Really slow book!
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I have just spent the last 6 months reading this book on and off!
It is not a bad story, and does have one or two really gripping moments... but I did not enjoy it as much as I had hoped I would!
To start with it is FAAAAAAAAAAAR to long!!! there is just to much filler material in it that never really needed to be there and this book could have been half the size it was, and still be enjoyable!
Second, there are to many characters that come and go in it that you forget who is who! some of the more interesting characters are the ones who are in it for maybe two or three pages, then suddenly are gone.
And finally, the ending is to far-fetched! will not spoil it, but even I had to laugh when I read it!
All in all, not that bad, but do not expect to finish it in a few days!
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Twist after twist from start to finish.
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After reading Ludlum's new Covert-One novels, I fancied reading one of his older ones. I have to say, i feel i made a very good choice with The Apocalypse Watch. The action is established from the very beginning and there are unexpected twists throughout the novel, both factors of course being crucial to thrillers.
Ludlum never eases up on his wonderful descriptions, and, although some parts are very technical, you find yourself much better informed about why the characters are doing what they are doing.
Speaking of the characters, once again, Ludlum has created people who you can quite naturally believe are real. I would not be surprised if there really was a Drew Latham in the world, perhaps under a different name, but nontheless, someone who acts like him. What i really like about his characters is that they are basically normal people. They are never geniuses trying to be superheroes, they're just your average John Doe.
Another thing i like about this novel is the subtle language variences. The plot is set in France and Germany, so every now and again, the characters will say something in French or German. This helps the reader comprehend the fact that they are in another country, even though the majority of the novel is written in English.
One thing i find a little difficult with Ludlum novels is that there are quite often very complex sub-plots that sometimes get lost or forgotten about. This is not a criticism, but it does sometimes get confusing in a book of 600+ pages!
I would reccomend this book to anybody who likes a thriller or a mystery. I think this novel incorporates both genres. Also, there are references to Nazi Germany, so people interested in 20th century history would probably enjoy this book.
Overall, there is not really anything bad you can say about a Robert Ludlum novel. It is just a shame that he is no longer around. One thing is certain though; The Apocalypse Watch will definitely be remembered as part of the great Robert Ludlum Legacy.
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Very difficult to put down
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THE FOURTH REICH IS BORN
Deep in the Hausrack Mountains of Austria there is a remote hideaway - the fortresslike nerve centre of an ominous movement, the Brotherhood of the Watch. American agent Harry Latham has penetrated the movement, a neo-Nazi organisation that was born in the days after the Third Reich's defeat and whose deadly tentacles have spread to the United States and beyond. Now, after three years in deep cover, and on the eve of his most spectacular success, Harry Latham has disappeared. Drew Latham, a Special Officer for Consular Operations in Paris, is frantic to discover his older brother's fate. When he receives the good news that Harry has surfaced, gut-twisting doubts arise. Has Harry's cover been blown? And if so, why has the Brotherhood of the Watch let him live?Charged with plots, counter-plots, deception and double-dealing, THE APOCALYPSE WATCH is Ludlum at the very top of his form in a supercharged novel about the inheritors of Hitler's Third Reich - men who will turn a crack American agent into a deadly weapon. As usual, Robert Ludlum comes up with a thriller that is very difficult to put down.
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United States | 
United Kingdom | 
Canada