Hi everyone!
Welcome new and returning visitors. :) Our live discussion will begin TODAY at 1pm EST. Please feel free to drop by even if you haven't read or finished the book.
Plot:
Through a love affair with the wife of a Moscow Centre intelligence officer, British agent Ricki Tarr discovers that there may be a high-ranking Soviet mole, codenamed "Gerald", within the
Circus. After going under cover to avoid Soviet agents, Tarr alerts his immediate superior, Peter Guillam, who in turn notifies Oliver Lacon, the Civil Service officer responsible for the Intelligence Services. Lacon enlists George Smiley, the retired former Deputy Head of the Service, to investigate. Smiley and Guillam must investigate without the knowledge of the Circus, which is headed by Percy Alleline and his deputies Bill Haydon, Roy Bland, and Toby Esterhase, as any of these could be the mole.
Circus. After going under cover to avoid Soviet agents, Tarr alerts his immediate superior, Peter Guillam, who in turn notifies Oliver Lacon, the Civil Service officer responsible for the Intelligence Services. Lacon enlists George Smiley, the retired former Deputy Head of the Service, to investigate. Smiley and Guillam must investigate without the knowledge of the Circus, which is headed by Percy Alleline and his deputies Bill Haydon, Roy Bland, and Toby Esterhase, as any of these could be the mole.
Smiley suspects that "Gerald" was responsible for the failure of Operation Testify, a mission in Communist Czechoslovakia, the ostensible purpose of which was to meet with a defecting Czech Army general. Operation Testify ended with Circus agent Jim Prideaux shot in the back and tortured, and caused the disgrace and dismissal of Control, former head of Circus, who subsequently died. Prideaux, who survived and was repatriated and dismissed from the Circus, reveals to Smiley that Control suspected the mole's existence, and the true aim of Operation Testify was to discover the mole's identity. Prideaux reveals that the Moscow Centre personnel who interrogated him already knew this, and it becomes clear to Smiley that the operation was a trap set by Moscow Center to discredit Control and remove the threat to their mole 'Gerald'.
Percy Alleline, who was Control's rival, has risen to head the Circus as a result of seemingly top-grade Soviet intelligence from a source code-named "Merlin". The Merlin material is handled by a secret committee consisting of Alleline, Haydon, Bland, and Esterhase. Smiley's investigation leads him to believe that the "Merlin" source is false, and is being used by Moscow Centre to influence the leadership of the Circus. Cleverly, Moscow Centre has induced the Circus leadership to believe that "Merlin" maintains his cover in Moscow by feeding them low-grade British intelligence, "chicken feed", from a false Circus mole. As a result, the leaders of the Circus suppress any rumours of a mole, thus protecting the actual mole.
Smiley contrives a trap for the real mole using a communication from Tarr, and "Gerald" is revealed to be Bill Haydon, a respected colleague and former friend who once had an affair with Smiley's now estranged wife. Haydon is arrested, and acknowledges he was recruited by Karla, the Moscow Centre spymaster. Percy Alleline is removed, and Smiley is appointed temporary head of Circus to deal with the fallout. Haydon is to be exchanged to the Soviet Union for several of the agents he betrayed, but is mysteriously killed while in custody, shortly before he was due to leave England. Though his killer is not explicitly revealed, it is strongly implied to be Prideaux, his old partner, whom he betrayed in Operation Testify.
I will be here LB. I have not finished the book but I will be here.
ReplyDeleteWell neither has Jess!!! Or me! Hahahahaha!!!!
ReplyDeleteGoodmorning/afternoon/evening wherever you are!
ReplyDeleteI'm here early but just wanted to remind our readers that if you can't be here for the discussion, you can comment at anytime. We do it all the time! :)
I'm going to be completely honest: As much as I love the story line and the idea of actually seeing the movie WHEN IT FINALLY HITS MY THEATER, this book is incredibly boring. Boring in the sense that there are too many people and code names to keep track of and the conversations are so drab. Add the fact that I don't understand British lingo and I'm scratching my head until I have a bald patch. When I DO start to get what's happening, it gets confusing again. I promised to read until page 102 last night. I'm on page 99. Still. I give this book a 1.5. I'm "not a quitter" but "yeaaaahhhh". I will finish this book eventually. Right now, I'm bored out of my gourd and have other books I'd rather be reading.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness for plot summaries because at least I know what I'm supposed to be reading.
Ok I am here! Late but hey here. I like LB said have not finished the book. I am on page 198 and still confused. So far I find the book stuffy and pretentious. The dialect is so sterile and almost too old fashioned for me to understand.
ReplyDeleteI am also bored and would like to quit but I am not a quitter. Even though LB I have threatened ALOT! LOL
I am actually on a part that was somewhat interesting which involved Smiley and Tarr. But even when they spoke it was still stuffy. How this book was bestseller IDK. But I will continue to read it.
Hi LB!
ReplyDeleteWow! I keep starting and stopping. I usually like this stuff but I don't know. I'll keep reading maybe something will happen soon that makes me zoom through it.
Oh Jess! Thanks for stopping by. Ok, I promise I will ACTUALLY read those 3 pages tonight. Also, checking out the characters on IMDB has helped me visualize these characters better.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Would you ever want a job with the Secret Service, CIA or other undercover federal agency that would require you to lie and deceive to get to the truth of things? Would you be willing to not trust anyone?
The Karla Trilogy. I think the two books that follow this one sound more interesting. I think the first book is all a set up for the next two.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Would you ever want a job with the Secret Service, CIA or other undercover federal agency that would require you to lie and deceive to get to the truth of things? Would you be willing to not trust anyone?
ReplyDeleteI would hate to be paranoid all the time, I love my freedom. However, I think the more people cross boundaries with technology and disregard peoples privacy it's hard not to be paranoid or take on CIA like tactics. LOL!
OB! Hi!
ReplyDeleteWow, I'm happy that I'm not the only one having a hard time with this book. Reading the plot summary still piques my interest, but how it's written is just "aaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!"
I would only keep secrets and be deceptive if my family's life depended on it. But other than that, i would never pick a career of espionage. It's intriguing, for darn sure, but I'd rather read about it or see the films! :)
ReplyDeleteOB, is the movie playing in theaters near you, and if not, do you know WHEN this dang movie is coming out. Last I looked it was bumped to Jan. 6. Still not at my theaters. I really think this book will help me understand the drab and confusing dialogue.
Oh wow I just read the plot that you put on about the book and I am still lost! I don't remember most of that! Crap!
ReplyDeleteI mean I am kinda getting into the scene that I am at now. But I still don't understand what the heck is going on!
To your question I always thought it would be so cool to be in the CIA. The secret missions Knowing things normal people don't. However there is the bad side where you always have to watch your back. Who can you really trust? It would be such a lonely life. And if you are with a SO how much could you protect them? I mean how do you know someone is watching you and your family and waiting to kill them? Scary stuff if you think about it. So no I would not want to be a secret agent. The bad takes over the glamorous tbh.
I think we might get it this week. I will let u know when I see the film.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I hate when authors alienate readers with too much detail. I always feel like their trying to meet a quota.
OB,
ReplyDeleteWould you please give us some examples of "too much detail" in this story?
And do you mean meeting a quota with the publisher or audience?
As soon as the movie hits the theater here, I AM ON IT LIKE WHITE ON RICE!
OH thank you OB that is exactly what I wanted to talk about too. The detail is overwhelming sometimes. It is too much to take in and for my brain I tend to take too much and then lose what I just read. I think the convos being stuffy and so non realistic then add too much detail on whatever it is they are talking about, they just lose me. Completely. And I am so sure OB you can explain it way better then I can. :-)
ReplyDeleteAlso I got to a part when they fight and even the fight was boring. I didn't even realize what happened because of the way it was described. Until after the fact someone mentioned that person was bleeding. I mean I just don't understand how it can be so dry when talking about a situation.
Anyone hear Charlie Brown's teacher while reading?
ReplyDeleteBwahhahahha!
ReplyDeleteWaa waa waaa waaa waa waa!
YES!!!!
:)
ReplyDeleteJess and OB, what would you rate this book?
ReplyDeleteHi Everyone-
ReplyDeleteSometimes I like to begin with the last book in a series and work my way back. TTSS is like reading a reference manual IMO. Sometimes authors are asked to stretch a narrative to get more bang for their buck. It sounds like TTSS was written last and the two that proceeds it were written first..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinker,_Tailor,_Soldier,_Spy
Interesting OB! That's exactly what it reads like.
ReplyDeleteMakes sense. It does read like stereo instructions!
ReplyDeleteI rate this book a 1 but I am not going to give up and quit. So I am reading as fast as I can to get it over with LOL!
TTSS will be in theaters FRIDAY!!!!! Hot dog! Hallelujah! Cheese and crackers!!!! I'M USING MY FREE MOVIE CARD!!!! :)
ReplyDelete*happy dance*
WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh crap I don't think it will be here! going to check!
ReplyDeleteJess and LB u two get the "REAL TROOPER" Award.
ReplyDeleteI started reading the last book and will work my way backward. I will let u know if it's any better than TTSS.
Sorry LB to break away from the book currently in review. I will eventually read TTSS but only after I read the second and third book. So I will wait to give u my rating after I read the series in it's entirety.
OB,
ReplyDeleteNo worries! I put the book back on the shelf and started another book. hahahaha!!! I'm waiting till I see the film to even attempt finishing it.
WELL since I can't get to the library till tomorrow I am still sticking to this book. Which oddly is getting a bit better. NOT much but a bit. I think only because the mole is pretty much obvious now(even though I know who it is) and people are actually talking to each other instead of this whole back story of talking to themselves.
ReplyDeleteAnd Smiley is starting to get it. I am almost finished with it anyways so might as well finish it. LOL
Yes!!!! There is ONE theater here that is showing the film. I'm going to go tomorrow!!!! Thank friggin goodness!
ReplyDeleteOh good LB!! You are lucky! I am still waiting. So I am almost done with the book. page 300 and actually even though the book is still sterile and boring the part where Jim talks about when he was shot and interrogated is actually easier to understand. Again it is because they are having a actual conversation!
ReplyDeleteBut Jim seems really quick to stick up for Bill even with him cheating with HIS COUSIN Anne! He says "He is a artist they don't think things we think are wrong are wrong!" WTF? So having sex with your cousin is savvy if your a artist?? Um no!
Neways I should be done soon. Like a day or two hopefully. LOL
Well as soon as I see the film, I will pick the book back up. As for cousins getting their groove on? "Groddy to the max!"
ReplyDeleteWhat do you look forward seeing most in the movie?
Probably Jim. I think his character is interesting. And the whole part with him and Roach. Just to see how that plays out because honest to god I don't understand what Roach is so drawn to with Jim. But whatever.
ReplyDeleteAlso Tarr and his affair with Irena. Just to see how that played out. Pretty much thats it. Oh and the end when the mole is finally caught. What about you LB??
Um...to figure out what's going on all around so I can understand the book!!!! Hahahaha!
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, I look forward to seeing the character analysis done and portrayed by each actor.
Ok, so i went and saw the film today. Let's just say it was as boring in the first hour as the book is in the first 5 pages. However the last hour it picked up and it got enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteNow I am not knocking the story at all. It is a great story and Le Carre obviously did his research and knew how to write a great espionage book. However it is so slow and confusing that I would rather know what happened by watching the movie than finish the book because words start swimming. I'm giving this book two ratings: a 4 because it is a great story line and a 1.5 because it lost my interest.
Jess--Tarr's storyline with Irena (?) doesn'thappen the way it does in the book and is not introduced until later in the story. The movie actually starts with Control and Smiley being dismissed and leaving "The Circus" together. Not with Jim going to the school. That is shown about an hour or so into the film and you do see him whack that poor owl.
I thought Jacqueline Durran did a great job with the wardrobe as it was drab and bland and fit into the scenery and story line. No bright colors. Neutral tones and lots of that pea green/blue color. The only time you saw a trace of color was at the party flashbacks and Guilliam's tie and hanky.
The movie was much, much easier to follow, but was ultimately very slow. The cast did a terrific job.
Ok, that's all I can think of at the moment. If you happen to find this at your theaters and want to read the book, go see it. It may help you in the reading. As of now, I'm going to go donate my copy to the library.
Well holy cow, when did I get a reply button???? SWeet sauce!
DeleteI forgot to mention that Ann's story line is extremely minimal and you never see her face or body entirely.
Oh and they left out most of the friggin code names which was part of my saving grace!
DeleteGreat review LB. Thank U!
DeleteSo it's slow in the beginning? That's too bad. However, in "Let the Right One In" that was kinda slow at first but paid off in the end. I wonder if that's Tomas Alfredson thing? How is the ending?
Wow really LB! TY for the review. I think I will wait till the movie comes out on DVD since it is nowheresville in my town at the moment! See it was slow like the book in the beginning?
ReplyDeleteJust like the book! See it is actually interesting now at the end. I am about 4 chapters till the end where they are interrogating Toby and it is quiet interesting. You see Smiley being more aggressive. i would love to see that part in the movie as well. But still I find the book boring and probably always will lol!
And yay for the reply button! Woot woot!!!
Toby isn't interrogated at the end....wait...crap...maybe that is him. Let me go IMDb it.
DeleteYep its Toby and he cries like a "little guhrl." The ending was good but a wee.bit anticlimactic.
DeleteHe cries?? Ahahaha in book he takes it rather well. Pretty cocking if you ask me! LOL But I would love to see him cry!!!
ReplyDeleteCrap I meant Cocky! oops! Ahahaah
ReplyDeleteI applaud u Jess for hanging in there. So TTSS picks up at the end? This confirms the real story is in the second and third books.
ReplyDeleteI still have not seen the film. Sorry! I've been so busy.
However, my friend Comic Relief saw the film and he said it was very slow. He actually fell asleep during part of it. So I'm going to pass on seeing the film in theaters and wait for the DVD.
Everyone-I'm going to put aside this story for now and move onto the next book.
My husband fell asleep too!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!
DeleteI FINISHED IT!! Oh my goodness gracious that was an ordeal! I mean really.
ReplyDeleteOB-The book does NOT pick up at the end. When you finally find out who the mole is, it is so anti climatic that I almost just skimmed through the conversations. Even when Smiley was shocked and mad the way it was written was so dry that I just felt like he was mildly annoyed! It was just sooo dry! I am surprised my book didn't spontaneously combust right there.
I didn't quite understand why the mole was not hanged too. Isn't treason punishable by death?? Instead the mole was going to be sent back to Russia where he could help Karla some more!? He betrayed his country and yet they were telling him "not to worry you will be off to Russia soon!" I mean what?? And maybe they explain it better in the book somewhere and I just wasn't paying attention? I did that alot.
Even when they described the resolution to everything after the mole was found it was stuffy. It wasn't a great explanation it just WAS. Does that make sense. It was put like "no big deal meh" I man Tarr was honored and taken off the bad list. Smiley gets his job back. Just a rushed ending almost. I felt like the Author was trying to end the book as fast as possible. I didn't care for it.
So no the book was not exciting at the end at all. I give the book a solid 1. But I am glad I finished it. Because now I can say I read something SO out of my element!
But I am SOO ready for the next book now! LOL
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Yay Jess!!!! My question is this: WHO voted this as a best seller???? Maybe it's because I'm not British. I feel like I need to find some other espionage book just to see if it's the genre itself that is so dry and boring or just this author.
ReplyDeleteNone of these people sound the least exciting or the kind you would ever want to go and have a good time with. I think one would actually die from boredom. I think your heart would just slow down to their slow pace and then eventually stop.
I admit I am very disappointed because the trailer for the movie looked SO good!!!! Now I can see why it is impossible to find. No one makes it out of the theater alive, or at least barely breathing.
Good job Jess! I just got my copy of SFSF, so I will begin it tonight. I am double reading as well and will go post the other book in the Your Books thread. :)
I asked that as well LB! Who made this a best seller! But it was a best seller in the 70's AND in England so there is your answer! LOL Old brits were stuff and are!
ReplyDeleteTarr would be the only guy I would groove with. He seems lighthearted and cool ish. But only a bit. Other than that the whole lot seem as boring as watching paint dry. No thanks.
Of course the trailer looked good that is how they get you in!! I hate that too! When the trailer looks GREAT! And then you see the movie and it is just horrible! Meh.
Just glad it is over! *Sniff* Just so glad.
LOL
in the 70s????? Oh Good Grief and it took them 30 plus years to finally get it made? Well, there you have it. It only took SMeyer what, like 3 years? I still have yet to go drop it off at my library, but now I'm thinking "Why torture another reader?"
ReplyDeleteya my book I got at the library has a old checkout card and 2 people checked it out in 1977! HA that is it!!
ReplyDeleteBut that actually brings up a great subject LB! I personally think that now a days with all the demand for books being made into movies and demand for movies JUST for the money is getting a little out of hand. People are making movies just for the BO payout and I think they are getting lost in what is really important. Making a quality movie for people to REMEMBER and enjoy. The movies these days are so bad I just cant with alot of them! Instead if you write a book then automatically you get a movie deal! Whether the book is good or not. And most likely when you see a book become a movie the movie just RUINS it. Which is something a big fan hates to see. Sometimes a book should stay JUST THAT. Don't get me wrong alot of movies from books have turned out GREAT! No Twilight is NOT one of those lol. But some have made me love the books even more. Because it gives me a bigger idea of the characters and explains more of what is going on! It is just that now a days we are in such a rut for entertainment that production companies are almost panicked about what to do NEXT for the biggest buck. It isn't just movies or books it is also music. Everything is so mediocre or copied! I hate it. I mean how many remakes of Halloween or Conan the Barbarian do we really need? they were classics FOR A REASON! We have no original ideas anymore and that is SAD and very frustrating. Nothing is new anymore it is all the same crap over and over and over.
And don't get me started on music and how everyone is copying everyone's songs! I am looking at you BIEBER!
So in conclusion just sad how everything is made into a movie just for the payout which shows in the quality of the film overall. Bad! Which ruins the idea the Fans who read the book HAD. Not saying that for ALL movies but some. That is why I don't want TBH to be a movie no way in heck is anyone taking my idea of Shura away! LOL
This book unfortunately was boring to begin with and so showed in the movie I guess. but I am glad they waited so long to make it into a movie because sometimes it is best to just wait! Sorry for my rant I go off on tangents sometimes LOL!
*MASSIVE HIGH-FIVE!!!!* K, you need to go over to today's LIH discussion. I agree with absolutely everything you have said (especially TBH). Originality seems to be dead and yetI know it is out there. It's all the Red Tape and Greed that is keeping it from seeing the light of day.
DeleteI think when a book and film are both great it is 1) the talent of the author to tell such a compelling story as well as create memorable, deep, real characters and 2) a director who takes that vision, has the same passion for the story as the author and readers, and doesn't screw around with the story or characters. Rather, they give it that tangible element that makes the story even more rewarding as we see it come to life.
There are other books I would love to see brought to the screen, but others that are just too special and like you, I worry about how the story and the people will be altered in such a way that it leaves that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach.
I feel bad for the many screen writers who have great material but are getting passed over because they didn't write a book instead.
Argh, yes, it's frustrating. It also makes a lot of people I know say, "Oh I'll just go see the movie instead." There is so much a book captures that a film cannot. *sigh* Oh well.
My final thought on originality is this: our society has gotten so crude, lewd, and eccentric that I don't know where there is left to go. Would someone who has been exposed to enough sex, language, and violence (and I'm talking graphic on all sides here) that they cannot enjoy the more pure, sweet, tender stories? Sometimes I think people have become too jaded and cynical. I also think, and this is ONLY my opinion readers, that with the vast amounts of hours per week spent on the internet, video games, movies, and TV and less time reading and playing, imagination is at a very low, low level. I don't want to say it is extinct, but incredibly invisible. As OB and I discussed at LIH, critical thinking seems to be disappearing as society is spoon fed what to think.
Wow...hahahaha!!!! We totally deviated from the review, but I'm glad you brought this subject up, Jess.
I know I noticed that too when I wrote me rant that "Oops went off topic for a sec!" Ahahaha
ReplyDeleteBut I TOTALLY agree with how our society is now. Everything is so crude. Have you ever seen the movie Idiocracy? Even though it is a comedy and the acting is eh it is SO true on how our society is slowing turning into morons!I fear our country just might become that way! TV is getting more and more stupid with the jokes and poop slapstick. Movies are well like I said before just bad. And even music isn't even Real" is a term I like to use. It is getting so just superficial if you will.
I agree SO much on the lack f imagination now a days. Even some kids these days look to video games and tv shows to TEACH them things! And when asked to Read they give it a look like it is broccoli or something! Alot of young kids I have talked to hate reading. Well when I was a kid we didn't have Internet and Ipads and all the new stuff kids have now. And I love some of the new stuff but because everything is just a mouse click away there is no effort anymore for anything.
And no there is no originality out there. Remake central out there! And you know its funny but back in the day when people were starting out making the movies they had NOTHING to go by and still made classics. I feel like remakes are a slap in the face to them. the founders of that movie who worked really hard on it. Now I am not saying all remakes are but Idk just irks me.
And your right LB it is sad that Screenplay writers are getting passed alot. And I don't usually talk about this to people but I have written alot of screenplays/books. And not one of them are anything like what people keep rehashing over and over. So imagination is possible it just takes alot of time and effort which I think people have lost. Laziness has really set in these days and we want things to be done for us before we start! So no thanks I will step above that. LOL
Cheers! I would love to read some of your writings!!!
DeleteYou would? Well that makes me feel not so embarrassed talking about them. LOL I guess I would let you read them LB but ONLY you.. Maybe! Ahahah
ReplyDeleteThere are alot of them too.
Yay!!!!!
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