Slow Horses (Slough House)

Really quite good. I want to touch on some things in other reviews that made me on the fence at first. Don't be dissuaded by reviewers saying it's slow initially. Sure, the first half isn't heart pounding action packed, complex espionage, and chase scenes, but it was very interesting to meet all the players first. Almost like a slice of life movie that's enjoyed just because you are interested in the characters and want to know what they do each day. And I am definitely the first person to put down a book that doesn't grab me, and I commit the sin of judging books practically by their cover. But this was written so interestingly and with dark humor, that I would never have minded even if "the pace" didn't pick up. I also grow tired very quickly of books that over-describe every detail about every room, eveyone's clothes, and every single scene. This book was spot on in the way you learned about the atmosphere and each character.... selecting unique points about them that let your imagination fill in the rest of their stories. The writing definitely was British, but just enough to feel the authenticity of you being in Britian hearing the locals around you. As the pace and action picked up, it always stayed believeable and made sense for the characters and their roles. One note. It definitely helped to read this particular book on my Kindle, because there were many characters introduced along the way, who would then pop up again later. And I definitely used the X-ray feature to jog my memory about the initial intro of them. It's not essential to have, but I enjoyed being reminded of how each character was introduced, because it was usually by way of an interesting tidbit about them or just in passing with a descriptor that caught my attention. So I definitely will continue reading the series and glad it is one. I was left very curious about how things would continue to go with each of the characters in future books. And I don't think it's going to be a typical cookie-cutter series where each book has Hero A confronted with a case to solve and manages it in the nick of time with the help of trusty Sidekick B. Cant wait for more.

Concise and compact, this stuffs a lot of plot, action and a great cast of characters into a surprisingly short book. It moves fast and jumps around, mostly in an endearing way (but see the last paragraph). The characters shine through anyway, especially Jackson Lamb. The twists and turns are great and the arrogance of the powerful is sort of classic here. If you've seen the brilliant TV series, this is still worth a read, even though the series Season 1 is rather close to this direct-line plot, which often seems perfectly written for the screen. It is easy to see Gary Oldman speaking when Jackson Lamb is on the page here. The TV version admittedly does make this book a lot less essential. It's common for readers to say "The book is better," but I don't think that is true here. The TV series is notably more fleshed out (while remaining faithful to the book and characters) and frankly more interesting, given how good the cast is and the length of time they have to work. They bring this book to life in a way this short book can't quite equal. If I had a quibble, it related less to the book--so, I'm not dinging another star--and more to the Kindle formatting of the book. As noted, it moves around fast. There are quick cuts within chapters, minor scene changes, that are not set off in any way. For example, there aren't caps beginning a new segment. (Some major cuts/scene changes have caps at the beginning of the new segment, but these quicker cuts do not.) Nor for these quick cuts do they use characters to space things out (like ##, whatever and so on). They just make a routine line break of no consequence--not even a double line break--and are then onto the next character's short scene. For example, on page 198 of my Kindle edition (as displayed on my phone) the last line of a conversation between Lamb and Taverner is: "How could this get worse?" Line break. The next sentence is: "'Because it's got to be stopped,' Hobden said." If anything, that cut gives a clue since Hobden is not part of the Lamb-Taverner conversation, but it at first looks like it is part of that conversation. Having to re-orient so quickly as the text blends into one scene after another is a little disorienting. Some formatting help would be nice.

This is the opening book in the Slough House series, Slough House being the (fictional) place where the British MI5 relegates agents no longer approved for active duty. I resisted reading it for quite a while, despite repeated endorsements, but finally succumbed. A good decision. This is a very good, very entertaining book. The prose is always well crafted, occasionally artful, often funny. The plot builds toward a riveting final third, achieving this without threats of nuclear bombs or a hefty body count. I anticipated various developments while being satisfactorily surprised by others. It's neither science fiction nor fantasy, my usual reading diet, yet it is a type of fantasy. A fantasy of a world of sidelined heroes and glamorous espionage. I loved that this story's heroes are rejects of one form or another. I loved that the book made me want to believe the best of them, and the points when it let me do so. I loved the resolution of the thread with Hassan. Five out of five slow stars. P.S. The edition I read had a bonus short story, also very good. About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).

Having read the latest book in this spy series, I went back to read the first to see if it was as enjoyable. The answer is yes. This first book introduces the reader to a cast of characters, most of them British spies (MI5) who have been sidelined for various mistakes they made in field operations. They have been relegated to Slough House, a run-down building compared to the other agents’ lodgings in Regent’s Park. Jackson Lamb is the head of the Slough House group, derisively known as the “slow horses.” Lamb is opposed to personal hygiene and is challenging to get along with. He is, however, a formidable spy. His team gets the clerical drudgery work. All his group yearns to be back in action in the field and to be taken seriously. River Cartwright is a relatively new team member. He arrived at Slough House after a professional rival sabotaged an assignment he was running. Cartwright was blamed. His latest task has been to collect the household trash of a retired investigative journalist, Robert Hobden. Cartwright upends the garbage in his office, rooting through eggshells, coffee grounds, vegetable scraps, and used tissues to find clues. Of what, he’s not sure. Lamb wasn’t specific. His attractive officemate, Sid, however, has bested him by copying a flash drive of Hobden’s computer files. Cartwright is both maddened and energized. Then Lamb sends him to deliver Sid’s prize to his nemesis at Regent’s Park, the one who got him sent to Slough House. He is not well pleased. Meanwhile, a critical situation is developing that has British intelligence’s attention. A boy named Hassan Ahmed has been abducted off the street on his way to a comedy club. In a live feed, the kidnappers show Ahmed bound to a chair and state they will behead Ahmed in 48 hours. No other information is given. Another party listening to the live feed is Robert Hobden, whose journalistic instincts kick in, and he begins chasing the story. He has inside information. Cartwright and Sid are on Hobden’s trail, sure that he has information that could help their efforts. While they watch Hobden, intruders break into Hobden’s apartment. The two agents move into action. One of them is shot and doesn’t get up. In the chaos that follows, Lamb and his team start looking much closer to home rather than at an unknown terrorist or neo-fascist group. The author, Mick Herron, has a unique writing style that is both sharply witty and observant of human weaknesses. He offers a fast-paced plot and fleshed-out POV characters packaged with a generous dollop of British humor. If you’re looking for a supremely entertaining spy story, you need to read this one.

What's more deadly to British intelligence agents? The Radical Islamist Menace or the bureaucrats within? Slow Horses examines this question in a slow to rise thriller. I liked the book, though it took a while to ramp up. Slow Horse are the agents stationed at Slough House - a dumping ground for agents who fouled up assignments or were on the losing side of in-fighting. They get non-jobs like intercepting the trash of washed up gotcha-journalists and examining each piece for "clues." The agents at Slough House don't like each other - a reflection of the fact they neither like themselves nor the non-traction of their careers. This "empire" of Slow Horses is presided over by the don't-give-a-damn Jackson Lamb, who lords over Slough House like a un-easily roused martinet whose only interactions with his underlings is to belittle them and undercut any sense of dignity or hope they have for returning to the service in good standing. The book is interesting. The characters are well differentiated and the bureaucratic in-fighting is interesting - particularly as MI-5 second chair "Lady Di" matches wits with Lamb, who she considers without wits at all. There is a real caper involving kidnapping and terrorists that the Slow Horses become central to resolving while fighting for survival against elements or their own side. All in all interesting. I've ordered the second in the series and we'll give that a go. (My brother by the way says the Apple TV series based on this is excellent).

The story was absolutely fun! The characters were so well-written and full of life. The TV show did a pretty good job of following the book, except for the ending. I would recommend reading the book first, though. I knew what was coming and it wasn’t as fun to discover the big twists. It also took a bit to get the plot going, but overall, it was a great book.

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 watched this series on TV before reading the books and the books are even better! I love the series. Gary Oldman IS Jackson Lamb. The plot is interesting and convoluted. The characters are fully developed. I love the writing although I admit I have to stop and look up some British slang words. Kindle is a great help. I find the writing tight and even though there is backstory and a look inside what a character is thinking, it doesn't drag on for page after page, my pet peeve. Herron isn't afraid to kill off characters. But Jackson Lamb! He's worth the price of admission. I cannot speak to whether this really reflects what goes on in the spook world of MI5 but I can say that in my long career experience I've met the Diana Traveners and Spider Webbs of the world so their characters ring true to me.

Well written, both serious and funny. If the rest of the series is this good I'll be happy.

Excellent

The book was delivered in good quality. The story is really a good spy-thriller. The characters are just mind blowing. This is the first book of the Slough House series.

Brilliant book, just like the brilliant TV series. I am glad I watched the TV series first, being able to imagine Jackson Lamb or River makes the books even better. Interesting style of writing too, with little jumps in the story line that get explained a little bit later. Highly recommended.

A non-stop read. With fascinating characters, this vibrant, exciting novel is hard to put down. Looking forward to book 2