This is the first title I’ve read from this author and I’m stunned by the skill of his writing. Unlike other intrigue/thriller novels which rely on withholding information and a timely reveal at end, Le Carré offers a completely different experience. What he provides is a series of expanding revelations, impressive in detail and research, combined with fully developed characters whose motivations are sometimes not even known to themselves. I’m about 2/3 of the way in and I never want this ride to end.
Hi all, My dad was an avid reader of John le Carré novels. He told me he wants to get back into the habit of reading but wants to read spy thrillers. He has read all novels by him and is asking me if I know authors similar to him.
PS : I have never posted on this subreddit, but keep coming to it for book recommendations. Thank you so much :)
Hi!!
I'm looking for beautifully written books about spycraft and espionage à la John le Carré but with romance. I would prefer something that takes place anytime post WWI, but am not opposed to earlier historical. I want intrigue, action (although I know technically the le carré books can be minimal on action and focus more on the bureaucratic side of spying - that's ok too, I mainly used his name to indicate vibe and writing quality) romance, suspense, adventure. I am also 100% not interested in mafia books or anything similar. I also prefer heroines that are not super passive, she doesn't have to be a major ass-kicker or anything but she just shouldn't be a shrinking violet. It honestly doesn't even always have to be about spies but just have a similar enough vibe/high enough stakes. Writing quality is very important to me.
I've read some classic romantic suspense books like Mary Stewart, Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters, Elsie Lee, Anne Armstrong Thompson, Carolyn Llewellyn and like them. So that's kind of (but not quite) the vibe I'm going for, but also not married to it. Other books I love that have some adventure or spying that might give you a good idea but aren't necessarily spy related: The Pink Carnation series by Laruen Willig, As You Desire by Connie Brockway.
I have read The Spymaster's Lady and I did not care for it >!(I know people disagree on my reading about this but I really didn't like the bathtub scene and found it to have major consent issues - plus I just didnt like their dynamic at all)!< I just know this sub loves to recommend this book and I thought I would save people some time.
Please no super alpha heroes, I really cannot with them.
Thank you!!
Personally, I'm extremely excited for this! The fact that Silverview is a full-length, complete work is great news, as I was worried that the publishing company would get a different author to do a rewrite, or simply release an unfinished manuscript.
From now on until October, I vow to not read a single plot overview, review, or otherwise, that might affect my enjoyment of this novel. I feel Le Carré's books are best enjoyed with little to no knowledge of the book (Which is why The Spy Who Came in From the Cold is one of my favourites of his), but it's still almost 5 months away, so hey, who knows!
As this sub is new, I thought it would be interesting to see the general consensus on the best Le Carré book.
For me personally, it has to be A Perfect Spy. The way the plot, little by little, unravels details about Pym's life, and how and why he became the way he is, is downright brilliant (and is surprisingly meta for a Le Carré novel). I like how instead of the reader of putting together the pieces of an operation or something of that nature (a lá The Spy Who Came In From The Cold), we're putting together the pieces of a man's lifetime.
I felt emotionally connected to all the characters in APS, much more so than characters from some of his other books, and some passages are so, so well written (particularly Axel's little speech to Pym near the end of the book).
A Perfect Spy, at the end of the day, is as much about spycraft as Citizen Kane is about newspapers. It instead goes deep into themes of love, betrayal, and identity.
I finished it in under a week, which for me is saying something, as I can take much longer for a book half its size. Required reading for any John Le Carré fan.
IT IS FOUND, THANKS SO MUCH TO dr_subtilis
It's a book chapter by Toby Manning from Disgust and Desire: The Paradox of the Monster
URL: https://brill.com/view/book/edcoll/9789004360150/B9789004360150-s004.xml
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004360150_004
E-Book ISBN: 9789004360150
I just finished reading The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. It's my first le Carré book, I picked it up because I read online it's a good one to get started with le Carré, and apparently it's considered to be one of his best works.
However, I felt like the plot was a bit confusing. Before giving up on this genre or le Carré, do you have other recommendations? Something that's maybe a bit easier or straightforward? I would prefer if it were a standalone title.
Thanks!
I've heard his books can be quite dense. Does anyone have recommendations? Thanks!
