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Title: Smiley's People by John le Carre ISBN: 0-671-04276-9 Publisher: Pocket Books Pub. Date: 01 February, 2000 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.6 (15 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: A disappointing book with an artificial ending
Comment: TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY is one of the best fictions I've ever read. The 'sequel' THE HOURABLE SCHOOLBOY - which is really an independent story in its own right - disappointed me but that did not stop me from getting this third book. Again I was disappointed.
Part of the reason is probably because I am familiar with le Carre's bag of tricks by now. The repetitous moralizings, for one, which I enjoyed in TINKER, TAILOR where he compared the traitor in the intelligence network to the lost of heart of the British Empire - when the grandeur of the empire could no longer inspire loyal subjects. However, in SMILEY's PEOPLE, we caught le Carre moralizing for the sake of moralizing even when there was nothing to moralize about. He simply overdid it this time.
SMILEY'S PEOPLE could be rightly called the sequel to TINKER, TAILOR and as such, resolved what le Carre started in that book, namely the rivalry between Smiley and Karla. I find the ending artificial and rather unconvincing. It was as if this book was only written to justify Smiley's assertion in the first book: something about Karla's extremity will bring about his end.
There are still good things in this book. For example, we are gradually shown that Smiley has become a bit of the monster he has been fighting - his cutting off from Ann, a glimmer of quick temperedness, and not wanting to recover the lighter from Ann. One cannot help but wonders what will become of him had there been another book on Smiley of a later day.
I am still a great fan of John le Carre and will probably re-read TINKER, TAILOR. I really miss the organic, believable and unforgettable characters such as Jim Prideaux and Roach.
Rating: 5
Summary: The best book John le Carre has written so far.
Comment: This is in my opinion, and I have read every one of John le Carre's novels and have written a book about them, his finest book. It features le Carre's most memorable character, George Smiley, on his ultimate quest for his nemesis Karla. "The last scene, the dnouement of both this novel and the trilogyis, I believe, the most moving that le Carre has written. Like a narrative laser beam, it poignantly fuses the themes [dealt with in his novels] in a concentrated drama." (Myron J. Aronoff, The Spy Novels of John le Carre: Balancing Ethics and Politics, St. Martin's, 1999).
Rating: 5
Summary: More than just a spy novel
Comment: Tinker, tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley's People are the greatest espionage novels. Not only are they exceptionally well plotted, but are explorations into the ultimately self destructive characters of divided men. These two novels should be read after reading may other thriller/espionage novels, otherwise few other tales will meet expectations.
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Title: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carre ISBN: 0743457900 Publisher: Scribner Pub. Date: 01 October, 2002 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: The Honourable Schoolboy by John le Carre ISBN: 0671042742 Publisher: Pocket Books Pub. Date: 01 February, 2000 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: The Spy Who Came In from the Cold by John le Carre ISBN: 0743442539 Publisher: Scribner Pub. Date: 01 December, 2001 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: The Looking Glass War by John Le Carre ISBN: 0743431707 Publisher: Scribner Pub. Date: 01 March, 2002 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: Call for the Dead by John le Carre ISBN: 0743431677 Publisher: Scribner Pub. Date: 01 February, 2002 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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