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Customer Review
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2023
In general, I tend to stay away from books that are part of a series. I find that it is all too easy for these to settle into a pattern…which is both good and bad. The 4th book in a series should remind you of what hooked you in the first book of the series, but if it starts repeating too many of the same tricks from that first book…well, then you start to lose your audience.
I read “Slow Horses” after a teaser for the Apple TV show piqued my curiosity. I am one that usually likes to have read the source material before watching the show or movie. The praise this book has earned is definitely warranted. The characters have some depth (knowing it is the first in a series means that you expect only a certain amount of development). By the end you have a solid grasp of who each character is, but there is ample room for backstory. Herron’s style take a little bit to grab you, but as the main plot starts to kick in, you’ll find yourself flying through the pages. What I enjoyed most is the melding of elements. There is all of the traditional “spy stuff” that you’re wanting after reading the jacket cover of the book. There’s suspense, twists and turns to the story, and a surprising amount of humor. I found myself chuckling out loud a few times as the slow horses rose to the occasion. That said, Herron never makes them feel like super heroes — they are just normal people that have an untapped or forgotten gear. They still have their faults and they still make mistakes alog the way.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone that enjoys a good espionage tale. I am not sure if I’ll end up devoting my reading time to the full series, but the first installment was great and has me looking forward to giving the next book a try, and I can easily imagine that these characters will lend themselves to making this a series worth keeping up with. Even if devoting hours to a series is not your thing, spending a little time with these characters is something you won’t regret.
I read “Slow Horses” after a teaser for the Apple TV show piqued my curiosity. I am one that usually likes to have read the source material before watching the show or movie. The praise this book has earned is definitely warranted. The characters have some depth (knowing it is the first in a series means that you expect only a certain amount of development). By the end you have a solid grasp of who each character is, but there is ample room for backstory. Herron’s style take a little bit to grab you, but as the main plot starts to kick in, you’ll find yourself flying through the pages. What I enjoyed most is the melding of elements. There is all of the traditional “spy stuff” that you’re wanting after reading the jacket cover of the book. There’s suspense, twists and turns to the story, and a surprising amount of humor. I found myself chuckling out loud a few times as the slow horses rose to the occasion. That said, Herron never makes them feel like super heroes — they are just normal people that have an untapped or forgotten gear. They still have their faults and they still make mistakes alog the way.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone that enjoys a good espionage tale. I am not sure if I’ll end up devoting my reading time to the full series, but the first installment was great and has me looking forward to giving the next book a try, and I can easily imagine that these characters will lend themselves to making this a series worth keeping up with. Even if devoting hours to a series is not your thing, spending a little time with these characters is something you won’t regret.
