Tightrope Men / The Enemy, The
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Review
'As long as meticulous craftsmanship and honest entertainment are valued, and as long as action, authenticity, and expertise still make up the strong framework of the good adventure/thriller, Desmond Bagley's books will surely be read.' REGINALD HILL, Twentieth Century Crime and Mystery Writers
'Bagley is a master storyteller.' DAILY MIRROR
'Sizzling adventure.' EVENING STANDARD
'Bagley has become a master of the genre - a thriller writer of intelligence and originality.' SUNDAY TIMES
Product Description
Double action thrillers by the classic adventure writer set in Norway, Finland and Sweden.
THE TIGHTROPE MEN
When Giles Denison of Hampstead wakes up in an Oslo hotel room and finds the face looking back at him in the mirror is not his own, things could surely get no more bizarre. But it is only the beginning of a hair-raising adventure in which Denison finds himself trapped with no way to escape. One false move and the whole delicately balanced power structure between East and West will come toppling down…
THE ENEMY
Wealthy, respectable George Ashton flees for his life after an acid attack on his daughter. Who is his enemy? Only Malcolm Jaggard, his future son-in-law, can guess, after seeing Ashton's top secret government file. In a desperate manhunt, Jaggard pits himself against the KGB and stalks Ashton to the silent, wintry forests of Sweden. But his search for the enemy has barely begun…
Includes a unique bonus - Desmond Bagley's pen portrait, written for the original publication of The Tightrope Men.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I first read this novel as a callow 14 year old, and was immediately drawn in to Mr Bagley's world of gritty espionage, secrets, lies, and murder; it was James Bond with some of the the thrills but none of the fantasy. The Tightrope Men was always my favourite - Giles Denison awakes one ordinary day, to find he is a new man; quite literally. As he hunts for those responsible, while evading assassins and treacherous CIA agents, in a terrifyingly alien landscape, Denison himself changes inside, and ultimately seizes the opportunity for a fresh start to his previously damaged life.
Fast-paced, intriguing, well-drawn and extremely tight; The Tightrope Men is a fantastically thrilling adventure - I cannot recommend it enough.
The Enemy is a passable thriller in the same vein as its companion here, but published four years later it is somewhat plodding and lacks the vicarious intrigue of The Tightrope Men. However, Malcolm Jaggard's cerebral spy is a well-drawn character and the Scandinavian backdrop adds some wintry charm and ensures it is still worth a few hours of your time.
Fast-paced, intriguing, well-drawn and extremely tight; The Tightrope Men is a fantastically thrilling adventure - I cannot recommend it enough.
The Enemy is a passable thriller in the same vein as its companion here, but published four years later it is somewhat plodding and lacks the vicarious intrigue of The Tightrope Men. However, Malcolm Jaggard's cerebral spy is a well-drawn character and the Scandinavian backdrop adds some wintry charm and ensures it is still worth a few hours of your time.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Desmond Bagley novels are often divided into two (approximate) halves. In the first half, Bagley sets up a mystery. Often we don't know who many of the characters "really" are or what they are up to. Frequently, Bagley does not even reveal the true nature and motivation of the main character. By the second half, most of the mystery has been revealed the novel turns into a fairly straightforward `adventure' with the hero being pursued by the villains. At their best (The Vivero Letter, Running Blind, The Freedom Trap) this formula works brilliantly well.
These two novels are not on that level, however. The Tightrope Men begins well - a man wakes up in Oslo, unaware of how he got there and, when he looks in the mirror, he doesn't even recognise his own face. But the story has a problem. A central feature has such a high level of improbability that I found it impossible to suspend disbelief. In spite of that, it's a pretty decent yarn.
The Enemy is probably the most disappointing of Bagley's novels that I've read. This time it begins with an inexplicable acid attack and it soon leads into an international conspiracy. There are some clever ideas along the way but the story has far too many twists and turns, random events and irrelevant red herrings. In the end, what sounded initially like a fascinating idea turns into a pretty average goodies versus baddies story with a rushed and unsatisfying ending.
I love Bagley. He's one of the great thriller writers. But these are not his greatest novels.
These two novels are not on that level, however. The Tightrope Men begins well - a man wakes up in Oslo, unaware of how he got there and, when he looks in the mirror, he doesn't even recognise his own face. But the story has a problem. A central feature has such a high level of improbability that I found it impossible to suspend disbelief. In spite of that, it's a pretty decent yarn.
The Enemy is probably the most disappointing of Bagley's novels that I've read. This time it begins with an inexplicable acid attack and it soon leads into an international conspiracy. There are some clever ideas along the way but the story has far too many twists and turns, random events and irrelevant red herrings. In the end, what sounded initially like a fascinating idea turns into a pretty average goodies versus baddies story with a rushed and unsatisfying ending.
I love Bagley. He's one of the great thriller writers. But these are not his greatest novels.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Not Bagley's best
9 July 2011
Format:Paperback
Desmond Bagley novels are often divided into two (approximate) halves. In the first half, Bagley sets up a mystery. Often we don't know who many of the characters "really" are or what they are up to. Frequently, Bagley does not even reveal the true nature and motivation of the main character. By the second half, most of the mystery has been revealed the novel turns into a fairly straightforward `adventure' with the hero being pursued by the villains. At their best (The Vivero Letter, Running Blind, The Freedom Trap) this formula works brilliantly well.
These two novels are not on that level, however. The Tightrope Men begins well - a man wakes up in Oslo, unaware of how he got there and, when he looks in the mirror, he doesn't even recognise his own face. But the story has a problem. A central feature has such a high level of improbability that I found it impossible to suspend disbelief. In spite of that, it's a pretty decent yarn.
The Enemy is probably the most disappointing of Bagley's novels that I've read. This time it begins with an inexplicable acid attack and it soon leads into an international conspiracy. There are some clever ideas along the way but the story has far too many twists and turns, random events and irrelevant red herrings. In the end, what sounded initially like a fascinating idea turns into a pretty average goodies versus baddies story with a rushed and unsatisfying ending.
I love Bagley. He's one of the great thriller writers. But these are not his greatest novels.
These two novels are not on that level, however. The Tightrope Men begins well - a man wakes up in Oslo, unaware of how he got there and, when he looks in the mirror, he doesn't even recognise his own face. But the story has a problem. A central feature has such a high level of improbability that I found it impossible to suspend disbelief. In spite of that, it's a pretty decent yarn.
The Enemy is probably the most disappointing of Bagley's novels that I've read. This time it begins with an inexplicable acid attack and it soon leads into an international conspiracy. There are some clever ideas along the way but the story has far too many twists and turns, random events and irrelevant red herrings. In the end, what sounded initially like a fascinating idea turns into a pretty average goodies versus baddies story with a rushed and unsatisfying ending.
I love Bagley. He's one of the great thriller writers. But these are not his greatest novels.
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