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Cotton Malone #3
خيانة في البندقية
في عام 323 قبل الميلاد، وبعد أن قام بغزو بلاد فارس، يخطف الموت فجأة القائد العظيم، الإسكندر الكبير، بعد تعرضه فجأة لحمى غريبة، وعمره لا يتعدى الثانية والثلاثين. وقد بقيت مهمة تحديد مثواه الأخير -الذي لم يعرف حتى يومنا هذا- هدفاً مثيراً لعلماء الآثار وصائدي الكنوز في شتى أنحاء العالم. فهل سينجح كوتون مالون في حل هذه الأحجية الجيوسياسية التي تخطف الأنفاس والتي قد تكون مناوراتها قاتلة... وعواقبها عالمية...؟
624 pages, Paperback
First published December 11, 2007
1,799 people are currently reading
7,653 people want to read
About the author
Steve Berry
92books7,217followersSteve Berry is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of twenty-two novels, which include: , , and Steve has also co-written a novel with Grant Blackwood, (a Luke Daniels Adventure), and four novellas with M. J. Rose: and all Cassiopeia Vitt tales. His books have been translated into 41 languages with over 25,000,000 copies in 52 countries. They consistently appear in the top echelon ofThe New York Times,USA Today,and Indie bestseller lists. Somewhere in the world, every thirty seconds, one of his novels is sold.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,124 reviews
August 7, 2023
Espionage and international intrigue are the center stage for this third offering in the Cotton Malone series by Steve Berry.
The current leader of the Venetian League of business men is mindful of a few short days left in his tenure. He has plans for himself that supersede his loyalty to the League. Will he be successful?
The female leader of the Central Asian Federation is obsessed with Alexander the Great. While Alexander’s dominion spread from West to East, her plans are to dominate from East to West. All things Alexander, she takes note and applies.
Biological weapons are in the mix. Will good prevail and evil be overcome?
This was a great book. I really enjoyed reading it. Non-stop action and tense situations. Not for the faint of heart.
The current leader of the Venetian League of business men is mindful of a few short days left in his tenure. He has plans for himself that supersede his loyalty to the League. Will he be successful?
The female leader of the Central Asian Federation is obsessed with Alexander the Great. While Alexander’s dominion spread from West to East, her plans are to dominate from East to West. All things Alexander, she takes note and applies.
Biological weapons are in the mix. Will good prevail and evil be overcome?
This was a great book. I really enjoyed reading it. Non-stop action and tense situations. Not for the faint of heart.
July 27, 2019
This is my first book by Steve Berry, I haven’t read any of the previous books in this series. I don’t know Cotton Malone beyond this book or any other character. It wasn’t a serious issue, but I couldn’t overlook it totally too.
It made more difficult for me to attach to Malone, for example. To those who know him from previous book he already is a three-dimensional, complicated character I’m sure. To me he isn’t that developed as a hero. I still like him but I would like to know him more. Or spend a bit more time in the book with him. I believe he can be a very interesting hero.
The plot is pretty okay. The conspiracy theory linked to the Alexander the Great is well-thought and has no major inconsistencies. It’s entertaining and attention-grabbing.
I’ve got a degree in political science, in international relations particularly, and sometimes I find the alternative arrangement of political forces or the whole political intrigue terribly tendentious or completely implausible or even against any existing political theories. It makes me pretty mad. Fortunately, this part is quite well-made in this book. The scholar in me would still have some doubts, but for the sake of fiction I can ignore those and enjoy the plot.
Still, there is something missing in this book, I’m not really sure what. Maybe it’s my inability to fully attach to the characters or maybe something else that stops me from giving this book more than 3 stars. I recommend this book anyway as an easy and nice read but to be totally honest I have had better ones.
November 16, 2023
Găsirea mormântului lui Alexandru cel Mare a dus la numeroase legede. Căutarea din romanul lui Berry este bazată pe multe teorii interesante, dar povestea a fost greoaie și prea mult lungită. Totuși ar fi interesant dacă într-o zi legenda ar deveni realitate.
June 8, 2018
5 sterren - Nederlandse paperback - I heb dyslexia -
- Toen Alexander nog klein was, had Aristoteles hem geleerd dat een vriend een tweede zelf was, en dat was Hephaestion geweest. -
In 323 voor Christus had Alexander de Grote zijn zinnen gefixeerd op het veroveren van de Arabische wereld toen hij totaal onverwacht ten prooi viel aan een mysterieuze ziekte. Al 1500 jaar wordt er gezocht naar zijn laatste rustplaats, waar volgens de legende het recept ligt voor een geneesmiddel.
Cotton Melone wordt wederom in een spannend avontuur getrokken. Het is maar goed dat zijn geheim agent instinct nog goed functioneert.
Zal hij een despoot uit Azië tegen kunnen houden?
Barry weet wederom spanning, geschiedenis en actie in elkaar te laten overlopen. Goed uitgewerkte gegevens zijn grotendeels berustend op de waarheid en dat wat fictief is wordt hiermee goed verbonden. Ik vond het weer super om te lezen en was blij met het mooie weer zodat ik met boek en picknick lekker aan de Maas kon zitten.
- we weten waar ze op uit zijn. Oliefanten penningen. Vijf brandstichtingen. Verspreid over Europa. Dat moet om olifantenpenningen gaan. - 🦋🌹🌷🦋
- Toen Alexander nog klein was, had Aristoteles hem geleerd dat een vriend een tweede zelf was, en dat was Hephaestion geweest. -
In 323 voor Christus had Alexander de Grote zijn zinnen gefixeerd op het veroveren van de Arabische wereld toen hij totaal onverwacht ten prooi viel aan een mysterieuze ziekte. Al 1500 jaar wordt er gezocht naar zijn laatste rustplaats, waar volgens de legende het recept ligt voor een geneesmiddel.
Cotton Melone wordt wederom in een spannend avontuur getrokken. Het is maar goed dat zijn geheim agent instinct nog goed functioneert.
Zal hij een despoot uit Azië tegen kunnen houden?
Barry weet wederom spanning, geschiedenis en actie in elkaar te laten overlopen. Goed uitgewerkte gegevens zijn grotendeels berustend op de waarheid en dat wat fictief is wordt hiermee goed verbonden. Ik vond het weer super om te lezen en was blij met het mooie weer zodat ik met boek en picknick lekker aan de Maas kon zitten.
- we weten waar ze op uit zijn. Oliefanten penningen. Vijf brandstichtingen. Verspreid over Europa. Dat moet om olifantenpenningen gaan. - 🦋🌹🌷🦋
December 12, 2015
You're killing me Steve Berry. This book really dragged for me. I found myself zoning out quite a bit which is surprising considering the amount of explosions that occurred. I liked seeing Stephanie and Cassiopeia again but UGH this story seemed to never end... and not in a good way. A problem that I see in many of Steve Berry's novels is that he practically drowns his story in historical facts until it's hard to find the plot. That much info, while informative, makes it feel like you're reading a textbook. I was also surprised about how little there was about Alexander the Great which is what encouraged me to read this. I suppose you know a book isn't that good when you're thinking only a few more pages before I can read something else.
November 15, 2020
Cotton is pulled into another international conspiracy that has him pitted against an ambitious dictator who plans on taking over the Middle East with germ warfare. He must follow the clues left behind by Alexander the Great to find a cure, but there are so many double and triple agents in the mix, that he cannot trust anyone.
Another satisfying thriller by Berry who makes it looks so effortless. Grab your copy and hold on.
Another satisfying thriller by Berry who makes it looks so effortless. Grab your copy and hold on.
July 15, 2019
"Toil and risk are the price of glory, but its is a lovely thing to live with courage and die leaving an everlasting fame."
---Alexander The Great
What happens when the fate of humanity rests upon the tough-guy skills of a retired spy, one who happens to also possess a deep knowledge of ancient history, including that of Alexander The Great, Saint Mark, Ptolemy, Achilles, Greek Fire and Elephant Medallions? These are the skills and knowledge necessary to track down and stop an evil organization bent on using biological warfare to destroy its enemies. Answer: times like these require the special talents of Cotton Malone, former agent of a U.S. agency known as the Magellan Billet and, basically, a major badass.
The author, Steve Berry, tells a tightly-weaved story line. Some have referred to his Cotton Malone series of books as the "thinking man's version of Da Vinci Code". This book, Venetian Betrayal, is full of strong, colorful characters, including a clever Vatican priest, a rich and mysterious Dane, a Spanish/Muslim version of Katniss from Hunger Games, a Central-Asian lesbian seeking world domination, and a Venetian virologist who's developed multiple strains of deadly viruses. It helps to have read some of the prior books in this series for a better perspective of the central characters, but it's not essential to do so.
---Alexander The Great
What happens when the fate of humanity rests upon the tough-guy skills of a retired spy, one who happens to also possess a deep knowledge of ancient history, including that of Alexander The Great, Saint Mark, Ptolemy, Achilles, Greek Fire and Elephant Medallions? These are the skills and knowledge necessary to track down and stop an evil organization bent on using biological warfare to destroy its enemies. Answer: times like these require the special talents of Cotton Malone, former agent of a U.S. agency known as the Magellan Billet and, basically, a major badass.
The author, Steve Berry, tells a tightly-weaved story line. Some have referred to his Cotton Malone series of books as the "thinking man's version of Da Vinci Code". This book, Venetian Betrayal, is full of strong, colorful characters, including a clever Vatican priest, a rich and mysterious Dane, a Spanish/Muslim version of Katniss from Hunger Games, a Central-Asian lesbian seeking world domination, and a Venetian virologist who's developed multiple strains of deadly viruses. It helps to have read some of the prior books in this series for a better perspective of the central characters, but it's not essential to do so.
March 13, 2019
Basically a Clive Cussler rip off.
After the historical fiction about the death of Alexander the Great, we get a rash of arson in European museums to cover up the scheme of a Russian oligarch. She wants to use an ancient healing serum to take over the world. Cotton Malone has to stop them.
Not bad, but nothing memorable.
After the historical fiction about the death of Alexander the Great, we get a rash of arson in European museums to cover up the scheme of a Russian oligarch. She wants to use an ancient healing serum to take over the world. Cotton Malone has to stop them.
Not bad, but nothing memorable.
June 29, 2010
Got this one for Christmas. I'd never read Steve Berry before. He is of the Dan Browne-Robert Ludlum ilk -- international thriller. It's good escape and the fact I've been to Venice made it even more enjoyable. High body count, interesting characters,a nasty lesbian villain and short chapters ... what more can you ask? Many of the chapters are subdivided as they change scene from one group of protagonists to the other. As the book nears the end, these changes come quicker and quicker and it all gets a little Pattersonesque.
The only thing that really bugged me is Berry's use of "she made clear" or "he made clear" as a form of attribution. Maybe once in a novel is OK, but this got to the point where you start looking for it, and that is never good.
I'm looking forward to his next one, as it starts in Garmish, Germany, where I visited the year following Venice. (Is this guy following me and writing the books I should be, or what?)
The only thing that really bugged me is Berry's use of "she made clear" or "he made clear" as a form of attribution. Maybe once in a novel is OK, but this got to the point where you start looking for it, and that is never good.
I'm looking forward to his next one, as it starts in Garmish, Germany, where I visited the year following Venice. (Is this guy following me and writing the books I should be, or what?)
August 17, 2024
Nadat hij op het nippertje aan de dood is ontsnapt tijdens een brand in een Deens museum, hoort Cotton Malone van zijn goede vriendin Cassiopeia Vitt dat dit het zoveelste incident in een reeks van brandstichtingen door heel Europa blijkt te zijn.
Het spoor leidt naar een aantal voormalige sovjetreplubieken dat zich heeft verenigt in een nieuwe staat, die wordt bestuurd door de meedogenloze dictator Irina Zovastina. Zij heeft maar één verlangen: Alexander de Grote te overtreffen als de grootste veroveraar uit de geschiedenis. Om de wereldheerschappij te bemachtigen verzamelt ze de meest vernietigende bacteriële wapens, waarmee ze een biologische oorlog wil ontketenen. Ze is vooral geobsedeerd door het serum in de tombe van Alexander de Grote.
Malone en Vitt stellen alles in het werk om Zovastina tegen te houden. Hun doel om een wereldwijde pandemie te voorkomen leidt hen via de Deense kust en de Venetiaanse paleizen naar het ruige berggebied in Centraal-Azië. Er staat veel op het spel: de ontcijfering van het mysterie rond het serum van Alexander de Grote zou millioenen levens kunnen redden ... of verwoesten...
Spannend verhaal, vlot geschreven en de plot zit heel goed in elkaar.
Het spoor leidt naar een aantal voormalige sovjetreplubieken dat zich heeft verenigt in een nieuwe staat, die wordt bestuurd door de meedogenloze dictator Irina Zovastina. Zij heeft maar één verlangen: Alexander de Grote te overtreffen als de grootste veroveraar uit de geschiedenis. Om de wereldheerschappij te bemachtigen verzamelt ze de meest vernietigende bacteriële wapens, waarmee ze een biologische oorlog wil ontketenen. Ze is vooral geobsedeerd door het serum in de tombe van Alexander de Grote.
Malone en Vitt stellen alles in het werk om Zovastina tegen te houden. Hun doel om een wereldwijde pandemie te voorkomen leidt hen via de Deense kust en de Venetiaanse paleizen naar het ruige berggebied in Centraal-Azië. Er staat veel op het spel: de ontcijfering van het mysterie rond het serum van Alexander de Grote zou millioenen levens kunnen redden ... of verwoesten...
Spannend verhaal, vlot geschreven en de plot zit heel goed in elkaar.
July 21, 2019
This is the third book in the long-running Cotton Malone series about a former Justice Department agent who has retired to sell old books in Copenhagen but keeps getting dragged into archeological and geopolitical conspiracies. I read the previous one not long ago, but while there are recurring characters, each book seems to be a separate adventure.
Cotton’s friend Cassiopeia is investigating a series of arson attacks in small museums across Europe, as someone appears to be collecting rare coins from Ancient Greece. Cotton is drawn in to help and, together with Henryk and Stephanie from the last book, they uncover a plot involving the ruthless Supreme Minister of the (fictional) Central Asian Republic, whose obsession with Alexander the Great is pushing her to try and expand her territory through the release of a killer virus.
I’ve been interested in one day travelling to Central Asia for a while, and by complete coincidence ended up watching an episode of a BBC reality TV show called Race Across the World, where pairs of competitors travelled overland (and sea) from Baku to Tashkent. Some of them stopped in Samarkand (Uzbekistan) which I had heard of but never seen images of, so it was strange to pick this up a few days later and discover that not only is Samarkand one of the major locations, it also includes a detailed description of the barbaric game of Buzkashi, like polo but with a decapitated goat carcass instead of a ball, that was also featured on the TV show.
Anyway, this was another competently written fast-paced adventure, with a nonsensical premise, diabolical baddies willing to let millions die for profit/glory, double-crossing each other left right and centre, and a medically implausible wonder cure. I knew virtually nothing about Alexander the Great so that was interesting - once again the author reveals which bits are real and which he made up in the afterword.
My biggest complaint is that Cotton is completely devoid of personality, has no sense of humour and shows no emotion - but he’s not a psychopath, I just think the author only writes people in 2D. I would read more from this series if I come across cheap copies but won’t be in a rush to hunt them down as there are too many other series with much more interesting protagonists.
3.5 rounded up for the entertainment value of the action and the historical snippets.
Cotton’s friend Cassiopeia is investigating a series of arson attacks in small museums across Europe, as someone appears to be collecting rare coins from Ancient Greece. Cotton is drawn in to help and, together with Henryk and Stephanie from the last book, they uncover a plot involving the ruthless Supreme Minister of the (fictional) Central Asian Republic, whose obsession with Alexander the Great is pushing her to try and expand her territory through the release of a killer virus.
I’ve been interested in one day travelling to Central Asia for a while, and by complete coincidence ended up watching an episode of a BBC reality TV show called Race Across the World, where pairs of competitors travelled overland (and sea) from Baku to Tashkent. Some of them stopped in Samarkand (Uzbekistan) which I had heard of but never seen images of, so it was strange to pick this up a few days later and discover that not only is Samarkand one of the major locations, it also includes a detailed description of the barbaric game of Buzkashi, like polo but with a decapitated goat carcass instead of a ball, that was also featured on the TV show.
Anyway, this was another competently written fast-paced adventure, with a nonsensical premise, diabolical baddies willing to let millions die for profit/glory, double-crossing each other left right and centre, and a medically implausible wonder cure. I knew virtually nothing about Alexander the Great so that was interesting - once again the author reveals which bits are real and which he made up in the afterword.
My biggest complaint is that Cotton is completely devoid of personality, has no sense of humour and shows no emotion - but he’s not a psychopath, I just think the author only writes people in 2D. I would read more from this series if I come across cheap copies but won’t be in a rush to hunt them down as there are too many other series with much more interesting protagonists.
3.5 rounded up for the entertainment value of the action and the historical snippets.
December 23, 2008
Yet another Cotton Malone book, this time with an all star cast reunion. Not only do the faithful readers of Steve Berry's books get to see Henrik, Casseiopa and Stephanie again, but even Colin Michener makes a guest appearance.
Unfortunately we already know much of the depths of these characters so there was no real character development, hence less emotional involvement for the reader. The book had no surprise twists waiting to catch the reader off guard, just the usual trying to figure out which double agent is a triple agent, etc.
The plot was decent, just not the wild romp through history at a breakneck speed.
The funny thing is that even Steve Berry's worse book to date is better than many other author's best.
Unfortunately we already know much of the depths of these characters so there was no real character development, hence less emotional involvement for the reader. The book had no surprise twists waiting to catch the reader off guard, just the usual trying to figure out which double agent is a triple agent, etc.
The plot was decent, just not the wild romp through history at a breakneck speed.
The funny thing is that even Steve Berry's worse book to date is better than many other author's best.
January 2, 2009
This is my fourth Steve Berry book and I thoroughly enjoyed reconnecting with Cotton Malone and the other characters. While the book was slow at times, I found that I could not put it down. I enjoyed the Alexander the Great story and the fictional Central Asia Federation. Not to give away the plot, but the book definitely makes you consider the potential of certain things happening (e.g. with the former Soviet republics in Central Asia) and of certain things existing. I am looking forward to picking up his latest book.
November 12, 2016
THE VENETIAN BETRAYAL opens in true Steve Berry fashion with a historical scene that lends to the background of the plot. In this case we find Alexander of Macedonia (the Great) brooding over the loss of Hephaestion, his friend, warrior, and possibly lover who has died. In his grief he blames Glaucias, the physician for his death, and is executed, but not before we learn that Alexander is ill. Berry immediately shifts to Cotton Malone, the main character for the author’s series of historical novels. Malone is a former US Justice Department covert operative who retired two years ago and purchased a bookstore in Copenhagen. Malone notices a door to a Greco-Roman museum is open so he enters only to find himself in grave danger and is saved from an arsonist’s work by Cassiopeia Vitt, an archeologist, scholar, and a women of many martial talents. Vitt and Henrik Thorvaldsen, a Danish philanthropist among his many interests have appeared in previous novels as has Stephanie Nell who was a member of the Magellen Billet, an undercover Justice Department operation, and with similar agendas they work well with Malone.
The story is a complicated one. It seems that when Alexander the Great tried to conquer India around 323 BCE he was met by soldiers riding elephants which he and his army had never experienced and were decimated. It appears elephant medallions were created and minted to highlight this episode and a number of individuals want to acquire the eight or nine that still exist. The characters that are developed include Enrico Vincenti, the leader of the Council of Ten that governed the Venetian League, a group of 432 powerful men and women who resented the obtrusiveness of the Italian government. The Council replicated the 14th century version of this governing body and their membership had their own concept of wealth and government. Vincenti is a wealthy man who is the largest stockholder in Philogen Pharmaceutique, a Luxemburg corporation headquartered in Venice but has a complex in Xingyang located in western China. Philogen’s chief scientist, Grant Lyndsey has developed important viruses and their antiagents that may be weaponized. The other major character is Supreme Minister Irina Zovastina, the leader of the Central Asian Federation, a grouping of former republics of the Soviet Union that have formed their own political entity, and is obsessed with Alexander the Great. Vincenti and Zovastina are deeply ambitious and it is interesting to see how their relationship unfolds and how they deal with each other’s goals that do not totally dove tail. Further confusing the plot line is Viktor Tomas, a double or possibly a triple agent who seems to be in the pay of all sides that appear in the novel. The question that underlies the novel is how these characters relate to each other and how does the elephant medallions, Lyndsey’s work, and the divergent agendas of the main characters come together to form a suspenseful thriller.
A further plot line which overshadows the first part of the book has to do with the final resting place of Alexander the Great. Zovastina is convinced that if she can find his remains she can use it as a symbol to spread her federation westward to defeat Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan before she made a move into the Middle East. She saw herself as replicating Alexander the Great who originated in the west and moved east, Zovastina wanted to reverse the process by moving from the east toward the west. Enhancing this line of the plot is a secret cure called the “draught� that was used in antiquity to conquer disease. Further, is the work of Ely Lund, a researcher in a museum in Samarkand, who uncovered a number of important ancient manuscript pages that were linked to the medallions and Alexander the Great’s final resting place. Malone and company are drawn into this entanglement which includes the Vatican, the president of the United States, biological weapons, and a host of unsavory characters.
Berry does a remarkable job shifting scenes and creating tension. His historical and Bill Bryson like descriptions are to be commended as HIV research becomes a major component of the story, in addition to the “Greek fire,� an arsonist’s solution that seems to engulf museums across Europe. If you enjoy fast action, counterfactual history, and strong character development you will enjoy Berry’s work. For myself I look forward to THE CHARLEMAGNE PURSUIT, the next installment of Berry’s Cotton Malone series.
The story is a complicated one. It seems that when Alexander the Great tried to conquer India around 323 BCE he was met by soldiers riding elephants which he and his army had never experienced and were decimated. It appears elephant medallions were created and minted to highlight this episode and a number of individuals want to acquire the eight or nine that still exist. The characters that are developed include Enrico Vincenti, the leader of the Council of Ten that governed the Venetian League, a group of 432 powerful men and women who resented the obtrusiveness of the Italian government. The Council replicated the 14th century version of this governing body and their membership had their own concept of wealth and government. Vincenti is a wealthy man who is the largest stockholder in Philogen Pharmaceutique, a Luxemburg corporation headquartered in Venice but has a complex in Xingyang located in western China. Philogen’s chief scientist, Grant Lyndsey has developed important viruses and their antiagents that may be weaponized. The other major character is Supreme Minister Irina Zovastina, the leader of the Central Asian Federation, a grouping of former republics of the Soviet Union that have formed their own political entity, and is obsessed with Alexander the Great. Vincenti and Zovastina are deeply ambitious and it is interesting to see how their relationship unfolds and how they deal with each other’s goals that do not totally dove tail. Further confusing the plot line is Viktor Tomas, a double or possibly a triple agent who seems to be in the pay of all sides that appear in the novel. The question that underlies the novel is how these characters relate to each other and how does the elephant medallions, Lyndsey’s work, and the divergent agendas of the main characters come together to form a suspenseful thriller.
A further plot line which overshadows the first part of the book has to do with the final resting place of Alexander the Great. Zovastina is convinced that if she can find his remains she can use it as a symbol to spread her federation westward to defeat Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan before she made a move into the Middle East. She saw herself as replicating Alexander the Great who originated in the west and moved east, Zovastina wanted to reverse the process by moving from the east toward the west. Enhancing this line of the plot is a secret cure called the “draught� that was used in antiquity to conquer disease. Further, is the work of Ely Lund, a researcher in a museum in Samarkand, who uncovered a number of important ancient manuscript pages that were linked to the medallions and Alexander the Great’s final resting place. Malone and company are drawn into this entanglement which includes the Vatican, the president of the United States, biological weapons, and a host of unsavory characters.
Berry does a remarkable job shifting scenes and creating tension. His historical and Bill Bryson like descriptions are to be commended as HIV research becomes a major component of the story, in addition to the “Greek fire,� an arsonist’s solution that seems to engulf museums across Europe. If you enjoy fast action, counterfactual history, and strong character development you will enjoy Berry’s work. For myself I look forward to THE CHARLEMAGNE PURSUIT, the next installment of Berry’s Cotton Malone series.
November 29, 2008
I'd give "The Venetian Betrayal" 2 1/2 stars if it were an option. It's definitely my least favorite of Berry's books that I've read, largely because the plot didn't maintain my interest. The characters lacked human-ness; if I had not read Berry's previous books, I wouldn't have felt I knew them at all. Still, I was pulled into the Alexander the Great storyline, and the imaginative portrayal of the Central Asian Federation, so I'll round this one up to three stars.
July 1, 2015
Another exciting and enjoyable book in the Cotton Malone series. Keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. I really enjoy this series and happy I have more to read(8)!
April 23, 2020
3 Stars. Good, but can't these modern thrillers be a touch less complicated? One benefit here has to be that those in the less knowledgeable column, that's me, learn a good deal more about Alexander the Great who reigned in Macedonia from 336 to 323 BCE. The conqueror of Asia Minor, Egypt, Persia, and parts of India. We open in modern day Copenhagen with Cotton Malone, former US agent reinvented as a book dealer, out for an evening stroll; he investigates a museum after noticing a door open. Within minutes it erupts in flames from a mysterious source which, after his harrowing escape with the help of the also mysterious Cassiopeia Vick, he learns might have been "Greek Fire." Someone is trying to collect all the known Alexander medallions depicting his encounter in battle with elephants. That someone turns out to be Supreme Minister Irina Zovastina of the new Central Asian Federation who appears to be developing plans to follow Alexander's conquering lead. Biological weapons, betrayals and counter betrayals, even potential cures for AIDS follow. You'll enjoy the author's list at the end of the novel of what's true and what's fictional. (February 2020)
October 28, 2014
A fairly solid entry in the Cotton Malone series although many reviewers consider this their least favorite. Cotton Malone just wants to be a bookseller in Copenhagen but once again gets dragged into another thrilling adventure due to his previous career as an agent for the US Justice Department. This time we find him and his friends on the trail of the leader of the newly formed Central Asian Federation, the lost tomb of Alexander the Great, and a mysterious cure for AIDS.
Plots of Cotton Malone novels are similar in many ways to Dan Brown plots: historical mysteries/puzzles mixed with pseudo-science as well as international intrigue. It's a formula that can be great fun to read as long as you are willing to suspend your disbelief and I think Steve Berry does a good job once again of providing a fun and thrilling read. He throws a lot at us in this one and, at times, it seemed a little too much. I certainly appreciate the author's afterward where he explains what is fact and what is fiction in what I just read.
Plots of Cotton Malone novels are similar in many ways to Dan Brown plots: historical mysteries/puzzles mixed with pseudo-science as well as international intrigue. It's a formula that can be great fun to read as long as you are willing to suspend your disbelief and I think Steve Berry does a good job once again of providing a fun and thrilling read. He throws a lot at us in this one and, at times, it seemed a little too much. I certainly appreciate the author's afterward where he explains what is fact and what is fiction in what I just read.
May 31, 2019
sigma's painter crowe (james rollins) was mentioned, creating a pre-faceoff (2014, david baldacci) link
colin michener also made a significant appearance, linking the third secret (2005) to this series
cass' pre-existing
p422: he'd been that way every since returning home.
p423: "i haven't spoke with cassiopeia much since we left the federation...."
colin michener also made a significant appearance, linking the third secret (2005) to this series
cass' pre-existing
p422: he'd been that way every since returning home.
p423: "i haven't spoke with cassiopeia much since we left the federation...."
June 17, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. I have become a fan of Steve Berry and the Cotton Mallon series. I really enjoy the mix of History and Fiction and Steve Berry is able seamlessly blend the two together.
May 22, 2019
The last half of this book was intense, loved it.
I also appreciated the historical footnotes at the end, a nice touch.
I also appreciated the historical footnotes at the end, a nice touch.
February 24, 2011
Steve Berry may be the best at mixing mystery with history. If you have read "The Amber Room", "The Romanov Prophecy", "The Third Secret", "The Templar Legacy", and "The Alexandria Link" you know what I mean. He is once again in true form with his latest book, "The Venetian Betrayal".
This book is based around the life and death of Alexander the Great. A woman despot, Zovastina, has brought together several former Russian territories and formed the Central Asian Foundation. She is infatuated with the life of Alexander the Great, and he plan is to emulate his conquests. She, however, intends to do her conquering by using germ warfare. She is also on the trail to find the lost tomb of Alexander the Great.
Cotton Malone and Cassiopeia Vitt are out to foil her plans. They not only have to contend with Zovastina, but also with Enrico Vincenti who is working with Zovastina as the head of the Venetian League. They are also faced with a henchman of Zovastina, who may or may not be a turncoat, and may have changed sides more than once.
To add to their problems, Zovastina has solved the mystery of "Greek Fire" and uses it to destroy evidence and attempted murder.
Enrico Vincenti has also discovered a draught that was used to medicate Alexander and could possibly be a cure for the AIDS virus.
Action throughout the book with a wonderful balance of history. Steve Berry, at the end of the book, gives an interesting run down of what is based in historical fact and what is made up.
This book is based around the life and death of Alexander the Great. A woman despot, Zovastina, has brought together several former Russian territories and formed the Central Asian Foundation. She is infatuated with the life of Alexander the Great, and he plan is to emulate his conquests. She, however, intends to do her conquering by using germ warfare. She is also on the trail to find the lost tomb of Alexander the Great.
Cotton Malone and Cassiopeia Vitt are out to foil her plans. They not only have to contend with Zovastina, but also with Enrico Vincenti who is working with Zovastina as the head of the Venetian League. They are also faced with a henchman of Zovastina, who may or may not be a turncoat, and may have changed sides more than once.
To add to their problems, Zovastina has solved the mystery of "Greek Fire" and uses it to destroy evidence and attempted murder.
Enrico Vincenti has also discovered a draught that was used to medicate Alexander and could possibly be a cure for the AIDS virus.
Action throughout the book with a wonderful balance of history. Steve Berry, at the end of the book, gives an interesting run down of what is based in historical fact and what is made up.
December 23, 2016
This action styled mystery starts out in 323 B.C.E, with Alexander the Great dying from a mysterious fever. Fast forward to present day and the Central Asian Federation, ruled by it's ambitious Supreme Minister, Irina Zovastina. She rules with a totalitarian twist and plans to release a deadly virus in surrounding countries that only she will be able to cure. Cotton Malone, a former U.S. Justice Department agent is contacted by Cassiopeia Vitt and Henrik Thorvaldson, and becomes drawn into the plan to keep Zovastina from releasing her poison. Of course, this will involve solving a riddle found on eight legendary medallions commemorating Alexander's conquest and finding the lost Tomb of Alexander the Great.
The characters are interesting and often trade witticisms back and forth during the battles they engage in. I did like the way each book, and I've only read three, start to fill out each character with some backstory. In the last book, the Alexandria Link, it concentrated on Cotton and in this book we get some additional layers to Cassiopeia Vitt. Vitt is an especially compelling female character who embodies that mysterious woman who is intelligent and can be counted on in a tight spot. The twists and turns in this book were amazing. If you like action and international thrillers, give him a try.
The characters are interesting and often trade witticisms back and forth during the battles they engage in. I did like the way each book, and I've only read three, start to fill out each character with some backstory. In the last book, the Alexandria Link, it concentrated on Cotton and in this book we get some additional layers to Cassiopeia Vitt. Vitt is an especially compelling female character who embodies that mysterious woman who is intelligent and can be counted on in a tight spot. The twists and turns in this book were amazing. If you like action and international thrillers, give him a try.
January 5, 2013
Well, I can t really explain why but this book didn t make a good impression on me. In comparison with other Berry s books, this is the one which I red just to finish. I didn t enjoy in it. That Irina really pissed me off, she was some kind of super woman, not afraid of anyone, killing whoever she wants. And above everything, she was president of one country...if I would meet her on first occassion, I would put her bullet in a head and hasta la vista baby :D...
March 15, 2017
Mais uma história baseada em eventos históricos. Neste livro a trama centra-se em Alexandre, O Grande. Grandes viagens, aventuras, muita acção do início ao fim.
February 1, 2020
3.5 stars.
March 5, 2024
The only thing I liked about the book is that it makes me want to read some books about Alexander the Great.
December 27, 2016
The Venetian Betrayal by Steve Berry
Cotton Malone series Book # 3
4�'
From The Book:
n 323 B.C.E, having conquered Persia, Alexander the Great set his sights on Arabia, then suddenly succumbed to a strange fever. Locating his final resting place–unknown to this day–remains a tantalizing goal for both archaeologists and treasure hunters. Now the quest for this coveted prize is about to heat up. And Cotton Malone–former U.S. Justice Department agent turned rare-book dealer–will be drawn into an intense geopolitical chess game.
After narrowly escaping incineration in a devastating fire that consumes a Danish museum, Cotton learns from his friend, the beguiling adventurer Cassiopeia Vitt, that the blaze was neither an accident nor an isolated incident. As part of campaign of arson intended to mask a far more diabolical design, buildings across Europe are being devoured by infernos of unnatural strength.
And from the ashes of the U.S.S.R., a new nation has arisen: Former Soviet republics have consolidated into the Central Asian Federation. At its helm is Supreme Minister Irina Zovastina, a cunning despot with a talent for politics, a taste for blood sport, and the single-minded desire to surpass Alexander the Great as history’s ultimate conqueror.
Backed by a secret cabal of power-brokers, the Federation has amassed a harrowing arsenal of biological weapons. Equipped with the hellish power to decimate other nations at will, only one thing keeps Zovastina from setting in motion her death march of domination: a miraculous healing serum, kept secret by an ancient puzzle and buried with the mummified remains of Alexander the Great–in a tomb lost to the ages for more than 1,500 years.
Together, Cotton and Cassiopeia must outrun and out think the forces allied against them. Their perilous quest will take them to the shores of Denmark, deep into the venerated monuments of Venice, and finally high inside the desolate Pamir mountains of Central Asia to unravel a riddle whose solution could destroy or save millions of people–depending on who finds the lost tomb first.
My Thoughts:
Anyone that is a history fan will surely find that this series is well worth your time to pursue. Steve Berry admits that he does take literary license with some of the facts but for the most part he does well planned research and stays as close to actual historical recollection as the story line allows.
The twists and turns in this book are truly amazing. I will have to confess that following the plot line from one place to another sometimes became truly exhausting. Also there is so much going on that it makes it nearly impossible for the reader to possibly solve the riddle. The characters however are extremely interesting and very diversified in personality. Overall it was a very good read but I believe I was more interested in the previous two books dealing with The Templar treasure and the lost library of Alexandria.
Cotton Malone series Book # 3
4�'
From The Book:
n 323 B.C.E, having conquered Persia, Alexander the Great set his sights on Arabia, then suddenly succumbed to a strange fever. Locating his final resting place–unknown to this day–remains a tantalizing goal for both archaeologists and treasure hunters. Now the quest for this coveted prize is about to heat up. And Cotton Malone–former U.S. Justice Department agent turned rare-book dealer–will be drawn into an intense geopolitical chess game.
After narrowly escaping incineration in a devastating fire that consumes a Danish museum, Cotton learns from his friend, the beguiling adventurer Cassiopeia Vitt, that the blaze was neither an accident nor an isolated incident. As part of campaign of arson intended to mask a far more diabolical design, buildings across Europe are being devoured by infernos of unnatural strength.
And from the ashes of the U.S.S.R., a new nation has arisen: Former Soviet republics have consolidated into the Central Asian Federation. At its helm is Supreme Minister Irina Zovastina, a cunning despot with a talent for politics, a taste for blood sport, and the single-minded desire to surpass Alexander the Great as history’s ultimate conqueror.
Backed by a secret cabal of power-brokers, the Federation has amassed a harrowing arsenal of biological weapons. Equipped with the hellish power to decimate other nations at will, only one thing keeps Zovastina from setting in motion her death march of domination: a miraculous healing serum, kept secret by an ancient puzzle and buried with the mummified remains of Alexander the Great–in a tomb lost to the ages for more than 1,500 years.
Together, Cotton and Cassiopeia must outrun and out think the forces allied against them. Their perilous quest will take them to the shores of Denmark, deep into the venerated monuments of Venice, and finally high inside the desolate Pamir mountains of Central Asia to unravel a riddle whose solution could destroy or save millions of people–depending on who finds the lost tomb first.
My Thoughts:
Anyone that is a history fan will surely find that this series is well worth your time to pursue. Steve Berry admits that he does take literary license with some of the facts but for the most part he does well planned research and stays as close to actual historical recollection as the story line allows.
The twists and turns in this book are truly amazing. I will have to confess that following the plot line from one place to another sometimes became truly exhausting. Also there is so much going on that it makes it nearly impossible for the reader to possibly solve the riddle. The characters however are extremely interesting and very diversified in personality. Overall it was a very good read but I believe I was more interested in the previous two books dealing with The Templar treasure and the lost library of Alexandria.
September 6, 2015
This is the third in Berry's Cotton Malone series. It's been a while since I read the first two books and I have others in the series that I hope to get to soon. This was a good action thriller similar to Dan Brown's novels. In this one, Malone, a former American government agent, is drawn into intrigue when he is almost the victim of a museum fire set to cover the theft of one of several Alexander the Great elephant medallions. These medallions are being stolen by the megalomaniac leader of the Central Asian Federation who realizes the medallions are clues to the location of Alexander the Great's lost tomb. The leader is also planning to expand her empire through the use of germ warfare. Malone, along with other government agents are out to thwart her plans and solve the riddle of Alexander's tomb. This novel was fast-paced and really kept my interest. It included a lot of history related to Alexander and other ancient lore including Greek fire which was used in the arson of the museums. It also includes information about the use of biological warfare and in particular, how the HIV virus originated. I would recommend this one and look forward to others in the series.
March 17, 2018
After narrowly escaping a fire that consumes a Danish museum Cotton Malone former
U.S. Justice Department agent learns from his friend the adventurer Cassioperia Vitt
that the blaze was part of a campaign to mask a far more diabolical plot. From the
ashes of the U.S.S. R. a new nation has arisen. At it's helm is Supreme Minister Irina
Zovastina a cunning despot with the single minded desire to surpass Alexander The Great
as histories ultimate conqueror. One thing keeps Zovastina from setting in motion her
march of domination. A miraculous healing serum kept secret by an ancient puzzle and
buried with Alexander's remains. Together Cotton and Vitt must outrun and outthink the
forces allied against them in order to unravel a riddle whose solution could destroy or save
millions of people. This is book 3 from the Cotton Malone series. I didn't like it as well as
some of the other Berry books.It was sort of dragged out and not to interesting. I gave it a 3.
U.S. Justice Department agent learns from his friend the adventurer Cassioperia Vitt
that the blaze was part of a campaign to mask a far more diabolical plot. From the
ashes of the U.S.S. R. a new nation has arisen. At it's helm is Supreme Minister Irina
Zovastina a cunning despot with the single minded desire to surpass Alexander The Great
as histories ultimate conqueror. One thing keeps Zovastina from setting in motion her
march of domination. A miraculous healing serum kept secret by an ancient puzzle and
buried with Alexander's remains. Together Cotton and Vitt must outrun and outthink the
forces allied against them in order to unravel a riddle whose solution could destroy or save
millions of people. This is book 3 from the Cotton Malone series. I didn't like it as well as
some of the other Berry books.It was sort of dragged out and not to interesting. I gave it a 3.
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