By John le Carré
After having heard a few depressing attempts I shunned subsequent adaptations and BBC4 radio plays featuring the character Smiley for years, but having now seen the trailer for the upcoming movie I realised that if I was going to enjoy the story's first hand, I'd better read the books whilst I still had a chance. Also, I'm on the look out for a new genre of dramatic literature with which to sate the hunger that classic pulp/crime fiction left behind, and Cold War drama seems a likely candidate. Having read a few of Ludlum's novels, I'm hoping le Carré is better, and this novel, as a start, is promising.
The story unfolds without haste, building up a tangle of plot lines that gradually converge with disarming humility towards a quiet, but compelling climax. This is the first Le Carré novel I've read, I think, and I liked it. I've already ordered three more as a consequence.
I'm looking forward to the new film adaptation, but I think I'll keep an eye open for the old one too, the one with Alec Guiness. He was a good actor. Its probably well worth finding.
4/5
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