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The Russia House cover art

The Russia House

By: John le Carré
Narrated by: Michael Jayston
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Summary

It is the third summer of perestroika. Niki Landau, philanderer and travelling rep, attends the first Moscow audio fair and is asked by beautiful young Katya to take a parcel back to England.

It’s addressed to Barley Blair, jazz-player and drinker, and contains information vital to the defence of the West. But times and heroes are changing. And Barley Blair is a man who makes his own rules of engagement.

©2010 David Cornwell (P)2014 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd.

What listeners say about The Russia House

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    386
  • 4 Stars
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    14
Performance
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Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Perfect voice for the master's stories

John Le Carre writes quite amazing stories - about flawed innocents with pure intentions caught up in the mendacities of the real word. There is something about Michael Jayston's voice, the slightly jaded world-weariness, that makes it quite the perfect vehicle for Le Carre's writing.

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29 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Well read in a strong believable voice.

The ending is different to the film adaptation, which I believe is better because your mind makes its own predictions of the outcome, which I'm finding aren't quite as nice.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another Le Carre cracker

I read it when it was first published, and have just listened to it. I will listen to it again, several times. As well as being a great story, it is an interesting commentary on the politics of our day.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Story is too slow for my liking

Pros
I enjoyed Le Carré's descriptions of people and their actions ; the narrator was good, using different voices for different characters.
Cons
I found the story very slow - I tuned out sometimes but didn't seem to have missed anything when I started to pay attention again.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another masterpiece

The narration is outstanding. Balanced,convincing totally plausible. Really adds to the story.
This is not an action packed adventure. It’s far better, it explores relevant world tensions, good v bad, stereotypes, it’s packed with suspense leaving the reader unsure whose narrative is reliable. A real feel for the vagaries of Cold War espionage in recent years. Le Carré delivers another compelling insight into the murky workings of the world.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

HOPE NEVER DIES....

In the best tradition and under the cover of hide-and-seek, it's a hunting love story, resembling a Russian folktale, which offers a rare and enthralling spectacle: the resurrection of buried hopes. The novel is reserved, but still full of potent surprises, 24 years after its publication. This could hardly be said about the global political system, which inspired its conception. We were full of hopes then. Many of us disenchanted of what has transpired since. The work is a great example of fine literature may outlive reality that has gone to the dogs.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

A real snoozer

I've enjoyed all Carré's preceding novels, but this one I just cannot listen to without either nodding off, forgetting who Clive or Ned or Bob or some other uninteresting character is, or ssking myself: Is anything actually going to happen in this story? Have I learned anything new? Why am I bothering?
I think if this were not Carré it would not be so highly rated. Reluctantly throwing in the towel with 3 hours listening time remaining.
Very well written! Very well narrated! But just too boring.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Not one of le Carre's best

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Weak plot and too much padding makes this no more than two stars.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Michael Jayston?

The narrator uses a whisper, particularly with female voices, so it can be difficult to follow without the text or by adjusting the volume.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Russia House?

Most chapters could have sections removed without affecting the weak plot.

Any additional comments?

This is really a short storey expanded into a too long novel.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

I don’t want to do a review I don’t want to do a review I don’t want to do a review I don’t want to do a review

a review I don’t want to do a review I don’t want to do a review a review I don’t want to do a review I don’t want to do a review a review I don’t want to do a review I don’t want to do a review

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Slightly dull Le Carre

On balance Le Carre often places individual conflict in the centre of espionage stories and spycraft. Sometimes the dial is a little too far over towards the personal turmoil and the wider story doesn't quite grip. I think thats the case with the Russia House for me - no great hooks amongst the characters on the outside of the emotional conflict at the heart of the story.
Top Marks for Michael Jayston, however, as I really enjoy his dry/wry delivery - perfect for Le Carre's anti heroes.

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3 people found this helpful