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Charles McCarry
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The Better Angels: A Novel Kindle Edition

by Charles McCarry (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.9 out of 5 stars 324 ratings

In this political thriller by the author of The Secret Lovers, Paul Christopher’s cousins tinker with an election while a reporter chases a lead.

Originally published in 1979, The Better Angels is set close to the end of the twentieth century in a drastically changed America. The CIA has been dissolved into the Foreign Intelligence Service. It is an election year.  In Washington, D.C., an Englishman crashes a cocktail party at the home of TV anchorman Patrick Graham with a secret that could shake up an already deeply polarized nation. Soon, Graham is traveling the globe in search of the explosive truth . . .

From the writer the New York Times Book Review called “the genuine article,” The Better Angels is a thrilling and relevant masterwork.

Praise for The Better Angels

“A thinking man’s thriller with a frightening finale.” —Newsweek

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  1. Book 4 of 10
    Paul Christopher
  2. Print length
    342 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    The Overlook Press
  5. Publication date
    January 26, 2010
  6. File size
    3.3 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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There are 10 books in this series.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Charles McCarry
"There is no better American spy novelist."-Time

"McCarry+s novels are among the best of out time."-Wall Street Journal

About the Author

Charles McCarry served under deep cover as a CIA operations officer in Europe, Asia, and Africa. He is the author of nine critically acclaimed novels, as well as numerous works of non-fiction incuding Citizen Nader. He currently splits his time between Florida and the Berkshires.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07NQBRPRY
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ The Overlook Press (January 26, 2010)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 26, 2010
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.3 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 342 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 out of 5 stars 324 ratings

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Charles McCarry

Charles McCarry

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Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
324 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers praise the book's plot, with one noting its incredibly prescient storyline and another highlighting its realistic political drama. The writing quality receives positive feedback, with customers calling the author a gifted writer and the best spy writer ever. The character development is also well-received. However, the pacing receives mixed reactions, with some finding it fascinating while others say it's not very good.

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11 customers mention "Plot"8 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the plot of the book, which features elements of espionage and politics, with one customer describing it as a realistic political drama.

"...novels, excellent character development, realistic (and prescient) plot twists and hours of page turning fun." Read more

"...The Better Angels, is another engaging tale of ever present, irrepressible espionage and how it guides the fate of nations for better or worse...." Read more

"...The result is cartoonish and disorienting, burying what otherwise might have been an interesting story about terrorists, political and corporate..." Read more

"...I enjoyed the story and was particularly interested in reading about the similarity between events written about here and those that happened in..." Read more

7 customers mention "Writing quality"7 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, with several noting it's the best spy writing they've read.

"...I like his work, writing, and characters much more than LeCarre. To me, both the characters and relationships are richer and more engaging...." Read more

"...Tears of Autumn (fascinating Kennedy Assassination novel) have excellent writing...." Read more

"...The author is gifted in many ways, but his duplication of male and female characters' motives and mannerisms indicate a lack of flexibility...." Read more

"Superb. One of his best efforts and he's a gifted writer." Read more

3 customers mention "Character development"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book.

"...Like all of McCarry's novels, excellent character development, realistic (and prescient) plot twists and hours of page turning fun." Read more

"...I like his work, writing, and characters much more than LeCarre. To me, both the characters and relationships are richer and more engaging...." Read more

"Good story; good characters, great writing...." Read more

9 customers mention "Pacing"4 positive5 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it fascinating while others say it's not very good.

"...development, realistic (and prescient) plot twists and hours of page turning fun." Read more

"...1 was boring but got very good. #2 was the best so far. #3 was not very good overall. #4 is a deceptive trick, and very dull halfway in." Read more

"...To me, both the characters and relationships are richer and more engaging. I'm not a critic - just know what I like." Read more

"As other reviewers have mentioned, this is not a Paul Christopher novel...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • CRF
    5.0 out of 5 stars Realistic Political Drama
    Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Shades of grey involved in 2 major plot vehicles- the decision of the President to authorize the assassination of an arab terrorist, and the consequent decision of his supporters to manipulate the vote to get him elected for his second term against an opponent who may who have been loosely based on Barry Goldwater- but in current times makes you think Tea Party. If you think you always know the "right thing to do" this book will make you think. Like all of McCarry's novels, excellent character development, realistic (and prescient) plot twists and hours of page turning fun.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Old Georgia Geek
    4.0 out of 5 stars Such good espionage writing
    Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I stumbled across McCarry through a review of his latest book (The Shanghai Factor) and since that wasn't available at my local library yet, I decided on The Tears of Autumn. And then decided I needed to read the rest of the Christopher family series. So got this book in my "travels" and really enjoyed it. Now getting ready to read the sequel, Shelley's Heart. I like his work, writing, and characters much more than LeCarre. To me, both the characters and relationships are richer and more engaging. I'm not a critic - just know what I like.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Herbert M. Levin
    3.0 out of 5 stars not his best
    Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2008
    Verified Purchase
    Did not enjoy this book as much as his prior works, not a believeable storyline.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Bob Ray author of Broken
    5.0 out of 5 stars As Expected
    Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    As expected, Charles McCarry's novel, The Better Angels, is another engaging tale of ever present, irrepressible espionage and how it guides the fate of nations for better or worse.
    A spy or two, dueling U.S. Presidents (one current, one former), a popular, if unethical, journalist, characters from other McCarry novels, a close presidential election, good and/or bad intentions (depending on your point of view), all mix together in an unusual plot of intrigues and suspense that culminates in ... well read for yourself.
    If, like me, you're a Charles McCarry fan, then 'nough said. If you haven't had the pleasure yet, then try it; you'll like it.
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  • TWAM
    4.0 out of 5 stars Prescient
    Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Wow if I did not know better, this narrative reminds me a lot of what is going on in our divided country. A great read
    One person found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good story; good characters, great writing.
    Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This book like the earlier Tears of Autumn (fascinating Kennedy Assassination novel) have excellent writing. I enjoyed the story and was particularly interested in reading about the similarity between events written about here and those that happened in 2001 on 911.
    ---As reported by other reviewers, I was disappointed to find out that this was NOT a Paul Christopher novel.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Frank Blank
    3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but Frustrating 2 1/2/ Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2014
    First lets dispose of a reviewer squabble: There are no airliners flown into buildings; thus no "prophecy" of 9/11. There are airliners brought down over Israel by bombs, splattering airplane and body parts over cities below. And at the time the book was written, a fair number of airliners had been blown up; some by criminals, some by terrorists. The "prophecy" bit is the product the Blurb Machine.

    Next, the prose, which takes us right into the interesting but frustrating. McCarry focuses closely and with extreme precision on the emotions of people who work hard to repress their emotions. The result is that the precision sometimes reels as if drunk into a kind of overstated preciosity that makes you want to shout, "Give it a break, Chuck!"

    Next, the narrative strategy, which is where the book breaks down. He sets the story in a vague future and focuses it intently on a tiny collection of government and intelligence aristocrats, trying create the illusion that these people and the upheavals in their repressed emotions create the fate of the nation. To do that he disposes of the political parties, and carves the republicans down to a core of murderous corporate fascism and the democrats down to a core of mindless, do-gooder, give-away-the-store anarchy. The FIS, currently the US's intelligence service, has become an opaque, self-serving fiefdom whose sole operatives seem to be Horace and his girlfriend.

    No Israeli, Saudi, or Egyptian intelligence services appear, despite the central action of the book being of supreme interest to them. The only other intelligence operatives we find are a dwarfish parody of Falstaff, who works for the Brits, and a bunch of corporate weasels and thugs, one of which, a weasel, wears an inappropriate white suit, an very amusing touch.

    No news agencies, except the one represented by one of the main characters, either appear or run any stories. The entire ruling/influencing/spying and babbling class of the United States is condensed into six or seven people, and then the country's destiny is determined by their interaction in what is a sort of BBC 19th Century drawing room drama.

    And that's not the most frustrating aspect of the too highly focused narrative. Worse, is the crux, the so-called moral outrage that governs the action. First, nobody would be all that outraged. The US had been killing people for years at the time Better Angels was written. Second, and worse, the president's assistant's half-brother and superspy find two huge pieces of evidence that justify the act the novel pretends to be so world-shakingly heinous. Notice I don't say "proves" anything - but another defect of the novel is that it proceeds as if "justification" requires proof. But McCarry simply drops these pieces of evidence, forgets about them. And goes on to say more about how various very sexually charged women feel about the demi-aristocrats in their lives.

    Despite these flaws, I still mildly recommend the book. Its hot-house yet rather abstract prose is interesting; its attempt to pare away everything but the essentials of governance, though a failure, is interesting.... However, when I read the sequel, I think I might start in the middle.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    2.0 out of 5 stars False advertising: No Paul Christopher
    Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I am reading this series in order. The first 3 have as their central character 'Paul Christopher', clandestine agent.

    40% into this book - still no Paul Christopher. Instead - a bunch of random characters, many of whom act suspiciously like Paul Christopher.

    Also, the repetitive presentation of female characters is annoying. The author is gifted in many ways, but his duplication of male and female characters' motives and mannerisms indicate a lack of flexibility.

    If I were re-reading the series I would definitely take a pass on this volume as it is deceptively presented as a 'Paul Christopher' novel when it is nothing of the sort. It's like a 'Superman' comic in which Superman makes no appearance at all, and instead the entire story is about Superman's cousin on some other planet (but everything his cousin does, thinks, and says is about the same as Superman himself would do/think/say).

    #1 was boring but got very good. #2 was the best so far. #3 was not very good overall. #4 is a deceptive trick, and very dull halfway in.
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • David
    3.0 out of 5 stars A good read but a bit outdated by the times we now live in
    Reviewed in Canada on August 27, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Readers of the Paul Christopher series will be disappointed as he does not appear in this novel. It is a very good read, but one of the main themes is about President who has authorized the execution of a terrorist and fears the public will find out. How times have changed - now the USA regularly executes terrorists by remote control drones with not a murmur of disapproval from the media or the public. For that reason the story seems quite dated.
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  • spectator
    5.0 out of 5 stars romanzo notevole, perfetta piattaforma per il film
    Reviewed in Italy on January 3, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Il film di Richard Brooks, proprio leggendo questo bel romanzo da cui è tratto, dimostra il grado consistente e sorprende di originalità profusa.
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  • LoSan
    5.0 out of 5 stars A honour to read x
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 1, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    An amazing read, could not put the book down!
    Real life tear jerking account of George's struggle from diagnoses to transplant and how an amazing family can stick together when times are low.
    x
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  • Gianluca Carpiceci
    4.0 out of 5 stars More a political thriller than a spy story, but a very good one
    Reviewed in Italy on March 19, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Despite this book is categorised as one of the Paul Christopher espionage books, let's clarify that The Better Angels is more a political than an espionage novel (with some intriguing inroads into sci-fi with a slight scent of Orwell's 1984) and it does not feature Paul Christopher. The story, based on the descendants of some of peripheral characters appearing in other McCarry novels, was written in 1978 and takes place in a not better defined moment during the 90's; however, judging the quality of the novel by the number predictions which actually came true - as many reviews do - looks to me a rather futile exercise: Blade Runner was produced in 1982 and featured the world of 2019: we can all appreciate how different that looks from the world we live in, yet the movie - as well as Philip Dick's book - remain an unparalleled cult (let alone the aforementioned 1984 by George Orwell).
    So, after this long preamble, let me say that I enjoyed hugely this book; I like the genre and I think this is one of the best. If anything, a lot in this novel - the context, the situations, the tone of voice, some of the key characters - reminded me of Richard North Patterson, of which I am a huge fan; if you liked The Better Angels, you might like the Kerry Kilcannon series (very close to Frosty Lockwood).
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  • Sto
    2.0 out of 5 stars I wasted my money on the book
    Reviewed in Canada on September 24, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I stopped reading after some 30 pages as the book is very slow in developing. Furthermore, it is not a Paul Christopher novel as I expected it to be. I wasted my money on the book!
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