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| Plot Summary of Code To Zero |
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" In 1958, he awakens in the public toilet Of DC's Union Station. In the mirror he looks at the reflection of a bum. Still, the image means nothing to him, as he has no idea who he is. A companion Pete informs him he is Luke, a wino and that they shared a bottle last night. However, in spite of his buddy's insistence, being a derelict seems wrong to Luke and when he has no psychological need to find alcohol he concludes that Pete is a liar.
Luke begins to search for his lost identity and the someone who went to the trouble of setting up the tramp scenario. As he uncovers more and more of the truth, Luke realizes that he is somehow involved in the American space race to match the Russian successful launch of Sputnik. How and what his role was eludes Luke who remains unaware of the master plan to abort the space program.
Ken Follett returns to his most comfortable milieu, the heated period of the Cold War with a fabulous, fast-paced thriller. The story line moves forward quickly as readers obtain a look back to an era that seems so much like ancient history though it is only four decades ago. Though a bit formulaic, the plot keeps the attention of the audience due to Luke's everyman fighting impossible odds a la Grant on Rushmore."
Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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"Claude Lucas is a NASA scientist with a secret regarding the latest American rocket. The only trouble is, he doesn't remember what it was. In fact, he doesn't even remember who he is. He wakes up one morning, in rags, in a train station in Washington D.C. Luke only knows his name is Luke because a fellow bum (actually an undercover CIA agent) called him that. Following a series of assumptions he makes about himself, he finds himself at a library. He reads some books about memory to try to understand what has happened. He finds that basic knowledge is still remembered to victims such as himself, so starts scanning different subjects in the library. He finds the math is very easy. He starts looking at various scientific texts and comes across astronomy and eventually rocketry. He understands the texts completely and actually spots errors in the books. Through more hypothesis Luke gradually finds out more information about himself, including the fact that he has a secret that someone doesn't want revealed. Follow the quest as Luke tries to remember his past, with the aid of some old friends, while trying to save the future of the United States.
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BethG, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Code To Zero |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 30%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 30%
Tone of story
- very upbeat
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
Time/era of story:
- 1930's-1950's
Spying/Terrorism Thriller
Yes
Cloak & Dagger Plotlets:
- stopping a saboteur/spy
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime plotlets:
- chased by criminals who want their money/treasure back
Who's the terrorist enemy here?
- commies!
Search for technology?
- space technology
Amnesia story?
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- scientist
- champion of justice
Age:
- 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use?
- a little
- just the right amount
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
- an organization
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- spy
- mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- power
The antagonists are:
- communists
- Russians
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
United States
Yes
City?
Yes
City:
- New York
- Washington D.C.
Misc setting
- fort/military installation
- sewers/subways
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
- moderately detailed references to deaths
How many deaths?
- 3-4
A lot of techno jargon?
Yes
Kind of jargon?
- astronomy
Unusual forms of death
- perforation--bullets
- blunt clubbing (like seals)
Unusual form of death?
Yes
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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