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The Polish Officer: A Novel Audiobook
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(4.00) - 1,800 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
September 1939. As Warsaw falls to Hitler's Wehrmacht, Captain Alexander de Milja is recruited by the intelligence service of the Polish underground. His mission: to transport the national gold reserve to safety, hidden on a refugee train to Bucharest. Then, in the back alleys and black-market bistros of Paris, in the tenements of Warsaw, with partizan guerrillas in the frozen forests of the Ukraine, and at Calais Harbor during an attack by British bombers, de Milja fights in the war of the shadows in a world without rules, a world of danger, treachery, and betrayal.
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"Furst has a gift for making his main characters extremely distinctive despite all operating at roughly the same time and space. Alexander de Milja, the title character of The Polish Officer is memorable indeed: aristocratic, resigned to death, and very good at being more than one person when necessary. The book involves several dramatic set-pieces (a tense and violent train journey fleeing Nazi-occupied Poland; a nighttime harbor bombing; a desperate jail break) and explores the untenable situation of Poland in World War Two, caught between the pincers of the Nazis and the Soviets. De Milja's character arc is understated and enjoyable, and the book is as usual full of fun little call-backs to his other books (I noticed this time that he blew up the ship that the hero of Dark Star was traveling on at the beginning of his book)."
— Jennifer (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“One of the best novels of the year…Brilliant.”
— Robert Harris, New York Times bestselling author of Conspirata -
“Brilliantly imagined, vividly drawn, rich with incident and detail…The Polish Officer portrays ordinary men and women caught out on the sharp edge of military intelligence operations in wartime: the partisans, saboteurs, resistance fighters and idealistic volunteers risking their lives in causes that seem lost.”
— Chicago Tribune -
“[A] riveting ‘pure’ story…Wonderfully exact…Transcends the spy novel while delivering everything any fan of le Carré could ask for.”
— Boston Globe -
“Alan Furst [is] the most literate and inspired American writing espionage novels today.”
— Forbes -
“Brilliant…You can almost hear the chained wheels of the Gestapo car on the snow, the whack of bullets in the moonlit Polish forests, the quietness of occupied Paris by night.”
— Observer (London) -
“Clear, reticent prose…Furst’s understated narrative is insightful and convincing…Thrilling and at times inspiring.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“This well-written, realistic novel by the author of A Distant War paints a vivid picture of the grayness and despair of the German occupation. Recommended.”
— Library Journal -
“Beautifully written, powerfully imagined, and riveting as pure story…The book is a triumph.”
— Charles McCarry, author of Christopher’s Ghosts
The Polish Officer Listener Reviews
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William, 2/21/2021
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" I like these Furst spy stories a lot, but didn't like this one quite as much as Night Soldiers - it seemed less resolved. But there are two things I loved about this book. (1) Some of the most admirable characters, loyal resistance fighters etc. are old or fat or look unremarkable. This made the book less romantic and more real. (2) I love the portrayal of geographic settings, towns, villages, woods, rivers. I wanted a map in this book. I'll probably end up reading all these. They are really good. "
— Trina, 2/7/2014 -
" Love Furst's understated style and palpable atmosphere. "
— Kiki, 2/6/2014 -
" This book was OK, not offensive, not boring, not exciting. I was looking for a good spy series, in the mold of LeCarre, but this was not it, despite the review quotes pulled for the paperback cover. Rather than suspense, I think the author was going for a character study-- but the character, while honorable, is too opaque to be interesting. I did learn a bit (true, I hope) about the Polish situation in WWII, but one feels a bit uncertain about getting history from spy novels. "
— Terry94705, 2/1/2014 -
" My favorite Furst so far. "
— John, 1/29/2014 -
" Furst is inspired when it comes to capturing the mood of ordinary people in war - the crushing fear, the anger, and the tiny shred of hope that never quite goes away. "
— Jessica, 1/24/2014 -
" I like all his atmospheric spy novels. "
— Lance, 1/22/2014 -
" Tom really liked this. I liked it, but didn't go wild about it like he did. "
— Houserlc, 1/17/2014 -
" Page turner, beautiful read. "
— Tatiana, 1/7/2014 -
" Not bad for an espionage book. Set during WWII in Poland, a novel on how to safe the Polish gold, and help refugees to escape as well. "
— Ursula, 1/7/2014 -
" Sometimes when I read and my mind wanders I can read an entire page without actually absorbing anything I just read. I felt that that was happening to me throughout the entire book. There were a few interesting moments, but mostly it was just tedious. "
— Whitney, 12/26/2013 -
" After I finished the book, I felt like I just left a world that got me totally immersed in and nostalgic about. "
— Ylan, 12/5/2013 -
" Focused on how the Polish tried to fight Hitler. "
— Melanie, 11/29/2013 -
" I'm reading Furst's books in the order written, and they get better and better. This one is set during the fall of Paris during WWII. "
— James, 11/11/2013 -
" Excellent read with its blend of fact and fiction so tightly interwoven you can't see the seam. "
— Michael, 5/26/2013 -
" the best espionage guy going "
— Gil, 4/30/2013 -
" Gave up, got bored. My attention span is short these days. "
— Aran, 4/5/2013 -
" I really enjoyed this book and am currently on my 4th Alan Furst novel! Love learning about the World War II experience from the perspective of people from the other European countries. "
— Patty, 12/29/2012 -
" Set behind the German lines in WWII - a good change of pace for vacation reading - it is kind of like Suite Francaise meets the Bourne Identity. "
— Scott, 7/12/2012 -
" Howard and I are reading this one to each other. I love this author. He always writes about eastern Europe during World War II. "
— Anna, 7/7/2012 -
" Polish army Captain Alexander de Milja is recruited by the intellegence service of the Polish government in exile to spy in occupied Europe at the start of WWII. A bit drawn out in the middle or richly detailed and imagined depending on your take. "
— Mark, 2/26/2012 -
" Furst just delivers, definitely going to be reading the whole series "
— Bazbal666, 1/6/2012 -
" Feels a bit like a travelog through WWII and though I did find it a well written book, I don't know if I would say it was a "good read." "
— Catherine, 6/19/2011 -
" I'm reading Furst's books in the order written, and they get better and better. This one is set during the fall of Paris during WWII. "
— James, 5/13/2011 -
" This is the third book I have read in Alan Fursts novels with World War II settings. He has done his homework in the history of the times and in the armaments and othr tools of war in that era. The detail is impressive. Better yet, his plot is gripping and in scattered places his prose is eloquent. "
— Bert, 4/19/2011 -
" Thought Furst catches the period so well. "
— Michael, 3/10/2011 -
" Not bad for an espionage book. Set during WWII in Poland, a novel on how to safe the Polish gold, and help refugees to escape as well. "
— Ursula, 1/2/2011 -
" A terrific book from slam-bang start to satisfying conclusion. "
— Craig, 1/1/2011 -
" It was really cold. Didn't really get to know any of the characters. Just like a report. "
— Momruns5, 10/29/2010 -
" Makes the horror of war real. Sad but rivoting. <br/> "
— Chuck, 10/9/2010 -
" The Polish Officer is another of Alan Furst's wonderful World War II espionage novels. I have read several this year and they never disappoint. Furst is a joy. When I bog down on my serious reading, I grab one of Furst's books and it never fails to rejuvenate my energy for reading. "
— Brad, 10/6/2010
About Alan Furst
Alan Furst is widely recognized as the master of the historical spy novel. He is the author of Night Soldiers, Dark Star, The Polish Officer, The World at Night, and others. He has written for a number of magazines and news publications, including Esquire and the International Herald Tribune. Before becoming a full-time novelist, he worked as a copy writer for ad agencies in Seattle; he has also lived in New York and France. Currently, Furst lives on Long Island, New York.
About George Guidall
George Guidall, winner of more than eighty AudioFile Earphones Awards, has won three of the prestigious Audie Award for Excellence in Audiobook Narration. In 2014 the Audio Publishers Association presented him with the Special Achievement Award for lifetime achievement/ During his thirty-year recording career he has recorded over 1,700 audiobooks, won multiple awards, been a mentor to many narrators, and shown by example the potential of fine storytelling. His forty-year acting career includes starring roles on Broadway, an Obie Award for best performance off Broadway, and frequent television appearances.