So much to read
Last night I reluctantly finished Berlin Game by Len Deighton.
Published in 1983, it is set in London and Berlin towards the end of the Cold War.
Bernard Sampson, a middle-aged British spy, is gradually coerced into returning to his old stamping ground, as the only person who might succeed in rescuing a high-profile intelligence source.
Underlying these events, however, is the suspicion that the KGB has infiltrated the British Secret Service, and that his mission will be compromised.
There is an intriguing back story that subtly gathers substance, and the beauty of this novel is the way in which it gradually intertwines to become part of the main thread.
Deighton writes plainly and well, and I found the narrative easier to follow than, say, a similarly paced Le Carré.
Having seen the film, I realise that Deighton wrote The Ipcress File - incredibly 21 years earlier - but this is the first of his books that I have read.
Berlin Game is apparently the first novel of three trilogies featuring Bernard Sampson - so there's plenty more where this came from.
Published in 1983, it is set in London and Berlin towards the end of the Cold War.
Bernard Sampson, a middle-aged British spy, is gradually coerced into returning to his old stamping ground, as the only person who might succeed in rescuing a high-profile intelligence source.
Underlying these events, however, is the suspicion that the KGB has infiltrated the British Secret Service, and that his mission will be compromised.
There is an intriguing back story that subtly gathers substance, and the beauty of this novel is the way in which it gradually intertwines to become part of the main thread.
Deighton writes plainly and well, and I found the narrative easier to follow than, say, a similarly paced Le Carré.
Having seen the film, I realise that Deighton wrote The Ipcress File - incredibly 21 years earlier - but this is the first of his books that I have read.
Berlin Game is apparently the first novel of three trilogies featuring Bernard Sampson - so there's plenty more where this came from.
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Jul 08, 2014 06:40AM
May I recommend Alan Furst? His books must be read in order but are short and span the history of the second world war with spies and the rise of fascism. I also enjoy Ken Follett for similar works.
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Thanks for the tips, will add to list - you are proving my point!("So much to read!")
You're welcome. (Smiling here as I peruse shelf for next month's stack)
