The Spies of Warsaw

Lt. Col. Mercier is a complex yet loveable man, who is highly intelligent and thrust into a benign role as handler prior to WWI in Warsaw. The plot which draws him into an ever tightening circle of intrigue dovetails unexpectedly and omniously with the feel of a true story prior to the invasion of Poland during WWII. What is best about Alan Furst's books, especially this one is that you are immediately in Warsaw and Paris in Springtime, at that time at that moment, every detail, every nuance enriches the story.

This is as advertised: He takes you back into a very specific time. The narrative moves quickly and keeps you interested. The plotting is adequate but the atmosphere is the best part.

I stick to nonfiction and cross over to fiction when I can learn about historical context or aparticular topic (Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth was my last venture into fiction). This book is interesting and well read. However, it is also a good example of description. The character studies, images of places and era are all good. The reading is excellent. The book will be worthwhile for those interested in such fiction.

Very good. A typical Furst book. A lot of historical background and a leisurely pace with plenty of suspense.

They're different? I listened to the audio version and the story line seemed rather disconnected.

Not yet, but I do like his writing.

The journey to look at the german's military preparation and entering the area where the tank traps were buried.

It was full of moments of suspense. I held my breath in anticipation several times.

The sex scenes tended to separate the novel into two parts. Though they were well-developed and well written, they seemed obligatory and that made me cringe.

The historical background in this book was interesting, but it's not what you're looking for in a spy novel. The only suspense in this book was waiting for some plot to develop. I kept waiting for a point to be made, but it never materialized.

This story about a mid-level Polish spy was engaging and full of intrigue and romance.

The narrator did a good job.

Highly recommend.

I agree with Doug. If this book moved any slower, it would be moving backwards. Nothing happens, and I mean NOTHING. It's all "atmosphere." Listen at your own peril; you've been warned.

I found this to be one of the slowest boring books i have downloaded in quite a few years. Maybe its just me, but I almost tossed it many times during the course of the book, and wish I had by the time it ended.