What do you think?
Rate this book
Matarese Dynasty #1
The Matarese Circle
The Matarese killers will take over the world within two years... The No.1 bestseller from 'the world's most read writer' [GQ]
544 pages, Paperback
First published March 14, 1979
981 people are currently reading
11407 people want to read
About the author
Robert Ludlum
625 books5,325 followersRobert 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.
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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 458 reviews
April 27, 2025
"His nature did not allow him to risk the necessary in the hope of winning the superfluous."
Pushkin, The Ace of Spades.
We oldtimers no longer need anything in our lives other than the essentials. We eschew superfluities.
Because we older folks are bruised, compromised and checkmated, we've been "driven inland by The Storm" - as Eliot says in his great poem Gerontion (gerontion is Ancient Greek for Little Old Man) - to the safety of our books and our inner selves.
Guess what?
There's a social media war raging out there.
It's old uncool folks versus the smart young bucks. Guess what? The smart young bucks always - eventually - win! And no wonder. Their worlds are so solid and real. But they're superfluous.
It's in the cards. One fine day we dinossaurs'll all draw That Old Ace of Spades! And until that time, our old world is shot fulla holes, so we don't mind overmuch. Live for the day, we say.
Remember Pushkin's Ace of Spades? Sure you do. So no kidding - we KNOW death is real. And KNOW WHAT ELSE?
To the younger set, Ludlum is cool. And we, being old, are not. We like our old ways of doing things. And we like our empty-hearted lives. Cool is an illusion for us. We're ALL "left-handed, lost."
Blame it on the Ace of Spades.
We can no longer wrap our heads around Ludlum, ergo, we don't read him. Even though I just HAD to read about these poor Matarese dudes during the heyday of the Me Generation...
I was working in an all-out, guts-n-glory, joy-killing-smartass glass-n-steel modern office. And I, too, was gone for glory. I bought into the Whole Nine Yards of it. We were all TEAM PLAYERS! Rah, rah?
Not. Ten years later, it all burnt me out, and I LIMPED to my retirement. So what does T.S. Eliot say about THAT kinda place, full of crazy fiends? Let's look at the poem, Gerontion...
...Think now(!)
(They) give, when our attention is distracted
And what (they) give, give with such subtle confusion
That the giving famishes the craving.
There. It is all superfluous. We're never happy in the workplace - that about says it all. And The Matarese Circle?
A similar shadow gift.
Cause if you're young -
And a Workplace Shadow of your True Self -
Ludlum's gift will FAMISH your craving. And comes with a Shadow Knowledge:
Only useful for Office Cooler Points....
Or Happy Hour cannon fodder.
Pushkin, The Ace of Spades.
We oldtimers no longer need anything in our lives other than the essentials. We eschew superfluities.
Because we older folks are bruised, compromised and checkmated, we've been "driven inland by The Storm" - as Eliot says in his great poem Gerontion (gerontion is Ancient Greek for Little Old Man) - to the safety of our books and our inner selves.
Guess what?
There's a social media war raging out there.
It's old uncool folks versus the smart young bucks. Guess what? The smart young bucks always - eventually - win! And no wonder. Their worlds are so solid and real. But they're superfluous.
It's in the cards. One fine day we dinossaurs'll all draw That Old Ace of Spades! And until that time, our old world is shot fulla holes, so we don't mind overmuch. Live for the day, we say.
Remember Pushkin's Ace of Spades? Sure you do. So no kidding - we KNOW death is real. And KNOW WHAT ELSE?
To the younger set, Ludlum is cool. And we, being old, are not. We like our old ways of doing things. And we like our empty-hearted lives. Cool is an illusion for us. We're ALL "left-handed, lost."
Blame it on the Ace of Spades.
We can no longer wrap our heads around Ludlum, ergo, we don't read him. Even though I just HAD to read about these poor Matarese dudes during the heyday of the Me Generation...
I was working in an all-out, guts-n-glory, joy-killing-smartass glass-n-steel modern office. And I, too, was gone for glory. I bought into the Whole Nine Yards of it. We were all TEAM PLAYERS! Rah, rah?
Not. Ten years later, it all burnt me out, and I LIMPED to my retirement. So what does T.S. Eliot say about THAT kinda place, full of crazy fiends? Let's look at the poem, Gerontion...
...Think now(!)
(They) give, when our attention is distracted
And what (they) give, give with such subtle confusion
That the giving famishes the craving.
There. It is all superfluous. We're never happy in the workplace - that about says it all. And The Matarese Circle?
A similar shadow gift.
Cause if you're young -
And a Workplace Shadow of your True Self -
Ludlum's gift will FAMISH your craving. And comes with a Shadow Knowledge:
Only useful for Office Cooler Points....
Or Happy Hour cannon fodder.
November 29, 2025
Some spy novels get better and more relevant with age (both our own and the book's) and Robert Ludlum's fabulous The Matarese Circle falls into that category. What it lacks in literary aspirations it more than makes up for in sheer excitement and fun.
Written decades ago, the story-line of Matarese Circle seems almost prophetic despite it being dated, the world finally catching up to the plot. A spy thriller this wildly entertaining isn't supposed to give you such pause afterward, as you look around the globe, yet it does. Riveting is a word too often used by publishers attempting to hype their book and generate sales. It is the perfect word to describe the narrative between the covers of this terrific thriller.
Two high level executions are mere tests of controlled reactions by a group whose name is not even whispered within the hallowed corridors of power in Washington or Russia. It began in the hills of Corsica decades before, and now moves covertly in the shadows. Two men on opposite sides, both the best in their field, are on the receiving end of one order: unsalvageable. Brandon Scofield and Vasili Taleniekov have been on a collision course for decades, but now the Russian will secretly reach out to his deadliest enemy in order to prevent the Matarese from controlling the world.
This is a lightning-paced spy thriller with more globe-trotting action than any ten others in the genre combined, yet on some level, it comes off as eerily plausible. The Matarese foster chaos in governments through financial control and political upheaval, like a puppeteer. Violent groups remain unaware, however, that they are mere pawns of the Matarese. Unless Scofield and Taleniekov can stop them, the Matarese will soon, through assassination and through democratic election, control the superpowers completely. What began in those Corsican hills, will finally span the globe.
A young woman from Corsica will give Brandon Scofield new life, but perhaps too late, as he may have to sacrifice it to save his country. And Taleniekov will discover just how far the fever has spread when he contacts old friends. Only Beowolf and the Serpent can track down the heirs and heiresses to a group so deadly and insidious a simple whisper means death. For the reader, it is a spellbinding ride that keeps pages turning late into morning. A book so exciting, written over thirty years ago, in the midst of a cold war which supposedly no longer exists, isn't suppose to be this much fun. Nor should it be so eerily disturbing.
Ludlum later revealed to readers he patterned the Shepherd Boy after Spanish financier Juan March Ordinas, and the Matarese idea sprung from rumors that the Trilateral Commission was attempting to create one world government. He embellished on this premise and created one of the most action-filled spy novels ever written. A wild ride that is both gripping and tremendously enjoyable. If you read for entertainment purposes, you can't go wrong with this one!
Written decades ago, the story-line of Matarese Circle seems almost prophetic despite it being dated, the world finally catching up to the plot. A spy thriller this wildly entertaining isn't supposed to give you such pause afterward, as you look around the globe, yet it does. Riveting is a word too often used by publishers attempting to hype their book and generate sales. It is the perfect word to describe the narrative between the covers of this terrific thriller.
Two high level executions are mere tests of controlled reactions by a group whose name is not even whispered within the hallowed corridors of power in Washington or Russia. It began in the hills of Corsica decades before, and now moves covertly in the shadows. Two men on opposite sides, both the best in their field, are on the receiving end of one order: unsalvageable. Brandon Scofield and Vasili Taleniekov have been on a collision course for decades, but now the Russian will secretly reach out to his deadliest enemy in order to prevent the Matarese from controlling the world.
This is a lightning-paced spy thriller with more globe-trotting action than any ten others in the genre combined, yet on some level, it comes off as eerily plausible. The Matarese foster chaos in governments through financial control and political upheaval, like a puppeteer. Violent groups remain unaware, however, that they are mere pawns of the Matarese. Unless Scofield and Taleniekov can stop them, the Matarese will soon, through assassination and through democratic election, control the superpowers completely. What began in those Corsican hills, will finally span the globe.
A young woman from Corsica will give Brandon Scofield new life, but perhaps too late, as he may have to sacrifice it to save his country. And Taleniekov will discover just how far the fever has spread when he contacts old friends. Only Beowolf and the Serpent can track down the heirs and heiresses to a group so deadly and insidious a simple whisper means death. For the reader, it is a spellbinding ride that keeps pages turning late into morning. A book so exciting, written over thirty years ago, in the midst of a cold war which supposedly no longer exists, isn't suppose to be this much fun. Nor should it be so eerily disturbing.
Ludlum later revealed to readers he patterned the Shepherd Boy after Spanish financier Juan March Ordinas, and the Matarese idea sprung from rumors that the Trilateral Commission was attempting to create one world government. He embellished on this premise and created one of the most action-filled spy novels ever written. A wild ride that is both gripping and tremendously enjoyable. If you read for entertainment purposes, you can't go wrong with this one!
January 6, 2016
It turns out that the band of murderous criminals running the US isn't the Republican Party after all, but a different band of murderous criminals. I think a hot woman takes her clothes off at some point.
Sorry. I know I shouldn't drop all these spoilers, but sometimes I can't help myself.
Sorry. I know I shouldn't drop all these spoilers, but sometimes I can't help myself.
May 17, 2008
This is a re-read for me. I read this book when I was in high school when it was a new, current best seller. It's the book that made me a Ludlum fan. It's like an old friend, and I'm looking forward to spending time with it.
I"m finally done--it's an intricate plot and it took me a while to read. This is about as good as Soviet-Era spy fiction got; you have two "master spies"--action hero types, initially duking it out but then combining forces to combat an evil (the Matarese) that causes them to put aside ideology, personal background, anda even personal hatred. Scofield (the American spy) and Taleniekov (the Soviet) are both drawn as beleivable characters, sympathetic while you are "in their head" or reading their narrative section.
Scofield and Taeniekov are both thoughtful people; they are "action types" but we see their motivations, what makes them tick, the series of events that have made them what they are, and, at times, the regret at what they have become.
The world that Ludlum draws, while fictional, is complex--there are no clear cut good guys and bad guys, and there is honor and betrayal on both. You also are introduced to Antonia, one of the truly strong women characters from this era and in this type of spy fiction.
Maybe not the best I've read, but certainly "top five"--if the politics that made these novels interesting has changed, the human drama and compelling plot keep it fresh.
I"m finally done--it's an intricate plot and it took me a while to read. This is about as good as Soviet-Era spy fiction got; you have two "master spies"--action hero types, initially duking it out but then combining forces to combat an evil (the Matarese) that causes them to put aside ideology, personal background, anda even personal hatred. Scofield (the American spy) and Taleniekov (the Soviet) are both drawn as beleivable characters, sympathetic while you are "in their head" or reading their narrative section.
Scofield and Taeniekov are both thoughtful people; they are "action types" but we see their motivations, what makes them tick, the series of events that have made them what they are, and, at times, the regret at what they have become.
The world that Ludlum draws, while fictional, is complex--there are no clear cut good guys and bad guys, and there is honor and betrayal on both. You also are introduced to Antonia, one of the truly strong women characters from this era and in this type of spy fiction.
Maybe not the best I've read, but certainly "top five"--if the politics that made these novels interesting has changed, the human drama and compelling plot keep it fresh.
April 6, 2008
my favorite novelist.his novels were fast paced and suspenseful and the action was second to none.critics accused ludlum that his characters were paper thin in content and he relied on action a lot.i would say the critics should pay attention to the matatrese circle and the bourne series.the characters of these novels were memorable and had depth in them.
the matarese circle is fast paced and sets the tone from the first chapter.the suspense and action is top and the characters of the 2 protagonists brandon scofield and vasili taleinikov is top notch.the cat and mouse scenarios in the matarese circle is worth the read.i would rate this novel higher than the bourne identity simply on terms of entertainment value.
great novel!!!
the matarese circle is fast paced and sets the tone from the first chapter.the suspense and action is top and the characters of the 2 protagonists brandon scofield and vasili taleinikov is top notch.the cat and mouse scenarios in the matarese circle is worth the read.i would rate this novel higher than the bourne identity simply on terms of entertainment value.
great novel!!!
May 18, 2015
To cut a long story short, one could simply say, “This is Ludlum, what else would you expect?” if such a statement doesn’t capture the sheer brilliance of the man, I don’t know what can.
The Matarese Circle is an old book, written many years before I was born actually but regardless: One would think it a recent publication. As it was decades ago, America-Russia relations are as frosty as ever. To read a book that chooses not to capitalize on this age-old enmity but rather has characters from both countries portrayed on an equal footing and to work together towards world peace –this is music to my ears.
The delivery of the thriller is riveting. Ludlum whips up a tantalizing tale of high espionage, treason, murder with streaks of love as a counterpoint. Reading the Matarese Circle has been a satisfying endeavor I would like to repeat with Ludlum’s other works.
The Matarese Circle is an old book, written many years before I was born actually but regardless: One would think it a recent publication. As it was decades ago, America-Russia relations are as frosty as ever. To read a book that chooses not to capitalize on this age-old enmity but rather has characters from both countries portrayed on an equal footing and to work together towards world peace –this is music to my ears.
The delivery of the thriller is riveting. Ludlum whips up a tantalizing tale of high espionage, treason, murder with streaks of love as a counterpoint. Reading the Matarese Circle has been a satisfying endeavor I would like to repeat with Ludlum’s other works.
June 25, 2013
I had previously read The Bourne Identity, and while it was diverting enough, I wasn't in love with it. I felt the same about the movies. The problem was that I didn't feel there was a whole lot at stake, that there was much I should care about. It was just a very intelligently plotted thriller about a man who has no idea who he is, why he's so deftly skilled, or why he's being targeted. The Matarese Circle was quite a different experience. In the early going, I felt very much for the characters of Scofield and Taleniekov (apologies if I'm not spelling that right--too lazy to look it up at the moment). Ludlum intersperses increasingly deeper layers of the complicated history between the arch-nemeses and why their hatred for each other burns deep. The, he devises an ingenious way of getting them to have to overcome their desire to kill each other and focus on a larger issue at hand that could embroil not only their own countries, the US and Russia still in the thick of the Cold War, but the entire world in mass chaos and destruction. The novel is a masterpiece of spy intrigue and strategy, but there are deep interpersonal issues that captivate you as well. Ludlum reveals the origins of the Matarese and their plan at just the right moment in the book. He builds up the suspense to the revelation, and when it comes, I was glued to the page. Conspiracy theorists will love this book, as it provides rich fodder for discussion. All fictional, of course, but questions of "what if?" will abound. I loved this book. I'm not sure how The Matarese Countdown could possibly live up to this, but I'm willing to let it try.
September 14, 2018
1.5
Ništa gluplje odavno nisam pročitala...
September 15, 2020
Okay, this was an emotional book and a tad bit sentimental. So good. Sure, Ludlum was an emotional writer. Half the time, I didn't know what he was ranting about. But his theories were fun.
Now, this sort of thing is more relevant than ever, the way shape of sounds is right now. What's happening is not right.
This world, we don't need villains, let alone heroes.
April 10, 2012
A famous book, but not one which particularly appealed to me. The genre is James Bond, but unfortunately without the panache. The two heroes, respectively America's and Russia's top spies/espionage specialists, are sworn enemies to the death, but still see fit to team up to save the world (Mr. Ludlum doesn't do things by halves). That's right, the whole world is about to be subjugated by a shadowy threat which the Russian agent just happens to stumble upon. What's worse, they have to accomplish this rescue singlehandedly (make that doublehandedly) even though their opponent is a massive, multinational, totally invisible organization which somehow has been able to infiltrate all significant governments and most multinational corporations at the highest levels. Not only that, this organization has countless highly-trained warriors who somehow always know where the heroes are, but for some reason always just miss in their efforts to kill them. And to top it all off, both the US and Soviet governments are also doing their best, albeit unsuccessfully, to execute both agents. Well, I told you Mr. Ludlum doesn't do things by halves.
Sounds like a problem, right? Not really. In fact, the US agent, supposedly emotionally dead for years, even finds the time and energy to fall in love while avoiding assassination and figuring out who the bad guys are. Heck, it's a fantasy, right? Might as well live the life. It's all pretty exciting, but just too far over the top, especially the climactic sequence.
Good escapist fare if you need it.
Sounds like a problem, right? Not really. In fact, the US agent, supposedly emotionally dead for years, even finds the time and energy to fall in love while avoiding assassination and figuring out who the bad guys are. Heck, it's a fantasy, right? Might as well live the life. It's all pretty exciting, but just too far over the top, especially the climactic sequence.
Good escapist fare if you need it.
December 30, 2015
I'm getting close to having all the Ludlum books done and even though I really, really enjoy them it makes me sad knowing there will be no new ones.
March 23, 2020
That was a terrific book back then (1979/1980 or 1981).
I should re-read it to see if it will have the same impact.
I was very young but I remember very well how impressed I was with the story line and with the writing (although i read the version translated into Portuguese). I couldn’t stop talking about it. So my 5 stars is based on that memory.
I should re-read it to see if it will have the same impact.
I was very young but I remember very well how impressed I was with the story line and with the writing (although i read the version translated into Portuguese). I couldn’t stop talking about it. So my 5 stars is based on that memory.
September 1, 2010
The first thriller I ever read. Made me want to be a writer. Great book.
February 20, 2018
Why does one read thrillers?
The apparent answer is rather simple. The edge-of-your-seat thrill-a-minute ride is a departure from the ennui of everyday living. Most of us live still lives. Most of us do not actively seek out the extreme thrills in real life; the mundane is boring but comforting. Thrillers allow us to nonetheless enjoy the excitement vicariously through the exploits of our protagonists. Sure, it’s transient, but often, it’s the shot of adrenaline the reader needs.
The best thrillers are the ones that are grounded in reality. The reader would like to know that the events, sinister as they may well be, are within the realms of the possible. Otherwise, it’s either fantasy or supernatural – different, excellent genres in themselves, but not the same as thrillers. It’s important that the events are catastrophic enough for the reader to be engaged to see to it that the disaster does not actually happen. The main protagonists in the thriller, the ones the reader would root for, are often extremely competent physically and mentally, but the best thrillers distinguish themselves in not making the lead characters superhuman. They have to be relatable, the same concerns, fears and troubles as the readers have, would have to be troubles for them too.
Robert Ludlum was perhaps the most successful thriller writer of the last millennium. Today’s recommended thriller, The Matarese Circle, is a fine expression of the standard Ludlum template. There is a secret society, which is led by a shadowy, all-powerful leader – this society could have been germinating for a long time. In this while, it has been able to infiltrate through every layer of the government. Now, the secret society wants to move on to the next stage, that of complete world domination - and right now, they are awfully close to their goal. There is one specific task that has to be accomplished by the society before that goal is accomplished. In parallel, there is our protagonist, a troubled and embittered secret-service man: a soldier, or a spy; who has been recently discredited, injured or traumatized. He somehow gets in the middle of this maelstrom started by the secret society, and at some point, becomes the only man that can stop the secret society from its ultimate goal. How is our protagonist able to save the world from going to the hands of this nefarious secret society?
That is the template. And an excellent example of this template is our recommended novel. This is 1979, the year the novel was published. The secret society, the Matarese Circle, has been able to infiltrate the American and Russian governments at all levels except for right at the top. Instead of one, we have two spies, US agent Brandon Scofield, and Russian KGB agent Vasili Taleniekov – and they have a back story. Taleniekov has previously murdered Scofield’s wife, and Scofield Taleniekov’s brother, and the two spies have been plotting to kill each other for a long while. And now, as they independently discover the Matarese plot, and since their governments are compromised, they will have to learn to work together to stop the Matarese.
Visceral and action packed, it’s a rip-roaring read.
Reviewed previously at The New Indian Express
The apparent answer is rather simple. The edge-of-your-seat thrill-a-minute ride is a departure from the ennui of everyday living. Most of us live still lives. Most of us do not actively seek out the extreme thrills in real life; the mundane is boring but comforting. Thrillers allow us to nonetheless enjoy the excitement vicariously through the exploits of our protagonists. Sure, it’s transient, but often, it’s the shot of adrenaline the reader needs.
The best thrillers are the ones that are grounded in reality. The reader would like to know that the events, sinister as they may well be, are within the realms of the possible. Otherwise, it’s either fantasy or supernatural – different, excellent genres in themselves, but not the same as thrillers. It’s important that the events are catastrophic enough for the reader to be engaged to see to it that the disaster does not actually happen. The main protagonists in the thriller, the ones the reader would root for, are often extremely competent physically and mentally, but the best thrillers distinguish themselves in not making the lead characters superhuman. They have to be relatable, the same concerns, fears and troubles as the readers have, would have to be troubles for them too.
Robert Ludlum was perhaps the most successful thriller writer of the last millennium. Today’s recommended thriller, The Matarese Circle, is a fine expression of the standard Ludlum template. There is a secret society, which is led by a shadowy, all-powerful leader – this society could have been germinating for a long time. In this while, it has been able to infiltrate through every layer of the government. Now, the secret society wants to move on to the next stage, that of complete world domination - and right now, they are awfully close to their goal. There is one specific task that has to be accomplished by the society before that goal is accomplished. In parallel, there is our protagonist, a troubled and embittered secret-service man: a soldier, or a spy; who has been recently discredited, injured or traumatized. He somehow gets in the middle of this maelstrom started by the secret society, and at some point, becomes the only man that can stop the secret society from its ultimate goal. How is our protagonist able to save the world from going to the hands of this nefarious secret society?
That is the template. And an excellent example of this template is our recommended novel. This is 1979, the year the novel was published. The secret society, the Matarese Circle, has been able to infiltrate the American and Russian governments at all levels except for right at the top. Instead of one, we have two spies, US agent Brandon Scofield, and Russian KGB agent Vasili Taleniekov – and they have a back story. Taleniekov has previously murdered Scofield’s wife, and Scofield Taleniekov’s brother, and the two spies have been plotting to kill each other for a long while. And now, as they independently discover the Matarese plot, and since their governments are compromised, they will have to learn to work together to stop the Matarese.
Visceral and action packed, it’s a rip-roaring read.
Reviewed previously at The New Indian Express
July 25, 2017
'The Matarese Circle' written by Robert Ludlum is a thrilling spy adventure of Beowolf Agate and The Serpent. Two men who were once the greatest assets their respective agencies had but now are their greatest liabilities. To be added more importantly that Beowolf Agate and The Serpent are sworn enemies. These two legendary spies, past assets and current liabilities and sworn enemies have to stop The Shepherd Boy and his flock from their dream of dominating the world and ultimately making the entire world as their flock.
The characters in the novel are very strongly built. Every main character has many layers of their haunting past which make ithem what are at present. The background of the characters were drawn wonderfully. The story was stout, moving and pacey. One of the most important, subtle and astonishing thing I found about the book was that the how the form, plan and means change of the Matarese with time. How they evolve and their domination plan mainly concentrates on economic domination. The same theme I found in films like 'Madras Café' and 'JFK'. Both of them delt with assassination of Rajiv Gandhi and John F. Kennedy respectively. Both films have scenes where a character is explaining to the lead characters that what we think of political, religious or any other kind of assassination, are nothing more than corporate assassinations. I am writing about the similar theme of these two films and the novel because all of them left a question in my mind - Who holds the real control ?
Overall the book was a great spy- thriller.
5 Stars.
The characters in the novel are very strongly built. Every main character has many layers of their haunting past which make ithem what are at present. The background of the characters were drawn wonderfully. The story was stout, moving and pacey. One of the most important, subtle and astonishing thing I found about the book was that the how the form, plan and means change of the Matarese with time. How they evolve and their domination plan mainly concentrates on economic domination. The same theme I found in films like 'Madras Café' and 'JFK'. Both of them delt with assassination of Rajiv Gandhi and John F. Kennedy respectively. Both films have scenes where a character is explaining to the lead characters that what we think of political, religious or any other kind of assassination, are nothing more than corporate assassinations. I am writing about the similar theme of these two films and the novel because all of them left a question in my mind - Who holds the real control ?
Overall the book was a great spy- thriller.
5 Stars.
September 11, 2018
3.5
Two cold war spies and bitter enemies, both the best at what they do, Brandon Scofield from the United States and Vasili Taleniekov from the KGB, must set aside their differences and work together to stop a group of killers, known only as The Materese, from taking over the world.
Now, what you'll get: an intricate cat-and-mouse game between Talienkov and Scofieldlots, lots of globe hopping as the story takes you to Scandinavia, Russia, France, Italy, the US, and Corsica, a love story between Scofield and Antonia, an inevitably gorgeous Bond-girl, and then lots and lots of action and espionage type-stuff and dead bodies.
Why not more stars? Because it wasn't really a wow for me. I enjoyed it quite a lot but it didn't make me want to read another Ludlum novel.
Two cold war spies and bitter enemies, both the best at what they do, Brandon Scofield from the United States and Vasili Taleniekov from the KGB, must set aside their differences and work together to stop a group of killers, known only as The Materese, from taking over the world.
Now, what you'll get: an intricate cat-and-mouse game between Talienkov and Scofieldlots, lots of globe hopping as the story takes you to Scandinavia, Russia, France, Italy, the US, and Corsica, a love story between Scofield and Antonia, an inevitably gorgeous Bond-girl, and then lots and lots of action and espionage type-stuff and dead bodies.
Why not more stars? Because it wasn't really a wow for me. I enjoyed it quite a lot but it didn't make me want to read another Ludlum novel.
July 11, 2011
If you are ever planning on becoming a Ludlum fan, then read this book and be dazzled. This is the best follow-up book after his Bourne masterpieces. The interaction between Brandon Scofield, CIA operative and Vasili Taleniekov of the KGB is the best I have ever read so far. Their mutual hatred which turns to respect is unprecedented. I was never really present during the so called Cold War, but this book transcends you to those spy world days. The title was actually inspired by a steak house in Newington, Connecticut. And here I thought Robert had spent nights trying to come up with the perfect name.
March 23, 2020
written six years before the fall of the Berlin Wall, nobody does the Cold War better than Ludlum. In this one, (not sure how I never read this before) a group of powerful and ruthless killers is close to completing their plans to take over the world. There is one CIA operative and one KGB operative, sworn enemies, who have to use their combined talents to defeat the Matarese. This is a page turner from start to finish and if you are stuck at home, I warn you that you might not get anything else done. It's a great and authentic read.
May 13, 2022
titular sentence:
p327: The Matarese circle.
cement:
p148: It sprang loose and fell crashing to the cement floor.
grammar:
p154: "Krupskaya's son the Premier?"
tech:
p197: "I have a two-barrelled rifle in my hands, signori," continued the voice... the unmistakable voice of a woman, speaking now in English. "As the one fired moments ago, it is a Lupo, and I know how to use it better than the man at your feet...."
One thing that keeps me from fully enjoying this (and other Ludlum novels, I suppose) is that I'm not even remotely familiar with the conspiracy (or conspiracies) referenced.
p327: The Matarese circle.
cement:
p148: It sprang loose and fell crashing to the cement floor.
grammar:
p154: "Krupskaya's son the Premier?"
tech:
p197: "I have a two-barrelled rifle in my hands, signori," continued the voice... the unmistakable voice of a woman, speaking now in English. "As the one fired moments ago, it is a Lupo, and I know how to use it better than the man at your feet...."
One thing that keeps me from fully enjoying this (and other Ludlum novels, I suppose) is that I'm not even remotely familiar with the conspiracy (or conspiracies) referenced.
February 22, 2010
I read this some years ago when I had just discovered Ludlum. This is a good conspiracy that's in charge of everything action adventure. Plots and counter plots, nothing going as planned leading to a violent climax and escape. Good read.
April 6, 2023
Extrêmement daté et écrit avec une truelle si épaisse que les aventures de Oui -Oui semblent subtiles à côté de ces lourdeurs. C'est aussi bête que ridicule et je passe sur le traitement réservé aux personnages féminins.
December 24, 2020
THE MATARESE CIRCLE by Robert Ludlum
Typical Robert Ludlum novel, i.e. global action-adventure and elaborate conspiratorial plots (though the longstanding personal animus between the two protagonists and master assassins, American operative Brandon “Bray” Scofield and Soviet KGB pro Vasili Taleniekov, certainly tacks on additional degrees of intrigue & tension), constant foreign phrases without the common courtesy of a translation, “flesh erupting” and/or throats being torn out by bullets, ad woefully inaccurate knowledge of firearms.
In short, entertaining but must be taken with a grain of salt. Aahh, ‘tis escapism after all.
RANDOM STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS:
“Graz-Burya pistol” and a silenced “Browning Magnum, Grade 4.” Oi vey; the former doesn’t exist, and the latter is a shotgun, not a handgun! And referring to the ejection port of a submachine gun as the actual “ejector.”
What’s with Ludlum’s obsession with people getting their throats shot out?!?!
—p. 115: “ A cold tired man was far more alert than a warm one.” Well, that’s certainly true.
“...a starched shirt was like a cold room, a benign irritant; it kept one alert.” Also true.
—p. 133: “... couched in sanctimonious platitudes made by men like Congdon who concealed filthy decisions under respectable titles.”
—p. 180: “the trigger enclosure;” um, does he mean the trigger guard?
—p. 191: Jeez Louise, just like in The Gemini Contenders, a Lupo shotgun suddenly becomes a “rifle.”
—p. 356: “...wires and cells were too easily tripped by animals and birds.” Um, last I checked, birds *are* animals!
—p. 377: Really, “Old Bond Street,” eh?
The Massachusetts Senator, Joshua Appleton IV: a thinly veiled stand-in for Ted Kennedy?
—p. 388: “They were the Episcopal Kennedys...” A-ha!!
—p. 420: Chosin misspelled as “Chosan.”
—p. 421: Referring to Marines as “soldiers,” argh!
—p. 426: How the hell is a contact shotgun wound to the torso—especially on a victim already dead or dying “extremely dangerous to the one firing the gun?”
—p. 429: A good Air Force pilot who’s “‘not much of a drinker;’” yeah, riiiiiight...
CENTRAL CASTING:
Robert Shaw as Talienekov, James Franciscus (or Robert Redford) as Brandon “Bray” Scofield, John Travolta & Donna Pescow as the newlyweds on the elevator, Karen Lynn Gorney as the hotel telephone operator, Lotte Lenya as the hotel maid, the salesman spy from Top Secret as the Dutchman, Randy Orton as Stanley the chauffeur, Simonetta Stefanelli (played Apollonia chick in The Godfather) as Antonia, Barbara Bach as Lodzia Kronescha, Peter Lorre as Col. Maletkin, Milo Sperber or Cyril Shaps (Professor Markowitz or Dr. Beckman actor respectively from The Spy Who Loved Me) as Prof. Mikovsky, Alan Rickman or Hardy Krueger as Kassel, Brigitte Nielsen as Odile Verachten (Voroshin), Roger Moore (or Michael Caine?) as Roger Symonds, John Kitzmiller (Quarrel from Dr. No) as Israel Isles, Ed Asner (or Ernest Borgnine?) as Theo Goldman, Bernie Sanders as Nicholas Guiderone
Typical Robert Ludlum novel, i.e. global action-adventure and elaborate conspiratorial plots (though the longstanding personal animus between the two protagonists and master assassins, American operative Brandon “Bray” Scofield and Soviet KGB pro Vasili Taleniekov, certainly tacks on additional degrees of intrigue & tension), constant foreign phrases without the common courtesy of a translation, “flesh erupting” and/or throats being torn out by bullets, ad woefully inaccurate knowledge of firearms.
In short, entertaining but must be taken with a grain of salt. Aahh, ‘tis escapism after all.
RANDOM STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS:
“Graz-Burya pistol” and a silenced “Browning Magnum, Grade 4.” Oi vey; the former doesn’t exist, and the latter is a shotgun, not a handgun! And referring to the ejection port of a submachine gun as the actual “ejector.”
What’s with Ludlum’s obsession with people getting their throats shot out?!?!
—p. 115: “ A cold tired man was far more alert than a warm one.” Well, that’s certainly true.
“...a starched shirt was like a cold room, a benign irritant; it kept one alert.” Also true.
—p. 133: “... couched in sanctimonious platitudes made by men like Congdon who concealed filthy decisions under respectable titles.”
—p. 180: “the trigger enclosure;” um, does he mean the trigger guard?
—p. 191: Jeez Louise, just like in The Gemini Contenders, a Lupo shotgun suddenly becomes a “rifle.”
—p. 356: “...wires and cells were too easily tripped by animals and birds.” Um, last I checked, birds *are* animals!
—p. 377: Really, “Old Bond Street,” eh?
The Massachusetts Senator, Joshua Appleton IV: a thinly veiled stand-in for Ted Kennedy?
—p. 388: “They were the Episcopal Kennedys...” A-ha!!
—p. 420: Chosin misspelled as “Chosan.”
—p. 421: Referring to Marines as “soldiers,” argh!
—p. 426: How the hell is a contact shotgun wound to the torso—especially on a victim already dead or dying “extremely dangerous to the one firing the gun?”
—p. 429: A good Air Force pilot who’s “‘not much of a drinker;’” yeah, riiiiiight...
CENTRAL CASTING:
Robert Shaw as Talienekov, James Franciscus (or Robert Redford) as Brandon “Bray” Scofield, John Travolta & Donna Pescow as the newlyweds on the elevator, Karen Lynn Gorney as the hotel telephone operator, Lotte Lenya as the hotel maid, the salesman spy from Top Secret as the Dutchman, Randy Orton as Stanley the chauffeur, Simonetta Stefanelli (played Apollonia chick in The Godfather) as Antonia, Barbara Bach as Lodzia Kronescha, Peter Lorre as Col. Maletkin, Milo Sperber or Cyril Shaps (Professor Markowitz or Dr. Beckman actor respectively from The Spy Who Loved Me) as Prof. Mikovsky, Alan Rickman or Hardy Krueger as Kassel, Brigitte Nielsen as Odile Verachten (Voroshin), Roger Moore (or Michael Caine?) as Roger Symonds, John Kitzmiller (Quarrel from Dr. No) as Israel Isles, Ed Asner (or Ernest Borgnine?) as Theo Goldman, Bernie Sanders as Nicholas Guiderone
July 18, 2018
One of the best escapist thrillers I've ever read. I say 'escapist' because novels by the likes of John Le Carre and Alan Furst can also be considered thrillers, but are more of the thinking variety; they don't feature the globe-trotting action and suspense you'll find here. "The Matarese Circle" is the first Ludlum book I've read. The author does a great job of providing the kind of realistic detail and knowing prose I love, but also keeps the plot moving. His greatest drawback is mostly due to the era in which he wrote. This book was published in the late 70's, and it features the kind of melodrama (example: too many exclamation points) that was the industry norm for the time. It also features a romance that feels forced and superfluous. The relationship between Scofield and Taleniekov is enough to fill every page with requisite drama.
February 14, 2014
I was given this book by my dad whom had read it more than a decade ago; the french edition which was nonetheless spectacular. It starts in Russia but there will be no borders as you will be taken for a joy ride across most of Europe to America. As a spy book, the meticulous aspects it possesses are brilliant but essential (Settings and Plot). The very way that Ludlum uses his mastery of suspense is astonishing. I was given this book on a Monday but had already finished it by Weekend. I felt so trapped and engaged that I would read 8 chapters on some nights. As an 19 year old, I was very pleased to be taken along this intense and unpredictable drive across continents. Even though it's a fictitious book, i learned many elements of Russia's history and America's, politics in general.
October 20, 2020
Matareški KrugBrilliant written,full of plots,government behind a government,secret Agents.There is so much at stake that keeps your eyes on reading more and more.The Best Thriller and book I have ever read.
An Amazing story !
An Amazing story !
August 10, 2009
Robert Ludlum, has the same general scenario in all books, an estranged spy fighting some international corporation. Not bad, entertaining if you haven't read too many of his books. Moderately fast, fairly easy read
August 20, 2014
This is like James Bond, only better.
February 11, 2020
I have read and loved most of Ludlum books, this one left me wanting though. The connections between characters is always detached in his writing, that works normally for him, but in this case it left the story also feeling distant and not compelling to me. Worth the read, but not the classic that his other books were IMHO.
December 11, 2018
Κινηματογραφική δράση, συνομωσίες και αγωνία...Δεν περίμενα κάτι λιγότερο από τον δημιουργό του Jason Bourne!
9/10
9/10
July 17, 2020
This was a re-read. The Matarese Circle is one of my favorite books, written by perhaps my favorite author. Without getting too far into it, I recently had to replace almost my entire Robert Ludlum collection, and when I had them back in my possession, I had to read one right away. The Matarese Circle was my pick; I hadn't read it since high school, when I was first discovering Ludlum and voraciously tore through his bibliography in a way I've never been able to do with another author. In nineteen years, it hasn't lost an ounce of its power, and I'd forgotten quite a bit more about it than I'd thought.
After a pair of assassinations of American and Russian officials, a vast conspiracy decades in the making begins its final power play, and a secret society of killers and power brokers called the Matarese is poised to essentially take over the world. Only two men have the drive and the know-how to stop them: Brandon Scofield, an American spy for Consular Operations, and Vasili Taleniekov, the KGB's top agent. But the two would-be heroes are arch enemies, sworn to kill each other in revenge for personal losses. Can they get over their hatred of each other long enough to stop the Matarese?
*SPOILERS*
Like all of Ludlum's best books, the tension in The Matarese Circle never lets up. There's a constant sense of dread and danger, even when the characters are sitting in a hotel room or shopping for clothes. The power and influence of the Matarese are established early on, and as a result, we know they can be anywhere, and anyone Scofield and Taleniekov encounter could be a Matarese agent. When they do show up, it feels like the good guys may not make it out of their current predicament alive. Scofield and Taleniekov are also built up to be master spies with skill sets that make them legends in their world, but Ludlum uses this not to make them superheroes, but to show how deadly the Matarese are, and to make what should be two living gods all too human. It adds just enough realism to what is ultimately a spy fantasy to invest you in the story.
Just as good are the characters. Scofield and Taleniekov are both veteran spies in at least their mid-forties, and they've reached a point where they're disillusioned with espionage. Scofield, once a cold-blooded professional, now balks at using deadly force on people who don't deserve it. And Taleniekov, while still a ruthless killer, can feel his soul being chipped away with every body he leaves in his wake. He's more ready to kill than Scofield is, but he hurts just as much because of it; there's a moment when Scofield is initially angry at him for preparing to murder what is essentially an innocent, but eventually realizes that Taleniekov is silently begging Scofield to find a reason for him not to kill. It's a sobering moment, where the fantasy of the superspy melts away and shows the dour, painful reality of men who have sacrificed their humanity. And then there's Anotnia, the Corsican woman they meet along the way. She's a wonderful character, a woman who, we slowly discover, has gone through hell to keep herself alive, who is scared to death of reliving the horrors she barely escaped, and who is passionate and loyal to those she loves. The love story between her and Scofield is strong and believable, and rooted in their characters: Scofield is rediscovering his humanity, and he's helping Antonia reclaim her will to live.
The Matarese is the coolest evil organization this side of SPECTRE. They've existed since after World War I, and they've bided their time, performing impossible assassinations for all the world governments, tempting them with their skills and their offers to shift the balance of power, until finally no one can act because everyone is guilty, and the Matarese can hang everyone with their own sins. It's an interesting commentary on the Cold War, with a stalemate due to mutually assured destruction leading to an outside actor hurting everyone. And peeling the onion proves difficult for Scofield and Taleniekov as well; every time they think they have the Matarese figured out, they realize they're wrong, and someone ends up dead, with a new rung of the ladder to climb. Their final plan is absolutely chilling, and all too believable; no death rays, no triggered wars, just a relatively simple deception that will give them the world.
Speaking of the Cold War, I also appreciate how Ludlum highlights the evils of communism and they way it warps the minds of the young and impressionable. Antonia is an avowed communist (much to Taleniekov's joy), but she comes to realize that she isn't really an idealistic freedom fighter, but a captive of evil people who use her in every way imaginable, her life an ongoing case of Stockholm Syndrome. Scofield manages to get her to overcome it little by little, and it's through him that she's finally able to conquer her fears and be her own person, the person the Red Brigades tried to destroy.
The Matarese Circle is magnificent, and reading now as an older and wiser fellow, I appreciate it even more.
After a pair of assassinations of American and Russian officials, a vast conspiracy decades in the making begins its final power play, and a secret society of killers and power brokers called the Matarese is poised to essentially take over the world. Only two men have the drive and the know-how to stop them: Brandon Scofield, an American spy for Consular Operations, and Vasili Taleniekov, the KGB's top agent. But the two would-be heroes are arch enemies, sworn to kill each other in revenge for personal losses. Can they get over their hatred of each other long enough to stop the Matarese?
*SPOILERS*
Like all of Ludlum's best books, the tension in The Matarese Circle never lets up. There's a constant sense of dread and danger, even when the characters are sitting in a hotel room or shopping for clothes. The power and influence of the Matarese are established early on, and as a result, we know they can be anywhere, and anyone Scofield and Taleniekov encounter could be a Matarese agent. When they do show up, it feels like the good guys may not make it out of their current predicament alive. Scofield and Taleniekov are also built up to be master spies with skill sets that make them legends in their world, but Ludlum uses this not to make them superheroes, but to show how deadly the Matarese are, and to make what should be two living gods all too human. It adds just enough realism to what is ultimately a spy fantasy to invest you in the story.
Just as good are the characters. Scofield and Taleniekov are both veteran spies in at least their mid-forties, and they've reached a point where they're disillusioned with espionage. Scofield, once a cold-blooded professional, now balks at using deadly force on people who don't deserve it. And Taleniekov, while still a ruthless killer, can feel his soul being chipped away with every body he leaves in his wake. He's more ready to kill than Scofield is, but he hurts just as much because of it; there's a moment when Scofield is initially angry at him for preparing to murder what is essentially an innocent, but eventually realizes that Taleniekov is silently begging Scofield to find a reason for him not to kill. It's a sobering moment, where the fantasy of the superspy melts away and shows the dour, painful reality of men who have sacrificed their humanity. And then there's Anotnia, the Corsican woman they meet along the way. She's a wonderful character, a woman who, we slowly discover, has gone through hell to keep herself alive, who is scared to death of reliving the horrors she barely escaped, and who is passionate and loyal to those she loves. The love story between her and Scofield is strong and believable, and rooted in their characters: Scofield is rediscovering his humanity, and he's helping Antonia reclaim her will to live.
The Matarese is the coolest evil organization this side of SPECTRE. They've existed since after World War I, and they've bided their time, performing impossible assassinations for all the world governments, tempting them with their skills and their offers to shift the balance of power, until finally no one can act because everyone is guilty, and the Matarese can hang everyone with their own sins. It's an interesting commentary on the Cold War, with a stalemate due to mutually assured destruction leading to an outside actor hurting everyone. And peeling the onion proves difficult for Scofield and Taleniekov as well; every time they think they have the Matarese figured out, they realize they're wrong, and someone ends up dead, with a new rung of the ladder to climb. Their final plan is absolutely chilling, and all too believable; no death rays, no triggered wars, just a relatively simple deception that will give them the world.
Speaking of the Cold War, I also appreciate how Ludlum highlights the evils of communism and they way it warps the minds of the young and impressionable. Antonia is an avowed communist (much to Taleniekov's joy), but she comes to realize that she isn't really an idealistic freedom fighter, but a captive of evil people who use her in every way imaginable, her life an ongoing case of Stockholm Syndrome. Scofield manages to get her to overcome it little by little, and it's through him that she's finally able to conquer her fears and be her own person, the person the Red Brigades tried to destroy.
The Matarese Circle is magnificent, and reading now as an older and wiser fellow, I appreciate it even more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 458 reviews