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zare_i's review against another edition
5.0
Olen Steinhauer writes yet another excellent story about secrets and how they affect ones lives.
Two agents (Henry and Celia) share a very troubled past but what are they ready to do in order to survive the aftermath of their actions?
Story revolves around a dinner between Henry and Celia. Henry an active agent stationed in Vienna and Celia, retired agent seeking comfort in normal civilian life. Henry aims to find out what exactly happened in Vienna (where they were both stationed) six years back and what was the cause of bloody failure at the airport - event that marked them both in so many ways. To achieve his goal he arranges for friendly dinner with Celia and during the conversation at the table reader is presented with the plenty of skeletons-from-the-closet from both parties.
Excellent novel, highly recommended to all fans of spy-fiction and thrillers in general.
Two agents (Henry and Celia) share a very troubled past but what are they ready to do in order to survive the aftermath of their actions?
Story revolves around a dinner between Henry and Celia. Henry an active agent stationed in Vienna and Celia, retired agent seeking comfort in normal civilian life. Henry aims to find out what exactly happened in Vienna (where they were both stationed) six years back and what was the cause of bloody failure at the airport - event that marked them both in so many ways. To achieve his goal he arranges for friendly dinner with Celia and during the conversation at the table reader is presented with the plenty of skeletons-from-the-closet from both parties.
Excellent novel, highly recommended to all fans of spy-fiction and thrillers in general.
jbarr5's review against another edition
4.0
All the old knives by Olan Steinhauer
Sounded like a good book. Starts out with Henry Colham and he's leaving CA, plane is delayed.
Celia Fabrough he plans to visit before he heads back to Vienna. She's now married to Drew and 2 boys.
She left the spy career behind. Story goes back in time and we find out how they met and their lives then working for the CIA til the terrorists hijack the plane and kill a stewardess.
Was their identity comprised? That's what he needs to find out, by asking her more questions of what she knows/remembers.
What I like about this book is that it's an audiobook and each of the characters get their own chapters with right voices: female voice for her, male voice for him.
Fast paced action and not predictable.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Sounded like a good book. Starts out with Henry Colham and he's leaving CA, plane is delayed.
Celia Fabrough he plans to visit before he heads back to Vienna. She's now married to Drew and 2 boys.
She left the spy career behind. Story goes back in time and we find out how they met and their lives then working for the CIA til the terrorists hijack the plane and kill a stewardess.
Was their identity comprised? That's what he needs to find out, by asking her more questions of what she knows/remembers.
What I like about this book is that it's an audiobook and each of the characters get their own chapters with right voices: female voice for her, male voice for him.
Fast paced action and not predictable.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
rschmidt7's review against another edition
2.0
Mediocre Euro CIA thriller. A quick read but nothing new, innovative, or smart. Ending was decent with a little ambiguity. Shitty protagonist(s) with a dual point of view, neither likable, neither sympathetic.
I need to read “The Tourist” to see if this author is all he’s hyped up to be. Not impressed by this one. Glad it was a free library checkout.
I need to read “The Tourist” to see if this author is all he’s hyped up to be. Not impressed by this one. Glad it was a free library checkout.
adamrshields's review against another edition
3.0
Short Review: This is a fairly short spy thriller with all of the action revealed over dinner. A couple, that was about to live together before a large terrorist action, are now meeting for dinner years after the issue. He is still a spy and working on investigating a leak that may have lead to hundreds of deaths in that terrorist action. She is a former spy who may have information. Over dinner, through their narrative or through flashbacks, the whole thing is revealed.
It is a decent book. Not too long, but works okay. Not my favorite of Steinhauer's books, but worth reading.
My only slightly longer review on my blog at http://bookwi.se/all-the-old-knives/
It is a decent book. Not too long, but works okay. Not my favorite of Steinhauer's books, but worth reading.
My only slightly longer review on my blog at http://bookwi.se/all-the-old-knives/
rick_k's review against another edition
4.0
All The Old Knives is a masterfully plotted psychological spy thriller. Henry, a CIA operative, and Celia, and ex-CIA analyst, are reunited six years after a disastrous terrorist operation which was never fully resolved. Henry seeks out Celia to find clarity in the events which lead to 120 civilian casualties, her resignation from the CIA, and the end to their romantic relationship. Over the course of a single dinner the novel alternates perspective to tell their individual accounts of the events, both then and now.
This was my introduction to Olen Steinhauer’s writing which combines complex four-dimensional characters with riveting intrigue. I was impressed with the composition of the operatives in the Vienna field office. Each character had a clear role, personality, and flaw. The interior dynamics of the team was rendered deftly to provide for each to contribute, reveal their allegiances and weaknesses. The humanity and vulnerability of the agents sets this apart from so many other books in this genre. Both cinematic and intimate All The Old Knives earns a solid recommendation.
I received this book free from the publisher, Minotaur Books, which is an imprint of MacMillian and St. Martin’s Press through a Goodreads “First Read” Giveaway. All The Old Knives will be released for purchase on March 10th, 2015.
This was my introduction to Olen Steinhauer’s writing which combines complex four-dimensional characters with riveting intrigue. I was impressed with the composition of the operatives in the Vienna field office. Each character had a clear role, personality, and flaw. The interior dynamics of the team was rendered deftly to provide for each to contribute, reveal their allegiances and weaknesses. The humanity and vulnerability of the agents sets this apart from so many other books in this genre. Both cinematic and intimate All The Old Knives earns a solid recommendation.
I received this book free from the publisher, Minotaur Books, which is an imprint of MacMillian and St. Martin’s Press through a Goodreads “First Read” Giveaway. All The Old Knives will be released for purchase on March 10th, 2015.
dajenny's review against another edition
4.0
A somewhat dark spy thriller with strong language, plenty of gore and a few smutty scenes. Still it was well-written. A quick, interesting read that made me think.
nattygsmith's review against another edition
5.0
This was a gripping, entertaining and original spy novel. The frame of a single conversation, years after a terrible international incident, is what makes this so exciting. Steinhauer maintains the tension between the two former lovers brilliantly, and while the slow retelling of the original incident is interesting, the real conflict is in the verbal sparring between Henry and Celia as their emotions and motivations are slowly and surprising revealed. If you like modern spy stories, I highly recommend this one.
vanessaeco's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.5
It was an intrguing spy story at first, but towards the ending it was meh. Sorry, 2.5 stars.