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Summary: Just a Great Book!!!
Review: I just want to make it clear that this was one of the best books I have ever read. The way Follett is so detailed about characters and about the battle plans. You can tell that Follettt did his research and knows his stuff about espionage and about World War II.
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Summary: Best Espionage Book I've Read to Date
Review: It's World War II, 1944. Where will the allies invade France? Calais the shortest route across the English Channel or Normandy where there is a major seaport for logistical reasons? This is based on reality, and, I believe, what was the largest ruse in military history actually happened to make Hitler believe it was Calais despite his correct gut feeling it was Normandy. This included misfed intelligence and double agents. In the book, the fictional part is that Hitler put his trust in one spy. This is the story of that masterful spy, the British MI5 intelligence agents trying to find him, and the woman who has been waiting for someone just like him to liven or change her dead-end married life. I couldn't put the book down for the finale. In one word...awesome!
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Summary: Exciting, one of the better of Follett
Review: After Pillars of the Earth this is one of Follett's best. Although the caracters remain somewhat superficial Follett once again gave my a short night sleep. It's just very hard to put down. It gives a nice insight on what the UK must have been like during WW2. Definitly worth reading.
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Summary: As good as spy novels get
Review: I'll try not to reiterate too much of what other readers have written, as I agree with a lot of their comments. But I will say this: You know an author can develop a character when you find yourself rooting for the bad guy! "Die Nadel" is a fascinating character, and if he answered to Churchill instead of Hitler, you'd absolutely love him. I put this book in my "Top 10", and I'm looking forward to more of Ken Follet.
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Summary: It's Brilliant! It's Absurd!
Review: How can a book that starts out so brilliantly collapse so completely halfway through? That's when the title character, The Needle, a WWII German spy who has thus far thwarted the best efforts of several nations to stop him, is forced into a showdown with -- get this -- a beautiful young Englishwoman. And of course the fate of the free world hangs in the balance, etc., etc.Now in any sort of plausible universe, our hero would dispatch this broad faster than you could say "Heil Hitler." So why are there still 150 pages left in the book? Let me just say this: Prepare to have your patience and credulity stretched to really painful dimensions.
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Summary: The best World War II spy book
Review: I've read many spy books, but this one continues to be my favorite. Henry Faber is a near-superman--he faces unbeatable odds and triumphs anyway (its a little bit like James Bond, but more believable.) Follet manages to keep the reader in suspense until the very end of the books. Other authors have tried to copy Follet's style, but none have succeeded.
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Summary: Still The Best Of Follett
Review: This is the grandfather of spine tingling WWII thrillers with colorful characters who surprise and delight the reader and never disappoint or condescend. The story of the top Abwher spy, deeply planted in wartime England and the crew of counter espionage agents who relentlessly hunt him. Eye of the needle is Ken Follett's most inspired work. The characters are new, fresh and original. They are reused freely in his later works, sometimes to the detrament of the books, but here they are bright and unique. The narrative give the reader insight into the conflicts of war torn England, both within and without. A peek at the despair war can bring and the true merciless nature of warfare and espionage. There are several very similar works on the market, but none of them come close to the power and reality created on these pages. You will come away with the sights and smells of the drama clinging to your senses even though you have experienced them through the imagination of the author. This is also one of the most well written of all Follett's books, with the advent of the mind's eye point-of-view that appears later in other offerings, but without the delivery found in Eye Of The Needle. You will come to love and hate the protagonist, who is the determined spy as he tried so desperately to deliver his message and the tenacious hounds of British Intelligence who hunt him. If you enjoy WWII thrillers and want to escape this day and time, this is the book for you. You will have difficulty putting it down. It's still Ken Follett's best.
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Summary: Highly realistic Spy thriller with great sub plots
Review: A writer friend referred me to this book as a great example of a gripping, edge of the seat novel which uses many sub-plots, which intersect beautifully as the story and sub plots converge. It's so excellently researched I would forget that it was a novel and be reading it, thinking it was a historical report. It kept me up late, kept me away from work I had to do. Those are the kinds of evidence that tell me I'm reading a great book. It was made into a movie, starring Donald Sutherland, so you can also enjoy the pleasure of viewing the flick after reading the book. Oops. Now you'll be picturing Die Nadel (the needle) as Donald Sutherland. Oh well, that's what I did and it worked great. Enjoy!
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Summary: A Thriller and half!
Review: This, undoubtedly, is one of the better war espionage thrillers. As is the wont of this author, the depiction of "Die Nadel" is as vivid as ever. All the characters really come alive as you read this book. One wonders if the moviemakers were able to get all of Faber's viciousness, deadly intrigue, cunning, deception, and high intelligence out of Donald Sutherland. The other characters like the British spy catchers (Godliman et al.), the tragic newly-weds (David and Lucy Rose), Rommel and all the other stiff German generals all combine to make this a very fast paced and addictive thriller. You almost think "Die Nadel" is going to make his U-boat rendezvous, only for Lucy Rose to display a streak of rare talent, which makes her the ultimate heroine. Even Hitler and Churchill's cameos are what we always thought they'd be. The portrayal of Faber and Lucy's passionate moments also exposes the writer's gift of expression. One couldn't help but notice the similarities between Henry Faber ("Die Nadel") and Alex Wolf of "key to Rebecca". Not to mention the role of Lucy as unlikely heroine and that of the young and beautiful (Jewish) nemesis of Alex Wolf's in "Key to Rebecca". By and large, "Eye of the Needle" is a must read, and Ken Follet is still one of the best writers of descriptive prose to ever tread the terrain of literary fiction. I dare you to put this book down once you start!
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Summary: Outstanding piece of work!
Review: Follett creates a vivid image of WWII England in this spy thriller. It is a wonderful diversion from the techno-spy-thriller that you so often read today. While fiction, the plausibility of the story keeps the reader engaged start to finish. The book features a wonderful matching of wits between a cold-blooded Nazi spy and a professor-turned investigator. The sub-plots are riveting. This one's a page-turner!
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