The Venetian Betrayal: A Novel (Cotton Malone) | 
|  | | | Title: | The Venetian Betrayal: A Novel (Cotton Malone) | | Author: | Steve Berry | | Publisher: | Ballantine Books | | Type: | Book / Hardcover | | Publication Date: | 11 December, 2007 | | ISBN / ISBN-13: | 0345485777 / 9780345485779 | | List Price: | $25.95 | | You Save: | $8.82 | | Amazon Price: | $17.13 | |
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Product Description
In 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 powerbrokers, 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 outthink 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.
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Customer Reviews:
• The Best In The Series! 22 October, 2008
the venetian betrayal is the best of the cotton malone series, so far! well, imo, that is! this one had it all, action, history, mystery, everything!
this is my favorite berry book, the amber room is now second!
i'm looking forward to reading the next in the series!
- Reviewed by customer ID: A53TKVTST82R4
• Terrible 27 December, 2008
This book is one of the worst I've ever read. The plot is terrible, convoluted an absurd. While one might describe it as a international action packed thriller, I would call it a boring chase/action sequence with uninteresting characters and highly predictable fight scenes. In fact the only think I found unpredictable about this book was that I bought it and did not toss it out half way thru. Steve Berry, you get no more of my money.
I did find the one tidbit about Alexander and St. Mark interesting - this was the only redeemable quality.
If you like action and thrillers there are better choices, try something by Ken Follett or even Robert Ludlum.
- Reviewed by customer ID: AW089SKR5U99W
• Derivative Junk - A James Rollins Wannabe 02 January, 2009
I used to be a big Steve Berry fan. His early works are good, solid entertainment with working plots, deep historical research, and more twists and turns than the average country fair maze. But Mr. Berry jumped the shark with "The Venetian Betrayal". The characters are flawed, the story is meandering, and the dialog is dreadful. He appears so in love with Cotton Malone and Cassiopeia Vitt that he exhausts his best work describing their non-relationship. This is a swift and sudden decline from his early work like Templar legacy, The third secret, and even the Alexandria link. Once known for his good research and historical plots, this book is a rehash of the worst Rollins and lesser known Dan Brown fiction. Save the 10 bucks.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A2WX7XHIDDFVJH
• Mr. Berry, Please Check Your Thesaurus 10 December, 2008
Okay, I have read every Steve Berry book and have the same issue with each one. I like the storylines however farfetched. However, he uses the word "scamper" over and over again to describe Cotton and/or his cohorts as they are running from danger and it just stops me cold every time. It's like finding a bunch of typos in a book that has gone through many editors. I've polled quite a few people and we agree that the word "scamper" conjures up images of covorting forest animals such as deer and bunnies (Bambi), not the good guys running away from the bad guys. He now has used the word "nestled" to describe Stephanie trying to listen at the door to see if they could escape before being consumed by Greek fire. Does he just need a new Thesaurus? For all the high-power adventure and danger building up throughout the course of the story, there must be better choices to describe running. It kind of takes the oomph out of the situation when you use a word like "scamper". It sounds a little girlie for Cotton Malone. Of course, now that I've mentioned it, it will probably drive you nuts too.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A10V8A4TXZPK18
• Berry's Worst Book 09 November, 2008
I don't like to write negative reviews, but this book is terrible. I know Steve Berry doesn't produce great literature, but here the writing is so bad--short, clunky sentences; cartoonish, cardboard characters; and stilted dialogue--and the plot is so ridiculous that I had to force myself to finish the book. I ended up just skipping over the last 40 or so pages. There are some unbelievable lapses in editing. For example, Iran is described as "a harbinger of terrorists" and there is "an eloquent Chinese cabinet." I really enjoyed Mr. Berry's first three books, but his last three haven't done anything for me.
- Reviewed by customer ID: AOMSAXQPJABIQ
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