Young Philby: A Novel
“For readers who savor both history and absurdity, this fascinating novel is not to be missed, and I persist in my belief that Littell is one of the most underrated of American novelists.” —The Washington Post“Arguably, along with le Carré and Alan Furst, one of the best three or four espionage writers alive. … Thanks to the narrative gifts and psychological insights of Robert Littell we come away from the novel with a dramatically inventive and utterly entertaining portrait of a deceptive young genius in a confusing and murderous time.” —Boston Globe“One of the most original and authoritative writers of spy fiction of our time.” —The London Literary Review“A dizzying, 'what if' take on (in)famous British spy Kim Philby. … Littell shows particular skill at recreating pulse-quickening epic scenes of conflict—the Russian-backed uprising against Austrian Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss, the war against fascist dictator Francisco Franco, and the horrors of Stalin’s kangaroo courts and of Moscow prisons. … A Cold-War spy novel for the top shelf.”—Kirkus Reviews(starred review)"A riveting read." —Frederick Forsyth“There are many incidental pleasures to be had, not least the way Littell combines deep knowledge of spycraft with jovial levity.” —The Guardian(UK)“Incredibly crafted … Littell recreates the tangled, messy web of lies that surround a double agent’s life beautifully.” —CriminalElement.com“The American master of literary espionage.” —The Independent(UK)“A fascinating story…. Those who enjoy cold war espionage, spy tradecraft, World War II history, or plain old-fashioned good writing will appreciate this novel.” —Washington Independent Review of BooksPraise for Robert Littell“One of those writers, like Elmore Leonard, who have risen far above genre... One of the most talented, most original voices in American fiction today, period.”—The Washington Post“If Robert Littell didn’t invent the spy novel, he should have.”—Tom Clancy“Psychologically interesting thrillers that rival in their intensity and the delivery of their plots the best work of John le Carré.”—ChicagoTribune“Along with Alan Furst, the best American spy writer currently at work.”—Daily Telegraph(UK)