The Honourable Schoolboy Paperback – June 7, 2011

What can I say? This is one of the finest novels I have ever read. Not just Le Carre, not just espionage, but of all novels.It's not a stand-alone, as you are probably aware, but it is different than all of his other novels—the characters, the dialogue, the descriptive locations, etc. I have read it twice, thirty years apart. I will read it once more before I die. Hopefully, I have another thirty in me.Read it slowly, savor it, you won't be sorry.

John LeCarr’e is the master of the cold war and modern spy thrillers. The second of the Karla/George Smiley novels; The Honorable Schoolboy is no exception; it is a classic IMHO. The first book in the series is Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. (Note: Reader can read Schoolboy before Tinker, Tailor), and the third in the series is Smiley’s People. LeCarr’e is like Scotch Whisky, his books are an acquired taste. LeCarr’e leaves no details out, plot is extensively developed, and characters are covered in detailed description over time.The book begins with how the Circus (MI6) takes off on this mission. The first 150 pages or so are dedicated to details that set up the novel and there is not much excitement here. Then, the novel takes off when Smiley finds a carrot to follow. The Circus and the Cousins (CIA) work somewhat in tandem on the mission.It is 1974-1975, and Saigon is about to fall, and Smiley discovers that Karla (Russian adversary) is taking advantage of the situation in the Far East. America is about to pull out of Vietnam, and the Khmer Rouge have all but taken Cambodia. Red China is the major power in the region, but Hong Kong is still under British control. (until 1997) George Smiley discovers that Karla may be involved in a thriving opium trade between Vientiane, Laos and Hong Kong. He must outwit Karla and discover the chain of command in this operation. Smiley and his crew get a tip that the Russian Embassy is involved in this trade somehow.Almost anything goes in Hong Kong and this will be a complicated operation. Smiley surprisingly assigns British journalist and sometime Circus operand, Jerry Westerby to this mission. Westerby is The Honorable Schoolboy. He is not a full-time Circus soldier, but he longs to be in MI6. He is very tall, drinks a lot, and is quite a womanizer in his free time. Despite all of his faults, Smiley entrusts this mission to Jerry. Jerry is resourceful and clever and Smiley believes he is the man for the job.The rest of The Honorable Schoolboy involves the chase of this operation, the many complicated characters, the hostile environment, and how this mission develops into something much more than Smiley originally imagines. There are arguments between those also in MI6, the CIA, and others.The reader does not know what the final outcome will be in this precarious mission, but George Smiley is on the line for it. Many are watching his moves to reach the desired result and that he does not misstep along the way. The book, in spite of all the intricate details, is very enjoyable and quite intense at times.I actually read The Honorable Schoolboy in the 1970s, but just had to re-read it. It is very good and I am amazed at the intricate details and how LeCarr’e leaves no stone unturned. It is wonderful spy writing. The only negative is the first 150 pages with little action, and this is no short read. Although it is very long, it is one of my favorites. I believe that readers that are interested in this genre will enjoy the book and be glad that they read it. I would give this book a 4.4-4.7 rating, and thus, the 4-star rating.

This is the second book in the Karla series and for my review please see the final of the trilogy, Smiley's People.This is my third copy of this work, a present from my youngest son who notes on the fly-leaf that it, in it s turn, is "A replacement for a well-used book." This copy is already six years old and is displaying evidence of many re-readings, as do all my "Smiley" series!Of course le Carré, as usual in his craft, builds magnificent tension and intrigue whilst evoking Hong Kong ("Honkers") into a reality for the readers who have never been there, or a fond recollected memory for those who have. His usual strong character and ambience building is in evidence again in this story but, for me, the hero of this book is not the real one (The Honorable Gerald Westerby, "Horse Writer" and hack and amazingly resourceful "London Occasional" spy) but a beautifully crafted incidental persona called Fawn.Sharing the "babysitting" (body guarding) of George Smiley with Peter Guillam, Fawn is described as a hovering dark-eyed factotum ... a sleek diminutive creature, who, when Smiley does one of his usual disappearing acts and leaves Fawn behind - or gives him the slip - Fawn seems to literally pine for his master. Guillam discovers him in his little den one evening is shocked to find Fawn "in a near-foetal crouch, winding a handkerchief around and round his thumb like a ligature, in order to hurt himself".The odorous Roddy Martingdale, a single and very singular senior Civil Servant is accompanying Peter and Smiley after a secret meeting when Fawn flutters up, Crying out for his `Chief' and waving a note. He is intercepted by Peter and the note is confiscated and Fawn sent away in disgrace for creating a fuss, with Peter Guillam hissing"....bloody little drama queen racing around London in your gym shoes!" Martingdale is entranced, quite breathless with excitement... "What are darling little creature ... are all spies as pretty as that ... how positively Venetian. I shall volunteer at once!"Yet Fawn's fellow Departmental "heavies" are afraid of him, with good reason ... as the story unfolds in the finale, le Carré produces, in a few scant and clever lines, a powerful image that reflects Fawn's sinister skills and his even more sinister role in the story's ending that is shortly to follow. It is decided to send the taut and impatient Fawn into the field, into the final action ..."Where Fawn had stood, two squash-balls slowly rolled a distance before coming to a halt. "God help us all", somebody murmured fervently."