Tsar: A Thriller | 
 enlarge | Author: Ted Bell
Publisher: Atria
Category: Book
List Price: $26.95
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Rating:  166 reviews
Sales Rank: 1096
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 512
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 6.2 x 1.6
ISBN: 1416550402
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9781416550402
ASIN: 1416550402
Publication Date: September 23, 2008
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Product Description
Swashbuckling counter Spy Alex Hawke returns in New York Times bestselling author Ted Bell's most explosive tale of international suspense to date. There dwells, somewhere in Russia, a man so powerful no one even knows his name. His existence is only speculated upon, only whispered about in American corridors of power and CIA strategy meetings. Though he is all but invisible, he is pulling strings -- and pulling them hard. For suddenly, Russia is a far, far more ominous threat than even the most hardened cold warriors ever thought possible. The Russians have their finger on the switch to the European economy and an eye on the American jugular. And, most importantly, they want to be made whole again. Should America interfere with Russia's plans to "reintegrate" her rogue states, well then, America will pay in blood. In Ted Bell's latest pulse-pounding and action-packed tour de force, Alex Hawke must face a global nightmare of epic proportions. As this political crisis plays out, Russia gains a new leader. Not just a president, but a new tsar, a signal to the world that the old, imperial Russia is back and plans to have her day. And in America, a mysterious killer, known only as Happy the Baker, brutally murders an innocent family and literally flattens the small Midwestern town they once called home. Just a taste, according to the new tsar, of what will happen if America does not back down. Onto this stage must step Alex Hawke, espionage agent extraordinaire and the only man, both Americans and the Brits agree, who can stop the absolute madness borne and bred inside the modern police state of Vladimir Putin's 'New Russia'.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 161 more reviews...
Alex Hawke Returns to Save the World December 1, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I was provided an advanced reading copy of Tsar by Ted Bell. This is the fifth novel in the Alex Hawke series and it continues the tradition Bell has developed of action and suspense using plausible plots concerning world events.
In Tsar, Alex Hawke, a modern James Bond character, is recuperating on Bermuda after his injuries suffered in the novel Spy. During his recovery, he meets a beautiful Russian artist, Anastasia Korsakov. As the novel progresses, you discover that Anastasia, "Asia" to her friends, is the daughter of the Russian scientist/politician Count Ivan Korsakov. Count Korsakov has designs to return Russia to its former glory, an act which takes the West by surprise. Enter Alex Hawke and his friends. While they are a small group, they are a very formidable and deadly team made more effective as they have the support of the British and United States leadership. The Count has made his intentions known by holding a US city "hostage" to a bomb if they do not allow him to retake the former Eastern Bloc nations. Alex and his team must thwart this aggressive move, rescue hundreds of dignitaries from an airship (think "blimp"), and disable the bombs.
As with the earlier Hawke novels, this one moves at a very fast pace even with the multiple story arcs; Hawke's relationship with Asia, the powerplay in Russia, a Russian bomber on US soil, and the maiden voyage of a luxury airship. Much like James Bond, Hawke is the man that the British and US governments use when world events swirl out of control. Ted Bell does an admirable job of making the premise believable; Russia's return to global dominance. And, I think, the backroom machinations of Russian politics seem to be realistic. While this novel is typical Alex Hawke, there were several scenes that really pushed your belief in the actions of some of the characters. And after the action played out, those characters were not heard from again. I know that this book pushes 500+ pages, but I would have appreciated a little more resolution concerning those characters. Also, there was quite a twist with Asia toward the end. I was surprised that Hawke wasn't able to discern some issue with her, earlier in the novel. It may have had an impact on the second half of the book.
Overall, another excellent book in the Alex Hawke series.
A great read! November 29, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I have read several of Ted Bell's books, and this was my favorite so far. I love the Alex Hawke character, and found the character developement in this book very intriguing. I didn't find the first third as slow as other reviewers, but perhaps that's because I was already familiar with some of the characters from previous books.
This was also a very timely book. With Russia making a resurgence as a world power, the whole idea of another tsar is intriguing. As someone who grew up during the cold war, it brought back old fears and biases.
The love story between Alex and Anastasia was also a nice diversion. Having seen Alex as quite a womanizer in previous books, it was nice to see his heart truly touched. However, the relationship is doomed, and we may not see Alex so vulnerable again.
I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to the next Ted Bell adventure.
 TSAR November 29, 2008
1 out of 5 found this review helpful
Not good- Have no idea what Glen Beck was thinking- Glen; your great on the radio but I will never listen to you again on book recommendations. I actually had to force myself to finish this book it was that bad. Where is Donald Hamilton when you need him?
Top-notch thriller November 28, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This was my first exposure to Ted Bell, and I will have to read his other books. "Tsar" is the latest in the ongoing saga of Hawke, a British secret agent who is a little bit of James Bond and a lot of John Clark. There is an interesting cast of characters, and the book held my interest throughout. If you are a fan of the spy thriller, you will enjoy this read. So, why four stars instead of five? I'm not going to put any spoilers in here, but you will see when you read it. And, you should read it.
 Boring for 34 Chapters November 27, 2008
1 out of 5 found this review helpful
Though described as a "thriller," this book does not become a page-turner for the first 34 of 65 chapters. The material in those chapters necessary to the rest of the plot could easily be condensed and made more dramatic. Once the reader makes it to Chapter 35, where Salina, Kansas, is blown off the map, the pace does pick up, though there are problems on all fronts of the novel. Regarding characters, Bell depends a lot on stereotypes. Being from Kansas, married to a police investigator, and a bit familiar with Salina, I can tell you the police-doughnut connection just does not reach the caliber of great fiction. In the post-911 era, Homeland Security has made great efforts to train law enforcement departments regarding the types of terrorism that might be encountered in their areas, not to mention the fact that Timothy McVeigh's activities in Kansas (in areas near Salina) raised everyone's consciousness about strangers operating out of suspicious vehicles. Though the pace of the novel does pick up about midway through the book, the plot depends too much on coincidence to be satisfying, and I "willingly suspended disbelief" so many times that my brain finally rebelled. Without giving anything away, I'll just say that the ending was a disappointment, leaving me wondering why I had gone to the trouble of finishing the book. For those who enjoy the spy thriller genre, as I do, I'd suggest looking elsewhere for a satisfying experience.
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