Sat 13 Oct 2012
Archived Review: ROBERT LUDLUM – The Janson Directive.
Posted by Steve under Bibliographies, Lists & Checklists , Characters , Reviews[10] Comments
ROBERT LUDLUM – The Janson Directive. St. Martin’s, hardcover, October 2002; paperback, October 2003.
I don’t know about you, but the few of Robert Ludlum’s books I’ve read have always kept me reading. And with this particular one checking in at 680 pages in paperback, reading and reading and reading. I can’t do that in one night any longer, no matter what, and I don’t think anybody can.
Plot: An ex-Vietnamese War prisoner named Alex Janson, now a super-whiz corporate security consultant, is hired to free a wealthy philanthropist Peter Novak from a group of terrorists. Novak’s billions of dollars have been used many times over to promote democracy and peace around the world, and Janson is the only one who can save him.
Which, after several nerve-shattering incidents, including a free-fall parachute drop from four miles up, he does. This is on page 140. With 540 pages to go. What next? You should only ask.
Janson finds that he only a pawn, if you’ll forgive the cliché, in an even greater conspiracy, one designed to simply knock your socks off. Ludlum demonstrates such a worldliness in his characters, and leans so heavily on a world of esoteric knowledge that seemingly comes natural to him, that an everyday, ordinary sort of person such as you and I can only sit back in awe.
Well, I can vouch for me.
There are flaws, though. Janson is all but perfect, but his shield of invincibility only goes so far. It just isn’t large enough to include all of the people who give him aid and assistance, to put it mildly. They’re on their own. Given a chance to second guess themselves, they might well opt out of this book, given the opportunity. Nor is Ludlum averse to dragging out the clichés himself, as the occasion arises.
All in all, at $7.99 list price for the paperback, you certainly get your money’s worth. If in the end you start to reflect on the fact that the tale that’s told is no deeper than your standard super-hero comic book, that’s the only drawback that might trigger some regret, and it will quickly pass.
[UPDATE] 10-13-12. According to at least one online source, following the success of the Bourne movie, The Janson Directive is also being converted to the big screen. It ought to be a good one.
The Paul Janson series —
The Janson Directive (2002)
The Janson Command (2011) (with Paul Garrison)
The Janson Dilemma (2014)
October 14th, 2012 at 2:03 pm
For what it’s worth, I recall reviewing Ludlam’s first novel for TAD, but I don’t know if the review ever appeared. I mailed TAD a lot of reviews that never arrived in the editor’s office. (This was when Al Hubin was no longer editing the magazine)
October 14th, 2012 at 2:26 pm
I don’t remember reading this book, nor do I remember writing this review. If I hadn’t come across it in my archives, it would have been as if our paths had never crosses, the book’s and mine.
But other than the details of the plot itself, I found myself nodding in agreement in several places, such as this passage:
“Ludlum demonstrates such a worldliness in his characters, and leans so heavily on a world of esoteric knowledge that seemingly comes natural to him, that an everyday, ordinary sort of person such as you and I can only sit back in awe.”
To me that sums up what I think was (and is, in a certain sense) his appeal to so many readers.
October 19th, 2012 at 10:08 am
I enjoyed the early Ludlums. The later, ghosted Ludlums not so much. But I am a big fan of the BOURNE movie series.
October 19th, 2012 at 12:07 pm
I’ve never read a Ludlum, though I’ve considered doing so. Never was sure where would be a good starting place, or rather a good one to try.
October 20th, 2012 at 12:13 pm
I’ve never read Ludlum though I love the Jason Bourne movies (and understand that they are different from the books) – but I must say this sounds like a fun book to me.
Okay, okay, I’m adding it to my TBR List – maybe if I live to be 200 I’ll get to all the books on the list. Ha!
Thanks for the intriguing review.
October 20th, 2012 at 7:19 pm
George
The later ghosted Ludlum’s must sell, or they wouldn’t keep publishing them, but I’ve never read one. The idea of someone continuing someone else’s series just doesn’t appeal to me. (With probably several exceptions I’m not thinking of right now.)
October 20th, 2012 at 7:23 pm
Richard
Whether or not you agree with my comment to George, there would be no reason to start with one of the ghosted ones.
I’d say to start with the earliest one you can find, and give it a try. If you like it, you can always spend the time to hunt more of them down.
I think this would be my working approach to any author, unless for whatever reason his/her books HAVE to be read in order, and even then it wouldn’t bother me all that much if I didn’t.
October 20th, 2012 at 7:24 pm
Yvette
If my review of The Janson Directive makes sound like a fun book, I’m willing to wager that it will be.
October 20th, 2012 at 8:33 pm
#6. Do you mean like Sherlock Holmes?
October 20th, 2012 at 9:33 pm
#9, Like duh.