A Firing Offense

Rating:
Summary: Great story, very well-writen.
Review: A fantastic merging of the espionage and media worlds, something easier said than done. The plot was clever, the ideas fresh, and the characters well-developed. I look forward to reading more of Ignatius' work.

Rating:
Summary: Great story, very well-writen.
Review: A fantastic merging of the espionage and media worlds, something easier said than done. The plot was clever, the ideas fresh, and the characters well-developed. I look forward to reading more of Ignatius' work.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful surprise of a thriller.
Review: As a thriller author myself, I read a tremendous amount of "the competition." I had seen some media people discussing this novel on television when the hardcover came out, and was not suffienctly intrigued to buy it. But I picked it up in paperback last night and read it in two sittings. First, Ignatius's writing ability is far above average. With seeming ease, he writes with great economy and insight. A FIRING OFFENSE is bare of the cheap devices usually employed by thriller writers (in fact, it hardly even contains violence) yet I could not turn the pages fast enough. Ignatius handles the moral complexities with a sure hand, reminding me a bit of vintage LeCarre. The accumulated wisdom of an international journalist also feels genuine, and adds greatly to the novel. The fact that this novel did not break out is a sad commentary on the taste of the general readership in this country. Best of luck to Mr. Ignatius, who should have a bright literary future.

Rating:
Summary: Masterful treatment of journalism and its discontents
Review: David Ignatius and I worked together as reporters in the Middle East when we were very young, although for different newspapers. Even then, as a newcomer to foreign correspondence, he impressed us all by his sharp eye for detail, his energy and his ability to make connections between people and events. His knowing, insightful "A Firing Offense," to me at least, represents an extension of Ignatius' marvelous journalism in foreign-affairs which began almost two decades ago. This is a novel of truths--sad truths about the journalism business, sordid truths about the world at large, sorry truths about the way we often treat the perceived losers in life. The plot is tight, the language spare. This is a must-read for lovers of spy-fiction, but I highly recommend "A Firing Offense" to general readers as well. David Ignatius has already proven that he's a master of the game in journalism (his career at The Washington Post is testimony to that); now he's shown that in fiction, too, he's at the top of his craft

Rating:
Summary: A journalist's novel of high-wire journalism and espionage
Review: I am an admirer of David Ignatius's journalistic work, so when I saw a favorable review of his then-new book, I rushed to buy it. Then, I put it on a shelf, where it languished until I rediscovered it a few weeks ago. A story by a journalist about a journalist cum CIA operative, it's a great read. I am not a fan of most thrillers, but Ignatius manages to keep tightening the screw without splattering blood all over the page. The "novelistic" aspects of the book were of a little lower level of craft than the descriptions of high-wire espionage and journalism. The ex-girlfriend and his almost unrequited relationship with her were a little too perfect, his career was a little too successful, and at the end of the book, he wrapped up the loose ends a little too neatly. So he's not John Updike yet, I still give this book high marks and a strong recommendation and I am looking forward to his newest book.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining - Great for a long flight!
Review: I read this on a long flight (of all places to Beijing) and was thoroughly entertained the entire time. Great page turner. D.I.'s storyline kept my attention throughout the book. My only negative comment is that the women in the novel are insignificant - the most notable (Annie) was completely undeveloped as a character. And some of the DC references are wrong, but inconsequential. Although not an intellectual challenge, A Firing Offense is entertaining nonetheless. I recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: A good spy story and--more unusual--a good newsroom novel.
Review: It's hard to capture what journalists do for a living. Much of it seems dull and a lot of it is also silly--and yet journalism is fascinating to people inside and outside the business. Not since Tony Hillerman's A Fly on the Wall has a reporter written a book that so authentically captures the texture of reporting--the thrills, the pain, and, most of all, the moral ambiguity. My favorite moment in the book is when the reporter-protagonist, having gotten admission to a fancy restaurant where diners are being held hostage by terrorists, thinks to ask one of the diners what he had been eating when the gunmen burst in. I used to be a reporter and I can imagine myself asking that question, knowing it seems silly--and knowing also that small details like that one make or break a piece of reporting.At the same time, Ignatius has created a completely believable spy story, with genetic engineering, Chinese disinformation, and CIA incompetence blended into an original and exciting brew. Even the obligatory sex scenes are good!

Rating:
Summary: Slow going ...
Review: Slow going and slow ending. The plot was fair, but I wasn't impressed. There were too many schemes going on at one time. I couldn't keep up with it. The confusion lessened toward the end, but by that time I had already lost interest.

Rating:
Summary: Okay start, excellent ending
Review: This book is about a man who works for a major newspaper in the US. He has sources from the CIA that give him material that boosts his career. In return, this CIA agent would likve a few favors from him. The reporter get tangled in a web of deception and conspiracy. This book had an okay start but the ending was supurb. It was thrilling, suspensful, and exciting. I really reccomend this book.

Rating:
Summary: A very readable, intelligent thriller
Review: This book was listed a few years ago on a respected reviewers "best bets" and although I recorded the title for reading at some future time it was only recently that I remembered the title again while browsing and decided to give it a try. In the book, Ignatius has captured the essence of a young reporter's conflict between writing a good and important story and compromising his beliefs. The development of the central character, Eric Truell, is masterful and the inside look at the workings of the intelligence community is fascinating. The plot moves quickly and keeps you interested. I particularly like the way in which the chapters and the scenes flow which makes the reader want to continue reading even beyond bedtime! I recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers and adventure but is looking for something a little bit different than your typical international espionage fiction. It's very readable and worth a try!