Haldeman tool trade

Agreeable near-future science fiction-ish spy thriller from the author of generally superior science fiction most recently Dealing in Futures, The KGB decides to activate him for low-level talent-spotting; simultaneously, the CIA penetrates his cover and, in the person of genial agent Jacob Bailey, tries to turn him into a double agent.

What neither the KGB nor the CIA knows is that Foley, through his experiments in hypnotism, has invented a device that can compel anyone within earshot to obey Foley's orders--including instantly forgetting everything they've done! At night Foley uses the device to free-lance as an avenger, causing muggers, drug dealers, pimps, etc. Then some bad-guy KGB types kidnap Foley's wife Valerie and bring in a sadistic torturer they want to know how Foley controls people ; chased by both Bailey and assorted KGB agents, Foley rescues Valerie in a bloody showdown--but now neither is safe.

So: off to Mexico for plastic surgery and new identities, and then Foley hones his final plan: to participate in a big disarmament conference, disguised as a translator, intending to use his device on the Soviet chairman and the US President and force them to sign a realistic disarmament agreement.

Fast-moving and enjoyable if barely plausible stuff, with Haldeman's levelheaded narrative voice as engaging as ever. Skip to main content. Tool of the Trade. View larger image. Since World War II ended, he has risen through the ranks of American academia to his current post as a respected university professor with a loving wife.

His one secret: He works for the KGB. Very clever book. Well worth the read. Feb 16, Christine rated it liked it. Good premise. Jul 14, Andy rated it liked it. Not bad. Dec 15, Brian rated it liked it. Haldeman's stories are generally variations on the theme of academics going to war. Usually, the outcome is peace, in so many different ways. In this case, it's a cold war novel, with our protagonist being a polyglot growing up in WW2 Leningrad, being trained as a KGB sleeper agent, who is installed as a psychology professor in Cambridge, MA to recruit communist sympathizers.

The author even jokes that this isn't hard, as anyone who's been to Cambridge will readily agree. It's in the course of Haldeman's stories are generally variations on the theme of academics going to war.

It's in the course of his research that our main character discovers a powerful new tool for persuading people, which he uses for good and bad. It's a 3-star book because of the intricacy of the writing. Maybe it's the fact that I read it in fits and starts, but it was a complex book that required going back and re-reading to catch up on the litany of characters parading in front of you.

Nov 30, Gunn rated it really liked it. One of the better books I've read recently by one of my preferred authors. This one was a little harder to track down as I had to get it via inter-library loan. I suspect it's because one of the main forces in the story - the KGB - no longer exists.

Set in the mid-late 80s, this is a character driven story about a man who discovers a unique ability and then finds himself being hunted by both the CIA and the KGB. The scifi element of the ability aside, the fleshing out of the characters and their One of the better books I've read recently by one of my preferred authors.

The scifi element of the ability aside, the fleshing out of the characters and their influences makes this fairly quick read quite entertaining. I'd recommend it despite the dated setting. Oct 06, David Cain rated it liked it Shelves: This is a pulpy, fast moving science-fiction espionage thriller.

Although many of the characters are not well developed and some of the plot details are kind of ludicrous, this is nevertheless a really entertaining book. I guess the whole was better than the sum of its parts. The writing is solid and I recommend this as a quick and diverting read. Nov 28, Eric rated it really liked it. This is a pretty typical Joe Haldeman yarn - it's about the guy who has the power to change the world, and he does his damnedest to do the right thing.

It hits a lot of the typical Haldeman tropes, but the tight storytelling makes this one a keeper. Oct 11, Mark Isaak rated it liked it. For a science fiction story about the Cold War, set in the s, this book has held up rather well, although I would now call it historical fantasy. The plot suffers from actually being two consecutive plots, but the writing is engaging.

Sep 28, Elizabeth Gibbs rated it really liked it Shelves: four-and-a-half-star. This was a suspensful and fun book, bordering on scifi since we do not currently have in the public eye the technology it describes. It is also based on a land that no longer exists and makes the book all that more intriguing. Sep 25, Nate rated it it was ok. If you could control people's minds what would you do? Answer: start a night-life making pimps shoot themselves, and then combine it with your history as a spy to reduce the Soviet and U.

Jul 22, Ray Charbonneau rated it liked it Shelves: sf-fantasy. It's lacking in characterization and the plot's mechanical, but it was good fun to read. Mar 30, Chris Maguire rated it really liked it. The characters weren't really believable, for me, but it was a fun read none-the-less. Some of ideas concerning the main premise were a little stretched, but not terribly so. Oct 13, Andrew rated it it was amazing.

One of my favorite books of all time. Every time I have read it at least 4 I have been unable to put it down. Feb 14, Dan Parsons rated it it was amazing.

Avatar rated it it was amazing Dec 24, Jaime rated it it was amazing Sep 07, Chris rated it liked it Mar 05, Readers also enjoyed.

Science Fiction. Science Fiction Fantasy. About Joe Haldeman. Joe Haldeman. Brother of Jack C. Haldeman II Haldeman is the author of 20 novels and five collections. SFWA president Russell Davis called Haldeman "an extraordinarily talented writer, a respected teacher and mentor in our community, and a good friend.

Books by Joe Haldeman. Related Articles. Until this summer, Lindsay Ellis was mainly known as a super smart and witty film critic and YouTube essayist, making videos that range from