Tremor of Intent [Mass Market Paperback]

Anthony Burgess (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 12, 1972

A spy thriller with a villain who makes the Devil look like a vicar, a beautiful girl with a technique that makes the "Kama Sutra" look like a kid's primer and characters who change their personalities as frequently as their shirts.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Tremor of Intent has more wit and comic invention than the books which it so boisterously ridicules....The talent is as unsettling as it is prodigious.” (New Republic )

“A gleaming novel of ideas...brazenly clever. He is possessed by a black sense of humor...Burgess is nothing if not outrageous.” (New York Times Book Review ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Anthony Burgess is the author of many works, including The Wanting Seed, Nothing Like the Sun, The Doctor Is Sick, The Long Day Wanes, Honey for the Bears, and ReJoyce. He died in 1993. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (July 12, 1972)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345227662
• ISBN-13: 978-0345227669
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,678,892 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Anthony Burgess (25th February 1917-22nd November 1993) was one of the UK's leading academics and most respected literary figures. A prolific author, during his writing career Burgess found success as a novelist, critic, composer, playwright, screenwriter, travel writer, essayist, poet and librettist, as well as working as a translator, broadcaster, linguist and educationalist. His fiction also includes NOTHING LIKE THE SUN, a recreation of Shakespeare's love-life, but he is perhaps most famous for the complex and controversial novel A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, exploring the nature of evil. Born in Manchester, he spent time living in Southeast Asia, the USA and Mediterranean Europe as well as in England, until his death in 1993.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a short yet modestly diverting (and fun) espionage novel, February 8, 2010

By 

lazza (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tremor of Intent: A Novel (Paperback)

'Tremor of Intent' is really a very minor effort by Anthony Burgess, an author who has otherwise fully earned his stellar reputation. It is a spy story that mostly takes place on a cruise ship in the Adriatic during the 1960s. The book seems mainly as vehicle for the author to show off his considerable wit and knowledge of languages. The plot? Not very important, plausible or even fully understandable. But no bother. The book is full of clever dialog and memorable characters.


Bottom line: a weak effort by Anthony Burgess would be considered a tremendous achievement by most anyone else. Yet, I think this book is best for Anthony Burgess fans only.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intellectual beach read, September 15, 2009

By 

Simon G. Barrett (london, england) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tremor of Intent: A Novel (Paperback)

So glad to see this romp back in print. Sheer escapism, best read when you're young enough to take the macho fantasizing straight; blissful, absurd! Feminists (well, women) should probably avoid. But hey, it's parody, girls - lighten up! (I fear not...) This is a thriller for those who find thrillers dumb, just as The Sirens of Titan or War with the Newts (two more of my favourites) are scifi for those who grew out of scifi. Enjoy!

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a damn decent read..., August 21, 2006

By 

G.Jones "book junky" (South Orange County) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tremor of Intent: A Novel (Paperback)

i hate giving huge descriptions about books and how the characters are and the problems of the book. to put it simply if you like anthony burgess and you like spy stories with a great ending then pick this book up. the history and development of the main characters was probably one of the most interesting aspects of the book. the two main characters are spies and one of them has left the side of "good" to be with the "bad". the one that remains on the good side is basically threatened by the "good" side in order to bring the other spy back. both characters go through some interesting development and get into some real trouble like a 250 lb child molester who doesnt just have his eyes on the children. the ending is definitely something unexpected but for those who read anthony burgess, they already know this. burgess has an incredible of keeping your interest the whole time. spies on adventures and their sexual prowess, as well as, their naievity and insanity that comes with job. overall an intersting read for any fan of burgess. you will definitely root for the good guys the whole way. anthony burgess hands down, was and continues to be one of the best writers in modern lit