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bricep's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
esshgee's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this political thriller, an easy entertaining read
duparker's review against another edition
5.0
Sit back and enjoy a ride. This book is a solid capper novel. Fresh feeling and not cumbersome or long winded. The characters make good choices and understand consequences. Very enjoyable.
dee9401's review against another edition
2.0
It’s rare for a movie to be better than a book, but in this case, it was. Hands down. The only thing keeping my rating from 1* was the fact that the writing was very good and flowed quickly. Top marks for technique, bad marks for plotting and characters.
columbosunday's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
marco5599's review against another edition
4.0
I did not know there were agents who read spy fiction for a living. Where can I apply? Not that I want to experience what happens to poor Malcolm though. All his colleagues murdered and every intelligence agency in town on his tail for one reason or another. There are better ways to start a day. Something is very wrong within the CIA and he's on the receiving end of it. And Malcolm, now the Condor, is not even properly trained for all of this. He is pretty inventive though. Or lucky. Hard to say.
A chase thriller that immediately picks up steam and goes from action to reflection and back again. Several nail-biting scenes, but I enjoyed the times when the story focused on somebody called the old man, how he's trying to make sense of it all and reel the Condor in, as well. Wonderful character. Not that there is a lot of character work here. Very little actually. Characters are mainly pawns. This is a game of strategy. A deadly game of chess. And it's quite the rollercoaster if you ask me.
C'est la guerre.
A chase thriller that immediately picks up steam and goes from action to reflection and back again. Several nail-biting scenes, but I enjoyed the times when the story focused on somebody called the old man, how he's trying to make sense of it all and reel the Condor in, as well. Wonderful character. Not that there is a lot of character work here. Very little actually. Characters are mainly pawns. This is a game of strategy. A deadly game of chess. And it's quite the rollercoaster if you ask me.
C'est la guerre.
eroston's review against another edition
Fine, I get it. As spare and bare bones as a thriller might be. Nominally about the CIA but could be about anything.
eldiente's review against another edition
3.0
Paranoia is rampant in this early 70s novel. Many spy novels have gone beyond but the plot in this was unique.
scorpionv01's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
nleiby's review against another edition
3.0
Pulpy, fun, page-turner. Action and adventure, but the characters are light. My version had a good intro by the author positioning the novel as an early entry in the CIA novel genre- not much was known about the agency. It also had some insight into editorial decisions that made it into the book (What was the underlying motive? Who dies and survives?) that were interesting to consider when I got to the relevant sections.
Probably more worth reading as an innovative and influential book than as a work in a vacuum.
Probably more worth reading as an innovative and influential book than as a work in a vacuum.