Circus

Written by Alistair MacLean

Narrated by Richard Trinder

The classic tale of espionage set in Cold War Europe, where the world’s greatest circus acrobat must break into an impenetrable fortress, from the acclaimed master of action and suspense.

Bruno Wildermann of the Wrinfield Circus is the world’s greatest trapeze artist, a clairvoyant with near-supernatural powers and an implacable enemy of the East European regime that arrested his family and murdered his wife.

The CIA needs such a man, and recruits Bruno for an impossible raid – on the impreganble Lubylan fortress, where his family is held.

Under cover of a circus tour, Bruno prepares to return to his homeland. But before the journey even begins a murderer strikes twice. Somewhere in the circus there is a communist agent with orders to stop Bruno at any cost…

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Mar 2, 2021
• ISBN: 9780008461874

Alistair MacLean

Alistair MacLean, the son of a minister, was brought up in the Scottish Highlands. In 1941 he joined the Royal Navy. After the war he read English at Glasgow University and became a teacher. Two and a half years spent aboard a wartime cruiser gave him the background for HMS Ulysses, his remarkably successful first novel, published in 1955. He is now recognized as one of the outstanding popular writers of the 20th century, the author of 29 worldwide bestsellers, many of which have been filmed.

Reviews for Circus

[delta61 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a book of Cold War intrigue but not a book to keep you up late to read the next chapter. To steal plans from a lab in eastern Europe, you would expect an elite team to be sent in or at least a James Bond. In this story, they are sending in a circus. The first thing I noticed was that the author was getting rid of characters fairly soon, narrowing the field for heroes.
The main character is an aerialist and mentalist whose feats are far-fetched and greatly exaggerated. I find the character unlikable. The main female character is an inept CIA agent, chosen for her looks rather than her intelligence. It's an easy read and might even be considered a YA yarn.

[fuzzi_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A twisty tale of espionage, with a circus' high-wire artist caught up in the middle of the intrigue. Nicely done, another gripping read from this author.

[lcarter11 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you can imagine a government that is willing, even anxious, to kidnap its talented citizens if that's what it takes to get them to represent their country... If you can imagine a young woman in the intelligence field who is more beautiful than brainy (not dumb, mind you)... If you can imagine a man possessed of almost superhuman mental powers, used on the ground, on the high-wire, and on the trapeze... You'll still have to read the book, because you'll never imagine the story being told this way.

[encephalical · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Ridiculous spy thriller. Far from the author's best. Some vintage 70's casual misogyny, if you're nostalgic for that.

[george_3135 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Not good at all. This book fails to keep the reader engaged, and only at the end does the actual story come in, but by then most people have either fallen asleep or stopped reading. I read Alistair MacLean's other books, such as Partisans, and I'm afraid to say that this is a real let-down.

[bridgey_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Bruno Wildermann is member of the blind eagles, working for the Wrinfield Circus he is billed as the greatest trapeze artist of all time.

Using his skills he is approached by the CIA to return to his home country and steal the newly discovered formula for antimatter. Along there way he must encounter murder & double agents at every turn.

A nice idea for a book and the first 3 quarters was very well written, however the ending seemed a bit too convenient for my liking and didn't flow as well as the rest of the book.

[cascawebsite · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I grew up reading Alastair MacLean novels. I was hooked right away; they were good stories, with suspense-filled plots and great settings. And always, always, there was a traitor somewhere that was intent on murdering everyone else or destroying what plan there was.

But the last ten or so novels were flat and uninspiring, something I suppose came about because of MacLean's alcohol addiction that would eventually kill him. Circus was somewhat on the cusp of the change from the brilliant stories to the flat dull tales. It has its moments but lacks the edge, the sharpness of his early stories. Yes, the MacLean formulaic killer is here, knocking off the good guys, but there just seems that missing ingredient that made the earlier stories great. Out of 5 stars I'd give it between 2 and 3.

[cmbohn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The first one of his books that I read. Great setting, likeable characters, exciting finish.

CMB