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Passage of Arms

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( 938 ratings, 81 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Passage of Arms by Eric Ambler is a gripping crime and thriller novel that delves into the dangerous world of arms trafficking in Southeast Asia. It follows the journey of an English businessman who unwittingly gets entangled in this perilous world after uncovering an arms cache. The narrative expertly weaves suspense with intricate political nuances, creating an intense atmosphere as the protagonist navigates moral complexities.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this gripping tale if you are intrigued by the intricate dance of international crime and complex political intrigue. Set in Southeast Asia, the narrative weaves a thrilling story involving arms smuggling, hidden motives, and unexpected twists, catering to those who appreciate detailed characters facing moral and ethical dilemmas in a suspenseful environment.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Ambler's classic thriller of post-war international politics and intrigue, centring on gun-smuggling in South-East Asia.

Girija Krishnan, an Indian clerk, sees the opportunity of his lifetime when he stumbles on a lost cache of arms hidden in the Malayan jungle. If he can find a buyer for the weapons, he will be able to achieve his life-long dream of creating his own bus company. But the risks are as high as the rewards, as the arms draw ever more people into their dangerous orbitβ€”an entrepreneurial trio of Chinese brothers, a sleazy British former soldier, and a naive American couple who find themselves horribly out of their depth.

Following the arms as they travel from the jungle to Singapore to Indonesia, Ambler's classic thriller is a tour de force of psychological and political insight, and winner of the 1959 Gold Dagger award.

Series: Penguin Modern Classics

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

A number of celebrated figures including John le CarrΓ©, Graham Greene, and Alfred Hitchcock have lauded Eric Ambler's work, describing it as some of the best in the thriller genre. The Sunday Times praises it as a taut piece of writing, while The New Yorker simply calls Ambler the best in his field.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241606186

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 26 January 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 15.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 200g

Pages: 272

About the Author

Eric Ambler (1909-98) was born in London to parents who were part-time entertainers. He studied engineering but left college without taking a degree and became a copywriter in the advertising industry. Between 1937 and 1940, he published his great anti-fascist spy thrillers- Uncommon Danger, Epitaph for a Spy, Cause for Alarm, The Mask of Dimitrios, and Journey into Fear. In 1940, he joined the Royal Artillery and was later transferred to the army film unit. After the war he worked as a screenwriter in England and Hollywood and married his second wife, a leading Hollywood producer. Ambler's post-war novels include Passage of Arms, The Light of Day and A Kind of Anger, and his profound influence on the genre has been acknowledged by writers including Graham Greene, Ian Fleming and John le Carre.

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  • A Kind of Anger
    A high-octane story from the great Eric Ambler, of a journalist on the run in the south of France. Lucia Bernardi was last seen driving a car at top speed away from a villaβ€”and the body of her murdered Iraqi loverβ€”in Switzerland. Now, disgraced journalist Piet Maas has been sent to find her in the south of France. When he...
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