Questions About Berlin Game (Bernard Samson, #1)

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Berlin Game, please sign up.

Answered Questions (2)

I added a New Edition as my copy is the Special overseas edition. The cover shows the apple dissected by a dagger, but unlike the other versions, mine has the author's name in black and the book title in red... Unable to trace on Google?

Robert The Chalmers Just checked mine. Author name in red, Title in Black.
But look for this ASIN on Amazon
Original TitleBerlin Game (Bernard Samson, #1)
ASINB003P9XE0Q…moreJust checked mine. Author name in red, Title in Black.
But look for this ASIN on Amazon
Original TitleBerlin Game (Bernard Samson, #1)
ASINB003P9XE0Q(less)

flag

Which Len Deighton book should I read first? Loved John Le Carre and it seems this would be the next round of old-timey East-v-West spy novels for me. So where to start?

Ewan Bit late answering this, but hopefully it will serve someone. I would go for the Bernard Samson books over the 'Secret File'/'Unnamed Hero' books.

Per…moreBit late answering this, but hopefully it will serve someone. I would go for the Bernard Samson books over the 'Secret File'/'Unnamed Hero' books.

Personally I found The Ipcress File kind of slipshod and somewhat incomprehensible in terms of plot; even though it's short I struggled through it as I didn't really care about the story. It's one of those books that was groundbreaking at the time I guess, but it's hard to see the fuss about it now. I haven't read the later books in that series so I don't know if it gets better, but I have heard that the plots are a bit more comprehensible.

The Samson books are more like what you're likely after if you're coming from Le Carré. The plotting and writing style is still a bit different to Le Carré, but they're closer to those kind of stories. They can allegedly be read in any order and all work as standalone novels, but I'd say start with Berlin Game and read them chronologically.(less)

flag

Unanswered Questions

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions

Learn more