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michael_gallipo's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
quietdomino's review
Fascinating in a car-wreck kind of way for the premise of "Asian American crisis of nationalism" that "Harris Chang," superbuff former soldier and classic banana faces in this book. It's a pretty long way from the land of Le Carre.
noonebuthappy's review against another edition
2.0
Not my cup of tea. Lean prose, sometimes awkward dialogue and weak characters. Very predictable plot. What kept me reading is the research that went into this; all of the CIA stuff felt very realistic. Oh, don't expect anything interesting regarding Quantum Computing; there is none expect the basics.
caroparr's review
3.0
I have a lot of respect for Ignatius as a journalist, but this was disappointing. Thin characterizations and clunky writing made it a bit of a slog, though by about 3/4 of the way through I was gripped by the plot. My eternal quest for a great thriller is ongoing!
go_devils's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
cpikas's review against another edition
4.0
More like 3.5? or 4. I don't know. It was a decent story, but I think it could have used just a tad more technical information. There was almost none. Compared to some of the intricate stories I've read recently, this was a little less? But still an enjoyable read. I feel like the boss who's supposed to be a racist got rewritten in parts but not all? like is he the gruff, rough around the edges, old dude who's not PC but has a heart of gold and is technically awesome or is he a racist who unnecessarily risks his subordinates? dunno.
alex_ellermann's review
4.0
The audiobook version of 'The Quantum Spy,' a David Ignatius espionage tale, is so good that it'll make you take a couple of extra laps around the neighborhood before pulling in to your driveway at night.
The novel, a LeCarre-esque tale of realistic espionage, centers on the CIA's quest to keep the US ahead of the world in quantum computing technology. As the book tells it, the Agency does this in two ways: funding promising lines of research at home while tripping up researchers and intelligence agencies abroad. Populating this world, one finds a capable but idealistic young case officer, a cynical and ruthless operations chief, and various allies and adversaries. The characters feel like real, live human beings. The dilemmas feel authentic, the locations realistic, and the whole thing entertaining and interesting. I loved it; I look forward to reading even more of Ignatius's work.
Recommended for: spy novel enthusiasts, adventure novel enthusiasts, intel bubbas.
The novel, a LeCarre-esque tale of realistic espionage, centers on the CIA's quest to keep the US ahead of the world in quantum computing technology. As the book tells it, the Agency does this in two ways: funding promising lines of research at home while tripping up researchers and intelligence agencies abroad. Populating this world, one finds a capable but idealistic young case officer, a cynical and ruthless operations chief, and various allies and adversaries. The characters feel like real, live human beings. The dilemmas feel authentic, the locations realistic, and the whole thing entertaining and interesting. I loved it; I look forward to reading even more of Ignatius's work.
Recommended for: spy novel enthusiasts, adventure novel enthusiasts, intel bubbas.
steveab's review
3.0
Very contemporary thriller centered on high tech spying and hacking war between US and China. Unfortunately, quite plausible.
The "quantum" in the title refers to unfolding technology of quantum computing, a just over the horizon technology that will change encryption and privacy entirely--as well as enabling faster research in areas from climate change to flight. You will learn something about this topic from the book. Then again, you can also learn by following stories about Intel and others working intensively on this technology.
I appreciated the back and forth, "spy-vs-spy" relationship between the Chinese and US national security teams. Layers of entrapment and plotting make for a good story. Hard to compare the characters--and their--temptations to those in a classic John Le Carre novel. Then again, that may be too high a bar.
Great read for diversion on a trip and over long winter weekends, which is how I approached it.
The "quantum" in the title refers to unfolding technology of quantum computing, a just over the horizon technology that will change encryption and privacy entirely--as well as enabling faster research in areas from climate change to flight. You will learn something about this topic from the book. Then again, you can also learn by following stories about Intel and others working intensively on this technology.
I appreciated the back and forth, "spy-vs-spy" relationship between the Chinese and US national security teams. Layers of entrapment and plotting make for a good story. Hard to compare the characters--and their--temptations to those in a classic John Le Carre novel. Then again, that may be too high a bar.
Great read for diversion on a trip and over long winter weekends, which is how I approached it.