The Takeover

by Stephen W. Frey

Book Overview

Hired to spearhead the biggest hostile takeover in Wall Street history, investment banker Andrew Falcon stumbles into a labyrinthine web of high-stakes financial, political, and environmental intrigue... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451184785
• ISBN13: 9780451184788
• Release Date: July 1996
• Publisher: Berkley Books
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 4.2" x 6.9"

Customer Reviews

A good read.

I picked up this book at my school library and I loved it. It's interesting to read and has it's moments of action, cleverness and conflict. Certainly one of my favourites.

This book got me reading more.

I'm 22, in the military and currently in Iraq, and for the first time in about 2-3 years I picked up a book that i thought i might like only out of bordum. And it was by random that i picked up this book. I try to find ways to mentally leave Iraq, even if its for a few minutes, as often as i can. And this book was one that insired me to read more. I used to hate reading and now i love it. Stephen Frey is an awesome writer, and i can't wait to get more of his books in the mail to read.

Highly recommended!

Awesome.I loved this book. I had bought this book second-hand at a street sale because it sounded ok from the description and the reviewer quotes, and also because it was only $1 - and I'm really glad that I did. Right now, I'd definitely include The Takeover in a list of my favorite books. To put it into some context, I'm also a fan of Michael Crichton and Tom Clancy books.This is the first book by Stephen W. Frey that I've read - I will definitely look for and read other books by him.The story is fast-paced and entertaining, and the plot is terrific. One thought that I had as I read it was "This would make a great movie!" And obviously others, including Paramount, thought that too as I believe Paramount has optioned it.The depiction of Wall Street, and its reach into the Federal Reserve, the SEC, the press, and Washington is spot-on. A few years ago I might have thought it far-fetched, but since Bush, Enron, the market action of recent years, etc. I've become much more aware/cynical of how things work in the US and in the world. The Takeover was published in 1995, but I found I related it to recent events and the current corporate and political environment (ie. Enrons, Wall Street scams, CEOs, questionable elections, generally self-enrichment at the expense of the public.) Again, to put this in some context, the author, Stephen W. Frey, is a Wall Street investment banker at the executive level so he's able to provide insights into that world.Wall Street has too much power for my taste and this book reinforced that opinion. Yes, it's fiction, but so was Tom Clancy's Debt of Honor's incredible closing scenario - until it happened.Great read, definitely worth it. This is the first time I've been moved to write a positive review for a book.

Stephen Frey's best work...

Mr. Frey outdid himself in this book. Andrew Falcon is the epitome of the hyper over-achieving investment bankers that control the pursestrings on Wall Street. A million dollar first year bonus? Not good enough for this investment banker. Falcon goes out and tries to start up an internet style company, which through various circumstances, including his former employer's tampering, fails. From there Frey weaves a trap for our hero Falcon, a trap that is ends up involving a Presidential assassination and a super secrete seven society from Harvard (presumably based on the UVA sevens.) While some elements of the story, and even Falcon's abilities, seem to be a bit to extraordinary, Frey still does a superb job in telling it.Of his work, this one is clearly Frey's best and most suspenseful. There were so many details that Frey dove into that made the book really enjoyable.My only real problem is not of this book, but of Frey's other works, which happen to mirror each other. If you have one financial thriller (doesn't that sound like an oxymoron?) to chose from, pick this one and you will be very well rewarded.

Can't wait for the film

I can just imagine Tom Cruise playing the Andrew Falcon (why not Will Smith ?) lead for the screenplay. A real page turner, and brilliant ending. READ ! The "John Grisham" of financial thrillers...

One in a million

Having been a banker myself, I am always disappointed at how badly financial mysteries are researched and don't really capture the dynamics of the market. However, Frey, who is a banker himself, knows exactly what he is writing about. The plot is superb, with its many twists and surprises. This is a book that gives you a glimpse into the high powered world of investment banking and is extremely entertaining, for both insiders and outsiders. I lent the book to my brother, who is an investment banker and never has time to read for pleasure. He read the book in a couple of days and loved it! What else do I need to say?!