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robsonjv's review against another edition
4.0
He still paints the best, most accurate, word picture of the espionage and international political intrigue in the early days of World War II. That said, while I enjoyed this book, it did feel as though he's gotten a little too comfortable and formulaic. The mission to France felt a bit forced (its only purpose seemed to be to put Zannis at our favorite Paris brasserie).
behemota's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I was unexpectedly hospitalized and ended up finding this book — something I’d probably never reach for myself or place on any reading list — on the shelf of books that were left behind at the hospital. I ended up swallowing it all up in one day, pre- and post- surgery and with endless iv drips in my arm. And I enjoyed it a lot! The characters aren’t the most multi-dimensional, and some dialogues and descriptions were a bit cringe, especially anything women-related, some things seemed very unrealistic, too polished and smoothed over, but it’s overall an enjoyable read, and definitely not a trashy one. Loveable characters, well structured plot, and an extremely (!) interesting setting. Definitely would recommend as a beach/airplane/hospital read :). Took my mind off of things!
larryschwartz's review against another edition
4.0
And so I've made it through the Alan Furst oeuvre that's available in paperback. It's exciting stuff, I think, and occasionally pretty funny.
richardwells's review against another edition
4.0
A decent protagonist, worth caring about, saving lives and making love from Salonika to Paris. Alan Furst is a terrific writer, and I'm surprised it's taken me so long to find out about him. Right now I'm putting him on a shelf above the great LeCarre.
I think my friend in Corfu would get a kick out of this one.
I think my friend in Corfu would get a kick out of this one.
stellalectorem's review against another edition
5.0
Crisp writing. An inspiration to aspiring writers.
speesh's review against another edition
4.0
"So, don't trust the telephone. Or the newspapers. Or the radio. Or tomorrow."
'Spies of the Balkans' is a subtle and thoroughly satisfying story of war-time, Second World War-time, set in Greece, in Salonika, in 1940 - the early, confused, months of the war.
Furst portrays perfectly, the ambiance and atmosphere of a country not initially involved, but caught in the crossfire and seeing the war creep inexorably closer. Naive spy games are being played out, mostly and typically, by the British, it has to be said. Johnny Foreigner can be persuaded, if not bought, to just do this one more thing as a favour for...for what? Past favours? Promises of protection that can't possibly be fulfilled or have no intention of being fulfilled. The sound of the British Empire crumbling and fading to insignificance in the face of a new, harsher reality, is deafening. But, that's just me. Here, people are getting on with it, matter of fact. There's a problem, they solve it. They get the job done. Costa Zannis is the man, in Salonika, who can. A man with contacts and connections seemingly throughout Eastern Europe. At one point, he's having an affair with a woman who turns out to be a British spy, of sorts. At another, he's pulling in favours and running the eastern side of a rat-run smuggling Jewish people out from under the Gestapo's noses and across Europe to some sort of freedom - not just a better future, but a future. Full stop. Then he's swooning like a love-sick calf over an old school-girl crush, extricating herself from the sweaty grip of a shipping magnate. In between, he's got to go fight the Italians up in the Macedonian mountains, then try and make sure his family also escape to freedom. In the middle, the good old British are back, reasoning if he can smuggle Jews out of Germany, he can smuggle stupid British scientists out as well.
This is indeed espionage writing at its best. Ordinary espionage, maybe is a better description. The espionage of necessity. It's not going to have you on the edge of your seat, it's not going to have you breathless in anticipation of the next stunning shock or cheap thrill. But it is going to keep you gripped in much more subtle ways. It is beautifully written, sparse but effective, measured and delightfully paced. A bit like how Olen Steinhauer's Balkan Trilogy could or should have been written, I felt at times. Steinhauer got close, but Furst hits the mark.
What I came away with was a feeling that I'd got to know a character who might well have existed, who maybe did exist, I hoped so anyway, who did what he could, because he could. And didn't think much more about it than that. He got on with it. If there really were people like Zannis, we owe them.
'Spies of the Balkans' is a subtle and thoroughly satisfying story of war-time, Second World War-time, set in Greece, in Salonika, in 1940 - the early, confused, months of the war.
Furst portrays perfectly, the ambiance and atmosphere of a country not initially involved, but caught in the crossfire and seeing the war creep inexorably closer. Naive spy games are being played out, mostly and typically, by the British, it has to be said. Johnny Foreigner can be persuaded, if not bought, to just do this one more thing as a favour for...for what? Past favours? Promises of protection that can't possibly be fulfilled or have no intention of being fulfilled. The sound of the British Empire crumbling and fading to insignificance in the face of a new, harsher reality, is deafening. But, that's just me. Here, people are getting on with it, matter of fact. There's a problem, they solve it. They get the job done. Costa Zannis is the man, in Salonika, who can. A man with contacts and connections seemingly throughout Eastern Europe. At one point, he's having an affair with a woman who turns out to be a British spy, of sorts. At another, he's pulling in favours and running the eastern side of a rat-run smuggling Jewish people out from under the Gestapo's noses and across Europe to some sort of freedom - not just a better future, but a future. Full stop. Then he's swooning like a love-sick calf over an old school-girl crush, extricating herself from the sweaty grip of a shipping magnate. In between, he's got to go fight the Italians up in the Macedonian mountains, then try and make sure his family also escape to freedom. In the middle, the good old British are back, reasoning if he can smuggle Jews out of Germany, he can smuggle stupid British scientists out as well.
This is indeed espionage writing at its best. Ordinary espionage, maybe is a better description. The espionage of necessity. It's not going to have you on the edge of your seat, it's not going to have you breathless in anticipation of the next stunning shock or cheap thrill. But it is going to keep you gripped in much more subtle ways. It is beautifully written, sparse but effective, measured and delightfully paced. A bit like how Olen Steinhauer's Balkan Trilogy could or should have been written, I felt at times. Steinhauer got close, but Furst hits the mark.
What I came away with was a feeling that I'd got to know a character who might well have existed, who maybe did exist, I hoped so anyway, who did what he could, because he could. And didn't think much more about it than that. He got on with it. If there really were people like Zannis, we owe them.
leialocks's review against another edition
3.0
I liked and didn't like this one. I felt the story was a series of vignettes in Costa's life during the war. The vignettes didn't really fit together. It was neat to view WWII through a different lens for me. I didn't know much about the Balkans during that time. Definitely may look into Furst's others.
nigelbrown's review against another edition
5.0
If you like spy novels, I fail to see how you cannot adore Furst.
This was so authentic and his writing so sincere that the pictures he painted in my mind transported me back in time. Admittedly, I have a deep interest for this period in history anyway, but my knowledge of this piece of Europe ( the Balkans) was quite limited, which created my only problem with the book and why it took so long to read it. I had to keep googling for more information, which, of course leads to surfing associated subjects.
This was so authentic and his writing so sincere that the pictures he painted in my mind transported me back in time. Admittedly, I have a deep interest for this period in history anyway, but my knowledge of this piece of Europe ( the Balkans) was quite limited, which created my only problem with the book and why it took so long to read it. I had to keep googling for more information, which, of course leads to surfing associated subjects.
rubybastille's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty standard Furst, but that's okay. He switches up his narrative by having his main character start out pretty badass (a special-ops cop, compared to a film producer, etc) and follows Zannis's progress as he sets up an escape route through eastern Europe to Turkey for Jews escaping Germany.
The romance irritated me - Zannis is basically just infatuated with Demeteria because she's omg so hot, and I didn't buy it as the motivational true love that most Furst heroes get.
Still, seeing the progress of the Nazis through Europe, and the attempts of perfectly ordinary people trying to help other people escape a fate they don't deserve, made for heartwrenching and involving reading.
Also, Zannis has the best dog. <3
The romance irritated me - Zannis is basically just infatuated with Demeteria because she's omg so hot, and I didn't buy it as the motivational true love that most Furst heroes get.
Still, seeing the progress of the Nazis through Europe, and the attempts of perfectly ordinary people trying to help other people escape a fate they don't deserve, made for heartwrenching and involving reading.
Also, Zannis has the best dog. <3
stevenk's review against another edition
4.0
A novel of espionage that starts on the fringes of WWII and ends with the German Invasion of Greece. Furst does a great job of setting the scene, Greece right before Italy invades, and establishing the mindset of his main character. In this book it is Constitine Zannis a Greek police official in the town of Salonika, who helps Jewish refugees out of Germany. I enjoy Furst's books because they give you a window into the mindsets of ordinary people doing extra-ordinary things in the face of war, and they are often set on the fringes, the places that don't come to the forefront of your mind when you think about WWII. This book is another enjoyable trip into the world of espionage that took place in and around WWII. The writing and realistic characters give you a sympathy for the situations that they faced that really brings the events of the story, and the era in which they are set, to life