The Spies of Warsaw: A Novel

The Spies of Warsaw is set in pre-war Poland. The main plot is focused on procuring German engineering schematics for tanks, and ultimately, getting an agent inside the German intelligence machine.

Others have elaborated on the plot, so I'm going to focus on why I think this is one of Furst's weaker efforts. First, the good: The prose, as always, is crisp and has an excellent attention to detail. Furst is a master of capturing the subtitles in both dialogue and details that put him far ahead most other 'genre' writers. His books are supremely readable, and Furst, off his game, is still head-and-shoulders above virtually all of his competition. If you like his other books, you will like this one as well. If you are new to Furst, start with his excellent Dark Star or Night Soldiers. They are more representative of what makes Furst a master of the historical espionage novel.

I've enjoyed all his novels, and I enjoyed this one as well, but like The Foreign Correspondent, the dramatic pacing has fallen off from his earlier work. The protagonist, Colonel Mercier, is interesting and sympathetic, a man working against the odds: French stubbornness, Polish ineptitude, and the relentless frustration of the Germans and their desire for revenge. However, I found him to have less depth than a typical Furst character, and I never really engaged or believed in his specific goals, including his love affairs, which seemed driven more by sexual tension than love. He always behaves with a pristine rationality and purpose that leaves little doubt of his ultimate success, both in the seedy world of the spy, and his romantic interests. There is little to no doubt that Colonel Mercier will achieve all his objectives with relative ease.

This is the most sexually charged of Furst's novels, with Colonel Mercier coming across as a possible sexual addict. He is not amoral, but on the verge of it, once almost willing to rekindle an incestuous relationship with his cousin that began when he was a boy. He totters on the edge of knocking on her door to resume where things left off at thirteen, now an adult, and most certainly knowing better. It's not the sexual content that offends, but the seeming lack of consideration that Colonel Mercier gives sexual matters. If this were a telling element of his character that had larger ramifications and was expanded in the novel, it would be quite interesting. Instead, the reader is left with the sense that Mercier is simply hedonistic, which flies in the face of his other traits: selflessness, intelligence, self awareness, and, strangely, self control.

The pacing in the development of the plot is problematic. Colonel Mercier first pursues a compromised German engineer to secure tank schematics. This branch of plot develops nicely, and I was expecting it to be the main thrust of the book. In a sense it is, but through a mechanistic transition to the pursuit of a key Nazi dissident and the exploitation of his contacts within German Intelligence. This plot line is at times tedious, with very little at stake. One of the unfortunate things about writing the historical novel, is that it is, in fact, historical. The reader knows that Poland will fall, and later France. The procurement of a mid-level German contact and ultimately Germany's war plans for the invasion of France is only so compelling knowing the ultimate outcome. Furst has deftly navigated this territory before, and succeeded because of his protagonist's personal stake in the main action of each book. In The Spies of Warsaw, Mercier's knowledge of the larger events unfolding around him is so detailed and cynical that we cannot ever imagine that his actions and successes will change a thing. We know his small victories are for naught, as he himself on some level also realizes. If the book was a tragedy it would be acceptable. For a spy novel, intended to compel through tension, it is not.

As one who has read all of Alan Furst's books and believe he is one of the best current writers in the area of fictional espionage, I was disappointed by this effort. It didn't have the brooding feel of impending disaster or the fine period atmosphere, nor the helplessness of many of the characters in his other books. Previously, his characters were often caught up in this dirty business by accident or even fate. Although this is a good read, it was pretty light as if he had to get this out quickly. This would have been a really good novel if he had expanded on the bumbling French general staff and their faith (like our present politicians) in the Maginot Line. Having been there in 1944 as a tanker dogface, it didn't seem that impregnable. Or the impotence of the Poles who knew they were about to be run over and slaughtered either by Hitler or Stalin. Or the disgruntled Prussian military aristocrats who looked at Hitler as a......ridiculous paper hanger. Any or all would have been more enjoyable than Mercier's accidental love life! But the author did set up the stage for several coming novels.
Hope he gets on track next round.

This masterful story tells of the adventures of Colonel Mercier, a French spy in pre-war Poland, who has the combined attributes of James Rockford and James Bond. Far superior to most summer reads.

As much as I have enjoyed the author's earlier books I am disappointed with his latest. The dark atmosphere of his previous works really set the colours and characters in a specific time and place. With The Spies of Warsaw he has changed the eerie and foreboding greys to an almost luminous white. The characters have followed his lead and lost the sense of reality the greys gave to his previous characters. To top it off this is the first one of his works that seems to be written with a lack of passion and and in template form. Hopefully he returns to his earlier style.

Smooth, penetrating characters, historical accuracy, attention to detail, a time and place not visited often! Having read all of the Alan Furst novels since discovering them last Fall, I can say that this was one of the best for me. I loved the early LeCarre, but he got too strange for me. Furst has filled the void for one who loves spy novels of the WW II era. I now understand much more about why Eastern Europe is as it is. No superheroes, just regular people doing that which they were called to do. I have recommended Furst to friends and I recommend him to my fellow friends at Amazon. I doubt you'll be disappointed.