The Hammer of Eden

2012

Status

Available

Genres

All Topics

Fiction

Collection

Standard Shelves

Publication

(2012)

Description

Fiction. Thriller. HTML:NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The FBI doesn�??t believe it. The Governor wants the problem to disappear. But agent Judy Maddox knows the threat is real: An extreme group of eco-terrorists has the means and the know-how to set off a massive earthquake of epic proportions. For California, time is running out. Now Maddox is scrambling to hunt down a petty criminal turned cult leader turned homicidal mastermind. Because she knows that the dying has already begun. And things will only get worse when the earth violently shifts, bolts, and shakes down to its very co

Media reviews

literaturkritik.de

Neben Stephen King hat also auch Ken Follett die 60-er-Jahre zum Aufhänger eines Romans gemacht. Seine Protagonisten dieser Generation sind jedoch bestenfalls kauzige, ich-bezogene Outlaws, die ihr Gegenüber in einem intriganten FBI-Apparat haben. Natürlich gibt es auch einige "Gute", wie die

oben erwähnte Beamtin, aber deren Persönlichkeiten sind auch nicht gerade mit Tiefe ausgestattet. So unwahrscheinlich es auch sein mag, Erdbeben auszulösen, ohne gleich Atombomben einzusetzen, gelingt es Follett hier einmal mehr, so etwas wie eine innere Plausibilität herzustellen und damit alle Leser einzufangen.

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User reviews

LibraryThing member wyvernfriend

In order to protect their commune their leader decides to use some technology to induce earthquakes. Holding the state of California to ransom things start going wrong for everyone. The only person who takes things seriously is taken for granted by her managers.

Readable if a bit predictable. A

interesting thriller that does point out some ways to hold a state to ransom. Written before 9/11 it is an interesting look at terrorism before that time.

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12 more

LibraryThing member afyfe

I liked the idea of this story however I wasn't a big fan of the way it unfolded. I also feel like it is dated, since it was written pre 9/11 and the way terrorism is handled now is a bit different. The hippie cult was a bit strange, and I wonder if there were (are) actually groups like that out

there, kinda weird. The book was ok, it kept my interest like all of Follet's books, but I wouldn't recommend it he has way better books out there.

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LibraryThing member crabbylibrarian

If your new to Ken Follett's work, read one of his earlier ones like 'Eye of the Needle' or 'Key to Rebecca' (or 'On Wings of Eagles' the true story of how Ross Perot put together a rescue team to get two Americans out of an Iranian jail). Of his later works, 'Pillars of the Earth', 'Night Over

Water' and 'Whiteout' come to mind. This man is a prolific author with much to offer, but in my humble opinion, 'Hammer of Eden' isn't his best work by a long shot. CL

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LibraryThing member DomingoSantos

An entertaining read. The only thing that did not ring authentic was the CHP incident at the bridge toll booth. I just don't think the CHP would get themselves into that kind of situation with the result the author stated.

LibraryThing member Neilsantos

Well, I'm definitely getting into the bottom of the barrel for Follett. It was a perfectly fine, fast book, but now i'm really reading him so I can finish him off.

LibraryThing member AshRyan

I was kind of surprised, after reading this, to see all the negative reviews here...I gather that most people's biggest complaint about The Hammer of Eden is just that it is not The Pillars of the Earth. I haven't read that yet---in fact, this is my first Follett novel---but I have read quite a few

other thrillers of this type, and this one beats most of them hands down (way better than, for instance, Crichton's somewhat similar State of Fear).

True, there are a few questionable plot points, but no worse than most (and not nearly as bad as many) thrillers of this kind. And when I see people complaining about a lack of characterization, I wonder if we read the same book. I found most of the characters quite interesting, and some even compelling, and found myself sympathizing with even some of the villains---which I would say is perhaps the book's biggest flaw, if it is a flaw at all. The climax was a bit messy, the resolution not as satisfying as I would have liked, and the denouement in the final chapter a bit cliched (the obligatory brief statement of the fate of each character), but I enjoyed the ride on the way there. Okay, so it's not a piece of great literature, but on the whole I thought this was a pretty decent thriller.

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LibraryThing member lindseyrivers

My least favorite of the three Follett novels I have read thus far, the Hammer of Eden is still clever and captivating. True to Follett's form, I found myself caring about and sometimes routing for the psychopathic villain while feeling the same for the brave heroine.

LibraryThing member JosephKing6602

Pretty good story telling; could have used a bit more chearcter depth.

LibraryThing member jmrcardoso

It's an interesting story much at the style of the more recent authors of suspense and countdown story telling. However, the story relies on a premise that I consider dubious and highly unlikely from the scientific and tehnical point of view.
It is good easy reading though.

LibraryThing member rondoctor

Excellent read. Ken Follett weaves a spellbinding story ... as usual. His characterization is so good that I found myself sympathizing with the "bad guys" ... until the end. This is a must read, especially if you like Follett.

LibraryThing member leesclubhaarenjb

For me this was a holiday read and I did not regret to take this book from the "library" of a camping in Sweden. In a "brucked things" mission shop in Trondheim I bought all three Follets books they had.
Netxt to the tension there were several nearly comic scenes (often the cursive thoughts in

dialogues). My first Follett read was pillars (in Dutch); the second one, also medieval: it had to be brought back to the library; but I never restarted it. This year I bought and read the English edition of the evening and the morning; that was much better than the hammer. 2023 will be a Follet year for me.

During this read I never thought of 9-11. Concerning earthquakes: I associated the content with the Dutch earthquakes following the gas exploitation, that was/ is the result of human action.

It turns out (Libr th) that I also read "Rebecca" (15 yers ago).

It occurs to me that the A to Z series of Sue Grafton might in part be inspired on Follett's Judith.

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LibraryThing member jtsolakos

What would you do to save your lifestyle? Could you create an earthquake? Would you create an earthquake with destruction and death? That's the premise of this book and of course you are pulled right into the narrative right from the start. Any book by Ken Follett is a winner.

LibraryThing member ElizabethCromb

reread 30/3/24. Still a great read. About the dangerous efforts of a man who has been hiding from his past in a commune in remote part of California for 25 years. When his community is threatened with eviction because of the building of a dam in their leased valley he decides to threaten the

Governor with causing earthquakes if all future construction of power stations is not halted. The tension of the story is kept up with some milder interpersonal interactions that soften the story.

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