The Ghost by Robert Harris
- Thread starter Marius
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Read it a couple of weeks ago. Adam Lang is some clearly Tony Blair, it was hard not hearing Blair's voice. I am not found of reading books in the first person, but did think it worked in this case.
Not Harris best book, that will always be "Fatherland", but still a good read. It will be interesting to see how the film version turns out with Piearce Brosnan playing "Adam Lang".
Not Harris best book, that will always be "Fatherland", but still a good read. It will be interesting to see how the film version turns out with Piearce Brosnan playing "Adam Lang".
I read it. I thought it was OKish, not his best. I guess it's because the 'thriller' elements somehow don't work that well.
Spoiler alert!
The idea of the Blair substitute as an American agent was one that had crossed my mind as a good one for a book before I read Ghost. The twist of it being the Cherie substitute was quite a good one IMO.
End of Spoiler.
Personally I think Archangel is his best, although Fatherland is very well done an had the originality to make it stand out. Funny that both the films are poorly regarded whilst the film of Enigma, a lesser book, was better received.
Spoiler alert!
The idea of the Blair substitute as an American agent was one that had crossed my mind as a good one for a book before I read Ghost. The twist of it being the Cherie substitute was quite a good one IMO.
End of Spoiler.
Personally I think Archangel is his best, although Fatherland is very well done an had the originality to make it stand out. Funny that both the films are poorly regarded whilst the film of Enigma, a lesser book, was better received.
I'm not saying it was the best book ever, but I found it pretty decent, a relatively easy read, at a decent pace. The Cherie twist was a good one, as you say Shimbo.
The movie version is apparently going to star Pierce Brosnan as Lang (as Mark noted), Tilda Swinton as Ruth Lang, and Nicholas Cage as the Ghost. Pierce Brosnan is a decent actor, don't know too much about Swinton, and a bit wary of Cage. I either hate his movies, or love them, he blows hot and cold. But at least with these high-profile actors it won't be a load of old rubbish like the movie of Fatherland was.
The movie version is apparently going to star Pierce Brosnan as Lang (as Mark noted), Tilda Swinton as Ruth Lang, and Nicholas Cage as the Ghost. Pierce Brosnan is a decent actor, don't know too much about Swinton, and a bit wary of Cage. I either hate his movies, or love them, he blows hot and cold. But at least with these high-profile actors it won't be a load of old rubbish like the movie of Fatherland was.
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I could see Brosnan as Lang but Cage is miscast IMO I imagined the Ghost as scruffy BBC type in contrast to the urbane Lang.
Sopt-on Shimbo, Brosnan is well-cast, but you're right about Cage. The book also wouldn't work as well without the Ghist being English I think.
So, who could be the Ghost? Richard E Grant perhaps? Paddy Considine also maybe (he is the journalist in the Bourne Ultimatum who gets sniped in Waterloo station)?
So, who could be the Ghost? Richard E Grant perhaps? Paddy Considine also maybe (he is the journalist in the Bourne Ultimatum who gets sniped in Waterloo station)?
Gabriel Byrne, Anthony Hopkins or Alan Rickman maybe, they can play careworn which is how I saw the character. Maybe Hugh Grant, though it's not the sort of thing he normally does.
Hugh Grant is too clean-cut I think, and Hopkins is too old. I think the Ghost is about Lang's age, early to mid 50s. Alan Rickman could be pretty good, you're right, as would Byrne. The more I think about, the more I think Cage would be hopelessly miscast at the Ghost. And he's an American.