The Gemini Contenders Paperback – 15 July 2010

Robert Ludlum was one of those hugely successful writers who knew what his fans wanted and gave them exactly that. His books were variations on a theme and he tended to just shuffle the same cards whenever he wrote a new one. So you know you will get a complex plot, anti-heroes, violence, twists and turns, super wealthy people, shadowy organizations, some romance etc, the story may be different but you know it will be very much Ludlum. If all that sounds negative, it is also the case that he was so successful because he could write a gripping story and for all their faults (some of the romance scenes are a bit cringe inducing) I still find his books very enjoyable to read. One of the barometers of any story is whether you are immersed in the story enough to let the inconsistencies and plot devices in any story go by without breaking that immersion. If you keep getting reactions of "nonsense" and end up just highlighting plot holes or absurdities then the story has failed (think of the dire new Star Wars movies which were so full of holes and absurdities even my Star Wars loving children were pointing them out). I find with Ludlum books that when reading his books I get immersed in the story and these inconsistencies and holes don't bother me, so job done Ludlum.So, onto this book. It's typical Ludlum, anyone who has read Ludlum will know what to expect and receive just what they expect. This one is one of his better ones in my opinion as the story is about an ancient Christian artefact with the power to shatter the Christian faith. Ludlum's premise of the potential effect on the world is overblown and a bit silly really but as I highlighted above the story just carries you along and I didn't think too much about it while reading the story. Lots of action, lots of twists, all the usual Ludlum fare. This is the sort of book literary critics deride and dismiss as "holiday reading" if they are forced to say anything remotely positive, but it is a hugely enjoyable read which just carries the reader along. 5*.

Great book. Very dated now, and I only bought it because it starts in Greece, and I was on holiday there this year. Well worth a read.

A masterpiece it was riveting from the start and you can so easily loose yourself in the story, definitely a good book

This is not one of RL's best. I found it hard to retain an interest in the characters possibly because the twins did not seriously enter the story until quite late in the book. The ending was predictable but the reason for the search was an intriguing one. That said, I cannot imagine that the discovery of the hidden document would have had the ramifications attributed to it.

I have a very restricted selection of authors and I find his novels exciting and hard to put down. I read late in the evening, not for the faint hearted at that hour!

An excellent book from an excellent author. This was the first Ludlum book I read years ago and it still had the same appeal for me now. Good story, believable characters and a fast pace throughout. A gripping read.

Never ending twists, action galore, interesting characters - you’re not sure who to trust. Never boring or predictable.

Great start to the book but the Gemini's characters are't evolved enough in the second half. Sadly feels rushed at the end.