XML apologist. Erlang enthusiast. Currently JVMs & Performance stuff at Netflix. Previously JVMs & performative stuff at Twitter. He/him.
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Magnus Pym and Edward Avon and Rick blend together with a funeral at the end of all of it. Sprinkle a little Nietzsche on top and you have a wonderful wrap up of the John le Carré extended universe. It all ends, of course, with a bureaucratic whimper. Anyway, it is Cornwall at his best.
I was relieved to have this "Slow Horses" installment find steadier footing. The dialogue was much better than the last outing (and funnier lines). The plot was a bit thin, but not too far beyond belief. Quite a body count racking up, however.
A decent recap of events. There were a few well sourced things I wasn't aware of. Finally, one of my Tweets was in the book, so I am obviously gonna like it. (Though Zoe Schiffer's book was better.)
"London Rules might not be written down, but everyone knows rule one: Cover your arse. …
A fascinating open, but the writing and subsequent plot felt a bit phoned in. The dialog (and in particular Lamb's banter) was a bit forced and predictable. Anyway, a bit of a disappointment given the strong showing of the first four books. I'm cautiously optimistic that Herron picks up again, but going to say this one should be put out to pasture.
LFG!
328 pages ; 20 cm
LFG!
Slough House is Jackson Lamb's kingdom; a dumping ground for members of the intelligence service …
"Look. I don't normally say this stuff, but I want to tell you something." He took a drag on his cigarette. "You're fucking useless, the lot of you."
Slough House is Jackson Lamb's kingdom; a dumping ground for members of the intelligence service …
Books are always better than TV.
What a goddamn nightmare. You can almost get PTSD just by reading the book. Bridgewater seems like an incredibly fucked up place.
JFC that was a wild read. The absolute madness of Ray Dalio and Bridgewater...the mind boggles.
I like reading non-fiction books about people in power, or with lots of money, behaving badly.
A novel on the Spanish-American War featuring adventurer Ben Tyler, an Arizona horse dealer. Just …
An enjoyable, fast-paced (it is an Elmore Leonard book after all) tour through turn-of-the-century Cuba. A heck of a western, even if it takes place in the Carribean. ACAB, even back then.
A novel on the Spanish-American War featuring adventurer Ben Tyler, an Arizona horse dealer. Just …
More Elmore
Content warning There are no good guys.
This book is a short story collection under deep cover as novel. A speech by George Smiley causes the protagonist, known only as "Ned" (though he adopts numerous surnames throughout the book) to reminisce or recount another episode, each a self-contained reflection on the morality, futility, and, perhaps, necessity of spying.
As always, le Carré's witty, terse prose and deep skepticism creates a first-class book that often verges on literature.
It is George Smiley's world. We're all just passing through it, unaware of all the tedious tradecraft, office politics, and ideological crises happening around us.