Code to Zero: A Man with No Memory. A Race with No Rules - Softcover

Ken Follett

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1447272374 ISBN 13: 9781447272373

Publisher: Macmillan, 2012

Synopsis

Three days that could change the world's political landscape . . .

A man wakes up to find himself lying on the ground in a railway station, his mind stripped bare of all recollection. He has no idea how he got there. He does not even know his own name. Convinced he is a drunken down and out, it isn't until a newspaper report about a satellite launch catches his eye that he begins to suspect all is not what it seems . . .

The year is 1958, and America is about to launch its first satellite, in a desperate attempt to match the Soviet Sputnik and regain the lead in the space race. As Luke Lucas gradually unravels the mystery of his amnesia, he realizes that his fate is bound up with that of the rocket that stands ready on launch pad 26B at Cape Canaveral. And as he relearns the story of his life, he uncovers long-kept secrets about his wife, his best friend and the woman he once loved more than life itself...

About this title

Review

A man wakes up in ragged clothes in a back-alley with a headache, no memory and an equally shabby companion who assures him that this is an everyday occurrence. What distinguishes Luke, hero of Ken Follett's effective new thriller Code to Zero, is that he realises so very rapidly that the absence of any desire for alcohol means that he is being lied to. Smart and resourceful, but no superman, Luke's personal memories are gone, but his skills are still there--skills he realises he learned in WW2. Follett's sense of the conflicts and loyalties of the late Eisenhower 50s, with Sputnik in the sky and its American equivalent about to launch, is spot on; he is excellent on the game of shadows played by the early CIA men like Luke's old friend turned enemy Anthony, and the reasons why some people retained treasonable allegiance to Stalinism for so long. His management of shifts of time and viewpoint is slick and professional, but he also remembers what all this is for; the back story of Anthony, Luke, Luke's wife Elspeth and Billy, the woman whom Luke once loved and who holds the key to his mind, is intensely credible and moving. --Roz Kaveney

Review

"Code to Zero"'s split-second suspense proves that...[Follett is] a hell of storyteller" ("Entertainment Weekly").

"Gripping."--The New York Times

"This spy thriller is Follett at his best."--People

"Code to Zero's split-second suspense proves that nearly a quarter century after his breakthrough novel, Eye of the Needle...[Follett is] still a hell of a storyteller."--Entertainment Weekly

"Absorbing, tightly plotted...Suspense junkies won't be disappointed."--Publishers Weekly

"Starts off fast and never slows down...Follett creates a rousing story that never flags."--Chicago Tribune

"Flawlessly plotted, tautly told and suspenseful."--Minneapolis Star Tribune

"A winner...a jolting joyride."--St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Gripping. The New York Times

This spy thriller is Follett at his best. People

Code to Zero s split-second suspense proves that nearly a quarter century after his breakthrough novel, Eye of the Needle [Follett is] still a hell of a storyteller. Entertainment Weekly

Absorbing, tightly plotted Suspense junkies won't be disappointed. Publishers Weekly

Starts off fast and never slows down Follett creates a rousing story that never flags. Chicago Tribune

Flawlessly plotted, tautly told and suspenseful. Minneapolis Star Tribune

A winner a jolting joyride. St. Louis Post-Dispatch"

Gripping. The New York Times

This spy thriller is Follett at his best. People

Code to Zero s split-second suspense proves that nearly a quarter century after his breakthrough novel, Eye of the Needle [Follett is] still a hell of a storyteller. Entertainment Weekly

Absorbing, tightly plotted Suspense junkies won't be disappointed. Publishers Weekly

Starts off fast and never slows down Follett creates a rousing story that never flags. Chicago Tribune

Flawlessly plotted, tautly told and suspenseful. Minneapolis Star Tribune

A winner a jolting joyride. St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"

Praise forCode to Zero
"Focused, fast-moving . . . this spy thriller is Follett at his best." People
"Follett weaves the threads of his narrative together, tying them into an unexpected and story-resolving knot at the end . . . gripping." The New York Times
"Fresh and fast-paced. . . . Follett is no slouch at keeping the pages flying by. He maintains a brisk clip throughout and creates compelling and likable characters." San Francisco Chronicle
"Follett has total control of his fast-paced story line." The Orlando Sentinel
"Absorbing, tightly plotted. . . . Suspense junkies won't be disappointed." Publishers Weekly
"A knockout, a big fat wallop of a book that won't let [fans] get back to their lives until they've finished. . . . Follett writes beautifully." South Florida-Sun Sentinel
"Flawlessly plotted, tautly told, and suspenseful . . . with the kind of page-turning quality that made Follett a big name in the thriller field." Minneapolis Star Tribune
"Starts off fast and never slows down . . . sharply told. . . . Follett creates a rousing story that never flags." Chicago Tribune
"A finely crafted mystery that builds suspense all the way to the hair-raising finale . . . blends fact with an elaborate fiction." The Memphis Commercial Appeal
"The Cold War is cool again. . . . [Follett] pulls out all the stops." Ottawa Citizen
"A fascinating scenario that takes the listener between World War II and the launching of Explorer I . . . a winner . . . a jolting joyride." St. Louis Post-Dispatch
"[Moves] briskly toward a down-to-the-wire climax while stretching but never breaching the barriers of disbelief . . . entertaining." The Seattle Times
"Grabs you from page one and doesn't let up until the very end . . . extremely entertaining. . . . The plot is tight, racing along at a breakneck pace with absolutely no holes. The suspense is palpable, and the characters are larger than life in a pleasing way. . . . Follett is excellent at his craft, and Code to Zero is one of his strongest efforts." The Daily Cardinal
"Ken Follett has written another blockbuster . . . a superb espionage tale. . . . Code to Zero is just too good to tell you more. Its plot is skillfully developed, and for a thriller, it is refreshingly plausible." Roanoke Times & World-News

"

Praise for Code to Zero
-Focused, fast-moving . . . this spy thriller is Follett at his best.- --People
-Follett weaves the threads of his narrative together, tying them into an unexpected and story-resolving knot at the end . . . gripping.- --The New York Times
-Fresh and fast-paced. . . . Follett is no slouch at keeping the pages flying by. He maintains a brisk clip throughout and creates compelling and likable characters.- --San Francisco Chronicle
-Follett has total control of his fast-paced story line.- --The Orlando Sentinel
-Absorbing, tightly plotted. . . . Suspense junkies won't be disappointed.- --Publishers Weekly
-A knockout, a big fat wallop of a book that won't let [fans] get back to their lives until they've finished. . . . Follett writes beautifully.- --South Florida-Sun Sentinel
-Flawlessly plotted, tautly told, and suspenseful . . . with the kind of page-turning quality that made Follett a big name in the thriller field.- --Minneapolis Star Tribune
-Starts off fast and never slows down . . . sharply told. . . . Follett creates a rousing story that never flags.- --Chicago Tribune
-A finely crafted mystery that builds suspense all the way to the hair-raising finale . . . blends fact with an elaborate fiction.- --The Memphis Commercial Appeal
-The Cold War is cool again. . . . [Follett] pulls out all the stops.- --Ottawa Citizen
-A fascinating scenario that takes the listener between World War II and the launching of Explorer I . . . a winner . . . a jolting joyride.- --St. Louis Post-Dispatch
-[Moves] briskly toward a down-to-the-wire climax while stretching but never breaching the barriers of disbelief . . . entertaining.- --The Seattle Times
-Grabs you from page one and doesn't let up until the very end . . . extremely entertaining. . . . The plot is tight, racing along at a breakneck pace with absolutely no holes. The suspense is palpable, and the characters are larger than life in a pleasing way. . . . Follett is excellent at his craft, and Code to Zero is one of his strongest efforts.- --The Daily Cardinal
-Ken Follett has written another blockbuster . . . a superb espionage tale. . . . Code to Zero is just too good to tell you more. Its plot is skillfully developed, and for a thriller, it is refreshingly plausible.- --Roanoke Times & World-News

Praise for Code to Zero

"Focused, fast-moving . . . this spy thriller is Follett at his best." --People

"Follett weaves the threads of his narrative together, tying them into an unexpected and story-resolving knot at the end . . . gripping." --The New York Times

"Fresh and fast-paced. . . . Follett is no slouch at keeping the pages flying by. He maintains a brisk clip throughout and creates compelling and likable characters." --San Francisco Chronicle

"Follett has total control of his fast-paced story line." --The Orlando Sentinel

"Absorbing, tightly plotted. . . . Suspense junkies won't be disappointed." --Publishers Weekly

"A knockout, a big fat wallop of a book that won't let [fans] get back to their lives until they've finished. . . . Follett writes beautifully." --South Florida-Sun Sentinel

"Flawlessly plotted, tautly told, and suspenseful . . . with the kind of page-turning quality that made Follett a big name in the thriller field." --Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Starts off fast and never slows down . . . sharply told. . . . Follett creates a rousing story that never flags." --Chicago Tribune

"A finely crafted mystery that builds suspense all the way to the hair-raising finale . . . blends fact with an elaborate fiction." --The Memphis Commercial Appeal

"The Cold War is cool again. . . . [Follett] pulls out all the stops." --Ottawa Citizen

"A fascinating scenario that takes the listener between World War II and the launching of Explorer I . . . a winner . . . a jolting joyride." --St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"[Moves] briskly toward a down-to-the-wire climax while stretching but never breaching the barriers of disbelief . . . entertaining." --The Seattle Times

"Grabs you from page one and doesn't let up until the very end . . . extremely entertaining. . . . The plot is tight, racing along at a breakneck pace with absolutely no holes. The suspense is palpable, and the characters are larger than life in a pleasing way. . . . Follett is excellent at his craft, and Code to Zero is one of his strongest efforts." --The Daily Cardinal

"Ken Follett has written another blockbuster . . . a superb espionage tale. . . . Code to Zero is just too good to tell you more. Its plot is skillfully developed, and for a thriller, it is refreshingly plausible." --Roanoke Times & World-News

Edition details

• Publisher: Macmillan
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 1447272374
• ISBN 13: 9781447272373
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 498