Right, though? And then they do it AGAIN in The Looking Glass War, except instead of making their own agent the fall guy to protect an intelligent asset on the other side, they're setting up a rival intelligence agency in their own country to send an agent on a mission that will almost surely fail (and result in his death) for... kicks and giggles, I guess? An advantage in the interagency squabble that they've already essentially won? Either way! COLD.

Sometimes other people's reviews are the perfect vicarious way to enjoy a thing.