended.
November 8, 2017
So, I'm done with my 14th Ken Follett novel (all read this year) and if someone were to ask me to select the best 5 it would be a mighty difficult task. The way he weaves a story based on historical facts is simply stunning. Triple is another masterpiece - a Spy thriller based in the year 1968 when Israel were believed to have pulled off a mighty coup by stealing a huge consignment of Uranium ore(see attached pic).
The opening scene/prologue sets the story up beautifully wherein all the major characters(students at this stage) are meeting at an Oxford Professor's home. There's Nat Dickstein the English Jew(who goes on to become a top Mossad agent), a Russian named Rostov (predictably a future KGB colonel), an Arab named Hassan(Egyptian intelligence and later something more deadly), a Sicilian-American named Al Cortone(we all know what Sicilians are known for), the Professor's lovely Lebanese Wife (who Nat has a crush on) and the couple's lovely 5 yr old daughter (another vital character in the future).
The story is very simple. Egypt are on the verge of kick starting the process of making their own nukes, so quite obviously Israel needs to get its hands on some Uranium yesterday. And there's a catch that the rest of the world shouldn't know about it. So, the Chief of Mossad gives this seemingly impossible task to his best agent - Nat Dickstein who's now living in a Kibbutz. The task being - steal a huge quantity of Uranium without being caught and without the theft being reported.
What follows is a game of spies between Mossad, KGB, Egyptian intelligence and the Palestinian Mujaheds also joining in the action. The entire novel is edge of the seat stuff but all the action sequences are entirely believable.
It is easily one of the best spy thrillers that I've read and it's as good as (if not better) than Follett's more popular 'Eye of The needle'.
5/5.
The opening scene/prologue sets the story up beautifully wherein all the major characters(students at this stage) are meeting at an Oxford Professor's home. There's Nat Dickstein the English Jew(who goes on to become a top Mossad agent), a Russian named Rostov (predictably a future KGB colonel), an Arab named Hassan(Egyptian intelligence and later something more deadly), a Sicilian-American named Al Cortone(we all know what Sicilians are known for), the Professor's lovely Lebanese Wife (who Nat has a crush on) and the couple's lovely 5 yr old daughter (another vital character in the future).
The story is very simple. Egypt are on the verge of kick starting the process of making their own nukes, so quite obviously Israel needs to get its hands on some Uranium yesterday. And there's a catch that the rest of the world shouldn't know about it. So, the Chief of Mossad gives this seemingly impossible task to his best agent - Nat Dickstein who's now living in a Kibbutz. The task being - steal a huge quantity of Uranium without being caught and without the theft being reported.
What follows is a game of spies between Mossad, KGB, Egyptian intelligence and the Palestinian Mujaheds also joining in the action. The entire novel is edge of the seat stuff but all the action sequences are entirely believable.
It is easily one of the best spy thrillers that I've read and it's as good as (if not better) than Follett's more popular 'Eye of The needle'.
5/5.
June 22, 2009
This is a fun, 'spy' based novel. Although the main character is a spy, he spends the majority of the book pulling off a mission. But there are two other spy characters that get involved, giving the book it's name (I think...).
Early in the book, the main character is tasked with stealing a huge amount of Uranium for Israel. However, Follett does an excellent job of presenting the story in a political free manner... somehow. If anything, he comes across as Israel neutral, which is quite the accomplishment for a book where you are engaged in rooting for the main character to acquire critical materials for Israel's nuclear bomb program. (While officially, Israel may or may not have 'the bomb', they also don't deny having it).
Thankfully, this book avoids the politics, and simply presents the story. Very loosely based upon real life event(s), this is clearly a novel. But, knowing that Israel did somehow procure this material, it may not be as far fetched as you might initially think. Overall, an excellent read, and good spy vs spy action.
(side note: my previously read book was Cat's Cradle, an anti atomic bomb story. I assure you, this is a coincidence!)
Early in the book, the main character is tasked with stealing a huge amount of Uranium for Israel. However, Follett does an excellent job of presenting the story in a political free manner... somehow. If anything, he comes across as Israel neutral, which is quite the accomplishment for a book where you are engaged in rooting for the main character to acquire critical materials for Israel's nuclear bomb program. (While officially, Israel may or may not have 'the bomb', they also don't deny having it).
Thankfully, this book avoids the politics, and simply presents the story. Very loosely based upon real life event(s), this is clearly a novel. But, knowing that Israel did somehow procure this material, it may not be as far fetched as you might initially think. Overall, an excellent read, and good spy vs spy action.
(side note: my previously read book was Cat's Cradle, an anti atomic bomb story. I assure you, this is a coincidence!)
July 2, 2020
«Molto tempo prima aveva deciso che la vita non si occupa del bene e del male, ma di vittorie e di sconfitte.»
Allora, ci sono tre tipi..., no, non è una barzelletta, un russo (del KGB), un israeliano (del Mossad), un egiziano (del Mukhabarat, sì, quei simpaticoni che cinquant’anni dopo massacreranno Regeni) e 200 tonnellate di “torta gialla”.
Siamo nel ’68. Quello dell'offensiva del Têt, di My Lai, dell’assassinio di Robert Kennedy, di Valle Giulia, della Francia e della sua bomba all'idrogeno. Quello della febbrile urgenza di tutti di costruirsi in casa la bomba nucleare.
«Dickstein andò al banco e lasciò la chiave della camera, poi uscì rapidamente in strada. Meier posò il giornale sul tavolo e lo seguì. Quando la porta a vetri si chiuse dietro di lui, Tyrin si alzò, pensando: “Sono un agente, che segue un agente, che segue un agente. Almeno, ci teniamo occupati l’uno con l’altro”.»
Mi sono concesso una bottiglia di “K.F.” DOC del ’79, ed è stato un vero piacere riassaporare questo vino... giallo, che manco la Ribolla, neh?
Allora, ci sono tre tipi..., no, non è una barzelletta, un russo (del KGB), un israeliano (del Mossad), un egiziano (del Mukhabarat, sì, quei simpaticoni che cinquant’anni dopo massacreranno Regeni) e 200 tonnellate di “torta gialla”.
Siamo nel ’68. Quello dell'offensiva del Têt, di My Lai, dell’assassinio di Robert Kennedy, di Valle Giulia, della Francia e della sua bomba all'idrogeno. Quello della febbrile urgenza di tutti di costruirsi in casa la bomba nucleare.
«Dickstein andò al banco e lasciò la chiave della camera, poi uscì rapidamente in strada. Meier posò il giornale sul tavolo e lo seguì. Quando la porta a vetri si chiuse dietro di lui, Tyrin si alzò, pensando: “Sono un agente, che segue un agente, che segue un agente. Almeno, ci teniamo occupati l’uno con l’altro”.»
Mi sono concesso una bottiglia di “K.F.” DOC del ’79, ed è stato un vero piacere riassaporare questo vino... giallo, che manco la Ribolla, neh?
June 5, 2022
The fictionalized story of how Israel stole enough plutonium to manufacture 30 nuclear bombs. The first 3/4 of this novel is difficult to get into and is not very exciting, but the last 1/4 of the book saves it. The finish is riveting, with a great deal of action and lots of gunplay. And of course, true love wins out. Recommended to Follett fans.
March 25, 2023
Ceea ce e interesant la Follett este faptul că intrigile sunt legate de evenimente mai puțin cunoscute. Plecând de la faptul că în anii 70 Israelul a fost bănuit de furtul unei încurcături de uraniu, Follett reușește să creeze o poveste plină de trădări și răsturnări de situații care se învârte în jurul a trei agenții de spionaj.
March 2, 2024
Leida en 2021, novela de espías con el sello inigualable de Follett. Entretenimiento puro y duro en un libro que parece estar inspirado en un acontecimiento real llevado a cabo por el Mossad en 1968. Muchos datos interesantes acerca del conflicto árabe-israelí y de cómo funcionan (funcionaban en esa época de guerra fría) los servicios secretos de inteligencia soviéticos, egipcios e israelís. Recomendable 100% para evadirse y pasar un rato agradable, además es una novela corta que se lee rápido.
3'5*/4*
3'5*/4*
September 20, 2018
Una obra ingeniosa como solo Follett logra hacerla a partir de sucesos reales, mezclado con una trama creada de manos de uno de los mejores autores que he leído.
Es una novela emocionante, con un ritmo acelerado que no decae, llena de conspiraciones y espías.
100% recomendada
Es una novela emocionante, con un ritmo acelerado que no decae, llena de conspiraciones y espías.
100% recomendada
October 4, 2023
Unlike the 1978 breakout bestseller Eye of the Needle, Follett's next espionage thriller released the following year doesn't hit the same high marks. Like Eye of the Needle, which was based around the real life WWII operation Operation Fortitude, Triple is basen on "Operation Plumbat," a 1968 Israeli covert operation to steal 200 tons of yellowcake radioactive material to fuel a nuclear weapons program after France stopped supplying Israel with plutonium in the wake of the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. Unfortunately, there are too many characters to keep track of by the second half, too long of a build-up, too many plot elements, an awful lot of coincidences, and ultimately no real sympathetic characters in any of the intelligence agencies involved - Russian, Israeli, Egyptian, and Palestinian - and the result is a mess like Frederick Forsyth's The Dogs of War - a lot of interesting elements that just aren't brought together well.
October 20, 2019
7/10 en 2006.
Efectivo como - casi- todos los de Follet, pero para mí a distancia de Alto Riesgo, La clave está en Rebeca o por supuesto Los pilares de la Tierra.
Novela de espía, en este caso del 79. En esta ocasión la cosa no va de infiltrados en la II Guerra Munidal, sino de la Guerra fría y el Mossad.
Como casi todo Follett, no falla para darte unas horas de entretenimiento.
Efectivo como - casi- todos los de Follet, pero para mí a distancia de Alto Riesgo, La clave está en Rebeca o por supuesto Los pilares de la Tierra.
Novela de espía, en este caso del 79. En esta ocasión la cosa no va de infiltrados en la II Guerra Munidal, sino de la Guerra fría y el Mossad.
Como casi todo Follett, no falla para darte unas horas de entretenimiento.
July 13, 2016
Another fun spy novel/action thriller by Ken Follett! Triple is about operative Nathaniel Dickstein is given the task of stealing 200 tons of Uranium for Israel to produce the atomic bomb, for the war against the Middle East. But it turns out Dickstein isn't the only one after it, the Russian KGB is after the Uranium, and a team of Fedayeen Terrorists are after it as well. After reading a couple chapters I understood why the book was titled Triple, it involves 3 different parties that are after the Uranium for different reasons.
An enjoyable Espionage/spy novel and interesting characters!
An enjoyable Espionage/spy novel and interesting characters!
February 13, 2009
Awesome and really close to what really happened (something he didn't know at the time he wrote it).
February 26, 2013
Another great book by Ken Follett. This is a thriller that will keep you turning the pages. Looking forward to the next release, as I have now read all of his books that I can find.
December 17, 2015
As a fan and author of historical fiction, I am a great admirer of Follett's work. However, this one was a bit too much James Bond for my taste. Still a good read overall.
July 11, 2018
A stand-alone thriller from author Follett in 1979. As I read this novel, I was reminded of the stylistic difference between other authors I read in the 1970s (Ambler, Forsyth, Greene, Le Carre) and how the espionage thriller has changed in the post- Tom Clancy era. Now some of the enemies are the same but the interpersonal relations have changed. Now a four man team will wipe out an enemy platoon and perhaps suffer a leg wound or a grazed scalp. In Triple, a band of terrorists were attacked by a team of Mossad agents and 7 of 12 agents were killed. The scale was more human.
In 1967, as Egypt comes closer and closer to developing a nuclear bomb, the Mossad's number one Israeli agent is given an impossible mission: to beat the Arabs in the nuclear arms race by finding and stealing two hundred tons of uranium. The world's balance of power will shift. And the Mossad, the KGB, the Egyptians, and Fedayeen terrorists will play out the final, violent moves in this devastating game where the price of failure is a nuclear holocaust.
In 1967, as Egypt comes closer and closer to developing a nuclear bomb, the Mossad's number one Israeli agent is given an impossible mission: to beat the Arabs in the nuclear arms race by finding and stealing two hundred tons of uranium. The world's balance of power will shift. And the Mossad, the KGB, the Egyptians, and Fedayeen terrorists will play out the final, violent moves in this devastating game where the price of failure is a nuclear holocaust.
August 16, 2020
I didn't start reading Follett's work till the 1990's with Night over Water. This and many others by Follett has made him a favorite author. By starting late I am playing catch up with his earlier writing, this being one of them.
Triple is a great spy mystery, excellent characters, fantastic story line and suspenseful. I still have several more earlier works of Follett's to read, I hope their quality is equal to this one.
Triple is a great spy mystery, excellent characters, fantastic story line and suspenseful. I still have several more earlier works of Follett's to read, I hope their quality is equal to this one.
January 7, 2016
Que livro mais estranho!
Carregado de cenas exageradas, inverosímeis, impossíveis, forçadas e muito pouco realistas.
Um dos piores livros do Ken Follett!
Carregado de cenas exageradas, inverosímeis, impossíveis, forçadas e muito pouco realistas.
Um dos piores livros do Ken Follett!
October 27, 2021
I thought this book a bit slow at first but it soon got going and I enjoyed it after that. I wanted to give it 3 and a half stars so I had to give it 4.
January 17, 2011
Perhaps my least favourite read of Ken Follett :S Perhaps, it wasn't just "my" topic afterall - shameful to admit I wasn't aware of the real background of the story, moreovere the whole idea of making the nuclear bomb and stealing the input for this operation didn't excite me as much as other Follett's plots.
I've read the first 50 pages and I still didn't understand what it was all about: an agent (working for whom?) meeting a professor (why?) at the airport, another double agent (working for whom and whom?) waiting for the same professor and following him (where?), another unknown agent (whose agent?) killing the first agent (what for?) and reporting to some Big Important guy.. Ugh, all this made a huge mess in my head.
Then hopefully it made more or less clear: a few organizations (must admit I had to google to figure out who is who, perhaps it's just lack of my general knowledge) including Arab Fedayeen, Israeli Mossad and Russian KGB were chasing the same target - the nuclear bomb and had various plans to reach their aim. The whole book is about different agents chasing each other, collecting information about each other, trying to kill each other, plus quite a weird love story in between. To be fair, i was yawning over the last hundred pages which were like a battle detailed descriptions from my 8th grade history texbooks. Or like a terribly unreal James Bond movie with Nat Dickstein being a superhero. Boring, unreal and somewhat unclear.
3 stars only for Russians in this book: i was laughing my ass off reading the Russian names, their lifestyle, typically Russian things a.k.a "Phys-mat school #2" or "dacha at the Black sea" (is there an English word "dacha"??), was giggling as crazy at the stereotypes about Russians collected in one place: of course we all "have a shot of vodka before going to bed", of course we're eating salted herring 24/7 and black bread is our most delicious dainty. And of course every Russian man has a mistress 20 years his juniour who's head over heels about presents brought from abroad. That was a good laugh.
Other than that - there're WAY MORE better Follet's books, and I seem to have read them all. Sorry mr.Follett, but I really had an impression you got tired of writing of those damn ships, said to yourself "ok I'm gonna finish it now" and cut the whole plot to the end within one page. So much was left behind!
I've read the first 50 pages and I still didn't understand what it was all about: an agent (working for whom?) meeting a professor (why?) at the airport, another double agent (working for whom and whom?) waiting for the same professor and following him (where?), another unknown agent (whose agent?) killing the first agent (what for?) and reporting to some Big Important guy.. Ugh, all this made a huge mess in my head.
Then hopefully it made more or less clear: a few organizations (must admit I had to google to figure out who is who, perhaps it's just lack of my general knowledge) including Arab Fedayeen, Israeli Mossad and Russian KGB were chasing the same target - the nuclear bomb and had various plans to reach their aim. The whole book is about different agents chasing each other, collecting information about each other, trying to kill each other, plus quite a weird love story in between. To be fair, i was yawning over the last hundred pages which were like a battle detailed descriptions from my 8th grade history texbooks. Or like a terribly unreal James Bond movie with Nat Dickstein being a superhero. Boring, unreal and somewhat unclear.
3 stars only for Russians in this book: i was laughing my ass off reading the Russian names, their lifestyle, typically Russian things a.k.a "Phys-mat school #2" or "dacha at the Black sea" (is there an English word "dacha"??), was giggling as crazy at the stereotypes about Russians collected in one place: of course we all "have a shot of vodka before going to bed", of course we're eating salted herring 24/7 and black bread is our most delicious dainty. And of course every Russian man has a mistress 20 years his juniour who's head over heels about presents brought from abroad. That was a good laugh.
Other than that - there're WAY MORE better Follet's books, and I seem to have read them all. Sorry mr.Follett, but I really had an impression you got tired of writing of those damn ships, said to yourself "ok I'm gonna finish it now" and cut the whole plot to the end within one page. So much was left behind!
January 14, 2024
This should have been a nice thriller. A man, working for Mossad, is in charge of stealing Uranium so that Israel would be able to build Atomic bombs and at the same time making sure that Egypt will not get the bomb. Sounds like some mission for the IMF.
And there is some satisfying stuff in the book. Follet knows how to construct a novel (quite nice the prologue where the main characters are introduced) and he knows how to build tension.
Unfortunately he also gives us a love story. Well, calling it a love story is not the right word. We are supposed to take a very crudely handled encounter of two people as a substitute for a romance. It is next to unbearable. Like many writers and, it seems, especially writers of thrillers, he delights in having young beautiful women fall in love with middle-aged guys. Not that I do not have some sympathy, why not take advantage of the fact that the pen is mighty and just state that that is what just happens! If only it were not so utterly embarrassing!
And as that would not have been bad enough, the plot also relies on the relationship. Now, the young woman (half-Arab) is not too bright (becoming a Stewardess instead of following father in an academic career), but what she is doing is just too much. So the Russians and Egyptians have lost track of our hero, Nathaniel. They have no clue. So they ask the girl, Suza to find him. What do you do in such a case? Just nothing would be a nice option. No, she goes to the Mafia friend and then both of them just travel to he hiding place leading the bad guys to their man. No wonder friend and foe alike are sure that she is an Arab agent. Very hard to swallow.
Normally I do not spoil mysteries or thrillers. But here I just feel I need to have my revenge for being served rubbish like this. So here is how it ends: “He married Suza and took her back to the Kibbutz, where they tended grapes by day and made love half the night.” Wow! Is Follet simple-minded or does he take his readers to be simple-minded? Probably the latter.
And there is some satisfying stuff in the book. Follet knows how to construct a novel (quite nice the prologue where the main characters are introduced) and he knows how to build tension.
Unfortunately he also gives us a love story. Well, calling it a love story is not the right word. We are supposed to take a very crudely handled encounter of two people as a substitute for a romance. It is next to unbearable. Like many writers and, it seems, especially writers of thrillers, he delights in having young beautiful women fall in love with middle-aged guys. Not that I do not have some sympathy, why not take advantage of the fact that the pen is mighty and just state that that is what just happens! If only it were not so utterly embarrassing!
And as that would not have been bad enough, the plot also relies on the relationship. Now, the young woman (half-Arab) is not too bright (becoming a Stewardess instead of following father in an academic career), but what she is doing is just too much. So the Russians and Egyptians have lost track of our hero, Nathaniel. They have no clue. So they ask the girl, Suza to find him. What do you do in such a case? Just nothing would be a nice option. No, she goes to the Mafia friend and then both of them just travel to he hiding place leading the bad guys to their man. No wonder friend and foe alike are sure that she is an Arab agent. Very hard to swallow.
Normally I do not spoil mysteries or thrillers. But here I just feel I need to have my revenge for being served rubbish like this. So here is how it ends: “He married Suza and took her back to the Kibbutz, where they tended grapes by day and made love half the night.” Wow! Is Follet simple-minded or does he take his readers to be simple-minded? Probably the latter.
October 25, 2010
The book is about the espionage triangle between Russia/Egypt in one corner and Israel and Palestinian in the other two corner. It was started slow when the author trying to establish the story between all parties....or maybe it was me not having enough attitude to remember all the details :-) But if you could have a little bit more patience, all are getting more exciting towards the end. The closure however, was quick and painless....too quick and too easy. All in all, there are parts in this book that really captivate me, others are just okay for me.
April 17, 2013
Nathaniel Dickstein é o protagonista deste novo livro de Ken Follett publicado pela Presença. Original de 1979, Triplo, talvez devido aos três agentes duplos que trabalham para diferentes países, é um livro de espionagem, muito ao estilo de James Bond. E não falta a bond girl, uma mulher exótica e demasiado bela por quem o protagonista, como não podia deixar de ser, se vai apaixonar.
Opinião completa aqui: http://marcadordelivros.blogspot.pt/2...
Opinião completa aqui: http://marcadordelivros.blogspot.pt/2...
September 21, 2016
Showstopper
Read this a as a holiday read,couldn't put it down. Thought the plot got silly at one point but was redeemed by the pace of this thriller . Excellent thinking man's James Bond.
Read this a as a holiday read,couldn't put it down. Thought the plot got silly at one point but was redeemed by the pace of this thriller . Excellent thinking man's James Bond.
March 8, 2013
Vedi il commento a La cruna dell'ago.
February 26, 2017
Ken Follett, as gripping as always!
March 5, 2018
A fast passing book pure Follet plenty of surprises to keep you on your toes.
June 4, 2025
Excelente historia, aún si no te gustan las de espías como es mi caso, Dickstein es un personaje muy interesante, rico en su personalidad y fiel a sus intereses y creencias. La historia es entretenida, interesante y si te gustan las historias de la guerra fría y los espías, creo que amarás este libro. La historia te mantiene al vilo, pendiente de cada suceso y llevando una cronología de los hechos para no desorientarse de la trama y lo que la hace más poderosa es que está inspirada en sucesos reales.
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