In his newest thriller, Follett updates the elements of his popular Eye of the Needle a spy fleeing desperately across a hostile landscape; a woman who must decide between her husband and her lover, opponents in a deadly struggleto contemporary Afghanistan. Jane Lambert discovers that her French doctor husband is really a KGB agent plotting to entrap a rebel leader. Ellis Thaler, spurned by Jane when she learned he was a CIA operative, arrives to conclude a treaty with that same leader. Soon Ellis, Jane, and her infant daughter are fleeing for their lives through treacherous mountain terrain, closely pursued by Russian patrols. As with Eye of the Needle , the implausibilities, the factual errors, and the sometimes trite writing do not slow the forward propulsion of the story. A page-turning escapist adventure that is sure to be a success. BOMC main selection. Charles Michaud, Turner Free Lib., Randolph, Mass.
"A deadly romantic triangle, a clandestine mission with global stakes, an exotic location, a plot as gripping and ingenious as Eye of the Needle . . . engineered to perfection with breathless acceleration . . . I couldn’t put it down." —Los Angeles Times
"Sheer suspense." —The Washington Post
"Vintage Follett. . . . This is his most ambitious novel and it succeeds admirably . . . tense, vivid, exciting . . . balances physical action with internal drama . . . satisfies on deep levels." —USA Today
"May be Ken Follett’s finest yet. . . . The suspense mounts as swiftly as Afghan villagers running to escape Russian guns—and the pages will turn just as fast." —Cosmopolitan
"An exciting and complex tale." —Philadelphia Inquirer
"Masterful . . . plot and counterplot, treachery, cunning and killing . . . keep you on edge every moment." —Associated Press
"Combines modern warfare, international espionage, and a love story while also, in typical Follett fashion, playing out the fate of his characters amid thrilling escapes and shattering revelations." —Richmond Times-Dispatch
"A gripping thriller and love story. . . . Follett builds the tension until it is as taut as a cable across the Khyber Pass. . . . There is an incredible sex scene and desperate trek across ice-covered mountains . . . an exotic setting, a strong, courageous heroine, a strong, courageous hero, good guys, bad guys and a supporting cast of thousands. . . . A roaring good read." —Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"Solid suspense fiction . . . romance, adventure, exotic settings with a healthy dash of intrigue. . . . When it comes to reliable entertainment, few authors deliver as consistently as Follett." —Pittsburgh Press
"Follett’s great strength is his female characters—they are smart, strong, independent, and when they love a man, by golly, he knows the game is up." —People
"Harrowing escapes . . . larger-than-life characters performing larger-than-life deeds. . . . It shouldn’t work but it does." —Booklist
"Beautiful in conception and execution . . . full of adventure and love blended as only a master such as Follett can do . . . a most provocative tale." —Ocala Star Banner
"Ken Follett scores again . . . an enthralling web of suspense . . . a well-crafted love story . . . unrelieved page-to-page tension . . . a wonderfully clean and simple writing style . . . holds constant interest." —The Anniston Star
"Exciting . . . romance, adventure, intrigue. . . . Ken Follett can hold his own with the best." —Indianapolis Star
"Lions roars . . . highly entertaining, quickly paced . . . skillfully crafted . . . and a nicely detailed quartet of characters that make the novel click." —Los Angeles Herald Examiner
"Deftly-built tension . . . the thrills of a chase . . . well-developed characters and atmosphere . . . keep the action going and have the credibility of a true tale." —The Orlando Sentinel