
The Spanish Game
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Simon Vance
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By:
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Charles Cumming
About this listen
But the rules have changed. Alec is now working alone, outside the boundaries of any official agency. Paranoid and expendable, he soon becomes vulnerable to the ruthless duplicities of a secret world in which no one can be trusted. Yet as he comes face to face with the nightmare of modern terror, Alec is given one last chance for redemption.
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Critic reviews
"Intricate and intelligent" ( Kirkus)
What listeners say about The Spanish Game
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Grandma Psychoanalyst
- 07-31-15
Great for spy buffs
This is a very convoluted story, as any spy story should be. The narrator has to switch to Spanish now and then. I am no judge, but it sounded convincing. I occasionally had to rewind to absorb the plot details. Overall the experience was very enjoyable and I can't wait for Cumming's next novel
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- Casper P.
- 03-11-25
Amazing - get Spy by Naturefirst on PLUS!
These two books are incredible. I'm not going to tell you anything about the plot, but one thing I really enjoy is the way Alec is always analyzing everything everybody else says; trying to gauge their motives; it's pretty cool. And I just loved the first one which was on PLUS but there was no way I'd not get the second one. I'm not done with it but it's about the same spy.
Super entertaining and very tense at times.
Highly recommended.
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- Marina
- 08-26-24
Great story
Refreshing take on contemporary espionage, very likable character, loved the reader too, I am now a fan of this author, this was my first book by him and I found him by researching John Le Carre like authors
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- Jessica
- 04-09-15
Not as good as trinity six but worth a listen
If this book were a movie would you go see it?
Probably not
Any additional comments?
The story itself drags in places, making it seem overly long.
Simon Vance is one of my favorite narrators. I especially liked his Scottish accent toward the end of the book...but his Spanish accent reminded me of Dracula
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- Barbara
- 09-01-23
Takes forever to get going
Story took about 6 hours for author to set up. Main character not remotely likable. Did not enjoy this much.
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Overall
- Sunny Baines
- 07-30-10
Top in Genre
The audio recording of The Spanish Game is excellent. Simon Vance's reading enriches the storyline, which is a unique tale of a spy "coming in and out of the cold." Cumming's characters are multi-layered and complicated making this a must read for anyone who loves good writing and especially good writing in the spy genre.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Vout Oreenie
- 01-30-09
Great book
This is my idea of an espionage novel. A ton of twists, plotting and intrigue, and all absolutely believable. No James Bond moments. No miraculous escapes relying on super human abilities or gadgetry, and the World isn't about to end. In fact, there really is no win or lose and the goods guys aren't a ll that good, the bad guys not all that bad. The characters are well thought out and are portrayed as real people. It's hard to find a good spy novel. This is a winner.
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16 people found this helpful
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Overall
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- tone
- 02-03-16
slow start, but worth it
Would you try another book from Charles Cumming and/or Simon Vance?
absolutely.
What did you like best about this story?
you didn't see where the story was going for a long time. And that's a delight.
Have you listened to any of Simon Vance’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
several. and he always does a good job. He never tries too hard with the accents and voice qualities.
Any additional comments?
Cummings is a very good writer and he should not be only thought of as a mystery-genre writer.
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Overall
- Leslie
- 05-20-11
Excellent narration but moody book
Simon Vance does a great job with narration and voices. This novel has received lots of praise from spy genre fans, but it is only enjoyable for readers who like novels with an anti-hero and mostly unlikeable characters. There's not a lot of action; it's more about whether each character is really who he/she seems. I got tired of it and found it a bit of a downer.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Lisa Davidson
- 02-22-19
That's It?
I very much enjoyed Charles Cumming's The Moroccan Girl, so was eager to listen to another Cumming novel. Unfortunately, despite intriguing glimpses of Madrid and Spain's complex history, the characters and plot in this work just fell flat. At the last sentence, I was expecting several more chapters to wrap up events--or at the very least an epilogue. I actually checked the Audible app thinking there must have been something wrong with the playback, causing the end to go missing!
As I scanned reviews of other novels by the same author, I have noted a distinct similarity in plot despite differences in location and historical perspective. A would-be patriot who feels disgraced by his release from "the service" due to errors, betrayals, and scapegoating beyond his individual control will lie and cheat and delude himself in an effort to get back into the espionage game. This creates unappealing protagonists, problematic relationships, and a generally unsatisfying story...so unlike The Moroccan Girl, where the hero/novelist is essentially a gentleman. He has a moral code, and is close to his ailing father. While disturbed by his country's treatment of his father, who was let down by double-crossing colleagues years earlier, he is also filled with an idealistic fervor to set things right.
The Moroccan Girl had a vigor and appeal totally absent here. So with regret I will be returning The Spanish Game.
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3 people found this helpful