Rate this book

A Firing Offense (2013)

by David Ignatius(Favorite Author)

3.81 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

0393346285 (ISBN13: 9780393346282)

languge

English

genre

Fiction

publisher

W. W. Norton & Company

review 1: Since I've now read all of Lee Child's Reacher novels, I've had to find some other interesting light fiction to read. A recent interest in spies and espionage led me to this novel, my introduction to David Ignatius' writing, and I was not disappointed. Ignatius is a long-time political reporter and commentator for the Washington Post, so he comes by his espionage fiction-writing through honest experience. [I bring this up because I think it's essential for a genre writer to have some first-hand experience. It really shows when they don't.] In the case of "A Firing Offense," the narrator is Eric Truell [love that play on the word true], a reporter for the fictional New York Mirror, who gets caught in political intrigue up to his neck - in fact way over his head. It's fun to... more see the main character not be smarter and faster on the draw than other characters, which gives this novel a real sense of verisimilitude. The story was filled with all kinds of realistic twists, turns, political backstabbing, and spy stuff like espionage agents from France, hotel rooms bugged by the Chinese, and CIA counter-espionage agents who rival the Marx Brothers for ineptitude. This is Ignatius's third novel of eight; "Body of Lies" was made into a movie a few years ago. He seems to be overlooked, but if you like the espionage and spy genre, I recommend you seek him out.
review 2: I selected this book beceause the author has an impressive resume and I like thrillers. At first I was a little disappointed. It started somewhat slow and it took a little while for me to get very involved in it. That said, about two-thirds of the way through I realized I was hooked. The author immerses the reader in a world of espionage and journalism that seems quite real with lots of interesting details. Some of the contextual and technological references are a bit dated since the story was first published in 1998 but I did not find it overly stale. The characters are well developed making the plot seem more plausible how a non-spy gets caught up in some complicated esponiage. I also appreciate that the ending seemed real and was not an obvious platform setting up a series for the protagonist. I will read more Ignatius. less

Download links for: A Firing Offense

Advertising