The Covert-One series has become another milestone in Robert Ludlum's 30 year reign as the king of international thrillers. Even though these books are collaborations between Ludlum and other well-known authors, it's obvious that he chose his collaborators well. THE PARIS OPTION, like those that preceded it, has the familiar Ludlum cadence and complexity that keeps the action moving and the reader on the edge of their seat.
Lt. Col. Jon Smith, one of the series' recurring characters, is an army medical officer whose expertise placed him in the US Army's Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases. But Smith has a sideline, one that doesn't appear on any official records. He works for a special unit called Covert-One as a clandestine specialist occasionally assigned by the President to handle the most top secret, sensitive problems. In THE PARIS OPTION, his assignment begins in a Colorado lab, assisting the scientists who are scrambling to develop the world's first molecular computer. The DNA computer could render all current technology antiquated, and only a few labs are competing to be the first to have a working model. When a renowned Paris lab is blown up by terrorists, world leaders are forced to contemplate the worst. A DNA computer in the wrong hands could also render the world defenseless.
Mourning the probable death of the world's leading scientist, Dr. Chambord, Smith is dismayed to learn his old friend Marty was also injured in the blast and remains in a coma. With a Ph.D. in computer science, Marty might hold the answers as to who's behind the bombing, just how close Chambord was to creating a working model, and where the doctor's valuable notes are hidden. As Smith begins his subtle investigation in Paris, it's soon evident he's not alone in the hunt, and even more alarming, Dr. Chambord isn't dead after all --- he's missing. The list of possible conspirators is hefty, as subsequent events seem to point to rebel factions in several countries and even to the highly prestigious offices of the French commander of NATO forces. Likewise, the possible target of a scheme of this magnitude is a wide open field, but given the animosity that exists for the military and economic power of the US in a good portion of Europe and the Middle East, the US would seem to be a likely candidate.
Roaming the globe from Paris to Algiers, Smith is reunited with MI5 agent Peter Howells and CIA agent Randi Russell as they join forces to outwit the terrorists, recover Chambord, and stop the inevitable destruction of the world's delicate balance of power. While the dramatic intensity never eases for long, readers are given moments of Ludlum's cautionary philosophy, equally applied to all regardless of political persuasion. Every scientific breakthrough carries a responsibility --- and a potential threat. He skillfully employs the characters and scenes to provoke the reader to ruminate on the morality of the circumstances, but the impact is anything but subtle. Confronted with the inevitable conundrum --- save the prototype or destroy it --- Jon Smith becomes the scapegoat for our collective conscience. Whatever ultimately transpires, no matter which path he chooses, there won't be any catastrophic consequences because this is fiction. Isn't it?
THE PARIS OPTION is the third installment in the Covert-One series, and given the publisher's statement that more manuscripts are stockpiled for posthumous publication, it may not be the last. This is the second book of the series co-written by Gayle Lynds, a thriller novelist in her own right. Her third novel, MESMERIZED, was reviewed here and found to be a happy addition to this reader's burgeoning list of authors to collect. Ludlum's legacy will continue to thrive in the capable hands of writers like Lynds and Philip Shelby, who are perfecting their talents in the spirit of their remarkable predecessor and mentor.
--- Reviewed by Ann Bruns
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