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A Legacy of Spies

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A Legacy of Spies

By: John le Carré
Narrated by: Tom Hollander
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About this listen

Penguin presents the unabridged downloadable audiobook edition of A Legacy of Spies by John le Carré, read by Tom Hollander. This is the first novel in over 25 years to feature George Smiley, le Carré's most beloved character.

Peter Guillam, staunch colleague and disciple of George Smiley of the British Secret Service, otherwise known as the Circus, is living out his old age on the family farmstead on the south coast of Brittany when a letter from his old Service summons him to London. The reason? His Cold War past has come back to claim him. Intelligence operations that were once the toast of secret London and involved such characters as Alec Leamas, Jim Prideaux, George Smiley and Peter Guillam himself are to be scrutinised under disturbing criteria by a generation with no memory of the Cold War and no patience with its justifications.

Interweaving past with present so that each may tell its own intense story, John le Carré has spun a single plot as ingenious and thrilling as the two predecessors on which it looks back: The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

©2017 John le Carré (P)2017 Penguin Audio Action & Adventure Crime Fiction Espionage Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Military Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Political Psychological Spies & Politics Suspense Thriller & Suspense War & Military Exciting Crime England Law Thriller

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Another classic from the master. Fantastic references and interweaving of Smiley's and Guilliam's past but those stories were narrated and brought to life by Michael Jayston and his absence here took a little away from this listen. Saying that, I enjoyed the book tremendously.

Brilliant but I missed Michael Jayston

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A wonderful story enhanced by Tom Hollander 's insightful and entertaining narration of Peter Guillam's actual real memories and his reluctant response to an interrogation at the hands of the new high and mighty people in the Circus. . This book could serve two audiences. Those of us who have read and loved the Smiley stories and a new group of readers who may have been introduced to John Le Carre in the hit TV series The Night Manager . The latter group may enjoy this as a standalone novel but will undoubtedly be enticed to get reading the Smiley novels. What I enjoyed most about this book was the way it explained so many issues that escaped me in Call For The Dead and The Spy That Came In FromThe Cold. Furthermore, it provides us with the foundation for the Carla Trilogy. The narrative is presented in a well constructed manner, weaving the past and the present through Service records and interviews. The highlight for me was the eventual appearance of George and his revelation that it was all about Europe. Such a strong political statement and so relevant for today.

Truly Spooked<br />

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Have been reading Le Carre's work since I was a teenager, over 30 years ago. It was great to meet with old friends and get to know Peter Guillame better. Definitely worth listening to. Tom Hollander reads it beautifully.

Loved it..... Highly recommended.

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I'd held off on selecting this book, in part because I was concerned how I'd feel if it didn't live up to the memories of the other Smiley books, but I needn't have been worried: it's superb and deftly weaves the original story line and the present day together. Tom Hollander is fine narrator too - I had thought he'd be wearing but his skill adds a lot to the experience and he varies his style expertly. He avoids falling into the "bad impression" trap many narrators good and bad so often do.

Fantasticly woven story

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An intricate memoire from Peter Guillam of the greatest deception for the greater good that delivered the winner to the devil. Well narrated, despite typical Le Carre jumping forwards and backwards in time. Needs reading repeatedly to get all the detail. Yet it still leaves great spaces for your own imaginary characterisations.

The spies manage to keep themselves out inthe Cold

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