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Arlequín
Head of a prestigious European bank, George Harlequin belongs to a vanishing class of gentlemen whose handshake is their bond. But when an envious corporate raider frames Harlequin for murder, no deed is too dirty if it will save Harlequin's reputation, his bank and his life."In a tiny group of best-selling novelists, Morris West qualifies as the brains of the organization."
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380 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1974
21 people are currently reading
278 people want to read
About the author
Morris L. West
133 books172 followersMorris Langlo West was born in St Kilda, Melbourne in 1916. At the age of fourteen, he entered the Christian Brothers seminary ‘as a kind of refuge’ from a difficult childhood. He attended the University of Melbourne and worked as a teacher. In 1941 he left the Christian Brothers without taking final vows. In World War II he worked as a code-breaker, and for a time he was private secretary to former prime minister Billy Hughes.
After the war, West became a successful writer and producer of radio serials. In 1955 he left Australia to build an international career as a writer. With his family, he lived in Austria, Italy, England and the USA, including a stint as the Vatican correspondent for the British newspaper, the Daily Mail. He returned to Australia in 1982.
Morris West wrote 30 books and many plays, and several of his novels were adapted for film. His books were published in 28 languages and sold more than 60 million copies worldwide. Each new book he wrote after he became an established writer sold more than one million copies.
West received many awards and accolades over his long writing career, including the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and the W.H. Heinemann Award of the Royal Society of Literature for The Devil's Advocate. In 1978 he was elected a fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1985, and was made an Officer of the Order (AO) in 1997.
Morris West died at his desk in 1999.
After the war, West became a successful writer and producer of radio serials. In 1955 he left Australia to build an international career as a writer. With his family, he lived in Austria, Italy, England and the USA, including a stint as the Vatican correspondent for the British newspaper, the Daily Mail. He returned to Australia in 1982.
Morris West wrote 30 books and many plays, and several of his novels were adapted for film. His books were published in 28 languages and sold more than 60 million copies worldwide. Each new book he wrote after he became an established writer sold more than one million copies.
West received many awards and accolades over his long writing career, including the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and the W.H. Heinemann Award of the Royal Society of Literature for The Devil's Advocate. In 1978 he was elected a fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1985, and was made an Officer of the Order (AO) in 1997.
Morris West died at his desk in 1999.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
June 24, 2018
Me llevó un mes leer esta historia, y no fue porque no me gustara, sino que debía ir pensando en las cosas que sucedían y además se me cruzaron otras lecturas en el camino. XD
Es cierto que en algunos momentos los capítulos se me hacían pesados, porque son bastante extensos, pero la prosa del autor es la mar de interesante, y eso que yo no soy muy aficionada al tema de negocios.
En sí, esta historia gira alrededor de un fraude cometido por una empresa de recopilación de datos contra un compañía bancaria muy importante, y a ello se suman innumerables intereses que llegan a ser globales. Desde el inicio vemos como el dueño general y el gerente del Banco Arlequín y Cía. buscan por todos los medios resolver el problema en el que se encuentra; eso los lleva a meterse en submundos a los que no están acostumbrados y que provocan severos cambios en ellos y a su alrededor, tanto de mentalidad como relacionados con hechos delictivos.
Lo que más me interesó observar fue el desarrollo personal de Paul Desmond y George Arlequín, dos de nuestros protagonistas principales, porque ambos son bastante dispares en cuanto a personalidades, lo que hace que el verlos enfrentados al mismo problema nos presente situaciones muy particulares.
Me he quedado con ganas de probar algo más del autor para afianzar mi opinión sobre él, por ahora puedo decir que me parece recomendable para aquellas personas a las que les resulten interesantes las tramas de sus libros.
Es cierto que en algunos momentos los capítulos se me hacían pesados, porque son bastante extensos, pero la prosa del autor es la mar de interesante, y eso que yo no soy muy aficionada al tema de negocios.
En sí, esta historia gira alrededor de un fraude cometido por una empresa de recopilación de datos contra un compañía bancaria muy importante, y a ello se suman innumerables intereses que llegan a ser globales. Desde el inicio vemos como el dueño general y el gerente del Banco Arlequín y Cía. buscan por todos los medios resolver el problema en el que se encuentra; eso los lleva a meterse en submundos a los que no están acostumbrados y que provocan severos cambios en ellos y a su alrededor, tanto de mentalidad como relacionados con hechos delictivos.
Lo que más me interesó observar fue el desarrollo personal de Paul Desmond y George Arlequín, dos de nuestros protagonistas principales, porque ambos son bastante dispares en cuanto a personalidades, lo que hace que el verlos enfrentados al mismo problema nos presente situaciones muy particulares.
Me he quedado con ganas de probar algo más del autor para afianzar mi opinión sobre él, por ahora puedo decir que me parece recomendable para aquellas personas a las que les resulten interesantes las tramas de sus libros.
January 20, 2011
This was a re-read. I am a big fan of Morris West, but had forgotten the story in this work. After 25 or 30 years I am reading this masterful word-crafter and story weaver, and I find myself amazed at the prophetic framing of our world today. The descriptions of the world financial realm, the government deceptions and double-dealings, the enrichment of the few, the collateral suffering so acceptable by all... Morris West is one of the greats at using the English language as it should be used; to delve deep into our souls, to dredge up our consciences, to make us look at ourselves and our relationships with all mankind.
This is an excellent, entertaining, and all the while, thought-provoking book that you will finish swiftly -- long before you are ready for it to be over...
This is an excellent, entertaining, and all the while, thought-provoking book that you will finish swiftly -- long before you are ready for it to be over...
January 16, 2019
Cleverly constructed and even prescient, "Harlequin" never quite engages. It has serious defects, particularly in terms of character depth and development. The first person perspective might be to blame - we only see Harlequin through the eyes of Harlequin's bestie Paul Desmond, and Desmond is an Aussie boor, equipped by West with a cynical philosophy and a fine turn of phrase, but far too self-centred and shallow to take us right under Harlequin's skin.
We might have had a taut, chilling psychological study of two mighty antagonists, Harlequin and Yanko, determined to destroy each other by means foul. But West eschews a formidable opportunity, and delivers a banal thriller awash in formulaic characters and missing key emotional ingredients. The heights of his best work are out of view here. His previous novel, "The Salamander", was considerably better, but "Harlequin" seems to accelerate a slide that resulted in the following year's "The Navigator", an excruciating book that represents an embarrassing nadir in his otherwise distinguished career.
We might have had a taut, chilling psychological study of two mighty antagonists, Harlequin and Yanko, determined to destroy each other by means foul. But West eschews a formidable opportunity, and delivers a banal thriller awash in formulaic characters and missing key emotional ingredients. The heights of his best work are out of view here. His previous novel, "The Salamander", was considerably better, but "Harlequin" seems to accelerate a slide that resulted in the following year's "The Navigator", an excruciating book that represents an embarrassing nadir in his otherwise distinguished career.
March 28, 2020
Personagens esteriotipados demais e dialogos mto pobres. Tinha uma boa impressao qdo li "o embaixador". Decepcionante
December 17, 2017
This book was written in 1974. It could have been written at the height of the latest GFC, covering as it does the skulduggery of big business in its desire to become even bigger.
June 22, 2021
Morris West was one of the best-selling novelists of his time, and several of his books were turned into highly successful films, notably 'Shoes of the Fisherman' and 'Devil's Advocate.' This novel was written later, in 1976, and it stands up amazingly well almost 50 years later. I've found many books from the time are now quite dated in either style, characterization, or plot - and sometimes all three. (See my recent review of Robert Ludlum's 'The Gemini Contenders, written 1974, for example.) But West was an expert stylist and his stories less rooted in WWII and/or the Cold War than those of many of his contemporaries. In fact, this story revolves around the emerging unholy alliance between banking, computer networks, and the collection and sale of personal information. More than a little prescient, and strikingly so.
One of the more interesting aspects of this book, from a writerly perspective, is that the 1st-person narrator is not the protagonist of the story. This is not a new technique (think Holmes and Watson), but West does a masterful job of giving both lead characters a compelling arc and ever-deepening relationship from start to finish.
All in all, I still give this 4 stars, and will put it back on the shelf for another read some day.
One of the more interesting aspects of this book, from a writerly perspective, is that the 1st-person narrator is not the protagonist of the story. This is not a new technique (think Holmes and Watson), but West does a masterful job of giving both lead characters a compelling arc and ever-deepening relationship from start to finish.
All in all, I still give this 4 stars, and will put it back on the shelf for another read some day.
February 16, 2021
Home
A story from a gentler time. I first read this in 1974. Now, 47 years later, i realize that what we thought was a cursed decade of terrorism, computer crime and corrupted governments was a haven we would all go back to, if we could, to escape. I found passages that guided my career, defined my style and formed my aspirations. I wonder what Morris West himself would say about his own novel. For me, the Old World charm, the simplicity of conflict, is a familiar home.
A story from a gentler time. I first read this in 1974. Now, 47 years later, i realize that what we thought was a cursed decade of terrorism, computer crime and corrupted governments was a haven we would all go back to, if we could, to escape. I found passages that guided my career, defined my style and formed my aspirations. I wonder what Morris West himself would say about his own novel. For me, the Old World charm, the simplicity of conflict, is a familiar home.
April 18, 2023
Morris West was a giant in the publishing world and penned many classic thrillers. He was giving us political, business and religious intrigue well ahead of the curve. For some reason, his books had seemingly fallen out of favour and I am not sure why. For when you come to the pages of Harlequin, you find yourself in the hands of master storyteller.
George Harlequin is a well respected financier who finds that his company is being lined up for a takeover by Basil Yanko. Yanko heads an international computer security and uses his skills to undermine the companies and prime them for a hostile takeover. A battle for business supremacy ensues, the manipulation is intense and the body count rises. It is easy to lose yourself in this battle. The characters range from empathic to pretty bloody awful and it is marvellous. West gives us characters who are all flawed and their morals are dubious. Plus West gives some really wonderful descriptions "Mrs Alexander Duggan looked like all the girls in the kitchen commercials: tanned, eager and in love with whole, beautiful world..."
If you are looking for a story with a complicated plot, lots of twists and turns with interesting characters give West a go.
George Harlequin is a well respected financier who finds that his company is being lined up for a takeover by Basil Yanko. Yanko heads an international computer security and uses his skills to undermine the companies and prime them for a hostile takeover. A battle for business supremacy ensues, the manipulation is intense and the body count rises. It is easy to lose yourself in this battle. The characters range from empathic to pretty bloody awful and it is marvellous. West gives us characters who are all flawed and their morals are dubious. Plus West gives some really wonderful descriptions "Mrs Alexander Duggan looked like all the girls in the kitchen commercials: tanned, eager and in love with whole, beautiful world..."
If you are looking for a story with a complicated plot, lots of twists and turns with interesting characters give West a go.
September 1, 2020
Morris West can sure tell a story in first person. We are told this story by Mr Desmond a close friend of Mr Harlequin, a banker owner of Harlequin et Cie , Mr Desmond a working director.
Who could imagine that the author of The Devils advocate, Shoes of the fisherman, Salamander, Daughters of Silence, Second Victory would also write about corporate scandals, betrayal , greed such as in Harlequin and Proteus, above all with class. This time Morris West is not lyrical, poetic or meditative prose but straight entertaining essay style with idioms , the narration is entirely colloquial
and flowery and stimulating , oh my God! reading Morris West is tantalizing !!!
Who could imagine that the author of The Devils advocate, Shoes of the fisherman, Salamander, Daughters of Silence, Second Victory would also write about corporate scandals, betrayal , greed such as in Harlequin and Proteus, above all with class. This time Morris West is not lyrical, poetic or meditative prose but straight entertaining essay style with idioms , the narration is entirely colloquial
and flowery and stimulating , oh my God! reading Morris West is tantalizing !!!
September 7, 2020
I read Morris West because his English prose is wonderful and his story telling is scintillating. He must have written Harlequin about 50 years ago and yet his plot would work if he had published it in the last year or two. Nothing about it would be out of place except for the historical references e.g. "the President's impeachment" and even that, is not completely out of place!
West is an author that helps the reader to recognise his characters and their relationship to each other quickly and I think this produces pace into a thriller like this.
West is an author that helps the reader to recognise his characters and their relationship to each other quickly and I think this produces pace into a thriller like this.
September 24, 2020
This was my second read after more than ten years, I know because I had left several yellow sticky notes in the pages making reference to ideas that I valued at that time but which I no longer remember. So also the story -- I don't remember reading it before, the words were not at all memorable, BUT instead, it read like current fiction with a plot that was even more suitable for our era that it must have been back when it was first published in 1974. I enjoyed the read, the plot was fun, a good mystery within the world of high investment.
August 20, 2017
Read this book in Spanish when I was a teenager, 1978 or 79. I remember that I found it very interesting. I read it several times. Maybe, because it was a conspiracy inside the world of international banking. One of the ideas I remember is about how the Swiss bankers receive the money of drug traffic and corruption around the world and for it is just money without taking a moment to consider the suffering and degradation behind.
January 15, 2020
I enjoyed this to some extent, but I lost the message and couldn't figure out what was going on occasionally. It was a study in the ruthlessness of some businessmen who put money above all else including fairness and integrity. It was also a study of men who were honest and above board. It was good w/a good message but difficult to follow at some times.
May 10, 2025
Masterful intrigue by a master writer
Reading this again after so many years, I found it to have aged like a good wine. Cleverly conceived, beautifully written with an ending to match the suspense of the narrative, told with the deep insights of an author who understands the folly of men all too well.
Reading this again after so many years, I found it to have aged like a good wine. Cleverly conceived, beautifully written with an ending to match the suspense of the narrative, told with the deep insights of an author who understands the folly of men all too well.
August 21, 2020
Awarding this one 3 stars but just could not get involved. Didn't really care about the characters and I found it dated. I know that Morris West was highly regarded in his day. Many goodreads readers enjoyed this but sadly it just didn't do it for me.
January 16, 2025
Harlequin is a clown--a joker in medieval times, but for now he is an international banker. The story was written in 1974 but could be taking place today--international finance and terrorists, intrigue unlimited. And a very surprise ending.
August 23, 2025
I only managed a few pages of this, as I couldn't raise any real interest in the subject matter. An ridiculously wealthy group of people are fighting over ownership of a bank, and I really don't care.
To the recycling for this one.
To the recycling for this one.
May 6, 2017
Journey of a quiet friendship. Beautiful trajectory of the stars in every beat of fate.
October 13, 2018
Very exciting, absorbing and easy to read.
October 30, 2018
I should come back to this
January 8, 2019
I read this twice... both times a long time ago. Loved it! And I must have lent it to someone because it is no longer on our bookshelves. Damn!
January 13, 2019
Like an aged wine
Fifty years have passed and the quality of Mr West's writing has made this an enjoyable unaged read. Highly recommended.
Fifty years have passed and the quality of Mr West's writing has made this an enjoyable unaged read. Highly recommended.
February 9, 2019
Lido em set/1976.
June 25, 2020
Read in 1975. I must of liked this author although he is forgotten today, was popular back then.
October 16, 2020
A book with an indecent ending, but it is pleasant and honest from the beginning.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2021
Violent, but not modern-day violent. A good read for someone who doesn't like the excessive gore in modern fiction but still wants to read about action.
November 16, 2021
Muy buenos
February 3, 2022
A narração em primeira pessoa favorece uma abordagem mais despojada do texto, onde o extremo pessimismo do argumento se alterna com certa ingenuidade do enredo.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews