Marathon Man: Amazon.ca: William Goldman: Books

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Review

"Superb . . . One hell of a read."
--The Washington Post

"WELL-PLOTTED, EXPERTLY CHARACTERIZED, AND FAST-PACED."
--Los Angeles Times

Book Description

William Goldman's remarkable career spans more than five decades, and his credentials run the gamut from bestselling novelist to Oscar-winning screenwriter to Hollywood raconteur. He's beloved by millions of readers as the author of the classic comic-romantic fantasy The Princess Bride. And he's notorious for creating the most harrowing visit to the dentist in literary and cinematic history--in one of the seminal thrillers of the twentieth century. . . .

MARATHON MAN

Tom "Babe" Levy is a runner in every sense: racing tirelessly toward his goals of athletic and academic excellence--and endlessly away from the specter of his famous father's scandal-driven suicide. But an unexpected visit from his beloved older brother will set in motion a chain of events that plunge Babe into a vortex of terror, treachery, and murder--and force him into a race for his life . . . and for the answer to the fateful question, "Is it safe?"

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Inside This Book (Learn More)

First Sentence
Every time he drove through Yorkville, Rosenbaum got angry, just on general principles. Read the first page

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Concordance

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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt

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Customer Reviews

13 Reviews

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

Average Customer Review

4.4 out of 5 stars (13 customer reviews)

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Most helpful customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars IS IT SAFE?..., Nov 26 2007

By

Lawyeraau (Balmoral Castle) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This review is from: MARATHON MAN (Mass Market Paperback)

This is an excellent spy thriller filled with international intrigue and double-dealing characters. It leaves one wondering just who are the good guys and who are the bad guys. While it sometimes seems a little dated in parts, the book will not fail to capture the imagination of the reader with its intricate plot, clever characters, and humor. Written in a straightforward, cogent style, this book was made into a major motion picture that starred Dustin Hoffman and was a big hit in its day.

Thomas Babington Levy, known as "Babe" to his family, is a Rhodes Scholar, a graduate student historian at Columbia University, and an amateur marathon runner. He has a wealthy older brother, Henry David Levy, whom he affectionately calls "Doc" and believes to be a successful business man.

When Babe meets a beautiful blonde named Elsa Opel, he is in seventh heaven, believing that he has met the woman of his dreams. When he introduces his brother to Elsa, Babe shortly thereafter finds himself enmeshed in international intrigue. It seems that all is not as it has seemed. There is someone out there that believes that Babe has valuable information, and this person will stop at nothing to get that which he most desires.

This is a quick, page turning read that those who like international spy thrillers, replete with old-fashion skullduggery, a Nazi war criminal, multiple murders, and a fortune in diamonds, will enjoy.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Hoffman is to acting as Goldman is to fiction, May 1 2004

By

Scott Watch (Vancouver, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marathon Man (Paperback)

This is a must read for fans of the spy genre. Goldman brilliantly gives us Scylla, a deadly spy who dodges death at every turn with action scenes that literally hold you on the edge with suspense. Scylla's character is the strongest asset to this book, however his demise leads us into the life of his brother, an unsuspecting marathon runner that will find himself the target of betrayal. Full of twists and brilliant characters this book is very good and holds a special spot in my library. Fans of the movie starring Dennis Hoffman and Sir Lawrence Olivier will find the book much stronger than the screenplay with a different ending than the big-screen version.

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5.0 out of 5 stars William Goldman the Marathon Man, April 13 2004

By

"douglas_mc" (Spokane, WA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marathon Man (Paperback)

(...)

Marathon Man, by William Goldman, is an epic thriller, that which simply begs to be read over and over again. The initially mysterious characters and their odd lives that begin to intertwine and show themselves later on are enthralling, and the book is impossible to put down. Marathon Man attracts an audience of virtually anyone who can enjoy the typical fast-paced action-packed spy novel, and yet sense and enjoy the clever wit woven into the text by the author.
(...) When confronted with the question of "How good was this book?" I can only answer one way: Fantastic. The book sets the pace in the beginning with a cryptic car crash, the necessity of this being explained later on in a sort of "light-bulb over your head" moment. To read the book is to be frequently interrupted by your own intermittent cries of, "So that's who he was!" and "Oh! I get it! How amazing!". The narrator pelts with you sarcasm and charm throughout the book, making light of the most dire situations and adding a touch of surrealism to the whole situation in the protagonist's point of view. Every event in the book has some sort of logical place in the story. Nothing is insignificant. It's a puzzle, and the pieces gradually begin falling together as more and more is found out. You begin to crave to know more, to understand more, and you form your own ideas, predictions, and suspicions, until another puzzle piece falls into place and totally spins you around in bewilderment.
The only criticisms that could be genuinely made on the book are that the situation is almost fantasy and unreal. How many siblings do you have that are connected to Nazi scientists from Auschwitz? Personally, I didn't give a damn that the whole plot was full of sheer implausibility; I was enjoying myself far too much to actually give in to a few minor errors that didn't make any difference whatsoever.
Overall, the book is of exponential distinction and acclaim. It grabs you with the first scene, and plunges you into a thrilling and intoxicating world of scandal, mystery, and terror. To put down the book and become occupied with some random, irksome task is ridiculous and highly unlikely for any reader. Marathon Man is a thrill ride, but lucky you, you don't even have to leave your bedroom!

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Most recent customer reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars BAD BOOK
This is the worst book that i ever read!
Besides the foul language that is constant, the plot is not even good. And many loose ends that is not resolved. Read more

Published on Jan 29 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars Top-drawer thriller
Goldman's Marathon Man gallops to the finish line, never slowing, never giving away too much too soon, keeping on a steady pace to the end of the race. Read more

Published on Jan 17 2003 by J. Gifford