Customer Reviews

A Game of Spies

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In 1939, M16 espionage agent William Hobbs seduces naive twenty-year old German Eva Bernhardt to work undercover in Germany spying for the British. After obtaining Eva's cooperation, William callously drops her leaving her at the mercies of M16, who believe Eva is the prefect person to drop in Berlin to learn when and where Hitler's invasion of France is to begin. The Nazis hope to uncover British moles to use them to transmit misinformation to the Allies.

In 1940, Eva hates both the Nazis and the British for their callous misuse of people. She is trying to obtain invasion information from Otto Klinger, a person who might have a grudge against the Nazis. However, the German Secret Service know Eva works for the British and plan to use her as a courier for disinformation to fool their enemies. Hobbs, who arranged a kidnapping of himself in Holland by the Gestapo, realizes the Nazis are using Eva as a pawn. He now knows he loves Eva and will risk his life to insure her safety even as the Nazis pursue him.

In his debut tale, A GATHERING OF SPIES, John Altman provided espionage fans with a taut World War II thriller. His second novel, A GAME OF SPIES is even better as readers receive a powerful historical spy tale that never slows down as both sides use people as fodder in a deadly game of trump. Fans of the genre will want to read this superb World War II novel that brings the era alive through the actions and reactions of a powerful ensemble.

Harriet Klausner

I'm a fan of Altman's based on his first book and I think the new one is even better. It's fast paced, although not as much so as "A Gathering of Spies" with better developed characters and a fascinating plot line. Don't miss this one!

Pack this one in your suitcase. I did and it was great diversion on the plane. Couldn't put it down. The characters, while not as exciting as Katrina in the author's first book, really get to you and the plot is terrific.

I loved the first book by Altman and eagerly anticipated the second and it was worth the wait. The historical background coupled with interesting characters and a fast moving plot are clearly this author's signature style. Can't wait for the third!

This novel seemed to be a little fragmented. It starts out with a kidnapping which seems to be partially explained later in the novel, but not very well. There seem to be a lot of spies and intelligence service people tripping over their feet, and sleeper agents who are not very well placed. People seem to be dashing about in all directions. One would like to think that intelligence services operate with some amount of intelligence and well trained personnel, but perhaps that is wishful thinking.

The author tries to wrap things together later in the novel with an explanation of some grand scheme to plant misinformation, but by that point I had lost interest. It is the usual case in the spy business, i.e., you don't know who is working for whom, and you may not be sure of who you are working for yourself. You really can't trust anyone.

In this novel, various people have been blackmailed or seduced into spying, which would usually produce unreliable agents. It would be better to find someone willing to sell out for money (the usual case), or perhaps someone with a grudge against the establishment, perhaps someone who did not get a promotion which they feel in their own mind that they merited, i.e., a Benedict Arnold type.

I would note that the real sleeper agents at the start of World War II tended to be well placed, e.g., the one at Scapa Flow or the one in Honolulu, where they could provide valuable information.

Once again John Altman does not disappoint with his portrayal of World War II intrigue. This book is a fast paced treat, choc a bloc with historical detail and boxes within boxes. Not to be missed!

A good book, a catchy story, but after reading Altman's first novel, "A Gathering of Spies," this novel almost seems like a romp, written quickly and with far less twists and credible turns. In fact, at the end, Eva Bernhardt's 'sudden' awareness that the Gestapo had set her up with false information to take back to England feels like an anticlimax. Nevertheless, it is a gripping quick read and worth buying.

Although I haven't been much in the mood for violence since Sept. llth, I read this book because I really enjoyed the first John Altman book and I'm glad I did. I found it was a mature and even more engrossing tale with better developed characters.

As I was browsing through the new section of the library, I noticed a plain book with a plain title: A Game of Spies by John Altman. Now I am always game for a spy thriller, but this book with it's drab gray and black background lacked the requisite eye candy I am used to. The Altman name was new to me, so I decided to check the reviews in the back. Lying at the very top were glowing reviews from Jack Higgins and Stephen Coonts. That settled the matter.

The story takes place at the beginning of the 1940's, just before the rumored German invasion of France. MI6-the British version of the CIA-desperate to find out where Hitler plans to invade, steps up there spying efforts. All hope seems lost, however, when a double agent reveals the names of all known British spies to the Gestapo. If it weren't for Eva Bernhardt, an unknown German born sleeper agent in her early twenties, all hope might have been lost. Eva, and the villainous Nazi double agent Hobbs who recruited her, must infiltrate deep into the heart of Nazi Germany to find the entry point of the German invasion. Both agents are France's last hope of stopping the Nazi Blitzkrieg. But how much do the Germans know?

At 259 pages, this short book was quite a powerhouse. I was drawn in by the first paragraph, and never looked back. I was impressed with Altman's ability to hold the reader's attention, and even throw in a semi-surprise ending, with the outcome of World War II well known. Most surprising from this short book was the depth of character development. He was able to portray karmic rewards for previous actions without being Pollyanna about it. Part James Bond, part Jason Bourne, Gritty enough to portray the pre-war conditions in Nazi Germany without extinguishing all hope, A Game of Spies will be a welcome suspense addition to any library.

Although I'm not generally a reader of World War II nazi spy stories, a friend whose judgment I usually trust recommended this author#s work very highly and lent me the book. I was hooked from the first chapter and could hardly put the book down. I can't judge the historical accuracy of the book, but in terms of interesting characters and complex, fast moving plot, this book was intriguing and well written. I give it 5 stars!