Karla's Choice
A John le Carré Novel
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Karla's Choice
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Narrated by:
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Simon Russell Beale
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
A gripping novel set in the universe of John le Carré's most iconic spy, George Smiley, written by acclaimed novelist Nick Harkaway
It is spring in 1963 and George Smiley has left the Circus. With the wreckage of the West's spy war with the Soviets strewn across Europe, he has eyes only on a more peaceful life. And indeed, with his marriage more secure than ever, there is a rumour in Whitehall – unconfirmed and a little scandalous – that George Smiley might almost be happy.
But Control has other plans. A Russian agent has defected in the most unusual of circumstances, and the man he was sent to kill in London is nowhere to be found. Smiley reluctantly agrees to one last simple task: interview Susanna, a Hungarian émigré and employee of the missing man, and sniff out a lead. But in his absence the shadows of Moscow have lengthened. Smiley will soon find himself entangled in a perilous mystery that will define the battles to come, and strike at the heart of his greatest enemy…
Set in the missing decade between two iconic instalments in the George Smiley saga, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Nick Harkaway's Karla's Choice is an extraordinary, thrilling return to the world of spy fiction's greatest writer, John le Carré.
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What listeners say about Karla's Choice
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Taichivandamm
- 15-12-24
Style was Le Carre
Liked it all. I couldn't put it down(turn it off). Fascinating. The reading was excellent and, looking back on the era now, it was savage at that level.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- sally e
- 30-10-24
Very welcome partial unwrapping of the character of George Smiley.
It's hard in some ways to put into words what I feel about this book. It's a bit like déjà vu on the one hand as the writing is so very close to that of the original author but with a really distinctive freshness. Freshness not just in tone, but also the very welcome additional information to the background and thinking of George Smiley and other familiar characters that appear in the novels. I have genuinely really enjoyed it and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it not just to those like me who have always loved the novels, but perhaps to those who don't know Smiley. They should be careful though, because once you read this novel you will need to read them all.
I sincerely hope that Nick Harkaway will write more and more about George and his fascinating world. I, for one, will always be looking forward to them.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Hughbert
- 26-11-24
It seemed like it had been written by le care
Having come to the Smiley books rather late, I was worried that this might be an homage or a clumsy ‘son of Herbert’ style mess. It wasn’t, all of the recurring characters were as I wanted them to be, and the slow burn plot rang true. Appropriately given that the originals were written under a pen name if I’d bought this as a Le Carre I’d have been none the wiser. Russell-Beale’s narration was top notch as expected.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 28-11-24
Le Carré & Son
A good story. It will help you understand the half-demon half-angel aspect of ‘Smiley’s People’
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 02-12-24
Karla’s Choice
I have given up listening. The plot is totally lost by the elaboration of the smallest of things as if the reader had to be spoon fed to understand what was happening every second.
This is why TV series and films present the plot and overall narrative so much better by having to edit out such detail that adds little to the story.
This will make another brilliant film with all its twists and turns excluding every descriptive metaphor of why a character took a deep breath, lit cigarette or smiled.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- David N. Hopkins
- 01-11-24
Like his father’s writing at the very top of his game
Like his father’s writing at the very top of his game enhanced by Le Carre’s best reader - the incomparable Simon Russell Beale!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 30-10-24
LeCarre to the last syllable
A typically complex and tortuous story, old school post-Cold War espionage. Brilliantly written and a masterly performance by Simon Russell Beale, a living, breathing Smiley. Top notch.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Andy Evans.
- 28-10-24
Pure John le Carré,
Will be an absolute feast for a fan of the master, hats off to Nick Harkaway.
I look forward to hearing more from George Smiley.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sue Conroy
- 03-12-24
A worthy addition to the Smiley canon
If like, me you, adored the Smiley stories by John Le Carré, and genuinely grieved the author’s death, take heart!
Le Carré’s son has written a very convincing addition to the collection. The audiobook begins in the author’s voice, speaking about growing up with Smiley as a member of his family and about the weight of the task of doing him and his father justice.
In my opinion, he did. The tone of the book, the behaviour of familiar characters, the prose, the shades of colour and the emotions…. With barely a foot wrong, Nick Harkaway succeeds.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and cannot recommend it highly enough. Of course, now I’m hoping he’ll write more Smiley!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Stuart Bailey
- 16-11-24
Almost kosher
I think my title sums it up. I was about to go through my Smiley catalog wondering wether to start at the beginning or not then found this new book
I liked the way the old characters come out of the woodwork and interweave with the plot. Russell Beales reading seems to create just the right atmosphere, I doubt you will be disappointed. Oh well back to the beginning
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