Code to Zero

At first, this seemed like a pretty typical espionage thriller and nothing too special or exciting. But as the story progressed, the more I got involved in it and enjoyed it. The space race element was intriguing, but it was the characters that really got me hooked. Through their history and relationships, which unfold to the reader as the amnesiac main character rediscovers them, Follett dramatizes how communism ultimately means the sacrifice of all one's own personal values, everything and everyone he holds most dear. This makes for high drama, conflict that is meaningful both intellectually and emotionally as these elements are united in the story. Quite well done.

At first, this seemed like a pretty typical espionage thriller and nothing too special or exciting. But as the story progressed, the more I got involved in it and enjoyed it. The space race element was intriguing, but it was the characters that really got me hooked. Through their history and relationships, which unfold to the reader as the amnesiac main character rediscovers them, Follett dramatizes how communism ultimately means the sacrifice of all one's own personal values, everything and everyone he holds most dear. This makes for high drama, conflict that is meaningful both intellectually and emotionally as these elements are united in the story. Quite well done.

I generally enjoy reading Ken Follett's books and I cannot believe that he made the glaring error I found in this book when he uses geophysics to describe what Luke does. To quote Stanford University's page: "Geophysics is a field that integrates geology, mathematics, and physics in order to understand how the Earth works." The only relation between rockets and geophysics is that rockets are used to launch the satellites used in the study of the earth's surface and they did not exist until much later. I am very surprised that his editors did not catch that. I thought it was a good book until I saw that. Every use of it just grated on my nerves.

I don't share the sentiments of those who did not like this book. It was given to me for Christmas a year ago and I regret not having picked it up sooner to read through it. The central character wakes up in Washington's Union Station with what he thinks is a bad hangover, dressed like a bum and not knowing who he is. After many chapters, that issue is solved only to open up other questions, most notably why has someone tried to erase his memory? He is able to piece together that he is a rocket scientist associated with the Explorer I launch, that he has an OSS background, and that he came to Washington because of concerns he had about the integrity of the Explorer program. Someone didn't want him revealing what he knew, but who and why?
The answers to those questions come in an interesting way and as they are revealed, his life is put in considerable danger as is the safety of the Explorer I launch. I have enjoyed most, but not all of Mr. Follett's books, but this one is a clear winner.

"Eye of the Needle" was one of my favorite spy novels, so I was excited when I received "Code to Zero" for Christmas. As others have said, it is an amazingly quick read and an interesting story, albeit remarkably similar to Ludlum's "Bourne Identity."
The one thing that struck me throughout the book was that I felt like I was watching [reading] a made for TV movie. I suppose part of the reason could be the layout of the book - each chapter is one of three sub-stories, and you get a piece at a time. Since every third chapter (roughly) is a continuation of one sub-story, it's quite a page-turner. I think the other reason it felt like a "Made for TV Movie" is that the quality just wasn't there. "Eye of the Needle" was a much better book, and I would bet Follett spent twice as much time writing it.
On an airplane? Need a "quickie" for a vacation? This is the book for you. A good story, a quick read, but not one you'll be thinking about after you put it back on your bookshelf.

I really enjoyed this book. It is actually very educational for the. Takes place in. It was well written and somewhat suspenseful. The ending was very good; however the body of the sorry itself was fantastic. I read it in about 3 days. And bought it from a used book store for a dollar

Perhaps, his best work is Pillars of the Earth. It is unfair to compare this novel to that masterpiece. However, it would be nice if he returned to the level that he first accomplished in Eye of the Needle and Key to Rebecca.
This has become what I expect from Follett - an interesting story lacking compelling characters that I could ever care about. This books follows the same unfulfilling road traveled by previous works such as the The Third Twin and the Hammer of Eden.
The story centers around launch of Explorer I and the possibility of Soviet sabotage. I suppose I would have been more interested if Explorer were something more than an oversized weather baloon, but the Republic would have continued had the launch failed. The story moves along through subterfuge and deceit (some of it improbable).
His novels have become predictable in terms of character and format and pace. If that's what you want this is a tolerable read.

A man wakes up homeless with no memory of who he is or where he is from, all he is sure of is HE IS NOT A DRUNKEN HOMELESS MAN. So begins Luke's journey to uncover his identity.
Luke will have to unravel this mystery that stretches back many years to a group of his friends, as well as the woman he married...a mystery that could decide the fate of the United States.
"Code To Zero" is a suspense filled novel of intrigue that will have readers turning the pages well into the night. Much of the plot is a secret, and the novel is peopled with colorful characters...including goverment bad guys that will stop at nothing to keep Luke silenced.
It is no secret that Ken Follet is a master of the novel of intrigue, he can keep readers hooked from page one, and his latest tale will have his fans burning the midnight oil to reach the stunning conclusion.
Nick Gonnella

If you like Ken Follett's spy thrillers you won't be too disappointed. I loved his historical novels and just started in on these cold war stories. The thing that shocked me was the inattention to detail and almost consistent misrepresentation of historical facts. I felt like his historical books were great fiction set against solid research. Now I'll have to go back and check. In this book, he made small mistakes, like portraying Huntsville, AL in the Eastern time zone instead of Central. Maybe that helped the story since the action kept moving from Huntsville to Washington DC and Florida during the countdown. But he also had Neil Armstrong walking on the moon in 1968 instead of 1969. What was the point of that? So I went onto the web and looked up several items that he talked about in the foundation of the story. Turns out that Mr. Follett may have intentionally changed a bunch of things, but I never figured out the purpose of the misrepresentations. If you like his historical notes at the beginning of the chapter, don't believe them. Go to [...] to get a nice summary of the reality. Otherwise, the book is certainly worth the price. I couldn't put it down. It is just fiction, after all.

This book was so action-filled and suspenseful that I finished it over the week-end, pausing only to watch the Florida election court cases. The author grabs the reader from the beginning ,when the protagonist wakes up without his memory in the men's room of Union Station in Washington, D.C., and doesn't let go until the satisfying ending, several hundred pages later. I began reading, was immediately hooked, and went along for the ride! There was always something going on in the book, and never a dull moment, or page, in it. The plot comes together nicely at the end, with a completely plausible conclusion, which I think is important in a work of this type. This is a great page-turner, and will keep any reader happily occupied during the time it will take him or her to rush through it at the author's hectic pace.

My thoughts are similar to others: this is an average book by an average writer. The concept is okay and the intermittent flashbacks are well done and necessary. Still, the book lacks in many places. Characters are poorly developed and you have a hard time buying their later actions. They seem to change on a dime, and motives are constantly in question. There is absolutely no suspense or mystery, as anybody can figure out who the bad guys are in a matter of a few chapters. Follett unintentionally spells it all out for the readers. I hesitate to point out specifics because I do not wish to spoil the read, but lets just say he leaves little to the imagination.
For a description of the story, please read the store's editorial or some other reviews. There is no sense repeating the facts.
I'd wait for the paperback. It reads fast, and may hold your interest for a couple days.

"The Eye Of The Needle" by Ken Follett was the first book I ever read in this genre. It remains to the present one of the best of the entries in the category it occupies. It was damaged by a movie, but many books share the same fate. Unfortunately, for me at least, subsequent books never reached the level of the mentioned novel, and Mr. Follett chose to explore other subjects and I stopped reading his work. When I read of the release of, "Code To Zero", I thought he had returned to his earlier subject matter and style. "Pillars Of The Earth", and other works were very good, but not the type of work that introduced me to him as a writer.
Little issues when they multiply are annoying, when combined with a story that lacks originality, has characters that are a bit on the shallow side, and ridiculous coincidence is the order of the day, the book became a disappointment.
Luke Lucas is the star of the show. I understand that not everyone has read or even cares about Star Wars, but for those who are familiar, this name was one of the sillier contrivances for a name I have read. So when this name appears laughter ensues. When Luke is trying to regain his memory he reaches a point of discovery and declares, (I'm not kidding), "I'm a rocket scientist"! And the clichés keep on coming.
Imagine that you entire memory is gone, even to the point that you have forgotten this book. What would be a plausible period of time to regain any clue as to who you were? Virtually any length you would suggest is more believable than this storyline. Probably the weakest aspect was the Author's decision to just introduce his cast, and then pick them up, fast forward a few years, and place them all down in circumstances that are less likely than winning the lottery, twice. Members of this group who serve time in the military and describe their first lethal event recall events so similar, you will wonder if you read incorrectly, you are reading a clue, when all it is, is laziness.
I had very high hopes for this work as Mr. Follett has written some wonderful novels. This book is many things but wonderful it is not. No Author writes a brilliant book every time out, and this is such an example. If you choose to pass on this, you will have missed little.

This was my first Follet novel and likely my last. This was just bad. That's the best way to describe it. The character interactions were strained. The mood and nuance of the book took very small and unsure steps. But mostly, there was zero creativity in getting from one situation to another.
My problem there is that Anthony, the main protagonist, pretty much gets everything he needs to happen. If he were to suddenly need a can of Coke, you can bet that there would be one, on ice, wherever he was standing.
I'm not going to go into the factual erros that others have explored other than to say they were there.
Finally, the book just wouldn't end. It was as if the author needed to say, "Oh...and," over and over again. The lesser protagonist, who I will not mention by name, and the way that character left the book was just sophomoric to say the least.

I've always been a huge fan of Mr. Follett's work but was a little disappointed with the last two releases. After the first good reviews of his latest effort I eagerly awaited the delivery of the novel and immediately started reading.
The story is good and exciting, but the book could have been so much better if Ken Follett had just developed the characters a little deeper. The british edition clocks in at just 324 pages, at twice that amount "Code to Zero" could have been brilliant.
Just imagine the lead character waking up without any memory of who he is - solving not only his own mystery but working out his past love life, saving the American space program and bringing the bad guys to justice - all in 300 pages (net).
I would have loved a little more of this basically good story for my money. Ken Follett knows how to keep readers hooked beyond a few pages, as he's proven with blockbusters like "Pillars of the Earth" or "Night Over Water" - why not try again?

Without going into the details of the plot, Follet's latest thriller has an exciting beginning and has interesting and well-developed characters. Overall, Code To Zero is a fast and enjoyable "read". However, its suspense gradually wanes and the so-called "surprises" and eventual outcome become somewhat predictable. Further, you might feel that you have to suspend belief more than you are willing to in regards to the ease with which the main character: 1) discovers who he is and what he does after learning he has amnesia; and 2) uncovers the plot to sabotage the U.S.'s launching of its Explorer I satellite.
Code To Zero, despite its limitations, is worth reading but I'd suggest you take it from the library. There are better books on which to plunk down $26.95.

Amnesia is absolutely the most overused cliche in literature. I have never known anyone, who has ever known anyone, who has ever known anyone who has had amnesia. Ok - I know it exists, it is a medical fact. Still, this tool for creating a story is so tired, so pat, so ridiculous!! And how do the people in Luke's life react when they find out that he has amnesia? Is even a single one of them dubious, the least bit skeptical? No!! They don't question it for a second, but act like it happens everyday, and immediately begin launching into a description of what they know of Luke's background, as if they were giving a recipe for onion dip. I would not have read this book, knowing it was about amnesia, had not my mom given it to me for Christmas, knowing I like to read (used to like to read) Ken Follett books. No more, please!! Don't make me do it, Mom!!

As a longtime fan of Ken Follett, I find his most recent work disturbingly lightweight. Specifically, is his interest in memory loss simply that of a professional writer, or is it a personal interest necessitated by his own loss of faculties? It is difficult to reconcile this effort with previous works, such as the splendid -- indeed, writing-textbook-quality -- "The Man from St. Petersburg." Or, "Lie Down with Lions," or "Pillars of the Earth." Seriously, I had the feeling that it was written by "a loved one," who tried his or her inept best to ghost in Follett's style, but fell dismally short of the mark. I was delighted as I began, disappointed as the book progressed, then angry, and finally appalled and fearful by book's-end. Ken Follett: If you're alive and well, please let your fans know. And if you're not alive and well, will the Inept Imposter please step forward to recieve the much-deserved lashes.

There are certain plot devices in fiction that raise red flags with me because they are almost always indicative of a lack of originality: the two that stand out the most are the use of twins and even worse, amnesia. But any cliche, in the right hands, can become something special. Follett first demonstrated this with The Third Twin and now, in this amnesia-driven story, with Code to Zero.
Follett is known as a master of the spy thriller, and this story demonstrates why: likeable characters, evil conspiracies that slowly unfold, constant action and romance. It surprises me that there seems to be so many negative reviews for this work, when there is really nothing significantly wrong with this; in this genre, Follett does everything that is expected and does it all well.

I have read all of Ken Follett's books and he is one of my favorite authors. NO WAY could the author who wrote "Pillars of the Earth" be the same author who wrote "Code to Zero!" So, I think it must be one of two possible explanations. 1) Ken Follett ran afoul of the CIA and suffered the same fate as "Luke".....he woke up one morning and couldn't remember anything, including how to write. Or 2) A high school student wrote the book and Ken signed his name. Considering the absurdity of the entire plot involving the memory loss, I would conclude the latter. Along with the inaccuracies, the characters and the plot are absurd and simplistic. A child could have predicted the outcome. Please, Mr. Follett, make your next book worthy of YOU!

A couple days ago, I finished reading Ken Follett's latest suspense thriller, "Code To Zero", and couldn't wait to finish it! Just to get it over with. I didn't think it was filled with suspense, I thought it was predictable; it wasn't a thriller, it was a bore and the characters and their dialogue were corny. The premise is promising. A man who is suffering from amnesia has to discover who and what he and his mission are. And why government agents are "out to get him." As I read this book, I kept thinking that I was reading from an elementary school reader. Mr. Follett insists on explaining each element of the thin plot and should give his readers more credit than that. I think most readers know what's going to happen in the story before the writer does! Very disappointing!

I bought this book in an Airport when I was on a long lay-over. I read it in about 12 hours and it did exactly what I wanted it to do, it passed the time. Isn't that part of what all books are supposed to do? If the author keeps you entertained while you're reading the book, his/her job is done.
The story line was very good, above-average in my opinion. I had never read Follete before as best-selling books aren't what I usually purchase.
There were no slow moments in this book. I didn't analyze it for historical accuracy but taken purely as a work of fiction written for entertainment, it was very fulfilling.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for something fun and exciting to read.

Ken Follett is a favorite of mine. This book taking place around 1958 pits espionage and friendships as former schoolmates; now agents - work to discover who is sabotaging America's space program. Great hook at the start with one of them walking up at Union Station with no memory of how he got there, but instincts and training gets him away from those who are following him.

Wow. I couldn't put this book down. When I read books like this, not only do I recall why I love to read, but I also remember why Follett's one of my favorite authors.
Once again, Follett uses a real setting and occurence from history and works his story around it. It gives the reader a better sense of immersion in the story as well as giving its characters a more beleivable air.
I don't want to spoil the plot, but it has elements of the Borne Identity in it so for fans of that movie/book, this would definetly capture their interest.
This ranks right up there with my other favorites from Follett: Night Over Water, Dangerous Fortune, A Place Called Freedom...all of which are very close to Pillars of the Earth (the pinnacle of great storytelling in my opinion).
FANTASTIC!

This review pertains to George Guidall's audio book reading. "Code To Zero" was my first book by Ken Follett, but it won't be my last.

I'm shocked by the low consensus 3 stars that the store readers have given this dazzling novel. I was blown away by the storyline and the well-drawn out characters. The flashbacks were used to perfection. The little bits of technical info on America's first space launch kept the suspense humming. I thought it was interesting how the role of communism in Ivy League schools was played out in the 40's and 50's.

I don't give 5 stars to my reviews unless I can highly recommend them. I highly recommend Code To Zero.

This gripping thriller brings back the terrors of the Cold War as it follows four friends' lives after their Ivy-league college days. Follett curses his protagonist with amnesia, and follows his responses to this mysterious problem to reconstruct a saga of jealousy, betrayal, ideological commitment, and political ambition. He skillfully brings back the restrictions of social classs and behavioral codes of the times, nevertheless giving both the young men and young women action-filled parts to play. The novel effectively probes the issues of competing loyalties and loves, leaving it to the reader to identify with the best of these ambivalent heroes.

I found this account of space flight in the 1950's very entertaining. While the concept of wiping out someone's short term memory is hard to believe, I enjoyed the idea of trying to find out who you are by testing your knowledge and experiences. The hero, Luke, found out who he was too quickly, but the whole story has a quick and entertaining pace. Follett created an insight into the world of early space launches at Cape Kennedy and I enjoyed the action switching from D.C. to Alabama, to Florida. I bought this book for a long plane ride and was happily engaged for the trip. I echo the wishes of other reviewers that the characters should profit from more development, particularly Luke's wife. All in all, a worthwhile effort.

A pretty good story about a Federal Agent who loses his memory just at a point in time where he was on the edge of an important breakthrough. As the story progresses, the "amnesia" becomes suspect, as does our Federal Agent Luke. There's more, though, and the twists and turns will keep you wondering. I was left, though, with a feeling that the entire reason for the plot of the story could have been more meaningful somehow. Ken Follett is a good author, and I enjoyed the book, but I couldn't give it more than three stars. There was a depth of some sort that seemed to be missing, and it just didn't entice me the way other Follett books have in the past.

I'm a big fan of Follett's works so I was surprised that this turned out to be one of his lesser materials. The idea is interesting enough and the opening scene holds promise but I found it to be a lackluster presentation and after about 80 pages or so I gave up on the novel. It felt like a dumbed down novel in characters and plot demonstrations. Hard to go into more details without giving spoilers. If you want to see Follet at his height read PILLARS OF THE EARTH or THE EYE OF THE NEEDLE or THE KEY TO REBECCA. WHEN READ: November 2011; MY GRADE: C plus.

Perhaps it is because I figured out who spy #2 was half way through the book that I was disappointed with this Follett effort and I'm not that astute. Plus the ending was truly lame. Our super smart hero must have had a brain cramp. And why is it that heroes always prevents a huge disaster when there is only a second or two "left on the clock". Pleeeze, stop with the contrived manipulations of your readers. Furthermore, why is it that the authors of these types of stories always include the key women as being not just highly intelligent but also gorgeous with Playboy Playmate bodies. Follett's inclusion of the sexual escapades is nothing short of the apparent obligatory gratuitous sex. That his lead character who is under intense pressure with limited time and in danger of losing his life, still is able to have fantasies about having sex with his beautiful female companion. These inane digressions only detract from the flow. This book's plot had great potential. Too bad it failed to deliver.

From the other reviews it seems I am not the only one with the opinion that Ken Follett's books vary from great (Pillars of the Earth and others) to horribly bad (Night over Water). Unlike some people, however, I think this is a really good one. I enjoy books where you are not 100% sure of who is who and what they are up to, and here not even the hero knows who he is. I'd like to think that I could behave as cool as our friend "Luke" if I ever lost my memory.
A little more than halfway through the book, the story unfolds (as it has to, eventually) and it loses a bit from that point onwards. The ending is downright sentimental and should have been better. With a stronger second half, the fifth star would have been there.

See storyline above.
You can hardly go wrong by picking up a Follett book. He generally delivers top rated thrillers. I gave this book 4 stars because he's written a good story. The characters could have been established better, although with the flashbacks, you do get an idea of there personalities. This is definitely not his top of the line work, though it is better than most thriller writers. The author also does his research well. Throwing in tidbits about rocketry physics and mathematics, as well as the space program of 1958.
An exciting story well worth the read, but not his best.
Recommended.

Mystery story with all sorts of twists and turns, but then it totally "cops out" by resolving nothing during the main story and dumping all of the facts, details and solutions in a very unsatisfying "Epilogue". Unfortunate as I really enjoyed the "historical" works of the author.

My old roommate left this book at my house when he moved out. It sat their for about a year. The only experience I had ever had with a Ken Follet novel was years before when I read "The Third Twin". I was not very impressed with that book, and from then on I had decided to steer clear of the entire Follet scene. Hence my disappointment, when I heard a car horn honk and I saw myself grabbing the Follet book as I dashed out the door for a long weekend at a cottage.
When the time came around to hunker down and read the book, i was pleasantly surprised. It was definately not the worst book in the world. As others have said the writing was poor, and one line in the book prompted me to read it aloud to the people in the room.
Luke looked in the mirror, and with a voice trembling with terror said "WHO AM I?"
I wrote a story like that when I was in grade six. However, things do pick up speed and get more interesting. All you have to do is ignore the clunky dialogue, and let your mind take some inspired leeps of faith.
I really wanted to hate this book, but I really couldn't. The reason why is that it was exactly what I thought it would be. A fast, pulpy, silly, piece of fluffly, literary escapism. If I had wanted to read a book because of the prose of the author, and the beauty of language, I would have.
Read it. But know what you are getting into. It won't change your life, but it will make the line at the bank move a heck of lot faster.

Readers hoping for a story comparable to Follett's "Eye of the Needle" will be sadly disappointed by this limp effort. We have the standard impeccably upright and ultra-handsome hero, standard establishment villain (guess which one is named "Luke" and which "Anthony"), standard gorgeous women good and bad, standard sex scenes (so important to an actioner), standard totally implausible plot with unlikely coincidences, etc. To create a sense of portent or urgency the author resorts to the silly practice of interjecting "missile facts" every few pages. A frequent plot cop-out is that whenever the bad guy (a "trained agent") gets the drop on a good guy, the latter pushes him or trips him or punches him or something to upset the applecart. This happens so predictably that by the final, even less credible scene you expect it.

The only good thing I can say about this book is that it is probably - though not certainly - better than I could write. That's a miserably low standard for an author of Follett's talent. Don't waste your time on it.

I really wanted to like this book - the premise of an amnesia victim struggling to find out who he is and what happened to him is, while not a new idea, a fun plot to read. But the flat characters never develop into people you can care about - and the flip-flopping of time lines to tell the story is awkward. The race for space with the Russians, amnesia, double agents, lost loves, cat and mouse games to stay alive - it's all here but it never comes together. Maybe Follett should have take a tip from Ludlum and gotten Gayle Lynds to co-write - perhaps then all the potential of this book would have come to fruition.

Of course the protagonist lost not only his memory but had the misfortune to fall into an alternative universe where in 1958 there existed the concept of xeroxing documents along with Cadillac Eldorados and Ford Fiestas, which in our universe came along many years later. I too would have been as confused as our less-than-intrepid author, and I too would have lapsed into insipid dialog and unreal plot twists.
Mr. Follett gives great credit at the end of the book to his researchers, etc., who helped him. Too bad none of them had the brains to do any research into contemporary history.
For shame, Mr. Follett.

Although I read this book in two days and it really kept my interest, I was kind of disappointed. The character development was just not there in this book, and the main characters were always doing stupid things.
Someone will have to explain to me why the main character would marry the woman he was not in love with after breaking up with the love of his life. Does anyone really do this? Things like that bothered me about this book.
If you can get past that, you will enjoy this kind of mindless read.
This is definetly not up to Ken Follett's usual standard, but then again neither was his last book. Hopefully he will pull out of this slump.

With the fantastic premise promised on the back cover, it would have been easy to underdeliver on the potential that it offered, by Mr Follet delivered to the expectations. The plot was good. Character development was good. I especially appreciated the jumping timeline that allowed the reader to gain an appreciation for the undercurents of the characters' motives, while maintaining suspense in two separate timelines. As a younger reader, I also appreciated the 1940-1957 setting that gave me a unique glimpse into a time that I know only through traditional WWII and early Cold War media.

Ken Follett's name still sells books and that would be the only reason to consider this book. Peter's review below is dead-on - this is flat stuff - nothing like vintage Follett (Eye of the Needle, Key to Rebecca, Lie Down with Lions etc were very good).
Either he has lost that touch or this is a rush job or ...
The only reason to give it 2 stars is that it maintained the minimum interest necessary for me to complete it(not a very long book. A name other than Ken Follett and this would get a 1-star!
Very very mediocre - character development is minimal as is the "plot" - if one can call it that. Do yourself a favor and give this one a wide berth.

This Follett is a mere shadow of his previous novels. I am a huge Ken Follett fan. I have read every one of his books and look forward to them. This book is written by a Ken Follett imposter! It is a huge disappointment with a ridiculous plot, featuring an incestuous bunch of people who are best buddies at Harvard and then segue into each other's lives forever after. They marry each other, they divorce each other, they plot and they plan. This book is very readable, a Follett trademark. But as the pages turn, I found myself getting angrier and angrier for being a sucker who bought this book in good faith and who was rewarded by junk. Such a poor effort that Follett, in the epilogue, mistates the moon walk as July 1968 and not the actual date of 1969.

This will be the final Ken Follett book I ever read. I don't know what has happened that would cause a writer with such skill to spit out such drivel as Code to Zero. From reading the first chapter, you can preety much plot out the plot line and character development. I wonder if Mr. Follet thought of adding anything realistic to this book. At no time did I feel suspense, or danger, sympathy or affection for any of the characters or situations. This book is as light as an episode of Gilligan's Island, and would have been better written by a romance novelist.

This is, frankly, a terrible book. It's made more so by the fact that Follett has written great books before (Pillars of the Earth, for instance)...so what the heck is he doing here? It is, at best, a first draft for any novelist. The plot: contrived. The characters: unbelievable. The writing: tepid, sophomoric. Whoever was editing this should be taken to task as well; there are obvious repetitions of the plot (like "Pete's" reasons for looking up to Anthony getting explained at least twice) that should have never made it to print.

Ken, you're too good a writer to be churning out garbage like this. Take your time and give us something worthy of your talent and time.

Code to Zero is a decent read if you have time to kill on an airplane or sitting in waiting rooms. But given Ken Follet's greatest works -- e.g., Triple, Eye of the Needle, Pillars of the Earth -- this book is most certainly wanting.

There's really not much more to say. There's a likable scientist-hero who unwittingly gets embroiled in a Cold War struggle that goes back to his college days. There is an evil former friend, a beautiful woman, a lackluster wife. There's a plot to blow up a missile, some thrills and chills (that aren't all that thrilling or chilling) and a happy ending.

If you haven't already read one of Follet's better books, skip this one and go to the good stuff.

I don't agree with some of the negative reviews. I thought that this was a pretty good book. The suspense kept my interest. I enjoyed the story from the point of view of Lucas, the main character. I liked how the mystery was being unraveled as Lucas, who lost his memory, was discovering pieces of his identity. The plot had some fun twists and turns. The transitions between the past and present were smooth. Some of the characters could have been developed further. I had the feeling that the book may have been written in a hurry. And I was a little disappointed in the ending.

Ken Follett does an excellent job at gaining the readers attention in the first couple of pages in "Code to Zero". Once you start it, you'll find it's a quick, easy read. Follett moves the story along at a nice pace. However, if you're in the market for something out of the ordinary, you won't find it here. Although one might argue that the characters are well developed, they are ho-hum individuals with little or no personality. I can't recall one good line from the entire book. Good news for those hunting for mindless entertainment, you've hit pay dirt!

This novel is a great read from start to Finnish, well detailed and there wasn't a time I didn't know what was going on. The novel takes place during the 1950s also during the space race. During this time the U.S is trying to build a rocket to send in space to compete with the U.S.S.R's Sputnik The story starts with or main character who wakes up in a Union Station in a restroom with no memory at all of who he is or his life. We find out that his name is Lucas Claude. Though out the story the author explains his past and who he is.

It starts out like a Hitchcock film with a man waking up devoid of any memory or knowledge of his past or present and he has to piece his memory together while saving the space program in pretty short order. But I agree with previous reviewers in that Follett needed to spend a little more time on the previous life discovery process (maybe 200-300 pages more) because by rushing it he relied on too many coincidences and snap realizations.
I will say that I did enjoy the read and it kept my interest because I wanted to see how it ended but he has done better. Check the book out from the library or borrow it from a friend, there are better books to purchase.

Ken Follett makes a return to the Cold War in this tightly-paced thriller. Set over less than 48 hours in 1958, it follows the story of a man with no memory. Waking up in a train-station toilet, Follett's hero has no idea who is is or why he's there. Was it a drinking binge, or are there more sinister forces at work? Naturally, it's the latter. In this case sinister equates to CIA, where a rogue Agent has targetted our man for removal. Needing to establish his identity, and find out why he's important enough to have that identity rubbed out, Follett's hero follows an ingenious series of logical steps. Discovering that he's named Luke is the easy part, discovering why he's in all this trouble will take the brains of a rocket scientist. Which means it's fortunate that he is one. But who is trying to remove him from the US's fledgling space program? How does it tie in to his days at Harvard? And why is a government agent involved? Follett's plot has more precision than a NASA engine, despite being at times a little politically simple. As usual we're treated to flashes of humour, sex, and character insight, though never enough to slow the inexorable pace of Luke's race against time to find himself and save the space program. That pace is what we read Follett for, and in this neat and clever thriller, he delivers in spades.

The title of the book that I am reviewing is "Code To Zero," by Ken Follett. This is one of my favorite books. It is a mystery/suspense story. The main character is a guy named Luke and the supporting characters are Anthony, Billie, and Elspeth. There are a few more characters, but they're not very important so I won't name them. The story takes place in several different places. The year is 1958, but there are a lot of flash-backs, so it's kind of hard to keep up with the story. The Cold War is just ending and America is still in the space race with Russia. NASA keeps delaying the launching of the Explorer 1 because of weather conditions. But, the real reason is because there was word of a soviet spies who plan on sabotaging the launch of the rocket.
The soviet spies found a way to destroy the Explorer 1 before it can exit the earth's atmosphere. If they succeed they can stop America's last chance to beat the Russian's and win the space race. There are only two people who know what is going on and can put a stop to it. Luke, the main character, is a who just wants to know the truth. In the beginning of the story, Luke wakes up in the men's-room of a subway with no memory of his past. He doesn't even know his own name. He's dressed like a bum so he automatically guesses that he is a hobo and drank all of his memory away. But, later in the book he finds out that he is really a rocket scientist and somebody deliberately erased his memory because he knew some very valuable information. With the knowledge he had, he could guarantee the outcome of the space race.
Anthony was Luke's best friend in collage until he switched sides. Now, his mission in life is to stop America from beating Russia in the space race and making sure that Luke dose not interfere. His causes are really unknown so I'll just call him a traitor. Billie is helping Luke get his memory back and stop Anthony. She is also in love with Luke, but you will find out more about that if you ever read the book. Elspeth is Luke's wife, but there is more to her than there may seem. To bad telling you that would ruin most of the story for you. This is a great book with lots of action and suspense. But, even it has some cons. The beginning of the book is kind of slow and there are a few pauses in the middle, but that just builds it up for more action and suspense. If you don't mind those small flaws then you will love "Code To Zero".

I've read several Ken Follett books and he is in top form with Code to Zero. It's written very well with developed characters and an intricate plot with some surprising twists. You get a real sense of the 1950's and the space race during that time. The repeated snippets during the story of counting down the rocket on the pad with all the technical details really added to the book's depth and created tension and suspense. I'd rank this as one of Mr. Follett's best books. A definite must read.

Code to Zero would have been a great science fiction novel -- in 1958, the year this story is alleged to occur.
Claude Lucas, a rocket engineer suffering global amnesia, struggles to determine who he is, why people are trying to kill him, and what secret threatens the success of America's first artificial satellite which is to be launched within two days.
Dr. Lucas' confusion may be compounded because he also finds himself in a world that did not exist in 1958. His mystery focusses on the location and meaning of "xeroxed" rocket blueprints which are missing along with his memory. But blueprints were still "blue" in 1958 because photocopying was still rare and expensive. And the first "xerox" machines would not be marketed for another year, nor would "xeroxing" become a verb for another decade. Other anomalies (the FBI building is built 15 years early, and passenger trains are again running on time despite being well into their final decline)abound, adding to the surrealism.
Lucas also fails to recognize that virtually every scene in his life replays one redrafted Hitchcock movie after another. Although two Union Station scenes, one Pullman car scene, and a kidnapping by a national monument would not be filmed until 1959 (North by Northwest), the entire plot is a watered down version of The Man Who Knew Too Much, 39 Steps and other films with which Lucas would have been familiar.
This derivative plot unfortunately flouts the rules which enabled successful Hitchcock thrillers. The content of the "McGuffin" (the missing blueprints) is important, and the chases and unsuccessful efforts to kill the hero are pedantically described and ultimately silly.
The author compensates for bad Hitchcok by adding bad LeCarre. Read LeCarre, substitute "Harvard" for "Cambridge", and you know the reasons for every bad political decision by characters in this book. And the book will give you a shorter explanation than does this paragraph.
The writer treats the readers as suffering short term memory loss and needlessly repeats details. For instance, Dr. Lucas' wife is described as a woman who likes "modern" furniture -- even after we have "seen" her furniture twice over two decades in the story.
The book has a great description of the Jupiter C rocket system, and this description is broken into compelling prologues to each chapter. Unfortunately, these technical descriptions of an engineering triumph underscore the uninspired prose of this artistic failure.

Ken Follett is one of my favorite authors and I will forgive this sloppy deviation from his normally well constructed plots and flowing script. The first chapter really grabbed me and I eagerly read on, expecting more of the same. However, about sixty pages into it, I began to get the feeling that Mr. Follett was suffering from writer's block and let some 17 year old kid take over. Nevertheless I read thru to the end, but didn't really need to. The plot turned out to be incredibly amateurish and predictable. The shallow characters he created did not inspire me to wish any of them well. Has he joined the ranks of authors (ie: J. Patterson, P. Cornwell, J. Grisham etal) who, having been assured success based on previous acceptance, indulge in word mongering in order to crank out books in time for Xmas? I hope not. It would be impossible to reach perfection every time, but from Ken Follett I expect better than this. I hope the book's sales reflect the less than mediocre quality of this work. Maybe then the real Ken Follett will return!

I enjoyed this book. I read and own every one of Ken Follett's books. I especially liked the hero. I do question why two Harvard classmates of his would turn Soviet spy, however; more detail of how that occurred would have helped the credibility of this tale. And I also wonder whether the launch of the Explorer I--if it had failed--truly would have stymied the space program. I have a feeling we Americans would have tried again, without delay.

Interesting premise? Absolutely. Easy read? You bet. Contains obvious and sloppy mistakes? Yes. Predictable? About halfway through. Why four stars? I enjoyed Luke as a character. Some have questioned his "luck" at finding out his identity so quickly. I did not at all. His is supposed to be a brilliant human being and used that intelligence to his advantage. Billie possessed both strength and vulerability. Finally, it was simply a fun read with a very interesting premise. Sometimes you just have to overlook mistakes or you miss out on something enjoyable.

How could a Harvard grad, WWII veteran, spy, and engineer not know where Newport News was? The use of xeroxing has been mentioned as a reflexion of poor editing; I agree, that troubled me to the point where I wondered what other historical information was also untrue. At one point our hero is driving a jeep on the Florida sands, the next moment he leaves his "car" to venture on foot. No one in 1958 called a jeep a car. Shouldn't do it now either, but back then a jeep was a four-wheel, very rugged, but very small off-road vehicle that would never have been referred to as a car. Sloppy work. No more Follet. I actually felt sorry for his editors, I imagine they caught errors but due to publishing deadlines, the changes were not incorporated into the final book. On the ideolgical side, too little depth to explain the motivation of those who leaned to the left. It also seemed too far fetched that a small group of young pre-war coeds in Cambridge would all play such significant roles in the major events of the world. Try "Cutout" by Francine Mathews

This was a thoroughly, engaging novel. It was difficult for me to put the book down. Follett is still the master of suspense, espionage and intrigue. The reader meets Luke, the main character, after Luke wakes up to learn that he has lost his memory. With clandestine CIA operatives tailing him, Luke must find his identity. Along the way, he uncovers a plot where he is the subject to be silenced. Watch as Luke attempts to prevent an enormous disaster in the Cold War.

There are too many coincidences in Follett's book: close friends at Harvard all employed by the Space Agency; the convenient but hard-to-believe timing of events down to the last second on more than one occasion take away from the tale. But Follett's brilliant grasp of spacecraft technology is truly impressive as is his ability to weave so many events into a compelling tapestry that holds the reader in a state of admiration for the story- teller.

Not Follett's best work. The characters were underdeveloped and there were no "page-turning" moments. I nearly gave up on the book several times but I hate not finishing what I start. There were some good suspenseful moments, but not enough. Boring!

The awakening of Luke - in a public Washington washroom - with amnesia lead us through the intriguing world of espionage, mind control techniques, CIA intrigues, KGB spies, the growing of the american space program, flashback stories of Luke, his wife and friends in his search for the true in several locations like Washington, DC, Huntsville, Georgia and Cape Canaveral in Florida. A very well written thriller recommended for those who like this kind of literature.

Code to Zero, while not nearly as powerful a novel as Pillars of the Earth, and not up to the standards of Key to Rebecca or Eye of the Needle, is a vast improvement over Hammer of Eden. The plot has several surprising twists and keeps the reader involved with the characters, wondering who are the good guys and who are the bad guys. Code to Zero also gives an interesting view of the cold war paranoia that existed during the late 1950's, especially as it related to the space program. Follett's views on mind controlling drugs and the state of 1950's psychological research are also fascinating. I recommend this as a quick and engaging read.

This was my first Ken Follett novel. Since I have nothing to compare it to (his earlier work) I enjoyed it. Certainly there were a couple of predictable parts, but all in all I enjoyed the story line and the plot. I did have to keep reminding myself of the time period it was written for and why the subject was using a pay phone where he could have used a cell phone. I enjoyed it and will purchase another Follett novel.

This is yet another spy thriller by Follet. It is centered this time on the 1950s space race. It is very fast to read and the plot moves along with enough twists and turns to keep the reader interested till the end. If you have read Follet before you will find his usual trademark elements of action, suspense and romance.

Not his best, but great for a quiet afternoon at home or a long plane ride.

Hard to believe that this book is by the same author that wrote "Pillars of the Earth" and "Night Over Water". Good premise that never, ever, gets off the launch pad for the entire book. Historical inaccuracies abound, i.e., Xerox photocopying in 1958, sloppy editing, i.e., in one scene Elspeth is driving a white '57 Chevy Bel Air convertible, in the next scene its a white Corvette and in the next scene the '57 Bel Air is back, and Mr. Follet assumes that the reader has no short or long term memory, i.e., he tells over and over why a character is loyal to another character. Poorly developed plot, no real character development and the way that events fall together are pretty incredible. James Lee Burke and Martin Cruz Smith are better at writing this kind of story.

If you are a Follett fan, space-race aficionado, or cold war spy novel devotee, add this book to your must-read list. Fast-paced, well researched with enough plot twists and curves to keep you up until the wee hours of the morning. While certainly not the best of the spy-genre novels I have read, one of the better ones to come out in recent years.
Jordan Ayan - Author: Aha! 10-Ways To Free Your Creative Spirit and Find Your Great Ideas.

Overall, I thought Code to Zero was an enjoyable, quick read.
The book moves very quickly with short chapters that make the book easy to read for those of us who can only find short blocks of time to fit in our pleasure reading.
The book's major shortcoming, however, is its predictability and the "cop-out" solutions to the protagonist's major dilemmas. While the main character has completely lost his memory, and starts the novel with absolutely no resources, he is blessed with "instincts" and an awful lot of "good luck" that allows him to piece together the history of his life and move the story forward.
I found Follett's reliance on happenstance to solve the protagonist's major problems to detract from what was otherwise an incredibly enjoyable and imaginative novel. Overall, this was a good book to read on the short train ride into work everyday.

I read this book in one day while on vacation. As always, Ken Follett did his research and created compelling characters in a non-stop action situation. Although this was not my favorite book by him, this book was excellent. If you want an edge of your seat, fast paced novel that has a little bit of everything from crime, to romance, history and suspense, you have your book. If only he wrote faster.

I agree with some of the others. This book is not one of Mr. Follet's strongest. The idea is a good one, and the retro aspect of the 40' and 50's could be a good one, but Mr. Follett does not take the time to explore it properly. The character development is a bit weak, and the plot is simplistic compared to earlier works by this author. It is entertaining though in it's own way, and it doesn't take very long to read it.

I've found Ken Follett's books to be "hit or miss", with this one in the "miss" category.

This book comes across as more mass market trash than any of his other works, and his research was shoddy at best.

The whole basis of the book was that the Russians were spying on the American Rocket program, which is a bit hard to fathom, as the Russians were far ahead of the Americans at that time. Korolyov and his team had developed the R5 and R7 by that time and didn't need Von Braun's help.

His explanation of the Buzz Bomb is laughable.

Overall, not one of his best. I suggest you try "Lie down with Lions" or perhaps "The Pillars of the Earth".

Loved this book, it kept me up till 1 am, I HAD to finnish it. The book is suspenseful, and probable. I could not guess who the villans were, and that always impresses me and makes the reading more fun. The female characters are great. I did have to snicker at the sex scenes, I just couldn't picture a woman saying those things, especially about an outfit she had sewn herself, but I suppose it is the fantasy of the male author. Don't wait for the movie, movies are rarely as good as the book.

Follett is a talented enough writer that even this implausible, formulaic, cloak and dagger tale is not a total bust. Still, I expected a lot more. I have greatly enjoyed several of Mr. Follett's other books (though I haven't read any recently), but I found the plot of this book to be so contrived, and the lead character's struggle with amnesia to so implausible, it tainted the whole experience for me. Like most stereotypical cold-war spy thrillers, the lead character is a former OSS operative who learned his craft behind enemy lines in WWII. In this tale, conveniently, an entire group of college chums/lovers become secret agents either during or after the war and their relationships form the basis for the plot. I found the calm, analytical, behavior the amnesiac possesses as he proceeeds to solve the riddle of his past to be totally unrealistic. Fortunately, he works out enough of the riddle to find his way to his ex-secret agent, ex-girlfriend, who also happens to be a renowned leader in the field of memory loss. Heh, heh, heh. I'm not kidding. Pure, B-movie stuff. For those of you who really enjoyed this book--more power to you. Enjoyment is what reading is all about. But to those who gave it five stars, I have to wonder whether you've ever read a truly good cold-war thriller (or a good Follett thriller).

This latest novel shows none of the brilliance of Pillars of the Earth, none of the fascination of Dangerous Fortune, none of the history in A Place Called Freedom, none of the intrigue and sharpness found in Eye of the Needle, and none of the action in On Wings of Eagles. I can't believe it could be the same author of the aforementioned stories. Even the editors dozed as they worked: neighbourhood, but favor. Follett borrows from Trevanian when using clothing to delineate characters: Bowler and Raincoat. For those who have read this book, How did Luke have his front door key with him in Huntsville when at no time had he found his own clothes, wallet or other, and none of his friends had given him a spare key? For me, this novel reflects the problem with large advances and small expectations for popular writers. The author's grand smile on the back cover may just reflect his awareness that he has put one over on his publisher and his dedicated fans.

1 star for mr. follett and his creative juices coming up with the story
another star for a fast paced novel that makes a good read on the plane
and the last star for keeping me entertained
i withhold the last two stars: good but not great, and the other follet books are GREAT. also, i felt it was flat, i really like the idea of the story, but never felt it.

Journey to the land of "what ifs." The heated space race of 1958 is the backdrop for Ken Follett's new thriller. But he examines what could have caused the two day delay in the launch of the first U.S. satellite. The countdown is on and the action is riveting. You won't get bored. You won't get lost. This is an easy read with an explosive plot. Your bookcase is screaming for Code to Zero!

I've read Pillars of the Earth and found it fascinating. But to compare this book to that is unfair. Code to Zero was a fun read. Doesn't have the sophistication or depth of Pillars but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Was it a bit predictable? Yes but still, a worthwhile summer read on the beach

After not being terribly impressed with his last two ("Third Twin" and "Hammer of Eden"), I was pleased to see Mr. Follett return to his roots of international intrigue and espionage. I consider this among his more well-written books-- plenty of twists and turns, great characters, and a truly unique plot. You really get the sense that Follett must have lost his OWN memory at some point in his life to write so eloquently and believably about it. There are, of course, the standard Follett devices (the lone man fighting for justice and his steamy, sordid past-- including the love affairs that rear their ugly head again later) but isn't that why we read his books in the first place?? Overall, it was very enjoyable, an easy read, with a little something for everyone. Highly recommended.

This is a wonderful book, a real page turner. I just couldn't put it down, and if I didn't need any sleep at all, I could have read it all at once. I know some readers have mentioned some discrepancies and while all that may be true, don't let it deter you from trying this book! I am looking for more books by Mr. Follett, now that I have discovered him.

Scene: a London publisher's office. Time: a month or two ago.

"Ken, you owe us another thriller."

"Really? So soon?"

"Yes. We don't really care what it's about, and we won't bother with any of that editing nonsense, but we need to see a paperback in the airport book racks with the name "Ken Follett" in large type on the cover by next month."

"Gosh. Well... how about something to do with the space race in the 1950's? I won't have time to do any research whatsoever, and developing believable characters is so time-consuming; can I just slop together a bunch of cardboard protaganists, dispense with any hint of narrative logic, and have the villians come to a bad end? Oh, and I'd like to have a few gratuitous and cringingly implausible sex scenes now and then -- and hey, I just thought of a catchy but irrelevant title, 'Code to Zero.' Whatchya think?"

"Whatever. Doesn't matter. We could put your laundry list between glossy covers and the punters would buy it by the thousands. Don't worry about writing anything that's plausible, suspenseful or semi-literate. No time for that foolishness."

"Well then, we're on. Is next Friday all right?"

"Thursday would be better."

"I can do that."

"Great. Here's an advance cheque for a million pounds."

"Thanks. It's great being me. Do you need a book next month, by the way?"

Loved this book! The historical facts mixed in with plot made this a social yet political thriller. Luke was a hero from the beginning, you couldn't resist pulling for him. Loved how Follett told the story in present then past tense, could hardly put the book down. Filled with intrigue!

Follett has a lot of gifts as an author. Rarely does his work hold together as a near masterpiece like his other book Pillars on the Earth. Code to Zero is great, and it is one of the better Follett books that I have read. The plotting is tight, and everything that happens moves us towards the ultimate goal of the rocket launch at Cape Canaveral. There are lots of action, and several appealing subplots, including romance. Yet I was upset in the end. What Collete's strength is, that he writes the characters with great depth and his books are easy to read and follow. If you're a Follett fan you'll have read this book anyway, if you're not, and you're a picky reader you won't like this.

This book is a perfect paperback airplane read. It moves quickly, is entertaining and is easy to put down and pick back up without losing anything. And that, in the end, is what's wrong with the book. It is too superficial with character development and secondary plot lines to offer the reader any depth or flavor. The book seems to be written as a precurssor to a TV movie script.
A fun book to read but ultimately you will be disspointed (especially with the hammy ending).

But the story has been developed too poorly (at least for Follet's standard).
The idea is great, even if the "schizophrenic" protagonist reminds me Bourne, a Ludlum's character.
There are too many coincidencies .... For example, I think that is quite impossible that a group of fellow students are, many years later, all involved in such an intrigue, with all these different rules
A plot like this needs more pages and more details to be told, and, I know, the author is able to..... I'm thinking for example to "The pillars of the earth", but this time he didn't...
This novel has been a great disappointment, expecially because I'm a Follet fan.... I've read almost all its books and this is, no doubt, one of the worsts.

It is hard to believe that anyone liked this book. Prose is lumbering and boring. Characterization is juvenile. While concept had possibility, the actual plot could not have been worse. The first scene is entertaining and the rest of this book is awful. I don't believe that Ken Follett wrote it, seriously, I think that he had it ghostwritten using his name to sell the book. Lots of little mistakes, sister's name alternately Alice/Emily, timing etc. But here is what I cannot freaking believe. . .this WHOLE book is about the moon landing and THE DATE IS WRONG! says 1968 -- moon landing was 1969!! How could this happen?? How did an editor not see this??

This book is sickeningly terrible. How did anyone like this?

I've read several novels by Ken Follett & have enjoyed them all. Code to zero is no exception. It starts off with Luke waking up on the floor in the mensroom ,dress as a bum & having no memory of who is & why he is there. It's a rollercoaster ride as you start to learn about Lukes past as he discovers links. It's a great book that keeps a fast pace & will keep you guessing well into the night. Pick up a copy of Code to zero & find out why Ken Follett is one of the best storytellers out there today.

This is the first work of Mr. Follet's I have had the pleasre of reading. I'm a fan of Clancy and Ludlum, and Follet's Code to Zero is the perfect bridge between the two. If your familiar with The Bourne Identity, you will feel as you begin this work that you are reading a decidely similar story. Follett quickly adds several twists and turns to show you that he is a master suspence writer on his own behalf. Follett adds just the right amount of technical information to keep Clancy fans satisfied, while incorporating a strong romantic story to entangle and unite an extraordinary collection of characters.

This is poorly written story by an author from whom one expects much more. One of Mr Follet's strengths has always been his wonderful plots with their strict attention to detail. This one has more holes than the proverbial loaf of swiss cheese. Descriptions are sophmoric. Very disappointing. If you've got to read this do yourself a favor and check it out of the library. Don't fret if there's a waiting list. You aren't missing anything.

I adore Ken Follett novels. I agree that he is the most romantic of all thriller writers. This one is well written, fluid, taut and touching at times. However, this does give the impression of having been written in a hurry. It is upto a standard - as most novels by the mature Ken Follett are - but falls short of doing adequate justice to the plot.
I would give it around 3.5 stars.

I read this book in less than 3 days, I gave the book to my wife and at least 3 friends and they enjoy the book the same as I, I don't know why some people are disappointed with this book, when I read their reviews I didn't wanted to post mine, but I really enjoy reading this book so I will recommend it to all of my friends.

I would guess the best I can say is when I see Follett I know it will be a good read. This was outstanding with all the elements of Politics(cold war) espionage, mystery, intrigue and all the elements to keep you finding time to continue reading. One of my favorite Authors and I will continue to read all that he writes.

This was one of the fastest reads I've ever had! I couldn't help myself, I really couldn't put it down! The suspense is skillfully done in this tale. It reminded me of the "Eye Of The Needle" - I found myself wondering if things I knew happened were going to happen in the book! If you enjoy Follett's work, all of his work, then you will enjoy this book. It's not as complex as "Dangerous Fortune" or "Pillars of the Earth" but it definitely grabs you and pulls you in immediately.

I bought the book Saturday and a week later I had finished it. It leaves no room for putting it down and you're just turning one page after another to find out why this apparently nice main character Lucas has lost his memory. Follett has done his research about rockets very well and you feel you're right there following the breathtaking event of launching America's first rocket. Follett has a way of describing people and the settings in a very vivdly image and I didn't find it difficult to see the whole story running as a movie inside my head while I was reading. I gave it four stars though 'cause the ending is maybe a little too ordinary. But I can highly recommend Code to Zero

I don't understand why all the negative reviews. I found this book fast-paced and entertaining. It reminded me a lot of The Bourne Identity and Paycheck. Though not as good as The Bourne Identity, it was a very enjoyable read. Definitely a great beach or vacation read.
If you didn't like this book, give Ken Follett another chance-- read The Key to Rebecca. That's what got me hooked.

An amnesia victim, with no sense of his identity or personal history, goes to the library and, within an hour or two, determines that he is a rocket scientist. He pulls books from the shelves, determines that he understands many scientific principles, and out of all the known professions and occupations concludes that he is one of the world's top rocket scientists. C'mon !! This is ridiculous. Coincidence after coincidence makes this Follett spy-novel a concocted farce. This book does not come close to "Eye of the Needle" or "Pillars of the Earth."

What a waste of time this one was. I have never read any other books by Ken Follet and probably won't after the expierence I had with this one. I kept reading thinking at some point it would get better but it never did. Fortunately it is a rather short book. Some of the plot lines make no sense in the real world. None of the writing made me care for any of the characters. Seemed like this one was churned out to get a book to the publisher.

Spoilers :

Things I thought were absurd.

1. Two couples from college who are double dating at the beginning of the book all decide to become spies when world war 2 breaks out. I am sure it happened all the time.

2. The hero of the story is willing to give up his entire college career and girlfriend for some girl he drove home in one night. No time spent building a relationship between the two.

3. The russian spy tries to cover up things by wiping the memory of the hero at the very same hospital that one of the other four friends works at. Of course that friend is conviently sent home that night.

4. The hero finds out his wife had a tubal ligation prior to thier marriage from a letter conviently left out at just the right time. And this fact allows him to make the jump from my wife lied to me to she's a russian spy.

5. Why even wipe the memory of the guy from the beginning, just kill him and be done with it.

6. The hero calls several people and explains his memory has been erased and that spies are after him. No one ever questions this guys sanity everything is just accepted as matter of course. In fact his wife says she can't come out and see him because she is too busy at work, that should have been the tip off that something was wrong.

It just goes on and on. I felt like I was reading something I would have come up with in the 5th grade.

Thanks for nothing Ken.

I really don't understand all the negative reviews I've seen on this board. I read this book in 3 days (Very fast for me) because I simply could not put it down. The plot engages you from page 1, and twists and turns throughout the entire novel. I was riveted as I read Code to Zero!!
This is a fantastic book to take along on vacation - it reads fast, and will definitely take your mind away from your day-to-day worries and hassles of work, etc. I loved the characters, the plot, and the theme, and will definitely go read some of Follett's earlier works.
GREAT BOOK!!

Great story and characters. And it is so well written that I forget I am reading. Ken Follett's writing in general has that quality...meaning, his words don't get in the way. I can get lost in these things. I loved it.

...and I wanted this to be good. I am fascinated by the idea of a man waking up and having no clue who or where he is. It started out great, but at some point turned into a series of car chases and simplistic dialogue. Hard to believe this is the same author who wrote Pillars of the Earth.

Die-hard Ken Follett fans may be a bit disppointed with this book, since the plot is not as well tied as some of his other works. But it makes for a good, quick read. It is fast paced with little break in the action. If you read the book for what it is (fiction) and try not to tie it to historical events, I think it's a very enjoyable book!

Code to Zero
The novel "Code to Zero", written by Ken Follett, can be said to be easy to read in so far as the author doesn't use difficult expressions.
The suspenseful and exceptional story deals with the phenomenon of scientific espionage and grips the reader and robs himself/herself the sleep.
Although the reader is confused by the regular change between present and past, i.e. the author uses numerous of flashbacks, he/she keeps on reading because the story is not boring like typical other stories which handles always about "true love", sex, drugs and murder.
Action, emotions and science are combined to an interesting, best-selling novel which doesn't cost much.

There is not anything anyone can say that would convince me that the author or this book is the same author of Key to Rebecca and Pillars of the Earth. This book was an insult at best - throughout the story the one thought that continually ran through my mind was 'Give me a break!'

I gave CODE TO ZERO 3 stars, because it sucked me in. The plot starts out great. Guy loses his memory, and he must find out who he is. I found myself intrigued with what was actually happening in the story. But, a lousy and predictable ending cost FOLLETT two stars. Where's the drama? The Twist? Nothing! Straight as a board.

For the author of "Pillars of the Earth", "On the wings of eagles" this is a disappointig book. I bought it in the airport before a long intercontinental flight, thinking it would take me trough the flight. That was two weeks ago, I still didn't finish it. If you look for a cold war - time, spy novel, try something else. To bad for Follet.

Surprisingly poorly written. Follett's reputation must have overridden the editor's pen. The prose in many sections is that of a first-time author. The plot is way too slow and not compelling. Moreover, the hero is not all that likable or interesting. Finally, the main plot thread and setting (the early space race etc.) struck me as rather uninteresting, perhaps because there is so little detail. I guess sometimes relying on the various research tanks for writers is not all that helpful.

There is not anything anyone can say that would convince me that the author or this book is the same author of Key to Rebecca and Pillars of the Earth. This book was an insult at best - throughout the story the one thought that continually ran through my mind was 'Give me a break!'

I gave CODE TO ZERO 3 stars, because it sucked me in. The plot starts out great. Guy loses his memory, and he must find out who he is. I found myself intrigued with what was actually happening in the story. But, a lousy and predictable ending cost FOLLETT two stars. Where's the drama? The Twist? Nothing! Straight as a board.

For the author of "Pillars of the Earth", "On the wings of eagles" this is a disappointig book. I bought it in the airport before a long intercontinental flight, thinking it would take me trough the flight. That was two weeks ago, I still didn't finish it. If you look for a cold war - time, spy novel, try something else. To bad for Follet.

Surprisingly poorly written. Follett's reputation must have overridden the editor's pen. The prose in many sections is that of a first-time author. The plot is way too slow and not compelling. Moreover, the hero is not all that likable or interesting. Finally, the main plot thread and setting (the early space race etc.) struck me as rather uninteresting, perhaps because there is so little detail. I guess sometimes relying on the various research tanks for writers is not all that helpful.

I have read several of Ken Follett's books and I can't believe the horrible names he gives to women Elspeth? what is that. This is not England so one is named Elspeth in the U.S. not even in the 40's or 50's. All his perfect people were very predictable.

*a great historical thriller/mystery

*captivated me from the start

*the author expertly leads you through time as you discover with the main character the reason for his amnesia & his history

This book was so interesting trying to figure out who Luke was and what happened to turn his friends against him. So much at stake. I really cared about the characters. It kept going back to the fifties when everyone was young, so I couldn't wait to find out what had happened in the past and what was at stake in the future. And I didn't expect such a great romance. This book had everything!

The book was ... okay. There were parts that worked just as they should; but, in others, our heroes were by turn really smart and really, really stupid. Don't they watch television? The bad guy always does the same obvious things; why doesn't the good guy know it if I know it?

I don't think that I've ever read a book of this length faster. This books doesn't waste any time in grabbing hold of the reader. The characters are all superb. I want to be Dr. Claude 'Luke' Lucas. He is practically an American James Bond. Women want him and men want to be him. There isn't a single dull moment in this book and quite frankly I don't care about it's historical accuracy the story is second to none. Bravo Ken Follett!

i quite enjoyed ken follet's new book, code to zero. i've been a fan of his for a while now and have read pretty much everything he's written. although not quite as elaborate or involved as his other books, this book does not disappoint. it was fast-paced, exciting and, in general, a good read! if you're not too fussy about facts and just like a good story, this book is for you!

I haven't read many Ken Follett books, in fact only three. But I am quite impressed with the style of writing in the book. However, the basic subject hasn't been portrayed as well as it could be. There are a lot of books on this subject, the best I can remember is Robert Ludlum's "The Bourne Identity (TBI)." I think this book fails to deliver the thrills of TBI, but due to his simple and to the point style of writing, Mr. Follett has found a new fan, in me.

After all of the obvious research that the author did on rocket science, he blows it on American culture. Protagonist Luke wakes up in 1958 and steals a Ford Fiesta, a model not introduced in the United States until 1977. Neat trick, Luke. Maybe it was "really" a Ford Fairlane. Oh well, Shakespeare put chimneys in ancient Rome.
As usual, Follet has crafted a pleasantly engaging read, but it does not hold a candle to Pillars of the Earth, Dangerous Fortune, et al.

I gave this 2 stars only because I expected more from Follett. The dialogue was sophomoric, the action was inconsistent (why would Anthony only erase Luke's memory instead of killing him as he did with other friends), and the development of characters was not up to Follett's usual fare. After reading "The Pillars of the Earth", which I thought was one of the better books I've read,this one was disappointing.

The bottom line, one of Follett's better books. Sure beats Hammer of Eden, but holds nothing to Pillars of the Earth. Nonetheless, I must retire this review early, since Code to Zero DID manage to keep me reading until 4AM last night. I quickly returned home from work today just to finish the delightful work. It's an easy reading book, with just enough detail mixed with intrigue and suspense to keep you hooked.

Ken Follett's Code to Zero is one of the best books I have read in quite a while. It is a quick read and had me up late at night attempting to complete the story. Follett has a way with grabbing you with the first few pages and keeping you interested for the entire book. The content was technical enough to make me want to continue reading, but also light enough not to bogg down the story. Great Book!

I don't know how the same writer who penned some of my favorite books (THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH, WORLD WITHOUT END, EYE OF THE NEEDLE to name a few) could have written a book this bad. Don't waste your time.

This is definately a great suspense thriller written by a great writer. There can be no complaining about plot and character development, because both are handled very well by Mr. Follet in this one. From start to finish it delivers what it was written to deliver, suspense, action, and plenty of thrills.

As someone who lives in Alabama, and grew up watching the space race unfold, I was happy to know that the nearby city of Huntsville, AL was playing a part in making the rockets that went into outer space. Ken Follett once again has used unusual characters to cleverly weave a suspenseful story. A great read.

Follett regains his footing with this taut hard-to-put down thriller. He sets the pace at breakneck speed and doesn't pull back. The only regret about the Cold War ending is the lack of a great subject for thriller writers such as Follet, Forsythe and Le Carre. Follett reaches back to that time period to create one of his better novels in recent years.

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. It was so intense that it was hard to put down. I told myself that I would stop at the end of a certain chapter. The end of the chapter came, and then I had to go right to the next. Read the book in two sittings. It was so good, it was exciting and most important it was well written. Author! Author!

...A man spontaneously wakes up in rags on the floor of a Washington DC bathroom not remembering who he or where he is. Throughout the story we learn more about this mysterious man who is known as Dr. Claude Lucas. The background has to do with the cold war and the race into space between the Russians and Americans.

this is a review of the audiobook, which is unabridged

I found it quite hard to get into, which is unlike me
some parts were really good but at other times it seemed to drag a bit

I don't think I will get another by Ken Follett - many others write better in the same genre.

This book is a real page-turner, I read it in one sitting. Though it has a predicitable ending, the author keeps you guessing with bizarre twists and turns. I recommend it for those who want an easy read to pass the weekend.