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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN num: 9780393331585
ISBN number: 039333158X
Label: W. W. Norton
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 352
Printing Date: April 07, 2008
Publishing house: W. W. Norton
Sale Popularity Level: 84252
Studio: W. W. Norton
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
'Clever [and] well-paced, Body of Lies is hard to put down.'—John Miller, Wall Street Journal
CIA soldier Roger Ferris has come out of Iraq with a shattered leg and an intense mission—to penetrate the network of a master terrorist known only as 'Suleiman.' Ferris's plan is inspired by a masterpiece of British intelligence during World War II: He prepares a body of lies, literally the corpse of an imaginary CIA officer who appears to have accomplished the impossible by recruiting an agent within the enemy's ranks.
This scheme binds friend and foe in a web of extraordinary subtlety and complexity. When it begins to unravel, Ferris finds himself flying blind into a hurricane. His only hope is the urbane head of Jordan's intelligence service. But can Ferris trust him?
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Rated by buyers 
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I don't usually read spy-thrillers, I'm more of a Dostoevsky/James Joyce guy but my advice w/ this one is read the opening chapter in the bookshoppe then put it back on the shelf.
Personally, I would be embarrassed having written this book, especially under my real name w/ all the adolescent love-scenes in it. Ignatius writes like a 16-yr old lovesick kid.
Also, not real authentic. I mean, anyone who's actually been to Iraq on operations knows how hard it is to get a Predator to lock onto your position whereas in the book this kid is followed almost constantly. The movie's plot has better twists but even more asburd w/ the satellites/drones following homeboy as he's buying fruits, etc. Also, he calls in gunships during a car-chase & there they are in 10 seconds ready to fire. Yeah right. Try getting air-support like that on the ground in Iraq, Ignatius. Should've been more actual Arabic in the book too & the end is rushed & hackneyed; no AQ operative like that would fall for such a stupid ploy. That's why most of these books suck, cuz they're so false & behind-the-times. Try 'The Faithful Agent' instead & just catch the DiCaprio flick which isn't that great either.
Rated by buyers -
Body Of Lies is trash. The juvenile leftist writing is straight cliche.
CIA,America,Republicans bad. Arabs,activist good. The hero turns out to
really be of Arab ancestry so he can be redeemed. His wife is nasty low
Republican he no longer can stand. His girlfriend is very pro Arab
social worker who teaches him to love for very first time. His Arab counterpart
is very smart and doesn't torture to get information. His fat CIA boss is
duplicitous uncaring and southern(red state). The terrorist claims to only torture because Americans do, breaking the code for the rules of war(I'm not kidding). Arab and now redeemed hero saves the day, while allowing the sorry Americans to take the credit.Fairy tale concluded.
Rated by buyers 
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Channeling John Le Carre, David Ignatius has brought a wonderfully complex novel about post-9/11 espionage. We see lies within lies within lies within lies as Roger Ferris, the lead character, tries to fulfill his mission of capturing Al Qaeda's master plotter "Suleiman" while sorting out his personal life. As with all novels, his personal life gets entangled with his occupation as every character here is living a lie of some sort - Roger with his disguises and his inability to tell his real occupation to his loved ones, Hani's and Ed Hoffman's motives to Gretchen's subtle social climbing and penchant for appearances. It could've been a perfect, complicated novel that interweaves personal lives with professional lives (like Le Carre's Constant Gardener) but Ignatius wrote in too many sappy romantic interludes that borders on cheesiness. Also, the confrontation with Suleiman was a bit of a letdown considering how brilliant and cunning he is, as described by the setup. And with the Hollywood ending, I wasn't surprised why Body of Lies is coming to a theater near you.
Rated by buyers 
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I loved Ignatius's novel Agents of Innocence. However, Body of Lies is nowhere near as interesting. Agents of Innocence really shines because of its accurate portrayal of spycraft combined with the history of Lebannon in the 1960s and 1970s. Body of Lies relies on hackneyed cliches about the Bush Administration, a preposterously overcomplicated plot with a pat finale--one that has been seen all too frequently.
I'd recommend skipping this novel and reading Agents of Innocence. Or, better yet, buy a Charles MacCarry novel.
Rated by buyers 
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Not many novels have been able to grip me from the very very first sentence like `Body of Lies'. From that very first word almost I felt as though I was being compelled to turn each page and finish each chapter. The opening sequence is mapped out so beautifully, with enough detail to satisfy our curiosity yet enough mystery to keep us interested, and I am happy to say that for the most part Ignatius keeps up that pace and delivers an enjoyable, albeit forgettable, ride.
I think that is the major problem with `Body of Lies'. It is enjoyable, but when all is said and done, that's about all that can be said; it was merely enjoyable.
`Body of Lies' tells the story of CIA agent Roger Ferris, who comes equipped with Bondesque credentials and a wounded marriage. Ferris was injured in Iraq and since has been trying to capture terrorist Suleiman. His attempts are continuingly failing and placing him and the ones he loves in even more danger. That's when Ferris and his boss Ed Hoffman concoct a plan that has enough edge to really do the trick. They create a façade, a faux agent who has supposedly penetrated Suleiman's network and is supplying the CIA with information. Ferris and Hoffman both know that the threat of betrayal will undoubtedly cause Suleiman to surface, and when he does they can pounce.
There are many obstacles that Ferris must face in order to fulfill his job. He has to contend with the threats from his wife Gretchen that are a result of his asking for a divorce; threats that threaten his job and his freedom. He has to deal with the imposing opinions of Hani Salaam from Jordanian Intelligence.
And then there is Alice, Ferris' one true love and the major chink in this otherwise enjoyable chain. The problem I have with Alice is that her inclusion in the novel creates a thick layer of clichéd familiarity that I really didn't want to have to read. The ending is completely ruined because of her existence. I know that it is supposed to add some depth to Ferris and his actions, but his final actions are less than satisfying. If Ignatius had left this novel an action/thriller and not a romance novel it would have gone down a little easier, because when Ignatius leaves Alice out of the picture the novel maintains an admirable pace.
Sure, the novel is not perfect, and there are areas that could have been cleaned up, but for the most part it is entertaining and enjoyable. I was not really a fan of Ferris' character (a lot of that due to his `puppy-dog' lovelorn relationship with Alice) and actually found Hani the most interesting character in the book. His character was mysteriously intriguing and really stays with the reader long after the novel is finished.
Sadly though, not much else sticks. The novel is a fun ride, but once the ride is over there really isn't anything to remember. It's a breezy read (only took me a weekend) and Ignatius writing style (apart from his ridiculous romantic segments) is engrossing and almost effortless. It truly draws you in to each page, there is no denying that, but the end result is less than what one would expect.
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