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mlc2175's review
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
liketheday's review
4.0
It's 1930s England, and Nicky Marlow's just been laid off from his engineering job. It takes him longer to find a job than he'd expected, so he ends up taking a job in Italy as a business manager for a firm that sells machines that make weapons. From the start, the Milan job is a bit dodgy — odd people in the office, even more odd people striking up conversations with him, his passport being "mislaid" by the government.
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spacebornfew's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
rumaysa1234's review
4.0
4.5 stars
I really found this book an enjoyable read. The only problem with it was how cryptic it often was, meaning you had to truly concentrate and reread certain passages if you wished to infer what was truly going on. Also, the protagonist, Nicholas 'Nicky' Marlow, was one of the most frustrating ones you'll come across. Unwilling to learn more, and once entranced in the mess unwillling to work his way out, he's honestly much less heroic than his guide, Zaleshoff. Zaleshoff and Tamara are much braver than Marlow ever is, and their kindness and patience with him is astounding. Marlow retrospectively remarks several times: 'You couldn't help liking Zaleshoff,' but what he forgets to add is, 'You couldn't help disliking Marlow.'
All in all it was an interesting book, if rather vague at times, and I found it exasperating, humourous and adventurous all at once.
I really found this book an enjoyable read. The only problem with it was how cryptic it often was, meaning you had to truly concentrate and reread certain passages if you wished to infer what was truly going on. Also, the protagonist, Nicholas 'Nicky' Marlow, was one of the most frustrating ones you'll come across. Unwilling to learn more, and once entranced in the mess unwillling to work his way out, he's honestly much less heroic than his guide, Zaleshoff. Zaleshoff and Tamara are much braver than Marlow ever is, and their kindness and patience with him is astounding. Marlow retrospectively remarks several times: 'You couldn't help liking Zaleshoff,' but what he forgets to add is, 'You couldn't help disliking Marlow.'
All in all it was an interesting book, if rather vague at times, and I found it exasperating, humourous and adventurous all at once.
paul_cornelius's review
4.0
Eric Ambler once more incorporates his Russian-American brother/sister team, Zaleshaoff and Tamara, into another first rate thriller. Not quite as good as Background to Danger, where another unwitting Englishman is brought under the influence of the brother and sister Soviet spy tandem, Cause for Alarm is nonetheless engrossing on its own merits.
In this story, Nicholas Marlow, a recently unemployed English engineer, takes a job with a British firm in Italy. He does so out of desperation for work and to please his fiance. It is his encounters with the spy Zaleshoff, however, that brings him into danger. Upon Zaleshoff's encouragement, Marlow undertakes to observe and through his efforts with a would be blackmailing German agent sow discord between the Axis allies in Europe. Actual history would reveal just how fruitless this fictional fantasy would play out in real life. But for readers of the mid 1930s, it might have engendered a bit of optimism about containing Hitler and Mussolini as well as supplying a nice mystery.
About the story. As the above description indicates, it is not a particularly complex one. The simplicity of the story, however, gives way to the range of the story's setting, from London to various points in Italy and on through an escape across Italy into Yugoslavia. This latter part of the novel is where events really gain steam. Like many a 1930s novel, the romance of the setting of an espionage/escape story on a train is enough to entice readers. Compound that with a flight across the Italian countryside, crossing railway yards, outwitting militiamen and police, and working a way across windswept snow encased mountains, and you have quite an adventure tale, too.
In this story, Nicholas Marlow, a recently unemployed English engineer, takes a job with a British firm in Italy. He does so out of desperation for work and to please his fiance. It is his encounters with the spy Zaleshoff, however, that brings him into danger. Upon Zaleshoff's encouragement, Marlow undertakes to observe and through his efforts with a would be blackmailing German agent sow discord between the Axis allies in Europe. Actual history would reveal just how fruitless this fictional fantasy would play out in real life. But for readers of the mid 1930s, it might have engendered a bit of optimism about containing Hitler and Mussolini as well as supplying a nice mystery.
About the story. As the above description indicates, it is not a particularly complex one. The simplicity of the story, however, gives way to the range of the story's setting, from London to various points in Italy and on through an escape across Italy into Yugoslavia. This latter part of the novel is where events really gain steam. Like many a 1930s novel, the romance of the setting of an espionage/escape story on a train is enough to entice readers. Compound that with a flight across the Italian countryside, crossing railway yards, outwitting militiamen and police, and working a way across windswept snow encased mountains, and you have quite an adventure tale, too.
mgeake's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
andrew61's review against another edition
4.0
The story in this novel falls in to halves. In part one we meet Nick Marlow, a young engineer ,who in 1937 has lost his job and having just become engaged he takes a job in Milan for a company that manufactures shells in a very volatile Italy. In the prologue we has seen market's predecessor murdered by suspicious baddies. In Milan Marlow is drawn into a political situation where forces seek to undermine the Rome-Berlin axis and Marlow becomes the innocent fall guy.
The second half is an exciting escape story as he and the mysterious Zaleshoff try to escape to Yugoslavia, with a well plotted tale that had me at times at the edge of my seat.
I felt the book was on a level with the best of modern thrillers but the aspect I most enjoyed was the picture of intrigue and politics as the second world war approaches. An Increasingly militant fascist Italy and a suspicious Germany cause everyone to look over their shoulders as the secret police use casual violence as a tool of control. A really interesting period piece and clearly a forerunner and influence on future writers. I will definitely be exploring Eric Ambler's other books.
The second half is an exciting escape story as he and the mysterious Zaleshoff try to escape to Yugoslavia, with a well plotted tale that had me at times at the edge of my seat.
I felt the book was on a level with the best of modern thrillers but the aspect I most enjoyed was the picture of intrigue and politics as the second world war approaches. An Increasingly militant fascist Italy and a suspicious Germany cause everyone to look over their shoulders as the secret police use casual violence as a tool of control. A really interesting period piece and clearly a forerunner and influence on future writers. I will definitely be exploring Eric Ambler's other books.
privileged_loitering's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
cnyreader's review
3.0
Nick Marlow is a young engineer in London who has lost his job due to cutbacks. WWII is on the horizon and he is engaged and desperate to not lose his fiancee and his dignity, so he takes a job in Italy temporarily. While he's there to just do his job, the shady details of his predecessor's death bring certain characters and events into his life that he cannot avoid, no matter how much he wants to.
This is a fun story to read. Espionage and international political dynamics are not usually something I find entertaining (booooooooooring) but Nick's unpreparedness in his situation increases the intrigue and makes him more easy to relate to as the story progresses. Nick and his fiancee are so very English, and this is pointed out time and again. The most interesting and enigmatic characters are Zaleshoff siblings- but are they siblings? Russians? spies?
Food: a cigar and a whiskey while looking over your shoulder. Relax, but not too much!
This is a fun story to read. Espionage and international political dynamics are not usually something I find entertaining (booooooooooring) but Nick's unpreparedness in his situation increases the intrigue and makes him more easy to relate to as the story progresses. Nick and his fiancee are so very English, and this is pointed out time and again. The most interesting and enigmatic characters are Zaleshoff siblings- but are they siblings? Russians? spies?
Food: a cigar and a whiskey while looking over your shoulder. Relax, but not too much!