marco5599's review against another edition
4.0
I did not know there were agents who read spy fiction for a living. Where can I apply? Not that I want to experience what happens to poor Malcolm though. All his colleagues murdered and every intelligence agency in town on his tail for one reason or another. There are better ways to start a day. Something is very wrong within the CIA and he's on the receiving end of it. And Malcolm, now the Condor, is not even properly trained for all of this. He is pretty inventive though. Or lucky. Hard to say.
A chase thriller that immediately picks up steam and goes from action to reflection and back again. Several nail-biting scenes, but I enjoyed the times when the story focused on somebody called the old man, how he's trying to make sense of it all and reel the Condor in, as well. Wonderful character. Not that there is a lot of character work here. Very little actually. Characters are mainly pawns. This is a game of strategy. A deadly game of chess. And it's quite the rollercoaster if you ask me.
C'est la guerre.
A chase thriller that immediately picks up steam and goes from action to reflection and back again. Several nail-biting scenes, but I enjoyed the times when the story focused on somebody called the old man, how he's trying to make sense of it all and reel the Condor in, as well. Wonderful character. Not that there is a lot of character work here. Very little actually. Characters are mainly pawns. This is a game of strategy. A deadly game of chess. And it's quite the rollercoaster if you ask me.
C'est la guerre.
eroston's review against another edition
Fine, I get it. As spare and bare bones as a thriller might be. Nominally about the CIA but could be about anything.
eldiente's review against another edition
3.0
Paranoia is rampant in this early 70s novel. Many spy novels have gone beyond but the plot in this was unique.
scorpionv01's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
nleiby's review against another edition
3.0
Pulpy, fun, page-turner. Action and adventure, but the characters are light. My version had a good intro by the author positioning the novel as an early entry in the CIA novel genre- not much was known about the agency. It also had some insight into editorial decisions that made it into the book (What was the underlying motive? Who dies and survives?) that were interesting to consider when I got to the relevant sections.
Probably more worth reading as an innovative and influential book than as a work in a vacuum.
Probably more worth reading as an innovative and influential book than as a work in a vacuum.
caroparr's review against another edition
3.0
Great premise, entertaining enough but very dated, not just in technology but in the way people interact. The movie is also dated but much better.
essinink's review
3.0
One rainy, D.C. day, basement-level CIA bureaucrat Ronald Malcolm (Codename: Condor) returns from lunch to find his coworkers murdered. Over the next six days he is embroiled in an Agency conspiracy, hunted and unsure where to turn or who to trust.
This is a 1970s pulp spy-thriller, with all the pros and cons that implies. On the plus side, it’s a slim, fast-paced adventure. Malcolm isn’t Bond; he doesn’t have endless exciting gadgets and field training to get out of tough situations. What he does have is seemingly endless luck. His improbable escapades are lampshaded by his pursuers, who can’t help but shake their heads at the number of coincidences occurring in Malcolm’s presence. He also has bizarrely good luck with women, whose characterization extends only to the length of their legs and the fullness of their breasts.
As short and fast-paced as it was, it made a decent reading snack, but don’t expect depth. 3 out of 5 stars.
This is a 1970s pulp spy-thriller, with all the pros and cons that implies. On the plus side, it’s a slim, fast-paced adventure. Malcolm isn’t Bond; he doesn’t have endless exciting gadgets and field training to get out of tough situations. What he does have is seemingly endless luck. His improbable escapades are lampshaded by his pursuers, who can’t help but shake their heads at the number of coincidences occurring in Malcolm’s presence. He also has bizarrely good luck with women, whose characterization extends only to the length of their legs and the fullness of their breasts.
As short and fast-paced as it was, it made a decent reading snack, but don’t expect depth. 3 out of 5 stars.
sharpness's review against another edition
4.0
A good, succinct read that doesn't bore or get monotonous, as so many in the genre do. Though poorly written in some spots, a solid work that I recommend.
em_jay's review against another edition
5.0
An amazing gem of a thrilling read! If you love espionage, spy games, etc., then this a perfect summer read!