Hopscotch (Otto Penzler Presents...)

I couldn't stop reading Hopscotch. Very well written with many twists and turns to keep you reading late into the night. If you liked the movie, treat yourself with book!

Hopscotch is one of my favorite movies. I never knew it was an adaptation of a book by the same name...thanks, Levi, for pointing this out.The common conclusion seems to be that the book just isn't as good as the movie. I mean, there is no Walter Matthau or Glenda Jackson--and the movie is a perfect vehicle for Matthau. That said, the book is outstanding. Even if you know the movie intimately, the book is different enough so that knowing the movie in no way spoiled my pleasure reading it.This book deserves a lot more credit than it gets!

This book is a rare bird . The movie is every bit as good as the book. There are some differences and those differences make each a fun event in its own right. This may be because the books author also served as the author of the screen play. There is plenty of suspense and some chuckles in both. Though in general the book is a more serious affair .

Hopscotch has long been at the top of my favorite movie list, but I had never read the book until now. The versions are similar but also very different. Both are outstanding! Brian Garfield, RIP, wrote both the novel and the screenplay and handled both very well. If you have only read the novel, I would encourage you to watch the movie version (I bought the Blu-ray here on Amazon); and if you have only watched the movie, I would encourage you to buy the book. Characters are a bit different and locations are more varied in the book. Most different is the character played wonderfully by Glenda Jackson in the movie version but doesn't exist in the book version.

It starts off slow and that almost doomed it for me, I wanna Normandy invasion from the git-go, but it found its legs quickly and sprinted to the end. The action is terrific and the collisions with the CIA and FBI are clever and fun but the reason for the vendetta is lame and couldn't last forever. So Miles hadda pull the plug on the game, and how he did it was equally lame. I woulda stuffed my pockets with money and vanished NOT burn half the money in a ruse that fooled no one.Its a fun read and better than many of its kind.

If this book doesn't hold your interest then I don't know what will.A movie was made years ago starring Walter Mathau based on this book. The movie was great and definitely entertaining but this book is better.Hope Miles lives a long and prosperous life. He deserves it.

Garfield is capable of great, which is what I thought of Paladin (though from what I have read, including his website, I'm not sure he thinks). This is the second book of his I've read and I thought it was okay. I can think of many better ones. The plot, the adventure was fine, but I didn't think the characters were all that interesting. Was the ending as interesting as it could be? Maybe not. In a sense, it was anti-climatic, but not unsatisfying. I can't say it was any better than your run of the mill spy novel.Others have given a synopsis. I'll add only this -- it is the existential teasing of the powers that be by a spiritually burned out but still very potent American spy and those not quite as good at his craft as he is, who work for them. It was worthwhile reading, but, in a year I will not remember Kendig the way I remember Bourne, Quiller, Rapp or Bond. He was too bored and prosaic.

I read this book many years ago and it has always been one of my favorites. I also saw the movie. My memory combined both so I had some surprises as I re-read it. I hadn't been doing much fiction reading lately and decided this would be a good way to return. I was not disappointed! I was surprised to fine that the Kindle version cost several times the cost of my original paperback. Still it was worth the cost.

Not like the movie with Walter Matthau but a good read all the way. You just absolutely know that Miles will succeed - the fun is reading how he does it. Hard book to put down.

The movie was fun and moved along like a cyclone thanks mainly to Walter Matthau's performance as Kindig opposite Glenda Jackson, who's character does not appear in the book. The book is slower moving and darker and there don't appear to be many if any winners.