An Officer and a Spy

A Novel

By: Robert Harris

Narrated by: David Rintoul

Length: 16 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

Robert Harris returns to the thrilling historical fiction he has so brilliantly made his own. This is the story of the infamous Dreyfus affair told as a chillingly dark, hard-edged novel of conspiracy and espionage.

Paris in 1895: Alfred Dreyfus, a young Jewish officer, has just been convicted of treason, sentenced to life imprisonment at Devil's Island, and stripped of his rank in front of a baying crowd of 20,000. Among the witnesses to his humiliation is Georges Picquart, the ambitious, intellectual, recently promoted head of the counterespionage agency that Dreyfus had passed secrets to the Germans. At first, Picquart firmly believes in Dreyfus' guilt. But it is not long after Dreyfus is delivered to his desolate prison that Picquart stumbles on information that leads him to suspect that there is still a spy at large in the French military. As evidence of the most malignant deceit mounts and spirals inexorably toward the uppermost levels of government, Picquart is compelled to question not only the case against Dreyfus but also his most deeply held beliefs about his country, and about himself.

Bringing to life the scandal that mesmerized the world at the turn of the 20th century, Robert Harris tells a tale of uncanny timeliness - a witch hunt, secret tribunals, out-of-control intelligence agencies, the fate of a whistle-blower - richly dramatized with the singular storytelling mastery that has marked all of his internationally best-selling novels.

©2014 Robert Harris (P)2014 Random Hosue Audio

Well done mixture of History and Drama

Harris, as he so often does, brings the History of a rather arcane affair to life with incredible detail and atmospherics. It’s very easy for the Reader to get completely lost in the dark alleys, curtained Drawing Rooms, and Satin Bedrooms of late Nineteenth Century Paris, while sitting on the edge of their seat, waiting for each twist and turn of the case to be resolved. The drama is as engaging as the history is infuriating.

This book performs all the functions of a historical novel beautifully. Thank you, Robert Harris, and David Rintoul for your talented narration. Four Stars. ****

Outstanding performance

I know almost nothing about the Dreyfus Affair before listening. Now, not only am I a self proclaimed expert on the that piece of France's history, but also the story rocked me emotionally. I remember at one point throwing my arms in the air and yelling "yes" as I listened to this book.

Excellent

Where does An Officer and a Spy rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best.

What other book might you compare An Officer and a Spy to and why?

Any good historical fiction - or well written book.

Which character – as performed by David Rintoul – was your favorite?

The lead.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No. The moral of the story was the crucial factor in the whole event.

Great story that is well read

The author and the reader provide a dramatic presentation of an interesting piece of history. Even while knowing the outcome, there is suspense while listening to the story unfold.

Amazing book

Included a lot of history with which I was totally unfamiliar. Presentation was superb and added much to the story. Was very well done and a pleasure to listen to

Riveting

Often a true story is more absurd than fiction. Suspenseful even if you know the outcome. Definitely worth a read.

An all time favorite!

Some of the best historical fiction ever written, paired with a masterful narrator. Robert Harris is a terrific word smith and does a superlative job of creating sympathy for his characters.

Great way to learn about Dreyfus Affair

Loved the book, started slowly but ended fast. As accurate historically as a fictional account can be.

Arrogant bastards.

Terrific story, found myself angry and tense much of the time. Highly recommended for any history buffs.

Excellent Historical Fiction

Harris has written an excellent fiction set inside one of modern Europe's most intense, and foreboding dramas, the Dreyfus Affair, known simply as "the Affair" at the time. Without going into the details of the book, I found Harris' characterizations and presentations of the main players in this story compelling and in keeping with the real historical drama. He is able to apply the novelists license in molding historical details and personalities to fit the story without sacrificing the facts of the history or the appropriate perspectives of the day. He tells the tale from the perspective of Colonel Georges Picquart, the man who first noticed the problems with the evidence used to convict Dreyfus of treason. The only thing lacking in the story which I had hoped for was the intensity of the cultural clash that took place outside of the courts and beyond the personal dramas of individual players. But I do not believe it was his intent to delve deeply into those things but to remain focused upon the personal dramas at the center of the storm. However, the author does include the anti-semitic flavor which arises as the Affair proceeds, so the listener is able to appreciate the tension and depth of the cultural war fought in France around the Dreyfus case. In addition, the narrator's read for the voices and characters was pitched well and was perfect for this particular book.