Recently reread this as I remember enjoying it a lot first time around (about 25+ years ago). While the sexist stereotypes and language really jump out now where they didn't then, it's still a really fun fast story.

I think Ludlum was obsessed with big boobies.

This is a really cheesy book. Funny. But cheesy. It's about Mackenzie Hawkins, who was kick out of the U.S Army on potentially trumped up charges, and decides to do a little something that'll ensure a safe retirement.

Hawkins tries to ensure that the kidnapping he arranges is as above board as possible (like I said it's a comedy), so he uses the lawyer who minimised the issues related his army exist to help. Much of the comedy comes from this relationship.

It's a silly book. It's an easy read, but it's not exactly Dickens or Shakespeare.

It's dated and misogynistic (numerous female characters are referred to primarily by their bosom size and shape) but the plot itself is fun.

It's rare that I don't finish reading a book, but I had to with this one. As much as I love Ludlum's body of work (the Bourne series is a favorite), his attempt at writing a humorous "thriller" just plain didn't work for me. I stopped about one-third of the way through, just when it might be getting interesting (the Mafia got involved), but I was so tired of the cartoonish General Hawkins that I couldn't go any further.

If you're a Ludlum fan and haven't read this book, don't bother unless you like humor that's not very funny.

Couldnt rally get into this book at all. I admit I wasnt feeling well when I started to read it. But it was by far the worst Ludlum book I have read. I don't recomend it.

Gandolfo is Ludlum at his least serious (it was originally published under a psuedonym). General Mac Hawkins is unceremoniously, though deservingly, booted out of the army for extremely rude behavior. With the unwilling help of his military attorney Sam Devereaux, Hawkins hatches a plot to kidnap the Pope and extract a ransom from the Catholic church. Mac has the help of his four ex-wives, who have a knack for showing up in exactly the right place at exactly the right time.

This book was enjoyable, and it had its humorous moments. The best characters are Pope Francesco and his cousin Giovanni Bombalini, and the sub-plot involving Francesco's desire to humanize the church adds a nice touch to the book.

Aside from that, the book was clearly written in a different era. The portrayal of Hawkins' wives as stereotypical supervixens probably wouldn't work today.

I wouldn't say this book is a must-read, but if you want to see a different side of Ludlum, it's worth checking out.

One more note, mostly for myself: I think I read this book once before, but it wasn't marked as read on GoodReads, so I read it again.

Did anyone count how many times the word Goddammit makes its appearance in this book? I almost did. I had trouble keeping up with the characters, found the story to drag at times and had a very hard time finishing it. Tbh I don't even know why I gave this 3 stars when I did.