Smiley's People

George Smiley Novels, Book 7

De: John Le Carré

Narrado por: Simon Vance

… the narrative is grand, the dialogue is even better, and best of all is the warm, sadly ironic intelligence that colors even the tiniest of encounters. —Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

When General Vladimir, a Soviet defector, is brutally murdered in London's Hampstead Heath on his way to meet a junior Circus agent, George Smiley finds himself being pulled from retirement—again. As Vladimir's former case officer, Smiley has the privilege of cleaning up and burying the the mess.

But one last message from the general, sent just before he died, hints at a major operation led by spymaster Karla, Smiley's Soviet counterpart. Thrust back into the world of Cold War espionage in pursuit of his longtime nemesis, Smiley assembles a small team of trusted operatives to unearth the deceit and corruption that Karla has sown across Europe—from the shadowy streets of Paris and Hamburg to the corridors of power in London and Moscow.

Over the course of the investigation, Smiley discovers a piece of intelligence that has long eluded him: Karla's weakness. The price of using it, however, tests the limits of even Smiley's ruthlessness. As the game of cat-and-mouse approaches its finale, and with the geopolitical landscape of Europe hanging in the balance, Smiley will be forced to confront the darkest corners of his own soul.

The seventh George Smiley novel from lauded spy novelist John le Carré, one in which all his considerable skills are in evidence (The New York Times), Smiley's People follows Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Honourable Schoolboy, marking the third and final installment in the Karla Trilogy. With le Carré's intricate compassion, the battle of wits between the two no-men of no-man's-land—fraught with questions about loyalty and betrayal, as well as the human cost of espionage—comes to its breathtaking conclusion.

©1979 David Cornwell (P)2024 Dreamscape Media

Perfect!

George Smiley is the ultimate, understated, studious spy. John Le Carrie takes the reader right there. The reader gets to ride on the shoulders of George while he carefully unwinds the spider’s web.

Stunning Conclusion to the Karla Trilogy

The previous two books are excellent but this one surpasses them. Brilliant right up to its crowning final words, the story embodies the peak of LeCarre’s genius. Narrator Simon Vance delivers a near flawless performance. I have nothing but superlatives to describe the experience of listening late into the night to this compelling book.

Excellent Book and Performance

A very satisfying conclusion to the “Karla trilogy.” Tinker Tailor is still the masterpiece, but this one comes a strong second. Le Carré writes like a dream-weaver of the highest order and the reading is flawless.

The exacting mind of a most intriguing spy

You do not realize you are listening. You are swept up in the scenes and the mental doubts that is George Smiley. You are there right next to, no, almost inside the mind of this aged, most able spy. You feel the cold, the wet. You are tired. Mostly you are excited as the Hunt is on. A thrill of a journey for certainly that is what you are on as George deciphers the many clues that lead him to Karla.

Profound and riveting

I had only heard the BBC radio dramatization, which is fantastic, but so much is left out, or shifted into dialog. It's too bad this unabridged version leaves out the author's note because le Carre has some interesting things to say about it. Other than that one minor quibble, I enjoyed this tremendously. The narration is perfect. I was riveted throughout.

Slow but Good

Le Carré can write indeed in great poetic fashion. This was another interesting one, albeit slow and a bit boring. The ending was well written.