A classic spy novel of intrigue and suspense set in the Second World War

There are a lot of characters in this novel. Some go away and pop up later with little character development. All of a sudden the main character, for example, has a bed mate, A lexandra. Where did she come from? Who is she? Who knows? It wasn't really clear to me on only one reading why the principal character changed allegiance. He didn't really seem to believe in in communism, just got swept up in something that kept him out of a rut. Maybe every thing will sort itself out when I finish the book. As the genre goes it's not a bad read. I gave a couple of Furst's books as Christmas presents and I would give this one too. The period is interesting and fans of the genre will go along with the story with all it's faults.

Like Le Carre, Furst writes for consenting adults, where the details matter and you have to work it out. Characters as hard as Trotsky's icepick through the brain. The reader inhabits a world of relentless tension; no mercy, no peace, no hope except to survive one day at a time before they take you too. The European tribal political madness before WW2 is intelligently written, without embellishment. Gripped from start to finish.

I started reading this book with great expectations because I love serial historical novels that carry a good cast of characters through dynamic events, a la Philip Kerr. What Alan Furst has given me with "Night Soldiers" is half a loaf without the desire to consume more. He skips around among the characters and scenes with inadequate transitions and, in so doing, fails to generate much sympathy for any of the cast. Furst's "A for Effort" is earned by his research and illumination of lesser-known events and places. Now, it could be that "Night Soldiers" is merely Act 1 and I need to keep reading others in the series to appreciate an unfolding drama, but how am I supposed to know that?Night Soldiers: A Novel

Very informative story but some lack of clarity. Because many of the characters have aliases it's easy to get confused unless you have a good memory for names. Sometimes it's a bit unclear what side (the axis or the allies) an individual is fighting for.

Huge story, compelling characters, steeped in atmosphere. A time machine that effortlessly transports you to a time and place only safely appreciated in hindsight. The story is everything, the outcome almost immaterial.
Enjoy it.

I loved this book. It is a dark, historical thrilling read. And then, I don't know, maybe he had a test audience read it and they said nope, don't like that ending. So he tacked another one on that is totally unbelievable and unnecessary. I'm surprised that no one seems to take note of that. Anyway, I would have given this book 5 stars if it had ended three pages sooner.

This is an amazing series of novels focused on the era between the wars and WWII mainly involving spying and spy craft in Europe. Highly recommended on many levels (characters, plots, themes, research, inter alia).

Interesting characters, time period and historical atmosphere brought to life, but the plot lacked enough tension to really satisfy me, and I didn't find the ending compelling. Still worth a read, but not as strong as many of Alan Furst's earlier efforts.

Interesting characters, time period and historical atmosphere brought to life, but the plot lacked enough tension to really satisfy me, and I didn't find the ending compelling. Still worth a read, but not as strong as many of Alan Furst's earlier efforts.

This book, like most by Alan Furst is well-written. However, it get's quite confusing trying to follow multiple characters through two wars and an infinite series of locales. Also too many minor characters come and go and are hard to tell apart, especially with Eastern European names that often are similar, and are unfamiliar to Western readers. I prefer his stories that are better focussed.

This panoramic novel debuts Mr. Furst's tales of the dark ambiguities of espionage and intrigue surrounding the World War II era in Europe. The historical and cultural depth of understanding the author demonstrates for Eastern Bloc regions is as appealing as his compelling stories.

Intense psychological war yarn, but not as intimate or compact as Night over Day over Night, a masterpiece, or Tom Rob Smith's great rendition of freedom in an unfree world (Child 44). A geographic tour de force, but geography can be a heavy plot vehicle. Wore me out.