The Complete George Smiley Radio Dramas: BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramatization

You get several novels dramatized over 18 hours, in two massive files. It's impossible to pick one of the novels and listen to it separately. You just have to start at the beginning with Call For the Dead and keep going. The second file starts part way through Smiley's People, so there's no point starting there. God help you if you lose your place and have to find it again in one or the other of these two huge files. That's not quite what I expected from Audible. I like to be able to navigate readily within an audiobook. Audible should've divided this up so that each dramatization is a separate audio file. The production quality is quite decent, a bit hammed up in places, but then many English people do talk that way; also, I don't know that the reader doing Smiley has quite the right accent for a man of his age and social station.

I love the repeatability of this performance. I own about 80 audio books here at audible and a lot more that I've collected over the years and I've listened to this one over and over and over again. Excellent work.

Possibly the Sherlock Holmes dramatizations but I've still listened to this one more often.

There were unexpected moments when it made me laugh. The accents are very well done and quite a few characters are real ... well characters.

Extreme reactions? I could do with a whiskey. I'm also a bit more partial to frogs.

Mr Beale as Smiley is perfect. From his breathing to his temperament. Exciting and engaging. The time flew by.

I mean, all the Smiley stories in one purchase with incredible BBC performances. Say no more. Say yes. These got me going back and listening to the full length books and watching the movies as well.

While the large cast of characters in John LeCarre's various George Smiley-centered novels can make getting into them a challenge, once you have done that just about all of them, even the baddies, will seem like old friends. I think for those who have not read at least Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy the eight radio plays that are presented here will seem frustrating at first, but even that will pass with time and careful listening. For those thoroughly familiar with Smiley's world, the plays are pure pleasure. You hardly notice the abridgment, and the voicing of each character is spot on. There is some additional dialogue added, mainly as exposition when it is needed, but I believe John Le Carre would wholeheartedly approve- his author's voice is in no way diminished by the additions. I think that these are essential listening, and will only add new fans to this great body of work.

The problem with the BBC radio plays is that the main character, George Smiley, is a subtle introvert. There are scenes where George does nothing but sit there and wait in the novels. How do you do that on radio? The BBC didn't figure it out.

Some of the best bits from the novel were cut out, either for brevity, or because they were nuanced. One of the best bits of dialogue in "The Looking Glass War", where leCarre actually shows you how to convince someone else to do what you want as if it is there idea, was cut.

The audio books are also available on Audible. I have listened to both and recommend the books.

One of my current favorites, and, one I'll keep in my audible library.

George, because of his storylines, along with Connie due to her knowledge

George, among others.

I can't think of one, plus, several of these books ahve been adapted as films already.

A must-have for fans of John Le Carre, and spy fiction in general, I believe.

captures none of the subtly of these stpries BBC it may be; but the performances are over-the-top and irritating

The stories have a subtle genius and it's presentation to dramatized audio fantastic! You'll be captivated from the moment you press play

I should have known better. LeCarre is beyond excellent, but demands your full attention. Radio drama needs to supply its own context. There's no narrator to set the scene. I'm sure if I sat in a quiet, dark room and just listened, this would be unbelievable. That's not where I listen to Audible. When every word is crucial, and every line stands on its own, driving my car and mowing my lawn require more of my brain than I can spare.

I love these stories, but I think this is one time where the printed word wins. I'll pull them off my shelf.