The 14th Colony: A Novel (Cotton Malone, 11)

I have read several (If not all) of the Cotton Malone novels over the years, enjoying the depth that Steve Berry brings to his plot lines, the imaginative twists and turns that he deftly weaves into his stories, and the well-developed characters who are both likable and very proficient at their jobs. BUT, the last Cotton Malone novel I read was "The Lincoln Myth: A Novel", a book that seemed to change each of the main characters' assessments of their lives, interactions, and motivations. It was almost as if they weren't on the same page any longer, didn't look at the world the same way, and were actively questioning who they were and what they were still doing with each other.

However, the beginning of "The 14th Colony" seemed to acknowledge these unresolved issues. As the plot developed, our small group of talented friends were drawn back together (one by one) to create a unified force against an attempt by members of the old KGB to pay America back for helping to force the dissolution of the old USSR in the 1980's. Those of us old enough to remember the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the collapse of the Iron Curtain are treated to some very insightful perspectives that we haven't previously been exposed to. Mr. Berry also adds historical facts concerning the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the attempts that the United States made to invade Canada. That's correct, we actually invaded Canada! If you are interested in learning more about the history of our young country, told in an interesting and very entertaining way, read this book.

Please understand that I am not referring to this novel as a history book with a few interesting notes thrown in. A much more accurate description would be to call this a very entertaining and engaging historical thriller with some unique facts included. Mr. Berry is an acclaimed writer of historical thrillers who sometimes bends the facts a little to enhance his story. What has always interested me greatly is the last section of each book that he calls "Writer's Notes". In this addendum he always specifically explains what is historical fact, what is supposition, and how he may have included various events that were either fabricated by himself or that actually happened in some other context. I find this last section to always be as entertaining and informative as his story, and I always learn something new about our history -- as strange as it may be.

Deserves zero stars, but scale does not work that way. This is a novel that should not have been published. Plot and character development were nil and better suited to a short story. The dialog was poor throughout the book, but especially in the fictional conversation between John Paul II and Reagan. Berry's books have been steadily getting worse and I have written some negative reviews in the past. I suppose it has been foolish of me to keep reading them, but I kept hoping Berry would return to the quality of his earliest books, particularly those not featuring Cotton Malone.

Likewise, the socio-political commentary was nonsense. Consider the description on page 98 about the founding of the Society of Cincinnati's: "America's mistreatment of war veterans seemed to stay in the news. But the shame was nothing new. It actually started in 1783 when the Revolutionary War ended." What nonsense. First, prior to the Constitution, there was no America to support veterans. Subsequent to the Constitution, one of Hamilton's goals was to provide a financial platform for the federal government to provide for the payment of monies owed to soldiers. Second, in the following text regarding Henry Knox and the founding of the Society, it is made clear that the Society was for officers so this organization had no intent to provide for all veterans. Very much a non-sequitur by the author.

I enjoyed the non-Cotton Malone novels very much; the Malone stories have steadily deteriorated in quality both regarding plot and character use and description. I will not read future Malone novels, but I likely will consider stand alone novels.

Actually, I would probably rank this as 3.5, but since I have since learned that 3 is considered a negative review, I went with a 4.

Berry always introduces some fascinating little known historical tidbits in his books. In this case, it's how often the US has comtemplated invading CANADA, (the 14th Colony referenced in the title). I did recall a fruitless invasion of Canada during the war of 1812, but evidently, in the 200 years since, we have had numerous plans to invade our northern neighbor, most recently in 1940, when we were concerned that if Britain fell to the Nazis, the Canadians would submit as well, and we wanted to control the Atlantic ports to avoid any Nazi occupation forces.

Although a fascinating tidbit, Canada is only a secondary character in the book, as it was the "home" of a covert Soviet agent who went "dark" at the end of the Cold War, and who kept a handful of suitcase dirty bombs from that era. Berry then goes into the vague, and potentially dangerous, provisions for Presidential succession that STILL exists, and how bitter ex-Soviet agents looked to exploit those weaknesses with an Inauguration Day assassination plot.

I won't go into any more details but to say that it is fast paced, with believable characters, so if you're looking into a political thriller with some nifty historical tidbits to whet your appetite, you'll enjoy this book.

I have really enjoyed all of Berry's previous books, but this one disappoints. Even with the regular characters from previous books present I failed to get involved with the plot. I almost stopped reading twice thinking I was not enjoying the book enough to continue. However, I did finish the book. Finally, about half way through the book the reader learns what the book title means. Somehow the situations were not compelling as in Berry's previous books. As always I really appreciate his epilogues where he shares what is true and what he created.

When the novel's premise is that both a newly-elected president and vice president might be targeted for assassination by rogue former KGB types, taking advantage of flaws in our presidential succession act, that already requires a big, big leap of faith, even for a dedicated thriller reader. Add to that the need to accept the involvement of a secret society dating back to the foundation of the republic (sigh, yes another one of those), and all kinds of conspiracies stretching from the Cold War and Poland to the 14th colony of the title, and you've got a thriller mashup beyond compare.

Which is kind of the problem for me. The plot darts back and forth; characters race hither and yon; planes are shot down from the sky; throats are slit; many, many guns are fired. The action is non-stop and if that's what you're looking for, there is plenty of it. And Berry's research ensures that it isn't completely implausible. The flip side? I just feel that I've been here before (and I have). Hero Cotton Malone keeps saving the world, and magically rescuing himself from many dire predicaments. There are few real shockers here; the villains are villains and the heroes are superheroes, with righteous intentions and the ability to outwit devious opponents at home and abroad. I think that's fine in a stand-alone thriller, or in a shorter book, but with a 400-page plus entry that happens to be the 11th in a series, I'm ready to holler "uncle", I have discovered.

Don't misunderstand. It's entertaining enough; it's dramatic. It's just that if you looked up "formula fiction" in some dictionary somewhere, you'd find this as a perfect example. And there's nothing wrong with a formula, but sometimes even that gets weary, when you can pretty much predict precisely what a character will say or do before turning the page. And that's not great in a book that promises suspense; whose pages you want to be turning eagerly, unable to wait to see what happens next.

So, it was merely OK; a way to pass some time. It certainly doesn't stand comparison with Berry's earliest novels, or even his stand-alone books. I'm all in favor of light entertainment, but I like it to offer real tension and convincing characters, not personalities who never really seem to evolve. I understand that is what many other readers DO like, and I'm sure that those fans will find that this book is precisely to their taste. I'll keep read in hopes of finding something more to my taste, and the perfect suspense novel for me for 2016. This wasn't it...

Despite having written a great deal of fiction, Steve Berry still hasn't got the hang of it. Even with surface to air missiles and numerous shootouts, fights and slit throats, not to mention the threat of assassinating most of the US government, this novel never generates any significant sense of tension, adventure or excitement. The historical reflections that are necessary to develop the thin plot serve also to further slow the pace, which eventually stumbles to an easily predictable conclusion. Read it if you have nothing better to do. On the other hand, find something better to do.

I won't go into what the book is about; the cover jacket does that pretty well. I ruminate my thoughts, however.

This was supposed to be the end of the trilogy that started with Cotton Malone #9. With the way this book ended, it could be.

As always, Mr. Berry's writing is taut with suspense. Nail-biting suspense. As you run through countries with members of the Magellan Billet, you don't have time to stop and enjoy the scenery, even though Mr. Berry lays it out for us.

It's Danny's last day as president. That's bittersweet. What happens during his last week is pretty much what this book is about. Stephanie plans to leave everything and everyone behind. WHAT?? Then the Soviet plans come through, and even though the team has been treated pretty shabbily by the incoming administration, they all decide this last one is for Danny. Now Cotton is pretty good at getting himself out of tight places, this time he literally couldn't. He needed help, and that's the first time I ever recall him needing this kind of help.

I really, really liked this book. After a few years, I may read it again. I only ever do that with two authors: Stephen King and Tom Clancy. I think I'll be putting Berry on the list as well.

Steve Berry is one of the best writers of our generation. His mix of Historical facts and suspenseful action blend to make great books to read. His development of the characters make you feel like you know the people as friends and foes. I find myself always waiting for his next book!

I always enjoy books that tie history or legend to modern day affairs and that's why I read Steve Berry. Cotton Malone has visited and had an impact on numerous UNESCO historical sites but has also exposed readers to countries and cultures we might not otherwise know.
He has become more US centric in recent books, which is fine. The thought that the amendment allowing the collection of taxes may not have been ratified was great. The idea that Lincoln overstepped his authority is so modern. But the idea of a secret society developing war plans for the US just wasn't that exciting to me even with the terrorism implications.
A good read with some educational information but not my favorite of his stories.

I wish I could say that the historical background of these novels was the reason I keep coming back to them. That may have been what got me interested but, at this point, the history has become weaker and secondary. Instead, these Cotton Malone thrillers have basically become a literary soap opera for me. I’m basically interested in how the relationships are going to develop in the face of gonzo action.

To his credit, Mr. Berry has created a credible alternate history world filled with interesting characters. Cotton & Cassiopeia, Stephanie & Danny, and Luke are the recurring characters (and couples) of interest. Zorin, Petrova, and Kelly are the baddies this time around—aging, disgruntled Soviets who want to turn their Cold War defeat into a victory. The only complaint I have here is that Cotton Malone, once the fascinating star of this series, has become little more that part of an ensemble.

The plot revolves around old plans to invade Canada (the 14th colony) that contain a secret, suitcase nukes, and the order of presidential succession. Fortunately, by his choice of plot, Mr. Berry has been able to soft pedal his politics, which did some damage to a few of his recent novels. Other than a bit of Ronald Reagan hero worship, he can bash away at the Soviets with little chance of turning off many of his readers.

All in all, Mr. Berry has fallen into a groove of turning out solid thrillers. If they aren’t quite as interesting and exciting as the earliest Malone novels; well, that is to be expected. Finding good history is harder and, as our knowledge of the characters grows, it’s tougher to find interesting character stuff to dig into. Hence, the pairing off of the couples and the more soap opera-like feel to the relationships. Still, they are fun reads.