A vivid, macabre and wise novel

His ability to spin eerie parables out of a little-known national history makes his books an addictive pleasure

A compelling investigation into language and myth, politics and power, by the renowned, infinitely talented Albanian novelist

[Kadare] is seemingly incapable of writing a book that fails to be interesting

In Ismail Kadare's fictional worlds creation and destruction are entwined, and how he illuminates the human cost of their varied pairings is the source of his greatness as a writer

Little in the modern canon is more locally remote from us than the writing of the Albanian novelist Ismail Kadare, and not much is more universal in its reach… Kadare, who lived under the dictator Enver Hoxha until moving to France, is a supreme fictional interpreter of the psychology and physiognomy of oppression

A prolific and stylistically versatile author who has sought to explain his problematic country through massive political epics as well as in novellas that variously take shape as allegories, folk tales, magical autobiography or ancient Albanian history

Kadare and Andric share a sense of incisive imagery, all too relevant, in which a Balkan bridge links present and future, at the sacrifice of humanity

Works brilliantly well

Superb

The late Ian Fleming would surely have approved

Brilliant

Keeps us on our toes until the closing pages

Terrific… A tremendous Bond story

Exciting stuff… Mission accomplished, Mr Boyd

Manages to enrich and refresh a character we thought we knew too well. Solo is a terrific twisting thriller – just when you smugly think you have spotted a huge hole in the plot, Boyd turns it breathtakingly around.

Since the death of Ian Fleming, plenty of writers have tried their hand at perpetuating the career of James Bond, with mixed results. Boyd’s Solo is undoubtedly one of the best.

A triumphant thriller worthy of Bond’s creator Ian Fleming.

I found myself wondering if Boyd had outdone Fleming.

[Boyd is] an ideal writer of James Bond novels, and this one, his first, is very good

Perfectly judged homage

A brand new James Bond adventure combining all the glamour and excitement of Fleming’s original novels with the masterful storytelling of William Boyd

A very good piece of literary ventriloquism, with a great baddie

Fleming’s James Bond lives again in this perfectly judged homage