Read by Michael Jayston

1979
For readers new to le Carre this is the third of what has become known as the
"Karla series". The previous two being "Tinker,Tailor,Soldier, Spy" and the
heroic and romantic "Honourable Schoolboy" (highly recommended too). The third
sees much of the same cast collected again. You meet clever and dodgy Toby
Esterhazy,the valiant and niave Peter Guillam,a forgotten Russian General, an
intelligence pimp,a collection of 2 dimensional Whitehall twits as a foil,and
as always a most humane cast of extras. The most humane being the conscience
wracked George Smiley himself. As for villains you have the aforementioned
Whitehall boys, a convincing KGB thug and a villain of Moriarty proportion in
Karla; Smiley's foe for many years.The plot? Smiley is brought back once again
from retirement to fight against his old enemy. A fight both personal and
patriotic. It is the height of the cold war,his brief is strictly unofficial
and he calls in favours and friends as his allies(thus the title).
The locations? Paris, the bleakest Germany you have ever met, a sumptuous
Switzerland and of course grey, beaurocratic London. The drama? Betrayal.
Le Carre's constant theme. Of wives,country,friendships and finally of the
morality that has sustained Smiley through the long years of the cold war.
Its a great read. Le Carre at his peak (though the semi autobiographical
"a perfect spy" deserves a mention). If you haven't read the two others you
can read this one alone. Wonder aloud afterwards how Deighton and co. can hold
their heads up in public. Le Carre is in another world of thriller writers.
I recommend you read all three but this one is one of the best you will ever
read.(AC) John le Carre's absorbing world of spies and espionage is one of
human voices--of many nations and emotions--all artfully filtered through his
caustic world view. Through the narration of British actor Jayston, layers of
interpretive sound collide in fantastic authenticity. Jayston captures both
sides of Smiley: his obsessive, steely drive to redeem the past and his
melancholic musings on the ultimate impossibility of victory in such a contest.
His European and Russian dialects are convincing, enhanced as they are by
sensitive pacing, clear enunciation and vocal moods so appropriate that the
listener enters the text completely. A wonderful performance.

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