The Venetian Betrayal: A Novel (Cotton Malone) | 
 enlarge | Author: Steve Berry
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Category: Book
List Price: $25.95
Buy New: $4.97
You Save: $20.98 (81%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  50 reviews
Sales Rank: 15160
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 496
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.6
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.7
ISBN: 0345485777
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9780345485779
ASIN: 0345485777
Publication Date: December 11, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: D-2
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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: Read 45 more reviews...
 Once again Berry is excellent August 18, 2008
I am a fan of Berry so I am a little biased but I thought this book was right in line with the others with Cotton Malone as the central character. An enjoyable read for sure. I enjoy the way Berry continues to build his characters. This one is involves a fun look at history with a nice blend of conspiracy, action, and mystery!
Not Berry's Best but Still Good August 6, 2008
I've read each of Steve Berry's novels, and while this isn't the best one he's done, it's still very good. As with his other books, the main character is Cotton Malone, a former US Government agent turned bookseller.
This time Malone and Berry's other cast of characters from his previous novels are responsible for trying to help stop a dictator from a fictitious central Asian nation from unleashing a global pandemic. As usual with Berry's books, this book tackles a historical mystery, this time the death and disappearance of the body of Alexander the Great. Berry weaves the death of Alexander from an unknown source into a broader story about AIDS and the search for a cure. There are some very interesting historical facts in this book about Alexander, and Berry only takes liberties where he has to. I came away wanting to read more about the real Alexander the Great, his death and the disappearance of his remains at roughly the same time as the remains of St. Mark reappeared.
I enjoyed this book just as much as the others up until the last couple of chapters. Berry seemed to have difficulty bringing the book to a conclusion and in my opinion drew it out much, much too long. The last couple of chapters I kept asking myself "Why are they doing that? It's just prolonging the book!"
This book isn't great literature by any means. But in my opinion, a book should either entertain or inform, and this one does a bit of both. The characters are believable and so is most of the story. It's an easy read that I would recommend for an airplane or car trip where you just want to sit back and be entertained.
A Pleasant Read July 8, 2008
I enjoyed reading this book. I would not say it is as good as "The Amber Room" or "The Romanov Prophecy", however, it is a good story. Cotton Malone is once again the good guy protaganist. It dragged a little bit in parts and was not as gripping as some of his other novels. There is a fun reference to a James Rollin's character. The next time I hear of a "turtle", I will think of this book.
I would recommend you read it if you like his other stories.
One of History's Greatest Mysteries July 5, 2008
A museum burns in Copenhagen with a fire that is spurred on by water. Two men are killed in Amsterdam after stealing an ancient Greek coin. A dictator who sees herself as the next Alexander the Great is plotting to take over her neighbors in central Asia. An American virologist says he possesses the answer to HIV.
In Steve Berry's third Cotton Malone novel, "The Venetian Betrayal", several elements weave together to tell a story of fear, domination, and the search for historical greatness. Someone has been stealing elephant medallions that portray Alexander the Great. It is suspected that Irina Zovastina, Supreme Minister of the Central Asian Federation, is behind the thefts. Why? Some believe that Zovastina has found the long-lost tomb of Alexander the Great. Meanwhile, an American virologist has discovered a secret that will revolutionize HIV care. But what is his connection with Zovastina? And why has retired US Justice Department agent Cotton Malone, a bookseller in Copenhagen, been dragged into the mess?
Featuring several crazy and evil characters, plot twists, a double- (or triple-) agent, and a quest to solve one of history's greatest mysteries, "The Venetian Betrayal" will keep you glued to its pages until the final surprise.
Another Great Historical Adventure June 18, 2008
I have become a big Steve Berry book, and this one did not disappoint. While I found it to be more adventuresome than historical as compared to his other works, it was just as enjoyable. I'd highly recommend this book and all his others.
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