The Quantum Spy

By: David Ignatius

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini

Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

The race to build the first quantum computer heats up in the newest high-tech spy thriller from best-selling author David Ignatius.

A hyper-fast quantum computer is the digital equivalent of a nuclear bomb: whoever possesses one will be able to shred any encryption in existence, effectively owning the digital world. The question is: Who will build it first, the United States or China?

The latest of David Ignatius' timely, sharp-eyed espionage novels follows CIA agent Harris Chang into a quantum research lab compromised by a suspected Chinese informant. The breach provokes a mole hunt that is obsessive, destructive, and - above all - uncertain: Do the leaks expose real secrets, or are they false trails meant to deceive the Chinese? Chang soon finds that there is a thin line between loyalty and betrayal, as the investigation leads him down a rabbit hole as dangerous as it is deep. Grounded in the real-world global charge toward technological dominance, The Quantum Spy presents a sophisticated game of cat and mouse wired to an exhilarating cyber thriller.

©2018 David Ignatius (P)2017 Recorded Books

Solid Intrigue

the story kept me engaged and the ending was an interesting surprise twist. The narrator was great but I would have liked to hear a woman speaker read female lines.

Thrilling

The Quantum Spy is a trilling story that captures your attention even through the technical jargon of Quantum Computing. It wraps up with a classic spy versus spy chase that won’t let you go until the conclusion. I hope they make it into a movie.

A Fine Spy Novel

Gripped my attention from the get-go and kept me wondering what would happen throughout. Engaging and realistic characters.

Simply Awesome

If you like great tech spy novels this one should at the top of your list. Fabulous story. Superb performance. I need another!

Interesting & entertaining but unsatisfying

I enjoyed the pace and rhythm of the story but it seemed very formulaic.

What would have made this story more interesting is a better attempt to explain quantum computing (the silent leading character of the book). The author’s explanations were feeble and incomplete leaving the reader wanting (needing) more.

The characters were wooden, fitting neatly into cliches the average reader would accept for each character.

But the story was fast-paced and enjoyable.

overall I was entertained throughout the book.

story was well read, was not overly complicated, the characters behaved rationally. I like that it was about a new facet of Technology, Quantum computing

Predictable narrative & story

Predictable narrative, character archetypes, and story. An entertaining novel nonetheless. Not the author’s strongest work

Be a fly on the wall

As usual, Ignatius puts together a realistic depiction of the CIA and it's operations, making you feel like a fly on the wall as a battle for global supremacy rages in the shadows. While lacking in character development, The Quantum Spy feels relevant and packs enough entertainment to make it a worthwhile read (or listen). At times the narrator's portrayal of some of the characters seems a bit off, but over all Ballerini puts in a good performance.

Not as Interesting as the Tiltle Promises

First off, the story itself is just so-so, with a rehash of almost every spy novel ever written. The only 'twist' of this particular story is that is told primarily from the perspective of an American-born Chinese spy who develops an identity crisis, but there is almost no science involved with this other than a sparse understanding of quantum computing. Aside from that, every plot twist is predictable and just mildly entertaining (so 3 stars).

Secondly, I think the story is written by a man who really (really) doesn't like women. Each female character is barely capable of getting through the day without a guy to tell her what she needs to do (and BTW, I'm an older white guy).

The real issue I had with this audio book is the narrator. This guy sounds like he's doing a James Cagney impersonation, with every character done as some variation of this. It is a clumsy interpretation of people and accents and I honestly think he mixes up the voices of characters once or twice.

Maybe I've just read too many good stories, so I have little patience for mediocre. Some may find this better than what I've stated, but I think anyone expecting a gripping espionage story is in for a real let down.

Real, False or Both

Love the technology play for this spy story. Tale as old as humanity. Well written and the audio performance enhanced the story. I highly recommend the audio book.