An American Spy

There are many, many characters in this book and the story is quite complicated. It helped to have re-read The Nearest Exit just before embarking on the "listen"; however, I still found the book quite difficult to follow as a listener. I expect that the book would be a very satisfying "read" because, when confused, I could have gone back to review previous chapters. This being said, I enjoy a good puzzle and An American Spy is one of these. Mr. Pittu is an excellent narrator, making this audiobook one of the best performances I have heard this year.

This is the third in the series and picks up right after

Mr. Pittu's accents are subtle enough to never get in the way of comprehension but still provide a good feel for the nationality of the characters. He never misses the humor or irony inherent in the text.

All three Weaver novels are timely, suspenseful and witty. They are not necessarily an

Fun exciting clever

Yes. Cliffhangers. Steinhauer knows how to keep the story moving.

Voices - does them all uniquely.

Most of it

No

This book is well written, has an excellent and consistently engaging plot and piles a few more layers of personality on the fictional portrait of Milo. While it does not, of course, have the behind-the-Wall Cold War ambiance of the author's books set in an unspecified Soviet Bloc country, the book brings its own lesser joys of time and place. The author's command of the China setting is not so masterly as is his knowledge of Soviet Bloc countries, perhaps expected inasmuch as he has not lived in China but has lived in a former Soviet Bloc nation.

The narrator is quite competent. My only complaint: the ending seemed to be tied up hastily with some all-too-convenient and not entirely satisfying twists.

Overall: certainly worthwhile. I just wish the author could find some means of defying chronology and writing a couple of more Soviet Bloc/1950's novels. But we must all move on, I suppose.

This book is well written, has an excellent and consistently engaging plot and piles a few more layers of personality on the fictional portrait of Milo. While it does not, of course, have the behind-the-Wall Cold War ambiance of the author's books set in an unspecified Soviet Bloc country, the book brings its own lesser joys of time and place. The author's command of the China setting is not so masterly as is his knowledge of Soviet Bloc countries, perhaps expected inasmuch as he has not lived in China but has lived in a former Soviet Bloc nation.

The narrator is quite competent. My only complaint: the ending seemed to be tied up hastily with some all-too-convenient and not entirely satisfying twists.

Overall: certainly worthwhile. I just wish the author could find some means of defying chronology and writing a couple of more Soviet Bloc/1950's novels. But we must all move on, I suppose.

This is a multilayered story told from multiple points of view. There are no superagents-save perhaps a sexy black woman US Spy--rather everyone on all sides are vulnerable and flawed and under pressure from somewhere. In this respect it is a realistic story. It is a thinking persons spy novel. There are many plot twists and most of them are surprises. The reason it does not rate 5 stars is that it goes on a little too long.

I have consumed these three books in as many weeks...and so it was easy to keep the thread of the story throughout. After reading a couple of the other reviews, I thought it was going to be hard to keep the Chinese names straight but because of the excellent narrator, his pronunciation, and his magnificent voices/characters, it wasn't difficult...but I was glad others had indicated that you really had to be on the watch for that.

I will be looking for other books by this author and will stay tuned for the next Milo Weaver book...because I can't imagine Steinhauer won't continue with this troubled and interesting character.

irrelevant question audible, if you want a review stop looking for marketing info,
word 14m word 15

well crafted story line

yes, believable accents for the most part, could use a little work on the Italian

dumb question

can we please get back to a regular review set up, this discourages me from a helpful review to other listeners

Better narration, plot, believable characters. Interesting characters.

Never. Ever.

It was grating, his voice is very nasal and the accents seemed affected. The voice bordered on monotone, the worst possible trait for reading aloud.

I don't have that much time, even in my imagination. Besides, what happens when you cut off a person's arms, legs, and head? The same would happen to this story--- get rid of the slow bits and there's nothing left.

This is the perfect marriage of a book that should not be read aloud and a voice that should not be reading aloud. I gave up after part 1.

This book didn't have as much of the spy-craft aspects like the first two books, but if you had read the other two in the series you-ll probably like this one too. Milo gets a little whiny and he seems a bit indecisive and naive at times, which is contrary to what you would expect from his character.