politalX Politics Store - Enigma
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List Price: £7.99
Our Price: £5.99
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
Manufacturer: Arrow Books Ltd
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Paperback
EAN: 9780099992004
ISBN: 0099992000
Label: Arrow Books Ltd
Manufacturer: Arrow Books Ltd
Number Of Pages: 464
Publication Date: 1996-05-02
Publisher: Arrow Books Ltd
Studio: Arrow Books Ltd
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Editorial Reviews:
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A gripping World War II mystery novel with a cryptographic twist, Enigma's hero is Tom Jericho, a brilliant British mathematician working as a member of the team struggling to crack the Nazi Enigma code. Jericho's own struggles include nerve-wracking mental labour, the mysterious disappearance of a former girlfriend, the suspicions of his coworkers within the paranoid high-security project, and the certainty that someone close to him, perhaps the missing girl, is a Nazi spy. The plot is pure fiction but the historical background, Alan Turing's famous wartime computing project that cracked the German U-boat communications code, is real and accurately portrayed. Enigma is convincingly plotted, forcefully written, and filled with well-drawn characters; in short, it's everything a good techno-mystery should be. --James Early
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Comment: This was the first Robert Harris book I read and in my opinion the best. I really enjoy reading books about the Second World War, First World War (generally novels based on 20th century history) and I wasn't disappointed. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Ben Elton's 'First Casualty', Dan Brown, Peter James and Ian McEwan.
Customer Rating:
Summary: I love this book!
Comment: This is a novel based on true stories but it is still a novel and I think a good one. It has tension and a very loveable lead male character.
It's clearly well-researched and from what I know about the story of Bletchley Park and its history it is sound. The detail he includes looks fine to me but it is rather a technical so he had to restrict himself as to what he could include within the confines of writing a thriller.
I am just glad that anyone decided to write a novel at all which might bring this story to a wider audience. It's a fascinating story and I would urge anyone who enjoys this book to look into the real-life story.
There are times when Tom, the lead protagonist is out and about, and you really get a feel for the place and time, the blackout and the rationing, some people feathering their nests.
I have been to Bletchley Park and there is such an atmosphere about the place. I wasn't there at the time of this story, the people who were there at the time were forbidden to tell their stories for many years. That is part of the story itself, these people shut away doing their bit for the war effort and not even being allowed to talk about it afterwards.
The relationships with women for Tom are problematic but that suits the story as he is hunting for clues, that is an essential part of the story as Clare is an "enigma" for him.
As one previous reviewer said, you will fall in love with him!
Customer Rating:
Summary: More than just about a code
Comment: If you have seen the film, do read the book as well as there are some crucial differences. There is far more to the plot and the ending is kind of different, so it is well worth reading.
This is not just a story about the enigma code. There is plenty more.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Just stunning
Comment: Harris has a a rare gift, his best that I have read so far and the rest are suberb
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Surprisingly good
Comment: Having found Fatherland a distinct disappointment (cliched, obvious, curiously lacking in tension) I was tempted not to read Enigma, but I'm glad I did! It has more of the feel of a le Carre - there's background, detail and a gradual build-up, with a couple of plot twists for good measure. I'm not sure how believable it all is, and I couldn't be bothered to follow all the stuff about how the machines work, but I certainly found it very compelling and rattled if off in no time.
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