- Paperback: 576 pages
- Publisher: Sceptre; New Ed edition (21 Sep 2006)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0340937629
- ISBN-13: 978-0340937624
- Product Dimensions: 18.8 x 12.8 x 4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 295,319 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Honourable Schoolboy
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
'His command of detail is staggering, his straightforward, unaffected prose is superb. In short, wonderful value`
'Simply the world's greatest fictional spymaster'
(Newsweek )'Energy, compassion, rich and overwhelming sweep of character and action . . . one of the finest English novels of the seventies'
(The Times )Newsweek
‘Simply the world’s greatest fictional spymaster’
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
42 of 44 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is the second of Le Carre's Smiley trilogy. Following the Secret Services uncovering of a Russian mole Smiley is put in charge to rebuild the battered and demoralised service.
We follow the exploits of Gerald Westerbury as he sets out to uncover the destination of $500,000 of funds transferred to a trust account in Hong Kong by the Russians. Jerry has to discover what this money is for.
There is cross and double cross by the main protaginists as there are several stories running in tandem. As Smiley plots he is under pressure from the Americans and the machinations of his own political masters. Does anyone know what is happening or who is planning what?
What is Drake Ho, the Chinese industrialist, up to? Who is Liese Worth? Did Ricardo, a drug running CIA pilot, die in Laos? What is the role of drake's dead brother in everything?
In typical Carre fashion the story is told in the third person, as though reminising after the fact. We are led through the events after they happened. We know that something major is waiting but not what exactly.
The hero of the piece is Westerbury. He is the old school spy, sent in as a journalist and left to run with little support. We see the efforts of a demoralised agency trying to rebuild and inject a new pride.
Another great story from the master of Cold War spying.
We follow the exploits of Gerald Westerbury as he sets out to uncover the destination of $500,000 of funds transferred to a trust account in Hong Kong by the Russians. Jerry has to discover what this money is for.
There is cross and double cross by the main protaginists as there are several stories running in tandem. As Smiley plots he is under pressure from the Americans and the machinations of his own political masters. Does anyone know what is happening or who is planning what?
What is Drake Ho, the Chinese industrialist, up to? Who is Liese Worth? Did Ricardo, a drug running CIA pilot, die in Laos? What is the role of drake's dead brother in everything?
In typical Carre fashion the story is told in the third person, as though reminising after the fact. We are led through the events after they happened. We know that something major is waiting but not what exactly.
The hero of the piece is Westerbury. He is the old school spy, sent in as a journalist and left to run with little support. We see the efforts of a demoralised agency trying to rebuild and inject a new pride.
Another great story from the master of Cold War spying.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I'm pretty new to Le Carre. I read 'The Spy Who Came in from The Cold' and was blown away. It's dark, it's realistic - it's the dirty, unglamorous world of what you'd imagine spying must really be like.
I read 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' and though it was a bit slow at times, I loved it. Great story - makes you really work at it but it's really rewarding too.
When I realised 'Tinker Tailor' was part of a trilogy, I thought I must read the rest.
'The Honorable Schoolboy' is the second in the trilogy and you must read 'Tinker Tailor' first. It's a good story, a good development of 'Tinker Tailor' showing how Smiley tries to rebuild a shattered service with little support or thanks from the political masters.
However.... it's 686 pages long. You're 80 pages in before the intrigue first starts to get opened up. You're 150 pages in before there's anything very exciting. It's split into two halves, the second of which is paced much better but he really drags his heals. I would love to edit this book - at 450 pages, it could be a very worthy sequel to 'Tinker Tailor'. As it stands, it takes an effort of will - or good skimming skills - to stay with it.
I bought the final one - 'Smiley's People' - and note it's only 450 pages long. Perhaps he had more confidence in himself by this stage to just get down to the meat and potatoes and cut the waffle. Fingers crossed.
I read 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' and though it was a bit slow at times, I loved it. Great story - makes you really work at it but it's really rewarding too.
When I realised 'Tinker Tailor' was part of a trilogy, I thought I must read the rest.
'The Honorable Schoolboy' is the second in the trilogy and you must read 'Tinker Tailor' first. It's a good story, a good development of 'Tinker Tailor' showing how Smiley tries to rebuild a shattered service with little support or thanks from the political masters.
However.... it's 686 pages long. You're 80 pages in before the intrigue first starts to get opened up. You're 150 pages in before there's anything very exciting. It's split into two halves, the second of which is paced much better but he really drags his heals. I would love to edit this book - at 450 pages, it could be a very worthy sequel to 'Tinker Tailor'. As it stands, it takes an effort of will - or good skimming skills - to stay with it.
I bought the final one - 'Smiley's People' - and note it's only 450 pages long. Perhaps he had more confidence in himself by this stage to just get down to the meat and potatoes and cut the waffle. Fingers crossed.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have read this novel several times over the years and it never pales. It is ahrd to ad anything to most of the reviews here, but i do agree with J Byrne that the book carries echoes of Conrad, particulalry "Heart of Darkness"-certainly Jerry's journey to see Ricardo through splendidly described war torn scenes of Laos and Cambodia reminds one of Marlow's quest for Kurtz.
The darkness side is also perhaps more evident here than in the earlier Smiley novels, particulalry in the character of Fawn the psychotic bodyguard for George, and the callous reflections on the deaths of "dispensable" characters. It is left to Westerby, rather than George to carry the flag for some approach at morality in what the Circus does.
Highly recommended if you like thoughtful espionage, history or just good, literate novels.
The darkness side is also perhaps more evident here than in the earlier Smiley novels, particulalry in the character of Fawn the psychotic bodyguard for George, and the callous reflections on the deaths of "dispensable" characters. It is left to Westerby, rather than George to carry the flag for some approach at morality in what the Circus does.
Highly recommended if you like thoughtful espionage, history or just good, literate novels.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
poor ebook conversion
The literature was great. This review is not about the literature. It is about the quality of the ebook. In places the text started to merge into itself. Read more
Published 9 days ago by Louis Ross
Intricate, passionate, and only very slightly self-indulgent
If you loved Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and want to know what happens next, this is what happens. The Circus, rocked by the Bill Haydon betrayal, is placed in the hands of George... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Martin Turner
The Honourable Schoolboy
This is the first book I have purchased for my new Kindle. I found the book was OK except for one major problem. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Gerry at the Gate
A masterpiece
An intricate, densely plotted, detailed, fascinating slow burning work of genius. Yes, it is long but you are there for the ride, there is no rushing this book. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Petersbrooking
Almost a forgotton masterpiece
'The Honourable Schoolboy', published in 1977, sits in between the better known 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' and 'Smiley's People'. Read more
Published 3 months ago by richard Brown
Poor copy editing of kindle edition
This kindle version has spelling mistakes, words joined together and, incorrect hyphenation. I hope it is updated! The story is otherwise excellent. Read more
Published 3 months ago by MQ
Poor Kindle Edition
NB this review is just for the kindle edition - I am currently reading this book in paper back, but left it at home for a holiday and so down loaded the kindle edition on a... Read more
Published 3 months ago by G. Davies
Smiley's ageing process on display.
How did I miss this LeCarre? Compelling as always. A welcome addition to my LeCarre shelf. All the characters are memorable in their own ways and add to the enjoyment of the plot... Read more
Published 4 months ago by H. Riddle
A book that holds your attention all the time
Many reviews have already covered the storyline and its place in the trilogy.
I read this as a one off and it works well. Read more
I read this as a one off and it works well. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Thirty five
showing how its done
Another beautifully measured masterpiece in elegant, unostentatious prose. This thriller thrills more than a thousand carnked-up pieces of nonsensical hyperbole such as Dan Brown... Read more
Published 6 months ago by bookishman
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
