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The Condor #1
Six Days of the Condor
CIA operative Malcolm, codenamed Condor, discovers his colleagues butchered in a blood-spattered office, he realizes that only an oversight by the assassins has saved his life. He contacts CIA headquarters for help but when an attempted rendezvous goes wrong, it quickly becomes clear that no one can be trusted. Malcolm disappears into the streets of Washington, hoping to evade the killers long enough to unravel the conspiracy— but will that be enough to save his life?
256 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1974
About the author
James Grady
108 books175 followersJames Grady is a longtime author of thrillers, police procedural and espionage novels. He graduated from the University of Montana School of Journalism in 1974. During college, he worked for United States Senator Lee Metcalf of Montana as an staff member.
From 1974 - 1978 he was an investigative journalist for the famous muckraker Jack Anderson. Best known as the author of Six Days of the Condor , which was adapted to film as Three Days of the Condor starring Robert Redford in 1975.
James Grady has gone on to write almost a dozen more novels in the thirty-eight years since Six Days of the Condor was published.
In the past James Grady has written under the pseudonyms of James Dalton and Brit Shelby.
From 1974 - 1978 he was an investigative journalist for the famous muckraker Jack Anderson. Best known as the author of Six Days of the Condor , which was adapted to film as Three Days of the Condor starring Robert Redford in 1975.
James Grady has gone on to write almost a dozen more novels in the thirty-eight years since Six Days of the Condor was published.
In the past James Grady has written under the pseudonyms of James Dalton and Brit Shelby.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 463 reviews
November 26, 2019
”This is Condor, Section 9, Department 17.
‘We’ve been hit.’”
Choose your own Condor. He can look like this.
Or like this.
Most days, Ronald Malcolm’s biggest worries were from which coffee pot on which floor he was going to get his dose of caffeine, what type of sandwich he was going to have at lunch, and not dawdling too long in the morning so he was at his work desk on time to admire the beautiful siren walking by his building every day.
Simple life for a normal guy.
His job was not normal. It would be boring for a lot of people, but for someone like me, it would be a dream job. He worked in this nondescript building that was a front for a CIA operation. Not field work, or running secret agents, or working to take down a super villain while he was still a hoodlum. No, Ronald’s job was reading spy thrillers and mysteries.
He was paid to read.
His job was to read these books and take notes of anything that happens that might be of use to the CIA at some point and time.
If the CIA is reading this review, I just want to say I am an expert reader. I take copious notes of what I read. I have an impressive resume of thrillers I’ve already read so I would be attuned to discovering things I’ve never read before in a book.
PM me, Big Brother.
The plot swung into action when a hit squad came in and killed everyone in the building. Except for one.
Ronald was out grabbing a sandwich, crumbs were still clinging to the edges of his mouth as he stared at the bodies of his colleagues lying in pools of blood . Great, right? What a stroke of dumb luck, but it proved to be harder than one would expect for Ronald/Condor to come in for a debriefing. He became The Spy Thriller Reader Who Tried to Come in From the Cold.
Things were more dire than just people trying to kill him. He was out in the cold...bookless. It gave me the shivers.
I’ve watched the 1975 Robert Redford movie with the lovely Faye Dunaway numerous times, and the movie is terrific. They cut the expanse of time that the story unfolds from six days down to three. I’m currently enjoying the new TV series called Condor on the Audience channel. The series stars Max Irons, the son of the great Jeremy Irons, and it has become must see TV in my house. I always enjoy seeing the interpretation of the same story by different writers and directors. Six Days of the Condor was sold to Hollywood even before the book was published.
There is a fascinating preface to the Open Road edition written by James Grady that discusses the process of how he got the idea for the book and, most interesting of all, how the Redford movie created quite the flurry of worry in KGB headquarters.
”An exposé published in 2008 by Pete Early--a story sanctioned by America’s FBI and CIA--revealed that the movie stunned the KGB generals and convinced them that they had fallen behind their CIA foes in what had to be a critical espionage endeavor: the work they saw Redford/Condor doing in the movie.”
The KGB designed almost a carbon copy of the building and formed a research department to try and catch up with this mythical (tell me it isn’t so) department of the CIA. Another example of life being too bizarre for fiction. The movie did deviate from the book, but the true essence of the story was retained by the director, Sydney Pollack. The book moved along at a quick pace with some nail biting scenes that were impressions coming from a 24 year old, first time novelist. I am now officially a Condor expert. This is another nice addition to my resume in case the CIA ever wants a willing recruit to open Department 17 for real.
I’m always going to be the guy who goes for sandwiches.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
‘We’ve been hit.’”
Choose your own Condor. He can look like this.
Or like this.
Most days, Ronald Malcolm’s biggest worries were from which coffee pot on which floor he was going to get his dose of caffeine, what type of sandwich he was going to have at lunch, and not dawdling too long in the morning so he was at his work desk on time to admire the beautiful siren walking by his building every day.
Simple life for a normal guy.
His job was not normal. It would be boring for a lot of people, but for someone like me, it would be a dream job. He worked in this nondescript building that was a front for a CIA operation. Not field work, or running secret agents, or working to take down a super villain while he was still a hoodlum. No, Ronald’s job was reading spy thrillers and mysteries.
He was paid to read.
His job was to read these books and take notes of anything that happens that might be of use to the CIA at some point and time.
If the CIA is reading this review, I just want to say I am an expert reader. I take copious notes of what I read. I have an impressive resume of thrillers I’ve already read so I would be attuned to discovering things I’ve never read before in a book.
PM me, Big Brother.
The plot swung into action when a hit squad came in and killed everyone in the building. Except for one.
Ronald was out grabbing a sandwich, crumbs were still clinging to the edges of his mouth as he stared at the bodies of his colleagues lying in pools of blood . Great, right? What a stroke of dumb luck, but it proved to be harder than one would expect for Ronald/Condor to come in for a debriefing. He became The Spy Thriller Reader Who Tried to Come in From the Cold.
Things were more dire than just people trying to kill him. He was out in the cold...bookless. It gave me the shivers.
I’ve watched the 1975 Robert Redford movie with the lovely Faye Dunaway numerous times, and the movie is terrific. They cut the expanse of time that the story unfolds from six days down to three. I’m currently enjoying the new TV series called Condor on the Audience channel. The series stars Max Irons, the son of the great Jeremy Irons, and it has become must see TV in my house. I always enjoy seeing the interpretation of the same story by different writers and directors. Six Days of the Condor was sold to Hollywood even before the book was published.
There is a fascinating preface to the Open Road edition written by James Grady that discusses the process of how he got the idea for the book and, most interesting of all, how the Redford movie created quite the flurry of worry in KGB headquarters.
”An exposé published in 2008 by Pete Early--a story sanctioned by America’s FBI and CIA--revealed that the movie stunned the KGB generals and convinced them that they had fallen behind their CIA foes in what had to be a critical espionage endeavor: the work they saw Redford/Condor doing in the movie.”
The KGB designed almost a carbon copy of the building and formed a research department to try and catch up with this mythical (tell me it isn’t so) department of the CIA. Another example of life being too bizarre for fiction. The movie did deviate from the book, but the true essence of the story was retained by the director, Sydney Pollack. The book moved along at a quick pace with some nail biting scenes that were impressions coming from a 24 year old, first time novelist. I am now officially a Condor expert. This is another nice addition to my resume in case the CIA ever wants a willing recruit to open Department 17 for real.
I’m always going to be the guy who goes for sandwiches.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
September 16, 2017
Three Days of the Condor A.K A. Six Days Of The Condor
These people won't even give a straight answer about the title of the book.
It's all about a CIA operative whose job it is to read... how cool is that.
Also loosely adapted by Hollywood into what I thought was a good movie.
http://www.newsweek.com/james-grady-l...…
I did enjoy the book.
but keep that under your hat
These people won't even give a straight answer about the title of the book.
It's all about a CIA operative whose job it is to read... how cool is that.
Also loosely adapted by Hollywood into what I thought was a good movie.
http://www.newsweek.com/james-grady-l...…
I did enjoy the book.
but keep that under your hat
March 20, 2022
In the six days of the Condor we meet Maclon aka The Condor who reads spy novels to get Intel on returning to the CIA office, he finds his colleagues all dead and the action picks up from there. This was really good audibook
March 8, 2022
Debut espionage thriller written in 1974. Enjoyable and fast-paced "spy" on the run story. I put spy in quotations because Malcolm aka Condor is a pretty low-level employee of the CIA. In the low tech environment of the times, he reads mysteries and suspense novels to cull information on how-to techniques and plausible scenarios that could impact the security of the U.S. for the Agency. Another employee has stumbled on a discrepancy in the receipt of inventory and wants to explore further, not knowing that it is a piece of a clandestine operation. He shares his concerns with Malcolm who really pays little mind to it. Those involved do not want anything to come to light and decides all in this small department might have been informed and have to be eliminated. Malcolm is sent out on an errand to fetch lunch for everybody, it saves his life and thus begins his race to stay alive.
Who is after him? Why can't he be brought into the fold right away? Who in the Agency can be trusted? How can he manage to stay ahead of a ruthless killer? Many law enforcement agencies get involved and not always working in concert. Some of the story strains credulity, but it is part of the thrill.
If you want a great review of this book. look up Jeffrey Keeten's. In fact, I'll go back to like and comment and then it will end up in some people's feeds.
I remember a movie with Robert Redford as Condor. I think I'll have to watch it again.
Who is after him? Why can't he be brought into the fold right away? Who in the Agency can be trusted? How can he manage to stay ahead of a ruthless killer? Many law enforcement agencies get involved and not always working in concert. Some of the story strains credulity, but it is part of the thrill.
If you want a great review of this book. look up Jeffrey Keeten's. In fact, I'll go back to like and comment and then it will end up in some people's feeds.
I remember a movie with Robert Redford as Condor. I think I'll have to watch it again.
April 9, 2019
My introduction to the fiction of James Grady is his 1974 debut novel Six Days of the Condor. Even more so than Peter Benchley, the author is one whose credentials are easily established by mentioning the movie version of his book: Three Days of the Condor, released the same year as Jaws. Like Jaws, Three Days of the Condor made liberal changes to its source material. Like Jaws, that source material is so far away from the movie in terms of quality that it isn't in the same ballpark, parking lot, or zip code as the film, a ridiculous star vehicle that was nonetheless memorably well-produced. This book is not.
The action takes place in Washington D.C., four blocks from the Library of Congress, where the most edible chicken nugget of the book introduces the "American Literary Historical Society," a front for Department 17 of the CIA. The Society keeps track of all espionage related acts in literature, monitoring potential security leaks and looking for new ideas. Far from books, Ronald Malcolm is an analyst obsessed with an "incredibly beautiful" blonde who mounts the steps of the Library of Congress each morning. He yawns his way through a meeting with their new accountant, who's puzzled by a shipment in which seven crates appear on a billing order but only five were received.
Following a memo the accountant sends to Langley, two plainclothes men visit him at his apartment. The next afternoon, Malcolm slips out a coalbin exit in the basement to pick up lunch. While he's out, three assassins gain access to the office and gun down Malcolm's four male and two female co-workers. Discovering the grisly scene, Malcolm phones Langely from a pay phone using his code name "Condor" to let the agency know his substation has been hit. The head of Department 17 goes into the field to bring Condor in but attempts to kill him. Malcolm abducts a young paralegal named Wendy Ross and enlists her aid to outwit his assassins.
"I don't believe you." The girl sat on the couch, her eyes glued to Malcolm. She was not as frightened as she had been, but her heart felt as if it was breaking ribs.
Malcolm sighed. He had been sitting across from the girl for an hour. From what he found in her purse, he knew she was Wendy Ross, twenty-seven years old, had lived and driven in Carbondale, Illinois, distributed 135 pounds on her five-foot-ten frame (he was sure that was an overestimated lie), regularly gave Type O Positive blood to the Red Cross, was a card-carrying user of the Alexandria Public Library and a member of the University of Southern Illinois Alumni Association, and was certified to receive and deliver summonses for her employers, Bechtel, Barber, Sievers, Holloran, and Muclkeston. From what he read on her face, he knew she was frightened and telling the truth when she said she didn't believe him. Malcolm didn't blame her, as he really didn't believe his story either, and he knew it was true.
"Look," he said, "If what I said wasn't true, why would I try to convince you it was?"
"I don't know."
"Oh, Jesus!" Malcolm paced the room. He could tie her up and still use her place, but that was risky. Besides, she could be invaluable. He had an inspiration in the middle of a sneeze.
Oh, Jesus. Six Days of the Condor is full of flat and shabby prose. Characters are introduced in much the way a ten-year-old might: a distinguished looking man, a second man, etc. Malcolm is so devoid of personality that a stereotype would've been an improvement. He is not a book nerd, nor is he a soldier type, nor is he a rake. Any of these personalities might explain his ability to evade professional killers, but instead, Malcolm lives by virtue of his blind luck and the fallacies of his pursuers. Wendy is a nubile piece of candy as useless in the field as Malcolm and so dumb enough that's she'd rather fuck this bar of Spam than escape him.
Grady's approach reminded me of Tom Clancy, who'd debut ten years later with guy-oriented espionage thrillers that jumped between government agencies, with detail only someone obsessed enough by the CIA to read technical manuals could divine. Grady doesn't demonstrate the hard-on for hardware that Clancy would and as a result, Six Days of the Condor is 90,000 words lighter than The Hunt For Red October. The disappointment of Grady is the monumental disinterest for books he demonstrates given his literary set-up. Other than one mention of Poe, Malcolm's skills as a librarian go completely unused.
The 2011 edition published by MysteriousPress.com/ Open Road contains a preface by Grady that constitutes a whopping 15% of the book. The author recounts how influential he was on the geopolitical scene and what it was like working with director Sydney Pollack on the movie. Ugh. Released in 1975, Three Days of the Condor moved the action to New York City. Robert Redford played CIA analyst Joe Turner and Faye Dunaway, playing a photographer named Kathy Hale, his captive. Rather than , a rogue operation to seize Middle Eastern oil fields is the plot. The assault on Redford's office is a highlight of the film, along with a terrific jazz-infused score by Dave Grusin.
Length: 57,411 words
The action takes place in Washington D.C., four blocks from the Library of Congress, where the most edible chicken nugget of the book introduces the "American Literary Historical Society," a front for Department 17 of the CIA. The Society keeps track of all espionage related acts in literature, monitoring potential security leaks and looking for new ideas. Far from books, Ronald Malcolm is an analyst obsessed with an "incredibly beautiful" blonde who mounts the steps of the Library of Congress each morning. He yawns his way through a meeting with their new accountant, who's puzzled by a shipment in which seven crates appear on a billing order but only five were received.
Following a memo the accountant sends to Langley, two plainclothes men visit him at his apartment. The next afternoon, Malcolm slips out a coalbin exit in the basement to pick up lunch. While he's out, three assassins gain access to the office and gun down Malcolm's four male and two female co-workers. Discovering the grisly scene, Malcolm phones Langely from a pay phone using his code name "Condor" to let the agency know his substation has been hit. The head of Department 17 goes into the field to bring Condor in but attempts to kill him. Malcolm abducts a young paralegal named Wendy Ross and enlists her aid to outwit his assassins.
"I don't believe you." The girl sat on the couch, her eyes glued to Malcolm. She was not as frightened as she had been, but her heart felt as if it was breaking ribs.
Malcolm sighed. He had been sitting across from the girl for an hour. From what he found in her purse, he knew she was Wendy Ross, twenty-seven years old, had lived and driven in Carbondale, Illinois, distributed 135 pounds on her five-foot-ten frame (he was sure that was an overestimated lie), regularly gave Type O Positive blood to the Red Cross, was a card-carrying user of the Alexandria Public Library and a member of the University of Southern Illinois Alumni Association, and was certified to receive and deliver summonses for her employers, Bechtel, Barber, Sievers, Holloran, and Muclkeston. From what he read on her face, he knew she was frightened and telling the truth when she said she didn't believe him. Malcolm didn't blame her, as he really didn't believe his story either, and he knew it was true.
"Look," he said, "If what I said wasn't true, why would I try to convince you it was?"
"I don't know."
"Oh, Jesus!" Malcolm paced the room. He could tie her up and still use her place, but that was risky. Besides, she could be invaluable. He had an inspiration in the middle of a sneeze.
Oh, Jesus. Six Days of the Condor is full of flat and shabby prose. Characters are introduced in much the way a ten-year-old might: a distinguished looking man, a second man, etc. Malcolm is so devoid of personality that a stereotype would've been an improvement. He is not a book nerd, nor is he a soldier type, nor is he a rake. Any of these personalities might explain his ability to evade professional killers, but instead, Malcolm lives by virtue of his blind luck and the fallacies of his pursuers. Wendy is a nubile piece of candy as useless in the field as Malcolm and so dumb enough that's she'd rather fuck this bar of Spam than escape him.
Grady's approach reminded me of Tom Clancy, who'd debut ten years later with guy-oriented espionage thrillers that jumped between government agencies, with detail only someone obsessed enough by the CIA to read technical manuals could divine. Grady doesn't demonstrate the hard-on for hardware that Clancy would and as a result, Six Days of the Condor is 90,000 words lighter than The Hunt For Red October. The disappointment of Grady is the monumental disinterest for books he demonstrates given his literary set-up. Other than one mention of Poe, Malcolm's skills as a librarian go completely unused.
The 2011 edition published by MysteriousPress.com/ Open Road contains a preface by Grady that constitutes a whopping 15% of the book. The author recounts how influential he was on the geopolitical scene and what it was like working with director Sydney Pollack on the movie. Ugh. Released in 1975, Three Days of the Condor moved the action to New York City. Robert Redford played CIA analyst Joe Turner and Faye Dunaway, playing a photographer named Kathy Hale, his captive. Rather than , a rogue operation to seize Middle Eastern oil fields is the plot. The assault on Redford's office is a highlight of the film, along with a terrific jazz-infused score by Dave Grusin.
Length: 57,411 words
May 6, 2018
One of the all time classic paranoid thrillers of the 1970's and a sentimental favorite of mine. James Grady's first novel, written and published when he was in in his mid-twenties. It's very much a product of the time when he wrote it. Watergate paranoia, Vietnam, disillusionment with the U.S. government, the anti-authority attitude of the Baby Boomers and more all play a part in the plot.
To younger readers the plot will seem unoriginal. A low level intelligence analyst stumbles across a conspiracy hidden within the government's intelligence community (without really understanding what it is he's discovered), becomes a marked man and has to go on the run.
While on the run he has to try to figure out who and what has marked him for death. Not very original. Until one takes into account that this story was one of the first.....of it's kind. When the reader realizes this fact the novel can be enjoyed for what it is.
A short and fast moving story that still has the ability to pull the reader in. Of course there are aspects of it that are dated (mostly in terms of information technology), but that's inevitable. Like William Goldman's classic novel Marathon Man I like the fact that the characters have to rely on their skills and luck rather than a plethora of high-tech devices to help them out.
Mr. Grady's focus is on suspense and moving the plot along. His writing is tight and economical. All in all it's an impressive first novel. Mr. Grady has written many other novels in the decades that have followed and his writing has improved. His characters have gotten deeper, his plots more intricate, the sex less detailed and the moral tones a bit more grey. In other words Mr. Grady has gotten older (as do we all) and his books reflect this. But Six Days of the Condor is an entertaining read and an easy way to pass a few hours. I recommend it if you know you're going to have several hours on your hands. Waiting in an airport, spending time in a hospital waiting room etc.
To younger readers the plot will seem unoriginal. A low level intelligence analyst stumbles across a conspiracy hidden within the government's intelligence community (without really understanding what it is he's discovered), becomes a marked man and has to go on the run.
While on the run he has to try to figure out who and what has marked him for death. Not very original. Until one takes into account that this story was one of the first.....of it's kind. When the reader realizes this fact the novel can be enjoyed for what it is.
A short and fast moving story that still has the ability to pull the reader in. Of course there are aspects of it that are dated (mostly in terms of information technology), but that's inevitable. Like William Goldman's classic novel Marathon Man I like the fact that the characters have to rely on their skills and luck rather than a plethora of high-tech devices to help them out.
Mr. Grady's focus is on suspense and moving the plot along. His writing is tight and economical. All in all it's an impressive first novel. Mr. Grady has written many other novels in the decades that have followed and his writing has improved. His characters have gotten deeper, his plots more intricate, the sex less detailed and the moral tones a bit more grey. In other words Mr. Grady has gotten older (as do we all) and his books reflect this. But Six Days of the Condor is an entertaining read and an easy way to pass a few hours. I recommend it if you know you're going to have several hours on your hands. Waiting in an airport, spending time in a hospital waiting room etc.
September 11, 2023
“Goodbye, Condor. One last word of advice. Stick to research. You’ve used up all your luck. When it comes right down to it, you’re not very good.”
- James Grady, Six Days of the Condor
Making my way back through some of the classic espionage novels that I've missed. I've always had 6Days on my radar, but just passed over it like you might a nondescript brownstone in D.C. But I decided to jump into it yesterday. For a first novel, written right out of college (and a Senate internship in D.C.) the books is rather incredible. Grady is able to make leaps and jumps that make an interesting story and a sophisticated thriller.
A great freebie with the current edition is the preface where Grady writes about the book, its influences, and his experiences with both the novel being published and the making of the movie. This is definitely one of those classics of the genre and early CIA-oriented espionage novels that aren't cartoonish. His book is fascinating because he gets bureaucracy, inadequacy, and ineptitude. Not everyone has spider sense and not everyone is a perfect shot. Luck is always an important character in any thriller. I'll probably pick up another Grady in the near future to see if subsequent novels held up.
- James Grady, Six Days of the Condor
Making my way back through some of the classic espionage novels that I've missed. I've always had 6Days on my radar, but just passed over it like you might a nondescript brownstone in D.C. But I decided to jump into it yesterday. For a first novel, written right out of college (and a Senate internship in D.C.) the books is rather incredible. Grady is able to make leaps and jumps that make an interesting story and a sophisticated thriller.
A great freebie with the current edition is the preface where Grady writes about the book, its influences, and his experiences with both the novel being published and the making of the movie. This is definitely one of those classics of the genre and early CIA-oriented espionage novels that aren't cartoonish. His book is fascinating because he gets bureaucracy, inadequacy, and ineptitude. Not everyone has spider sense and not everyone is a perfect shot. Luck is always an important character in any thriller. I'll probably pick up another Grady in the near future to see if subsequent novels held up.
February 16, 2023
6 days are better than 3
🔥 We’ve all seen the movie. I wanted to read the book because I was certain it would be more complex than the film with a lot more detail. I was right. It was more intellectual too. A good thriller.
🔥 We’ve all seen the movie. I wanted to read the book because I was certain it would be more complex than the film with a lot more detail. I was right. It was more intellectual too. A good thriller.
March 19, 2022
Interesting idea about a spy that reads novels to find intel—but a giant disappointment of a book with a juvenile sense of humor. Why did he keep farting if it held no relevance to the plot? At least all the sneezing became relevant.
If you like boobies and a protagonist that survives on luck, then this is the book for you.
The movie is probably far superior.
If you like boobies and a protagonist that survives on luck, then this is the book for you.
The movie is probably far superior.
November 17, 2019
Excellent book and movie. It has been a long time since I read this the first time but it is still as exciting. Unputdownable (if there is such a word). First published in the early sixties, the book brought the author from being near destitute to rich in 6 months. The rights to develop a movie came shortly afterward and with a young Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway as stars, it was an immediate hit. Of course there are differences between the book and movie but both are superb. Highly recommended.
October 24, 2010
In an introduction to the audiobook, Grady provides some background on how he, and the intelligence community, were influenced by this book. He happened to be wandering down a street when he imagined that behind one of the doors was a secret CIA research bureau. And then he wondered what would have happened if one of the workers left and returned to find all his colleagues dead. Grady learned in 2008 from Comrade J by Pete Early, that the Russians assumed from watching the Redford movie that this was the way the CIA conducted business, and they formed a 2,000 man secret bureau devoted to doing the kind of research now so common in movies and shows such as Rubicon. “What if, became what was.”
The prosaic reason why the movie was shot in New York instead of Washington ,where the book takes place, was simply because Robert Redford was due to shoot All the President’s Men which had to take place in Washington and he didn’t want to leave his family in New York for the duration of two movies.
This was Grady’s first book and smashed in between interesting scenes of intrigue are rather awkward moments of silliness. The love scene between Wendy and Malcolm (he has just kidnapped her. then persuaded her that he’s not a bad guy, taken a shower and had dinner together) was in such purple prose as to be almost comical and the next morning she “mounts” him again (shades of Fanny Hill, I’m surprised it wasn’t his “member”) and then has to call a doctor friend for a house call because of Malcom’s vicious“strep throat.”
Still as my GR friend Nancy notes, this is a real page-turner (or, at least, unable-to-shut-off-the-the-iPod-when-parking-in-the-garage.) It’s fun. I would make it 3 stars for the writing, five for the idea and plot, so we’ll round it off to 4 (in reality, probably 3.14159265, heh heh.)
Nancy has a nice plot summary in her review. http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
The prosaic reason why the movie was shot in New York instead of Washington ,where the book takes place, was simply because Robert Redford was due to shoot All the President’s Men which had to take place in Washington and he didn’t want to leave his family in New York for the duration of two movies.
This was Grady’s first book and smashed in between interesting scenes of intrigue are rather awkward moments of silliness. The love scene between Wendy and Malcolm (he has just kidnapped her. then persuaded her that he’s not a bad guy, taken a shower and had dinner together) was in such purple prose as to be almost comical and the next morning she “mounts” him again (shades of Fanny Hill, I’m surprised it wasn’t his “member”) and then has to call a doctor friend for a house call because of Malcom’s vicious“strep throat.”
Still as my GR friend Nancy notes, this is a real page-turner (or, at least, unable-to-shut-off-the-the-iPod-when-parking-in-the-garage.) It’s fun. I would make it 3 stars for the writing, five for the idea and plot, so we’ll round it off to 4 (in reality, probably 3.14159265, heh heh.)
Nancy has a nice plot summary in her review. http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
November 22, 2015
I almost NEVER quit on a book, but I quit this one after suffering 100 pages. It was so famous, I wanted to read it. But it was just bloody awful. Besides the unbelievable fact that the lead character kidnaps a woman, forces her at gunpoint to take him to her house, and then she just decides to climb into his bed and screw him that night? Really? I would have been out the door. It was so poorly written by today's standards that the main action - the very moment Malcolm finds out he might be being double-crossed and his rescuer shoots at him - is all told in dull 3rd person description, all tell and no show. There is nothing to grab you and suck you into this story at all.
I'm a library worker. I'm reading books all the time. I suffered through a number of ho-hum books, but made it to the end. I just couldn't bear to suffer with this one any longer.
I'm a library worker. I'm reading books all the time. I suffered through a number of ho-hum books, but made it to the end. I just couldn't bear to suffer with this one any longer.
September 9, 2011
There's Six Days of the Condor ... and then there is everything else. This is the thriller that every thriller writer wishes s/he had written. A classic that I re-read once a year just so I have something to aim for when I sit down to write.
May 20, 2012
5 Stars
SUMMARY
In the quiet Washington D.C. neighborhood near the Capitol is a pristine townhouse. Its plaque reads American Literary Historical Society. The headquarters ostensibly is for literary analysis, advance and achievement, but no one gets passed the front desk. Unless of course proper clearance is shown and verified. The Society is actually a Company Department Office. The research analysts read mystery and thriller novels and pass any scenarios that are too close to the mark of past and or present operations. An analyst finds discrepancies in book deliveries and has questioned all of the researchers. All is not right in RD.
Upon his arrival with his colleagues lunches Malcolm, codenamed Condor, discovers his friends butchered in a blood-spattered office. He realizes that an oversight by the assassins has saved his life. He contacts CIA headquarters through the Panic line for assistance and direction. But the attempted rendezvous goes horribly wrong. Malcolm quickly learns that he can’t trust anyone and disappears into the streets of the Capitol, hoping to evade the killers long enough to unravel the conspiracy. But will that be enough to save his life?
MY THOUGHTS
1.) It’s hard to believe that 38 years have past since Condor was 1st published and then rushed into film. I can’t separate Redford from Malcolm, nor do I want to. Another amazing fact is James Grady was only 24 when he wrote this sleek taut novel. His writing is succinct building the suspense by tightly threaded event sequences that quickly spin out of control. We are treated to 3 distinct POVs: Malcolm’s, the agents who want to save him, and those shadowy ones who don’t.
2.) Grady departs from the usual spy thrillers of that time. Malcolm is not a super-hero with fancy gadgets. His only weapons are his analytical intellect and the will to survive. When Grady’s characters get hurt, they hurt. No miraculous healing powers in his world.
3.) Written before Watergate, the shadow government and it’s insistence that loose ends are swiftly and permanently cut worked in 1974 as they do today. Malcolm’s CIA department ignited readers’ imaginations and those of the KGB. In his Author’s Notes, Grady says he was surprised that the Soviets actually thought theCondor’s RD section existed and quickly formed their own equivalent to its fictional counterpart. Does that RD section now exist in the CIA? I wouldn’t put it past them.
SUMMARY
In the quiet Washington D.C. neighborhood near the Capitol is a pristine townhouse. Its plaque reads American Literary Historical Society. The headquarters ostensibly is for literary analysis, advance and achievement, but no one gets passed the front desk. Unless of course proper clearance is shown and verified. The Society is actually a Company Department Office. The research analysts read mystery and thriller novels and pass any scenarios that are too close to the mark of past and or present operations. An analyst finds discrepancies in book deliveries and has questioned all of the researchers. All is not right in RD.
Upon his arrival with his colleagues lunches Malcolm, codenamed Condor, discovers his friends butchered in a blood-spattered office. He realizes that an oversight by the assassins has saved his life. He contacts CIA headquarters through the Panic line for assistance and direction. But the attempted rendezvous goes horribly wrong. Malcolm quickly learns that he can’t trust anyone and disappears into the streets of the Capitol, hoping to evade the killers long enough to unravel the conspiracy. But will that be enough to save his life?
MY THOUGHTS
1.) It’s hard to believe that 38 years have past since Condor was 1st published and then rushed into film. I can’t separate Redford from Malcolm, nor do I want to. Another amazing fact is James Grady was only 24 when he wrote this sleek taut novel. His writing is succinct building the suspense by tightly threaded event sequences that quickly spin out of control. We are treated to 3 distinct POVs: Malcolm’s, the agents who want to save him, and those shadowy ones who don’t.
2.) Grady departs from the usual spy thrillers of that time. Malcolm is not a super-hero with fancy gadgets. His only weapons are his analytical intellect and the will to survive. When Grady’s characters get hurt, they hurt. No miraculous healing powers in his world.
3.) Written before Watergate, the shadow government and it’s insistence that loose ends are swiftly and permanently cut worked in 1974 as they do today. Malcolm’s CIA department ignited readers’ imaginations and those of the KGB. In his Author’s Notes, Grady says he was surprised that the Soviets actually thought theCondor’s RD section existed and quickly formed their own equivalent to its fictional counterpart. Does that RD section now exist in the CIA? I wouldn’t put it past them.
December 4, 2008
The national headquarters of the American Literary Historical Society is in Washington, DC, its purpose ostensibly for literary analysis, advance and achievement. No one goes there and takes tours -- they can't get past the main desk without proper clearance. In reality, it's a CIA office where people read and analyze mystery and spy novels (what a dream job!) to seek out correlations between fiction and fact.
One of the employees there, Ronald Malcolm, advises another employee (Heidegger) to ignore it when he finds a record for two crates of books that the society never received, but for which they had paid. Malcolm's advice was not followed. Shortly after this, it's Malcolm's turn to go out and get lunch for the group, which he does, taking his time. Upon his return, he finds everyone at the society dead. Sizing up the situation, he realizes that now he's in danger, and he does what he's been trained to do: calls the panic line at CIA headquarters, where he identifies himself as Condor. From this point, things go horribly wrong for Malcolm, and he finds himself on the run, with his life on the line.
An awesome book -- you seriously don't know who you can trust in this story which heightens the experience and the aura of suspense which builds throughout. Even 34 years later this book still has the ability to keep you turning pages. Recommended for people who enjoy espionage fiction, suspense or people who like stories about the CIA.
One of the employees there, Ronald Malcolm, advises another employee (Heidegger) to ignore it when he finds a record for two crates of books that the society never received, but for which they had paid. Malcolm's advice was not followed. Shortly after this, it's Malcolm's turn to go out and get lunch for the group, which he does, taking his time. Upon his return, he finds everyone at the society dead. Sizing up the situation, he realizes that now he's in danger, and he does what he's been trained to do: calls the panic line at CIA headquarters, where he identifies himself as Condor. From this point, things go horribly wrong for Malcolm, and he finds himself on the run, with his life on the line.
An awesome book -- you seriously don't know who you can trust in this story which heightens the experience and the aura of suspense which builds throughout. Even 34 years later this book still has the ability to keep you turning pages. Recommended for people who enjoy espionage fiction, suspense or people who like stories about the CIA.
July 9, 2017
An amazing gem of a thrilling read! If you love espionage, spy games, etc., then this a perfect summer read!
February 21, 2023
2023 - ‘70’s Immersion Reading Challenge
Six Days of the Condor by James Grady (1974; 1975 ed.) 192 pages.
SETTING: Langley, Virginia
3.5 stars rounded up - I’m usually not into these government/CIA type novels, but this wasn’t bad at all. As I was reading this, I pictured the actor Daniel Craig as the Condor. He seemed to fit this role. 🤷🏻♀️According to the Preface, the structure and operations of the intelligence community are based on fact (p. 7), as well as Malcolm’s branch of the CIA and the 54/12 Group (which is easily explained in the book), although, the groups no longer function under their original purpose. The story, itself, is purely fictional.
Ronald Malcolm, code name Condor, was an analyst for the American Literary Historical Society, in the Intelligence Division (ID) of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which analyzes every mystery book published, fact or fiction, to determine if the author was guessing and lucky or whether he knew more than he should. (p. 15) If he knew more than he should, then the author would be filed with the Plans Division for action. The Plans Division is the actual spy and action.
It all began a few years back, in 1968, when the agency received a shipment of books from Seattle. All the volumes of books were received, but there was a discrepancy in the number of crates received. The receiving clerk at the CIA signed for five crates of books, but Seattle’s trucking firm say they had shipped seven crates. There were two crates missing.
This story is about the coverup of the two missing crates and what they might contain, and also about who all in the agency were involved in the coverup. Who can the Condor trust with his life?
Malcolm was sent to run errands and grab lunch for the group, and was fortunate enough to be out of the office when someone went in and murdered all the people in his department. They also stole all primary files on certain individuals.
Now, Malcolm was on the run for his life.
THE CONDOR SERIES
1. Six Days of the Condor (1974)
2. Three Days of the Condor (1974)
3. Shadow of the Condor (1975)
4. condor.net (2011)
5. Last Days of the Condor (2015)
6. Condor in the Stacks (2015)
7. Next Day of the Condor (2015)
8. Condor (2018)
9. Condor: The Short Takes (2019)
BOOK-TO-MOVIE
Condor (2018 TV SERIES - 2 seasons, 20 episodes) starring Max Irons as the Condor.
Three Days of the Condor (1975), starring Robert Redford, as Joseph Turner, and Faye Dunaway, as Kathy Hale.
Six Days of the Condor by James Grady (1974; 1975 ed.) 192 pages.
SETTING: Langley, Virginia
3.5 stars rounded up - I’m usually not into these government/CIA type novels, but this wasn’t bad at all. As I was reading this, I pictured the actor Daniel Craig as the Condor. He seemed to fit this role. 🤷🏻♀️According to the Preface, the structure and operations of the intelligence community are based on fact (p. 7), as well as Malcolm’s branch of the CIA and the 54/12 Group (which is easily explained in the book), although, the groups no longer function under their original purpose. The story, itself, is purely fictional.
Ronald Malcolm, code name Condor, was an analyst for the American Literary Historical Society, in the Intelligence Division (ID) of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which analyzes every mystery book published, fact or fiction, to determine if the author was guessing and lucky or whether he knew more than he should. (p. 15) If he knew more than he should, then the author would be filed with the Plans Division for action. The Plans Division is the actual spy and action.
It all began a few years back, in 1968, when the agency received a shipment of books from Seattle. All the volumes of books were received, but there was a discrepancy in the number of crates received. The receiving clerk at the CIA signed for five crates of books, but Seattle’s trucking firm say they had shipped seven crates. There were two crates missing.
This story is about the coverup of the two missing crates and what they might contain, and also about who all in the agency were involved in the coverup. Who can the Condor trust with his life?
Malcolm was sent to run errands and grab lunch for the group, and was fortunate enough to be out of the office when someone went in and murdered all the people in his department. They also stole all primary files on certain individuals.
Now, Malcolm was on the run for his life.
THE CONDOR SERIES
1. Six Days of the Condor (1974)
2. Three Days of the Condor (1974)
3. Shadow of the Condor (1975)
4. condor.net (2011)
5. Last Days of the Condor (2015)
6. Condor in the Stacks (2015)
7. Next Day of the Condor (2015)
8. Condor (2018)
9. Condor: The Short Takes (2019)
BOOK-TO-MOVIE
Condor (2018 TV SERIES - 2 seasons, 20 episodes) starring Max Irons as the Condor.
Three Days of the Condor (1975), starring Robert Redford, as Joseph Turner, and Faye Dunaway, as Kathy Hale.
May 3, 2016
This spy thriller was made into the Robert Redford film, Three Days of the Condor. Although the plot of the book differs from the film, the basic elements remain the same. The reason for the hit on "Condor's" department differs from that of the film version. Also, the book has a more definite ending than the film. A good read, but I just like the movie better.
October 12, 2021
A good tale of a CIA reader who gets caught up in attempts on his life. There's a double agent somewhere. Who is it?
August 10, 2023
Preface to my actual review: I am *so* annoyed. This edition begins with a chapter titled “Confession”. I thought it was the beginning of the novel. Nope. It starts telling me about Robert Redford and Faye Dunnaway and the movie. Call me not interested in a movie. If I were, I’d watch it and skip reading. I learned something in those first paragraphs that are very close to a spoiler. I don’t think the little I read is an actual spoiler, but enough that I had to come here to complain. Publishers can be so unthinking.
So ... It's a quick read. I never did read the rest of "Confession" which I assume went on to further describe the movie. I admit it probably made a good movie. I won't exaggerate and say it made a fabulous book, but I did enjoy my time with it. It doesn't have great writing or exceptional characterizations. Spy thrillers are all plot, lots of action and a usually little sex thrown in for good measure.
I am always surprised when I pick something up and it seems to be just what I needed. And this was it. It's worth a solid 3-stars (and fits a slot in my mysteries challenge for a bonus).
So ... It's a quick read. I never did read the rest of "Confession" which I assume went on to further describe the movie. I admit it probably made a good movie. I won't exaggerate and say it made a fabulous book, but I did enjoy my time with it. It doesn't have great writing or exceptional characterizations. Spy thrillers are all plot, lots of action and a usually little sex thrown in for good measure.
I am always surprised when I pick something up and it seems to be just what I needed. And this was it. It's worth a solid 3-stars (and fits a slot in my mysteries challenge for a bonus).
July 14, 2023
Един от най-добрите шпионски трилъри, които съм чел.
Екшън до дупка, екранизацията по романа с Робърт Редфорд в главната роля е модерна класика!
Екшън до дупка, екранизацията по романа с Робърт Редфорд в главната роля е модерна класика!
May 24, 2016
I'm not one to usually read spy novels but seeing that this book was the basis for the movie (titled Three Days of the Condor ) I had to find out why the difference in titles. The author gives a great explanation of this and more about how the Russians ended up modeling a section of their spy network based on the movie. Luckily I had just enough memory of the movie, but not enough to interfere with the enjoyment of the book. This book is fast-paced and was a quick read. It kept me glued to the book which made it great reading (and listening) for me. (The narrator of the audio book did such a great job that I later looked for other audio books that he narrated.) The plot is described in the write up about the book. I was fascinated by the concept that this fictional section of the CIA read books as their "job" and particularly Malcolm (Condor's) assignment. I also enjoyed the writer's description of the various branches of the intelligence community. Now I want to see the movie again!
April 13, 2022
fantastic book , in a away two of the scenes reminded me of the bourne identity novel - what happened in the tread stone building and how bourne met marie , i was hooked from the the first page to the last , i really enjoy spy novels were all hell breaks loose from the start , i happened to watch the movie staring robert redford before a rad the book (thats how i found out about it ) one or two scenes ere changed from the book , witch was expected , only one thing that i was a bit - ummmm what ? seeing the film was the big reveal was oil , it made no sense to me . but ad the start of the book the author made sense of that the movie producers changed the better ending of the book to match it with what was happening in the news at the time of filming and that just happened to be about oil , to be honest they should have obviously stuck with the books ending it was far more exciting onto the next book - shadow of the condor !
May 28, 2021
211115 from ??? childhood: another mid-70s conspiracy thriller The Boys from Brazil, Marathon Man, The Day of the Jackal seen on tv when too young to fully appreciate. but remembered, watched dvd, recall too clearly the star power of redford and dunaway, very interesting to read it again and see where it was made cinematic, compressed 6 days into 3. the book is lean to begin with, the times were paranoid, but it is not too complex, just suggestive of more than we can know. the book is fun, quick, clean, unencumbered by extra psychology, complex characters, could see how this appeals to filmmakers. my ecopy also has an essay by the author, how it was written, how it became a movie, read after the main text. but the book needs nothing more than itself. it is apparently some sort of platonic form of the contemporary thriller, easy to see why...
September 21, 2012
"Da Vinci Code" and other similar modern conspiracy thrillers are a well developed, refined product category. They have several intertwined subplots, plenty of surprising twists and substantial character development.
"Six Days of the Condor" is one of the foundation lying books of this genre. It's an early model. It's like a 70ties car compared to new, 2012 vehicles. It has everything, but everything is just far shittier in every regard. The plot is very simple. There are no twists (that's an extra that appeared on later models). The characters have just about as much individuality as a dull plastic gear shift lever.
All in all, if you're interested in historic spy thrillers, then go ahead, read it. Otherwise just get yourself a newer model.
"Six Days of the Condor" is one of the foundation lying books of this genre. It's an early model. It's like a 70ties car compared to new, 2012 vehicles. It has everything, but everything is just far shittier in every regard. The plot is very simple. There are no twists (that's an extra that appeared on later models). The characters have just about as much individuality as a dull plastic gear shift lever.
All in all, if you're interested in historic spy thrillers, then go ahead, read it. Otherwise just get yourself a newer model.
September 20, 2018
Rating : 9/10(Extraordinary) - Six Days Remarkable
This novel was so good with no plot holes and more conspiracy and espionage as the chapter progresses. The story telling of the novel was truly quirky in itself and there was no filler moments. Only thing I loathe(not very much though) was the exposition which was sometimes too much to take in.
This novel was so good with no plot holes and more conspiracy and espionage as the chapter progresses. The story telling of the novel was truly quirky in itself and there was no filler moments. Only thing I loathe(not very much though) was the exposition which was sometimes too much to take in.
August 3, 2013
Clumsily written (the author even used 'lay' where he meant 'lie,' which brings to mind the eternal question: where were the editors?), badly plotted, this thriller bears little resemblance to the very fine, taut Sydney Pollack/Robert Redford film made from it ("Three Days of the Condor," which should tip you that Pollack and screenplay writer Lorenzo Semple know more than Grady about pacing). In every instance where the moviemakers veered from the plot they bettered the story. This is one of those rare cases where the movie is much better than the book. A few others come to mind: "Jaws," "The Godfather," "The Shining," "Gone with the Wind," "Big Trouble," and maybe "Election."
December 25, 2018
Terrifically taut thriller that is totally of its time, with obligatory 70s sex scenes, baddies performing karate chops and old men in old money houses still in charge. The story races along, driven by a ridiculous number of lucky coincidences, both good and bad. Along the way, Condor does actually use his brains to keep ahead of the people coming after him and it's that sense of the plucky amateur which fed into the Redford movie and has become a trope of all "accidental fugitive" stories. In and out in under 150 pages, there was very little here not to love.
March 20, 2018
One of my favorite movies of all time. A letdown of a book. Good thing Lorenzo Semple Jr. got hold of the screenplay and made it into the movie he did. The strange sexual politics, which works with Redford and Dunaway, does not work here. But one thing I like: the book is set in Georgetown and Alexandria instead of New York. That’s pretty neat.
October 14, 2015
Good book.
Movie before reading the book was good too. Forty years a go when there was fewer three and four letter agencies. Necessary papers had to be overnight by planes delivered. Exciting read and remembered those days.
Movie before reading the book was good too. Forty years a go when there was fewer three and four letter agencies. Necessary papers had to be overnight by planes delivered. Exciting read and remembered those days.
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