From Piccadily Circus through Cambridge theatre production and the Mozart Festspielse in Salzburg, Stephen Fry takes you on a fabulous adventure into the slightly twisted world of a notorious liar. Fast, funny and a touch warped, never ever even a little boring. ( )

I often don't care much for books that are straight-up comedies. Generally, I don't find them as funny as books that have other, more serious stories, but are leavened with comedy along the way. Maybe it's just that generally, the quality of writing in comedies isn't really all that good, and so all that's left is the laughs. Generally, though, you don't get that many laughs out of the book, and so you just feel disappointed.

I feel pretty mixed about this book, then. It was well written stylistically, certainly. The book flowed nicely, there were some very good scenes, and the references were quite nice, as well. Still, the plot overall was forced in places, hard to follow, and didn't gel well, and the characterization beyond the main character wasn't great. It made me laugh a couple of times, which is actually not that bad, but the rest of it wasn't great.

I can't say that I really recommend this, but if you're inclined to comedies, you could certainly do worse. I'll probably not be leaping on to reading the rest of his books, though. ( )

This book is fantastic. It's everything one'd expect in a book from Stephen Fry, so I rightly enjoyed it. Fry's writing is really nothing like anything else you'll ever come across, and "The Liar" is certainly one of my favorite recent novels. ( )

A baffling & bewildering tale: This is the second of Stephen Fry's novels that i have read. The enormous
enjoyment i felt upon completing "The Stars Tennis Balls" is mirrored only in the colossal dissapointment i felt in this work.

The story jumped about, was confusing, appeared to make no logical sence whatsoever and upon completeing my only thought was "Huh, what was the point of this book." Nothing really seems to happen and Stephen's word choise and sentence structure can be a little intimadating.

Although a huge fan of the man himself, i would reccomend his other books over this one.

Of course this was witty and knee-slappingly funny and terribly pink and all the marvelous things that one would expect from the inimitable Stephen Fry, but ... well, I found something terribly affecting and sad about it as well, and went through much of it with a clenched heart. I have this problem with comedy writing sometimes of perhaps not being disaffected enough. Still, I loved the book. ( )

What can I say Stephen Fry is in a class of his own when it comes to wit and humour, I can't wait to read more. ( )

Loved it. So intelligent yet so funny. ( )

Well this was ok, exactly the sort of thing you'd expect Stephen Fry to write. Full of clever references, little twists and mysteries, public school shenanigans etc. Good fun to read, and you never quite know what to believe - very apt in a book of lies! Just came across as a bit self conscious and affected as well, and a little long winded in parts. ( )

Funny, entertaining and erudite, this is quintessential Fry. I love the guy, and it would be nice if he could write a bit more rather than spending all his time on telly. ( )

This is simply the most enjoyable book I have ever read. Fry writes in the most comic way and I am torn between being amused by his wit and stunned by his consummate command of the English language. His evocation of the atmosphere of English public schools is spot on. I defy anyone not to enjoy this. ( )

What a delightful book. It's great fun to be led along by Mr. Fry on this tale that takes us accross Europe with some mystery, uncertain identity, and a heap of espionage. It's guaranteed to keep you guessing. Along the way, there is plenty of sex and humor to keep things fun. ( )

Glib, cute and nasty. ( )

Fry's debut novel. One of those books I enjoyed enormously for its wit and humour but since remember nothing whatsoever about. Suppose I'll have to read it again before release. ( )

Everybody lies. Ok, so that's a line from long-time friend of Fry's Hugh Laurie on House. It still applies. What's the truth? The real story? What's this book really about? It keeps you laughing, wondering, and reading. The protagonist is charming and endearing, if only because he's such a bloody wanker. Maybe English boys' schools really are that bad.

Good laugh. Good read. Great plot development, weaving and winding all over the place.

And I like to read Brti-speak. Just a thing. ( )

Since I first read it, this has been my favourite novel - ever. I couldn't say exactly why, though I've always loved Stephen Fry, and this seems to distill some of his best efforts into one book. ( )

Talented writer, but gets drunk on three long words when one short one would be better ( )

brilliant!!! ( )

A brilliant debut novel, redolent with the wit and linguistic skill the author is known for.

Traces the life of a compulsive liar through public school to Cambridge University, where he finally meets his match. ( )

Well, yes, only the best book ever! I don't think anyone else could ever come close to approximating Stephen Fry's style. It's so distinctively funny and makes you feel intelligent while reading it. He slips in a reference to literature or history and you feel very elite, as if only you and maybe a few select other people know what he's talking about. For a hopeless Anglophile like me, The Liar is the sort of book that I almost wish I lived in (though perhaps, in this case, it's better just to read about it). This world of Oxbridge and English society that's of course not real at all but does a very good job of pretending - practically a modern version of Wodehouse, except maybe a little less benign and more sinister. Anyway, highly recommended, etc. etc. ( )