Mission to Paris

By: Alan Furst

Narrated by: Daniel Gerroll

Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

From the New York Times best-selling author and the "modern-day master of the genre" (Newsday) comes a gripping novel of espionage and deception in 1938 pre-war Paris.

At the center of the intrigue is Hollywood star Frederic Stahl. September 1938. On the eve of the Munich Appeasement, Stahl arrives in Paris, on loan from Warner Brothers to star in a French film. He quickly becomes entangled in the shifting political currents of pre-war Paris - French fascists, German Nazis, and his Hollywood publicists all have their fates tied to him. But members of the clandestine spy world of Paris have a deeper interest in Stahl, sensing a potential asset in a handsome, internationally renowned actor.

Ranging from the high society of glittering Paris to film set locations in far-away Damascus and Budapest, Alan Furst's new novel confirms his status as a writer whose stories unfold "like a vivid dream" (The Wall Street Journal).

©2012 Alan Furst (P)2012 Simon & Schuster

intriguing

What made the experience of listening to Mission to Paris the most enjoyable?

descriptions of paris. And. Military. Berlin

Would you recommend Mission to Paris to your friends? Why or why not?

maybe

Which scene was your favorite?

The measuring of costume/ breakfast of croissant /coffee

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes but kept fo metro rides ...altho I did finish at home

Any additional comments?

Tres bon

An enjoyable book, well-read.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Not exactly on the edge of my seat, but the characters and the plot were interesting and kept me wanting to know more.

Have you listened to any of Daniel Gerroll’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No.

Cary Grant Goes to Paris

This is my first introduction (other than by reputation) to Alan Furst, and while the novel was interesting and well-researched from a historical perspective it just wasn't a great spy thriller. Perhaps, I was hoping Mission to Paris would be grittier, but it seems like Furst was more interested in telling this pre-WWII spy novel in the tone and style of a Cary Grant/Gary Cooper movie script.

Stahl is a pawn in a political/spy/war game between big power; a lover of a lot of attractive and dangerous women; a reluctant hero, a smoldering spy. Yeesh. It wasn't THAT over-the-top, but it just wasn't what I expected. Predicable, and almost throw-away, but still enjoyable. Mission to Paris is a good vacation or beach read, just not a spectacular spy novel.

The narration was dynamic. David Gerroll, like Furst himself, pays attention to the details.

A boring read

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I did not find it worthwhile to read because I found the book to be uninteresting and too sexually extravagant for my taste

Would you ever listen to anything by Alan Furst again?

If this book is typical of his writing style, I would not listen to more of Alan Furst's material

What does Daniel Gerroll bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narrator does an excellent job of giving each character his or her native accent.

Kept me listening

Normally I listen to Audible books while I am doing mindless tasks like household chores or gardening. But I did have to stop what I was doing and just listen because I was so involved. The plot was easier to follow that way, although it is not a tricky plot, but everything moves quickly from the middle of the book to the end, so I wanted to make sure not to miss anything.

The narrator is excellent and added considerably to the drawing of the characters. The ending was less dramatic than I thought it should have been given the rest of the plot, but all in all, I thought it was a very good read.

Not his best effort

I have read or heard all of his books and this one is not up to snuff. My criticisms are as follows:
1) Very little suspense
2) Simplified characters (ie..all the Americans without exception are nice guys)
3) Abrupt ending

Great good and Evil Chase Suspense

Of course Nazi's are evil, but who else is, and running away from them makes this an intriguing story. The narrator was very good and did the male and female parts well. I am glad they used only one narrator because books that use several can be distracting. I would read other books by this author if he changed topics--in the Audible listings it looks like his subject is similar but takes place in other countries. .

Pre-War Thriller

This is one of Furst's best yarns. Set in pre-occupation Paris, the story follows the adventures of a Viennese-born American B-List actor trying not to become entangled in pre-World War II politics while shooting a French Foreign Legion film in France. But entangled he gets. Furst skillfully creates tailor-made period characters who easily step into his stories. Mission to Paris, whether read or heard, is fun.

Excellent!

Alan Furst is a first rate novelist of spying before and during the Second World War. This work portrays Paris and Berlin in ways that give the reader an accurate feel for what was happening then. Hard to know how this work could be improved. Well worth the price.

I love Alan Furst, but..

Sadly, the last few books in this excellent series series of books has not managed to maintain the excitement and informative rigor of the earlier books.