Le Carre's classic was "the best spy story [Graham Greene] ever read," so it had much to live up to. It delivers, but not as you may expect. And isn't that just like a spy? If you're looking for Bond-esque action and steam or chases in the vein of Jason Bourne (or Bourne movies anyway), thou shalt be disappointed. But if you're game for mind tricks and double-crossing and all the true accoutrements of what goes into espionage, this read has those in spades.

It's amazing what this author packs into roughly 200 pages. It's dialogue-driven, so know that. The talking flows, though, and it doesn't tell more than it should. Of course there's an affair (Liz Gold), a villain (the fiendish Mundt), and the helpful crony spy (Fiedler), but Alec Leamas is largely alone in this book, even when he's with other people.

The life of a spy is bleak and unattractive, as are the lessons gleaned from this book. Probably no author knows that bleakness better than John le Carre, who worked in British intel before becoming an author and penning this Cold War-era classic. Of course he gives the characters his own thoughts to express about the Cold War, a split-up Germany, and socialism/communism, but it's not heavy-handed and, dated though it may seem, it's timeless.

In short, Leamas does what he must to execute one more master plan, that being to bring about nemesis Mundt's ruin and ultimate end. It really ramps up at the end, giving a photo finish to a spy who, despite having this last go, does his best to come him from the cold. Well worth the read from a man on top of his craft. Interest is piqued now to read his Constant Gardener.