Another "50 greatest..." list

[Renauda]

Surprised that Le Carre’s A Perfect Spy is not on the list. I recall it being every bit as gripping a page turner as any of the Karla trilogy.

[George K]

Speaking of Le Carre...

Have you read "The Night Manager?" It was also made into a miniseries with Tom Hiddelston Olivia Colman and Hugh Laurie. Book was good as was the miniseries.

THey're making another season of the miniseries, though, considering how the book ended, I don't see how.

[bachophile]

Yes I read it. I’ve read the whole le carre repertoire.

[George K]

@bachophile said in Another "50 greatest..." list:

I’ve read the whole le carre repertoire. oeuvre.

It's pedantry Sunday.

[bachophile]

You are right, repertoire didn’t seem the right word but oeuvre failed me. That would be a good Thursday ny times word for a crossword clue

[jon-nyc]

I read one. (Stieg Larson) during his 15m of fame. Tried a couple others and put them down. Just not my genre.

Seen some of the movies though.

[Renauda]

@George-K

Have you read "The Night Manager?"

Yes about six years ago. Loved it, couldn’t put it down.

Wasn’t aware of the miniseries. Will keep an eye out for it.

[George K]

@Renauda said in Another "50 greatest..." list:

Yes about six years ago. Loved it, couldn’t put it down.

Hugh Laurie as Roper - he plays a bad guy SO well.

[LuFins Dad]

I admit, I’ve never read le Carrè. Might have to read a couple.

I was going to post a poll about who was the best, Clancy or Fleming, but according to this list it’s easily le Carrè.

[George K]

Forsyth and Le Carre are equals, IMO. Clancy and Fleming are pulp. Good pulp, but pulp. Fleming's best was "Casino Royale."

Le Carre's writing is dense, much in the same style as Mick Herron (Slow Horses) and Alastair Reynolds. His books are not to be skimmed.

Speaking of Fleming, my ex's ex wrote a Bond book. It was mediocre.

[Renauda]

@George-K

Oh, and "Spy Who Came In..."? Sandbaggers has that kind of ending..

Le Carre wrote a follow up to a The Spy Who Came in from the Cold called A Legacy of Spies published in 2017. Again, a first rate novel in the genre - a real pager turner again. It is essentially a story of the hypocrisy [and stupidity] of progressive liberal political correctness in relation to the stark reality of the Cold War and the spy trade in general. I would recommend a reread of a The Spy Who Came in from Cold to jog the memory and give context to the story line before cracking the spine of Legacy….

[bachophile]

Honestly I don’t think anyone on the list comes close to le carre.

And the apex is the Karla trilogy.

[Renauda]

@bachophile

And the apex is the Karla trilogy.

Fully agree.

[taiwan_girl]

Way back when, an office library had the three Len Deighton books - Berlin Game, XXXX Set, and YYYY Match. I remember really really liking those books being very excited about them and keep wanting to re-read them. Maybe this will give me some motivation.

[George K]

I liked Berlin Game. Better than Ipcress File.