Smiley's People

The conclusion to the famous Karla trilogy, in which George Smiley attempts to entrap his Soviet counterpart and settle old scores, is magnificent on audio. John le Carré's absorbing world of spies and espionage is one of human voices--of many nations and emotions--all artfully filtered through his caustic world view. Through the narration of British actor Jayston, layers of interpretive sound collide in fantastic verisimilitude. Jayston captures both sides of Smiley: his obsessive, steely drive to redeem the past and his melancholic musings on the ultimate impossibility of victory in such a contest. His European and Russian dialects are convincing, enhanced as they are by sensitive pacing, clear enunciation and vocal moods so appropriate that the listener enters the text completely. A wonderful performance. P.W. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

The BBC's stunning dramatization of le Carré's works reaches a conclusion with SMILEY'S PEOPLE, the wrap to the trilogy that pits Smiley against Russian superspy Karla. The story begins with the death of the retired spy Vladimir, an event that drags Smiley himself out of retirement and sets him on a journey that will try his wits and will. Simon Russell Beale is nuanced and deft as Smiley, playing a hard and driven spy while revealing through internal monologue his vulnerable and uncertain inner self. Condensing such a rich novel into three hours is no small feat, and the BBC delivers with outstanding richness. A gem of the genre. F.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine