The Lincoln Myth: A Novel (Cotton Malone Book 9) by Steve Berry (MOBI)

Description

September 1861: All is not as it seems. With these cryptic words, a shocking secret passed down from president to president comes to rest in the hands of Abraham Lincoln. And as the first bloody clashes of the Civil War unfold, Lincoln alone must decide how best to use this volatile knowledge: save thousands of American lives, or keep the young nation from being torn apart forever?

The present: In Utah, the fabled remains of Mormon pioneers whose nineteenth-century expedition across the desert met with a murderous end have been uncovered. In Washington, D.C., the official investigation of an international entrepreneur, an elder in the Mormon church, has sparked a political battle between the White House and a powerful United States senator. In Denmark, a Justice Department agent, missing in action, has fallen into the hands of a dangerous zealot—a man driven by divine visions to make a prophet’s words reality. And in a matter of a few short hours, Cotton Malone has gone from quietly selling books at his shop in Denmark to dodging bullets in a high-speed boat chase.

All it takes is a phone call from his former boss in Washington, and suddenly the ex-agent is racing to rescue an informant carrying critical intelligence. It’s just the kind of perilous business that Malone has been trying to leave behind, ever since he retired from the Justice Department. But once he draws enemy blood, Malone is plunged into a deadly conflict—a constitutional war secretly set in motion more than two hundred years ago by America’s Founding Fathers.

From the streets of Copenhagen to the catacombs of Salzburg to the rugged mountains of Utah, the grim specter of the Civil War looms as a dangerous conspiracy gathers power. Malone risks life, liberty, and his greatest love in a race for the truth about Abraham Lincoln—while the fate of the United States of America hangs in the balance.

User’s Reviews

From Booklist Cotton Malone’s old boss at the Justice Department asks a favor: go into Sweden and pull out a man, Barry Kirk, who could have key information about the disappearance of an agent. Almost immediately after Cotton gets Kirk out of the country, someone tries to kill them. As it turns out, Kirk is connected to a high-profile international businessman who’s the target of a Justice Department investigation (and who might be behind the disappearance of the missing agent). The latest Malone novel sticks closely to the series format: Cotton gets mixed up in a historical mystery that has dire implications in the present day (in this case, a U.S. senator who is a high-ranking Mormon elder has ambitious plans that trace their origins to Abraham Lincoln). Berry keeps the story moving at a steady pace, giving us enough time to get to know the characters but not enough time to pay close attention to the more implausible elements of the plot. Fans of the series and of historically based conspiracies will enjoy the book, even if it breaks no new ground. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Berry has 15 million books in print; he has been translated into 40 languages; and his titles have sold in 51 countries. That’s called reach. –David Pitt –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Review Praise for Steve Berry and his Cotton Malone series “In Malone, [Steve] Berry has created a classic, complex hero.”—USA Today “Malone, a hero with a personal stake in the proceedings, is a welcome respite from the cold, calculating superspies who litter the genre.”—Entertainment Weekly “Steve Berry gets better and better with each new book.”—The Huffington Post “Savvy readers . . . cannot go wrong with Cotton Malone.”—Library Journal “Berry raises this genre’s stakes.”—The New York Times “I love this guy.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child –This text refers to the paperback edition.

Reviews from Amazon users, collected at the time the book is getting published on UniedVRG. It can be related to shiping or paper quality instead of the book content:

⭐ Disagree on so much of the premise of the book and the message it sends in these times. I think the author used his character to present a set of ideas that seem to encourage people to think of secession as a viable answer to a states issue with national authority. So the story is often mentioned as a way to promote possible secession. The story is good enough to stand on the line, but the author continues to push forward what our founding fathers knew would be a prob,em if it ever came to pass: a bunch of new, independent states that would act as countries, forming a chaos unheard of in our time. Unfortunate that the author used this forum to espouse such an unproductive way to solve problems: take our ball and go home (secede).That being said, it is a work of fiction, and I am ordering the next book in the series as I finish this. However, I have little patience for authors who think that adding a story line that confuses and confounds the reader, I will not be long for this author.

⭐ Read Steve Berry’s “The Lincoln Myth” and you can forget everything you ever learned about American history, especially the time of Lincoln and the Civil War. But that’s ok, it’s good to study historical events from another perspective. Berry often combines what we accept as history as taught to us in school with a few fictional characters and a few real characters to remind us of what we learned many years ago and most likely forgot. In this book, he involves the Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) with the shaping of historical events in this country. As well, we are informed that there are many “secrets” passed from one leader to the next. I only gave four stars because I came to the point that there were too many details presented which began to confuse me (old age, you know). Otherwise, it’s another page-turner from which you might get a whole new perspective on American history.

⭐ In my 78 years I had never seriously considered the frailty of the greatest documentation of the most humane and supportive governing structure in history—the Constitution if the United States of America. Even during the surreal five years of the candidacy and subsequent struggle of America to survive the nonexistent leadership of the grossly incompetent, evil psychosociopathic sycophant who occupied 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, did I allow myself to even fantasize a world without the direction and hope that the appearance of invincibility that our Constitution has projected.Now, thanks to Mr. Berry’s perceptive revelation of reality in this very readable historicalnovel format, I recognize the immediate urgency of of a renewal and resurgence of the talent and energy of our founding leadership. Except this time the leadership will be able to include the talent and energy that only the presence and strength of diversity can and will provide.

⭐ Cotton Malone can’t be allowed to retire and stay retired. And for that, we should all be glad.In this book, the ninth in the series, he is pulled once again out of his bookstore in Denmark to help rescue an informant carrying critical intelligence. Ad soon he is drawn into a mystery involving Abraham Lincoln, the American Constitution and the Church of Later-Day Saints. For it was back in 1861, that Lincoln made a choice dealing with a secret passed down from the very beginnings of the country.Soon it is a battle and a race between the White House and a power United States senator and Mormon. The finish could very well change the entire nation. this time its more a mental challenge — although there is plenty of action — as Cotton has to decide who is with him and who is not, who can he trust and will a special relationship of his be forever broken.

⭐ Educational without being dull (true of all Steve Berry books I’ve read to date) engaging and thought provoking. Unsettling historically on several levels, As often the case when I read Berry’s books, I’ll reading more about our Constitution, other issues. There’s history as we’re taught in school, more palatable than the reality-based HISTORY for which others more driven and better suited often delve.Often, unlike Berry and others of his ilk, those talented historical explorer don’t often present their findings in a way which holds our attention or makes a strong impression.That Berry and others can is a mixed blessing. He challenges you to loosen your holds on what you believe to be true and accept that there are other possibilities. ..

⭐ Like other Cotton Malone books, of which I am a fan, there’s a lot of thud and blunder and fun and it’s a quick read. I’m happy to go through the process of reading these books, and usually enjoy my ride.Unfortunately for this one I know a little bit of the history Berry is basing his story on, and the fictional part of the history just doesn’t hold up.I’ll try not to spoil, but at this point if you really care about believability you should stop reading. Move to the next review.The fictional history is that the members of the Constitutional Convention in 1787 were worried that without the right to secession the government created by the Constitution would be doomed. So to gain the approval of all the remaining Conventioneers (many had left by the time it was done, and some never arrived) James Madison arranged to have the final signators to the Convention sign a document outlining that states had the right to secede from the Union if the federal government got too draconian or whatever.This is treated in the book as a document that would actually allow states to secede as part of the Constitution, as if it were an integral part of the Constitution itself.Which is hogwash.The men in the Constitutional Convention had no authority to create a federal government whatsoever. The document they produced — the Constitution of the United States of America — had no power at all when they signed it. It meant nothing unless the states agreed to it and decided that this was to be the structure of the federal government.But in Berry’s fiction the LEFT OUT THE RIGHT TO SECEDE. Not one state agreed to the right to secede when they agreed to participate in the US Constitution. Not one new state — 37 of them — that have joined the Union since the US Constitution was adopted voted on this fictional document regarding secession.So the entire basis of the conflict in this book is that fewer than 60 men in 1787 agreed to the right to secession but were unwilling to actually write it into the Constitution they proposed and that was adopted by the states would have the power of law in the 21st Century.Which is ridiculous.Still, there’s lots of chases and fights and guns and thievery and skullduggery so the book is fun.But as an actual story on what would occur should his fiction have actually happened, it’s a joke.

⭐ Berry has a knack for writing decent action and dialogue, so his books remain interesting reads on a page-by-page basis, but he has absolutely no concept of creating a decent plot. As happens with nearly every book he has written, I get to the end when the big reveal finally happens and I am left thinking “That’s it? THAT’S the big secret that people are willing kill for?”It’s the same in every book. The story flows well, but the underlying mystery is so thin, contrived, and well, anti-climactic, that the whole book leaves me wondering why I keep reading Steve Berry.Aide from that, this particular book takes far too many liberties with characters who are previously well-defined. They act completely out of character throughout the story. As a stand-alone, it would be okay, but as a continuation of series, it’s an almost unforgivable and quite lazy lack of consistency by the author.

⭐ I was a history /language major in college, so Berry’s books were apparently written for me. I love how well each of his books is so full of history, as well as world folklore. I also love the length of his books. It always seems daunting to begin each new novel because they are very complicated. However, once you get tuned into the complicated first third or so you cannot put the book down! I don’t like short novels. I am anxious to read he next! Thank you!!

⭐ Yet again, with The Lincoln Myth, Steve Berry has written a book that demonstrates the depth of research and physical effort he goes into in order to write his Cotton Malone (and other) adventures. This time, Berry takes the reader to Malone’s bookstore and other environs around Copenhagen as well as Washington, Utah, Salzburg and Denmark. He also takes us back in time to the years when Abraham Lincoln was President of the USA and made a fraught decision that would save the fledgling nation. Lincoln’s decision remained a secret, one passed down from President to President. It’s a secret that could alter the very fabric of the Constitution, and would have terrible repercussions if it was ever divulged. This is the premise on which The Lincoln Myth is based – that, and other popular misconceptions about Lincoln – the man and his motives – as well as the early Mormons, the persecution they suffered and their efforts to escape intolerance. This great secret connects the Mormons, Lincoln and the Constitution, but if it were every divulged it could rend not just history and various iconic figures, but start a war. So why would anyone want to expose it?Well, they do, and the clock is ticking. It’s up to supposedly retired Cotton and a new and unwilling side-kick (and in many ways, a younger version of Malone himself) to save the day. Making appearances again are his boss, Stephanie, who is more frustratingly elusive than usual, the gorgeous Cassiopeia Witt, and a seemingly naïve but likeable Master of History student. Along with the women, there’s a maniacal Spaniard, and some fairly orthodox Mormons. Let the games begin.Divided on lines similar to the Civil War, instead of North and South, we have Pro Malone and Against Malone and Berry tries to persuade us that sometimes it’s hard to tell who is rooting for who… but it isn’t that difficult. As I’ve found with his last couple of books, Berry sacrifices story-telling and sometimes it appears, even character development in order to cram a lot of didactic information into his tale. Whereas the history of the Mormon Church is fascinating and its relationship to the Constitution unusual as is his version of the politics surrounding the Civil War, I found my eyes glazing over as long-winded conversations and explanations continued. It was like the book was taken over by a boring professor and the drama teacher was kicked out of the classroom. The action (which Berry does very well) ground to a halt and we were provided with yet another history lesson in lieu of the stuff exciting books are made on. I speed-read pages of this novel just so I could get to the part that mattered which is, after all, the interaction between the major characters, the heart of the tale, and the thickening plot. Both were thin on the ground in what could have been a rollicking story.I also found Cassiopeia – a terrific character – to be a wee bit shallow here. How could her affections change so abruptly? And for an intelligent woman who is practiced in espionage and the duplicity of seemingly good people, she was quite ready to believe the worst of someone who has proven himself and the best of someone she hasn’t seen in years. That grated.I never really believed in the potential of a Civil War to erupt, no matter how much history and evidence was pushed down my throat – and I think that was the main problem for me here. I so love Cotton and the other familiar characters Berry uses, but I didn’t love this adventure. It was duller than most and unconvincing almost from the beginning. Two and a half stars.

⭐ I thoroughly enjoy reading the Cotton Malone books and always mark my calendar with notations in anticipation of the next C.M. book coming down the pipeline. However, ( I feel really guilty saying this) I feel like this book lost it’s luster pretty quickly for me. The book moved along at a decent pace, but the “fear of secession” storyline did absolutely nothing for me, it simply wasn’t exciting to me and I couldn’t get myself to feel the emotions of the characters. Maybe I mentally checked myself out of the book as soon I didn’t see a danger to the entire world, or didn’t feel the danger and excitement reading that I have felt during my readings of the other Cotton Malone books. Whatever it was, I was unable to feel the characters fears and triumphs like I normally do in a C.M. story. All in alI, I think the Lincoln Myth was a very well written book with plenty of interesting historical facts intermingled with varying degrees of danger and suspense, but I feel as though the level of danger and suspense was lacking when compared to the other Cotton Malone books.If you’ve never read a cotton Malone book, pick this one up, its still hands down better than most other action/suspense books out there.

Keywords

Free Download The Lincoln Myth: A Novel (Cotton Malone Book 9) in MOBI format
The Lincoln Myth: A Novel (Cotton Malone Book 9) MOBI Free Download
Download The Lincoln Myth: A Novel (Cotton Malone Book 9) 2014 MOBI Free
The Lincoln Myth: A Novel (Cotton Malone Book 9) 2014 MOBI Free Download
Download The Lincoln Myth: A Novel (Cotton Malone Book 9) MOBI
Free Download Ebook The Lincoln Myth: A Novel (Cotton Malone Book 9)