The Prometheus Deception / The Sigma Protocol

by Robert Ludlum

Prometheus DeceptionRobert Ludlum is the acknowledged master of suspense and international intrigue. For over thirty years, in over twenty international bestsellers, he has a set a standard that has never been equaled. Now, with the Prometheus Deception , he proves that he is at the very pinnacle of his craft.Nicholas Bryson spent years as a deep cover operative for the American secret intelligence group, the Directorate. After critical undercover mission went horribly wrong, Bryson was retired to a new identity. Years later, his closely held cover is cracked and Bryson learns that the Directorate was not what it claimed - that he was a pawn in a complex scheme against his own country's interests. Now, it has become increasingly clear that the shadowy Directorate is headed for some dangerous endgame - but no one knows precisely who they are and what they are planning. With Bryson their only possible asset, the director of the CIA recruits Bryson to find, reinfiltrate, and stop the Directorate. But after years on the sidelines, Bryson's field skills are rusty, his contacts unreliable, and his instincts suspect.With everything he thought he knew about his own life in question, Bryson is all alone in a wilderness of mirrors - unsure what is and isn't true and who, if anyone, he can trust - with the future of millions in the balance.Sigma ProtocolBen Hartman is vacationing in Zurich, Switzerland when he chances upon his old friend Jimmy Cavanaugh—a madman who's armed and programmed to assassinate. In a matter of minutes, six innocent bystanders are dead. So is Cavanaugh. But when his body vanishes, and his weapon mysteriously appears in Hartman's luggage, Hartman is plunged into an unfathomable nightmare…Meanwhile, Anna Navarro, field agent for the Department of Justice, has been asked to investigate the sudden, random deaths of eleven men throughout the world. The only thing that connects them? A secret file, over a half-century old, that's linked to the CIA—and is marked with the same puzzling Sigma.As Anna follows the connecting thread—and Hartman finds himself on the run—she ends up in the shadows of a relentless killer who is one step ahead of her…victim by victim. Now, she and Hartman together must uncover the diabolical secrets long held behind Sigma. It will threaten everything they think they know about themselves—and confirm their very worst fears...

Genres: Action, Fiction

1072 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Robert Ludlum was a titan of the suspense genre, whose name became synonymous with the modern international spy thriller. Before amassing a staggering readership estimated between 300 and 500 million copies, Ludlum forged a career in the theater as a Marine veteran turned actor and producer. This theatrical background proved foundational to his literary success; he often credited his sense of pacing and "what-happens-next" urgency to his years on stage. Writing from his home in New Jersey, he crafted 27 novels characterized by "lone wolf" protagonists battling shadowy global conspiracies, corrupt corporations, and clandestine military organizations.
Ludlum is most famous as the creator of Jason Bourne, the amnesiac assassin who first appeared in The Bourne Identity (1980). While the blockbuster film adaptations starring Matt Damon brought the character to a new generation, Ludlum’s original trilogy delved deeper into the Cold War paranoia and intricate psychological trauma of the protagonist. His work often drew inspiration from contemporary conspiracy theories, such as rumors surrounding the Trilateral Commission, and he frequently explored the idea of terrorism as a tool for authoritarian manipulation. Even after his death in 2001, his literary estate has continued to expand his universe through video games and posthumous collaborations, cementing his legacy as a master of the "ticking clock" narrative.

Reviews

[James Frederick · Rating 4 out of 5]

All in all, Robert Ludlum is probably my all time favorite author. He can spin a tale like just about no one else. And you always believe that whatever he writes is plausible. Scarily plausible. This is not an exception. But it is not my favorite book of his. I cannot quite put my finger on why, but even though this seemed like something that could easily be in the works, as I type this, it was not on the same level of some of his other work.

I know that Ludlum has been gone for many years and there are new writers who are writing, using his name. I do not know if this is one of those works or not. If it is, then that might explain my feeling. Anyone who likes Ludlum will probably enjoy this story. They just might not enjoy it as MUCH as some of his earlier work.

[Marguerite (Margot) Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining read, however the ending was simply implausible to me. No two people could have all those skills in the real world, even in the espionage field in my opinion.

[Krysta · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic novel, constantly filled with suspense at each page. A quick page-turner, never knowing what will happen next. Brilliant writing by one of the finest authors out there! Do I recommend? HECK YES!

[Corinne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Having enjoyed a different Ludlum novel recently I got this as a book on CD from the library. My husband and I started listening to it in the car on a trip and he didn

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real fast read

[Mark Regensburger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prometheus Deception - the ultimate spy, caught in a web of deceit that keeps flipping until the surprise ending.