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The Looking Glass War
- Narrated by: Michael Jayston
- Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins
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Summary
Once, the distinctions were clear: the Circus handled all things political while the Department dealt with matters military. But over the years the power and influence had passed to the Circus. Now suddenly the department had a job on its hands. Uncertain evidence suggested Soviet missiles being put in place near the German border, while vital film had gone missing and a courier was dead. The Department had to find an old hand to prove its mettle. Fred Leiser, German-speaking Pole turned Englishman and a qualified radio-operator, must be called back to the colours and sent East…
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What listeners say about The Looking Glass War
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Overall
- Kindle Customer
- 14-03-13
The Looking Glass War
This is another brilliant novel by le Carre. It is beautifully written and narrated, to the extent that you almost feel that you are there. I really enjoy the sense of history, little comments like working out the conversion from yards to meters, that really draws you into the book. The plot, as always, is suspense filled and engaging and is revealed through the eyes of several different charters, with different priorities and view points about the unfolding events. Le Carre has the ability to make the reader care abut his characters, regardless if the reaction is positive or negative and writes in a way that most often inspires sympathy for opposing characters turning things that are seen as faults by one character into an understandable reaction due to background and situation by another. I usually prefer to read fantasy but picked up a Le Carre in my teens and the sheer quality of his writing keeps me unable to put his books down, despite this being and area I am usually uninterested in reading.
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21 people found this helpful
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- Steve Hocking
- 03-01-18
Great presentation
I enjoyed the presentation of the story, the narration was superb. The story I enjoyed less. It’s a tale from another era, it’s engaging but ultimately sad and depressing. It’s not one I would ever want to revisit. For die hard fans only.
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11 people found this helpful
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- FD
- 23-10-17
Not one of Le Carré’s best
This is a rather protracted novel. What would have been an excellent short story has been over extended with the result that rather a lot of nothing happens for much of the book. The narrative arc shares some similarities with The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, but I found it far less compelling.
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5 people found this helpful
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- eatough1999
- 22-11-17
Dull
I usually enjoy le Carré, but try as I might my mind wanders off.. giving up on this one.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Kim
- 21-07-15
Coming into form
Where does The Looking Glass War rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
about midway
Who was your favorite character and why?
Harry, he was the most realistic.
Have you listened to any of Michael Jayston’s other performances? How does this one compare?
yes, it's on a par, he is an excellent reader.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
no
Any additional comments?
This comment is spoiler, don't read if you have yet to enjoy the story!
I felt the story's premise was good, but the lead character had no good reason for killing the guard which led to his demise and the failure of the mission, which seemed to be a put up job by the Russians anyway, but this was never clarified, perhaps intentionally. However it seemed a bit contrived towards the end, still very good, but not up to the standard of drama later achieved in the likes of tinker tailor and smiley's people.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Timothy C
- 27-06-18
Better than the reading by Le Carre!
Seeing the mixed reviews I nearly didn't buy this, especially as I already had the earlier edited version (on cassette) narrated by the author himself - which is ok but not earth shattering... I'm so glad I took the plunge. Michael Jayston is a superb reader, with excellent voice characterisation. The writing is first rate, and although not a thrill fest, the detail in the story is totally believable. Best advice - don't visit East Germany wearing hair oil!
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2 people found this helpful
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- Daniel W. Wright
- 23-09-21
A melancholic masterpiece.
One of my favourite Le Carré novels. You know how it’s all going to end, there are no twists and no false narratives. Just the gnawing melancholy of inevitability.
Wonderful.
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1 person found this helpful
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- "lordblueglass"
- 20-08-21
Solid performance of a smaller Le Carre work
The Looking Glass War (LGW) is one of the smaller works in Le Carre's Smiley canon - it comes between the two better and bigger works, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. George Smiley himself appears often enough to be a character in his own right, but this is not a Smiley books. It was written (according to Le Carre himself) as mild rebuke to those readers of Spy Who Came In who over-read, or over-empathised, with his flawed characters as heroes of the Cold War. The main dramatis personae of LGW are most certainly not heroic: pompous old men, callow youths, the passed-over and the past-it, the narration (in the hands and voice of sterling Le Carre regular Michael Jayston) moves its characters from the military intelligence team 'The Department' (forever competing with their more competent rivals in The Circus) straight through a series of red flags into the arms of inevitable chaos. Michael Jayston is expert at his work, as always, and if the plot just occasionally sags in places, Jayston keeps up the pace and tension to make this a worthwhile and fulfilling read.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Karl
- 17-06-21
le Carré goes Proust
Skinny plot stretched out....still well written. Feels like the author was out to prove a point...Michael Jayston saves the day.
Not on par with Absolute Friends.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Misspelt
- 24-08-18
Espionage on a shoestring
The Brits think they have enough but one department, feeling under-valued, tries to run a job it has no business doing. The circus is involved but you'll need to make your own mind up as to what they did. Good story, good narration, just lacked a bit of tension at some points.
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1 person found this helpful