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SAS #1
SAS à Istanbul
Librarian's this is an alternate cover edition - ISBN 10: 2842670744 - ISBN 13: 9782842670740
Malko Linge, qui fait des extras pour la Central intelligence Agency, le Deuxième Bureau américain, n'est pas un agent secret ordinaire : c'est Son Altesse... Sérénissime le prince Malko Linge. il possède un château en ruine. Chaque mission qu'on lui propose doit lui rapporter de quoi réparer une toiture, un pan de mur... Lorsque Washington lui confie une enquête sur un sous-marin atomique mystérieusement disparu dans les Détroits, Malko se doute qu'il aura affaire à forte partie.
Malko Linge, qui fait des extras pour la Central intelligence Agency, le Deuxième Bureau américain, n'est pas un agent secret ordinaire : c'est Son Altesse... Sérénissime le prince Malko Linge. il possède un château en ruine. Chaque mission qu'on lui propose doit lui rapporter de quoi réparer une toiture, un pan de mur... Lorsque Washington lui confie une enquête sur un sous-marin atomique mystérieusement disparu dans les Détroits, Malko se doute qu'il aura affaire à forte partie.
248 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1965
24 people are currently reading
407 people want to read
About the author
Gérard de Villiers
832 books94 followersGérard Adam de Villiers est un écrivain, journaliste et éditeur français.
Gérard Adam de Villiers is a French writer, journalist and publisher.
Gérard Adam de Villiers is a French writer, journalist and publisher.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 11, 2017
Allegedly this is the first SAS novel written and it shows....
DeVilliers obviously had not yet reached the level of story-telling and plot-building that is evident in his later spy novels. There are quite a few obvious plot holes that leave me thinking he was just writing it as he went, rather than spending time working out the story first and re-writing it again afterwards.
But, having said that, it is definitely still a very entertaining and enjoyable entry in the series.
One if the highlights is the introduction of Malko's Turkish side-kick Elko Krisantem.
I will settle on a two star rating for this one, but I promise that they'll get better and there are 170 to choose from!
DeVilliers obviously had not yet reached the level of story-telling and plot-building that is evident in his later spy novels. There are quite a few obvious plot holes that leave me thinking he was just writing it as he went, rather than spending time working out the story first and re-writing it again afterwards.
But, having said that, it is definitely still a very entertaining and enjoyable entry in the series.
One if the highlights is the introduction of Malko's Turkish side-kick Elko Krisantem.
I will settle on a two star rating for this one, but I promise that they'll get better and there are 170 to choose from!
August 22, 2022
Currently available on Kindle Unlimited, this is the first volume of a new digitisation of the infamous SAS spy porn thrillers that have adorned French newspaper kiosks since 1969. There’s 200 volumes in the series, published over 50 years. Absolute train station waiting room fodder, these books have always been known for their gun-toting pin up girl covers, the epitome of a trashy read. Nevertheless I salute the industry of the author and his success. Much more than 100 million volumes have been sold.
SAS is France’s answer to James Bond, an aristocratic spy / mercenary / whatever who sleuths and shags his way around the world from topical hotspot to topical hotspot. In this episode he leaves the shooting to others, but juggles enough arm candy for an army. Complete toxic male escapism. At least he earns a few slaps from his otherwise eager and willing trophies. SAS is in many ways heir to the pulp magazines, and also heir to the wealthy, aristocratic adventurers of late 19th, early 20th century popular novels, repurposed as a Cold War spy. There’s a lot of Sherlock Holmes in him too.
As a teenager I leafed through a few of these, knowing full well this wasn’t appropriate reading material for my age - although to say it’s adolescent wank is actually flattering this stuff. Nevertheless it’s worth a read, as a jaded middle-aged adult (who still harbours dreams of becoming a published author), just to see if there’s anything that can be learned about the art of the page-turner.
The key is simplicity, minimalism. Don’t waste time describing anything or anyone, just suggest a mood, the atmosphere of a place, the first impression given by a character. Focus on sensations and the sensational. Don’t allow any excess which could make the action implausible - as it mostly is. Stick to stage directions, clipped dialogue. Let the reader fill in the detail with their own imagination, their own cultural norms, generalisations, and prejudices. That way the reader invests in the telling, takes part, allows the narrative to sweep them along, becomes complicit. Lots of twists and turns, but no fundamental surprises: let the tropes of the genre do the work. The author’s voice is all in the suggested mood, and there’s no attempt to be clever and artistic. There’s no moral stance taken, no introspection. Everything is a neutral statement of what happens. Let the reader decide who to cheer and who to hiss. Just deliver on the premise: money! status! violence! sex! Cold War! It’s what it says on the tin.
The writing is very simple. The read is effortless, but deceptively demanding of attention. The author makes the reader work hard filling in the gaps, so the reader has to pay attention. There *is* artistry in this trash. It’s not the construction of a beautiful artefact for the reader to admire, it’s a guided daydream, a prompted exercise in wish fulfilment. This makes the tale breezily readable for all its inconsistencies. The plot is transparent, the action rather circular, to the point of being boring and repetitive, but it rattles on effectively.
Trash it is nevertheless, cheap trash too: the digitisation is awful, full of formatting cock-ups and typos.
I’m glad to have read this episode properly, and might read more in the series as there’s a spark of something here that’s worth learning. Two stars for trashiness.
SAS is France’s answer to James Bond, an aristocratic spy / mercenary / whatever who sleuths and shags his way around the world from topical hotspot to topical hotspot. In this episode he leaves the shooting to others, but juggles enough arm candy for an army. Complete toxic male escapism. At least he earns a few slaps from his otherwise eager and willing trophies. SAS is in many ways heir to the pulp magazines, and also heir to the wealthy, aristocratic adventurers of late 19th, early 20th century popular novels, repurposed as a Cold War spy. There’s a lot of Sherlock Holmes in him too.
As a teenager I leafed through a few of these, knowing full well this wasn’t appropriate reading material for my age - although to say it’s adolescent wank is actually flattering this stuff. Nevertheless it’s worth a read, as a jaded middle-aged adult (who still harbours dreams of becoming a published author), just to see if there’s anything that can be learned about the art of the page-turner.
The key is simplicity, minimalism. Don’t waste time describing anything or anyone, just suggest a mood, the atmosphere of a place, the first impression given by a character. Focus on sensations and the sensational. Don’t allow any excess which could make the action implausible - as it mostly is. Stick to stage directions, clipped dialogue. Let the reader fill in the detail with their own imagination, their own cultural norms, generalisations, and prejudices. That way the reader invests in the telling, takes part, allows the narrative to sweep them along, becomes complicit. Lots of twists and turns, but no fundamental surprises: let the tropes of the genre do the work. The author’s voice is all in the suggested mood, and there’s no attempt to be clever and artistic. There’s no moral stance taken, no introspection. Everything is a neutral statement of what happens. Let the reader decide who to cheer and who to hiss. Just deliver on the premise: money! status! violence! sex! Cold War! It’s what it says on the tin.
The writing is very simple. The read is effortless, but deceptively demanding of attention. The author makes the reader work hard filling in the gaps, so the reader has to pay attention. There *is* artistry in this trash. It’s not the construction of a beautiful artefact for the reader to admire, it’s a guided daydream, a prompted exercise in wish fulfilment. This makes the tale breezily readable for all its inconsistencies. The plot is transparent, the action rather circular, to the point of being boring and repetitive, but it rattles on effectively.
Trash it is nevertheless, cheap trash too: the digitisation is awful, full of formatting cock-ups and typos.
I’m glad to have read this episode properly, and might read more in the series as there’s a spark of something here that’s worth learning. Two stars for trashiness.
July 3, 2024
"Αποστολή στην Κωνσταντινούπολη", εκδόσεις ΒΙΠΕΡ.
Σύμφωνα με τα κιτάπια μου, το (πολύ) μακρινό 2009, όταν ακόμα πήγαινα στο Λύκειο, διάβασα ένα βιβλίο του Ζεράρ ντε Βιλιέ με πρωταγωνιστή τον Μάλκο Λίνγκε, το "Η λύση 687", από το οποίο φυσικά δεν θυμάμαι απολύτως τίποτα (του έβαλα τρία αστεράκια πάντως). Τόσα χρόνια μετά, κι ενώ έχω πολλά βιβλία του στη συλλογή μου (χάρη στην εφημερίδα Το Βήμα και τα ΒΙΠΕΡ), αποφάσισα επιτέλους να διαβάσω ακόμα ένα βιβλίο του, και μάλιστα το πρώτο στο οποίο κάνει την εμφάνισή του ο Λίνγκε, ή αλλιώς SAS. Λοιπόν, δεν το περίμενα και τόσο, αλλά μου άρεσε, πέρασα εξαιρετικά ευχάριστα την ώρα μου. Είναι μια κάπως παλιομοδίτικη και όχι πάντα πιστευτή κατασκοπευτική περιπέτεια, με δράση, ένταση και ορισμένα πολύ ωραία και δυνατά σκηνικά. Μιας και είναι πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς, φαίνεται ότι ο Βιλιέ δεν είχε πάρει ακόμα το κολάι, όμως κατά τη γνώμη μου και με βάση το είδος της σειράς, είναι μια αξιόλογη προσπάθεια και στα μάτια μου τα θετικά είναι περισσότερα από τα αρνητικά (που δεν αντιλέγω, είναι αρκετά). Συμπάθησα πολύ τον πρωταγωνιστή, μου άρεσε πολύ η ατμόσφαιρα, βρήκα τη γραφή ευκολοδιάβαστη και χωρίς φιοριτούρες, ενώ απόλαυσα ορισμένα σκηνικά και τοπία. Κάτι μου λέει ότι λίγο έως πολύ θα περάσω το ίδιο καλά και με άλλες περιπέτειες του SAS... (7.5/10)
Σύμφωνα με τα κιτάπια μου, το (πολύ) μακρινό 2009, όταν ακόμα πήγαινα στο Λύκειο, διάβασα ένα βιβλίο του Ζεράρ ντε Βιλιέ με πρωταγωνιστή τον Μάλκο Λίνγκε, το "Η λύση 687", από το οποίο φυσικά δεν θυμάμαι απολύτως τίποτα (του έβαλα τρία αστεράκια πάντως). Τόσα χρόνια μετά, κι ενώ έχω πολλά βιβλία του στη συλλογή μου (χάρη στην εφημερίδα Το Βήμα και τα ΒΙΠΕΡ), αποφάσισα επιτέλους να διαβάσω ακόμα ένα βιβλίο του, και μάλιστα το πρώτο στο οποίο κάνει την εμφάνισή του ο Λίνγκε, ή αλλιώς SAS. Λοιπόν, δεν το περίμενα και τόσο, αλλά μου άρεσε, πέρασα εξαιρετικά ευχάριστα την ώρα μου. Είναι μια κάπως παλιομοδίτικη και όχι πάντα πιστευτή κατασκοπευτική περιπέτεια, με δράση, ένταση και ορισμένα πολύ ωραία και δυνατά σκηνικά. Μιας και είναι πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς, φαίνεται ότι ο Βιλιέ δεν είχε πάρει ακόμα το κολάι, όμως κατά τη γνώμη μου και με βάση το είδος της σειράς, είναι μια αξιόλογη προσπάθεια και στα μάτια μου τα θετικά είναι περισσότερα από τα αρνητικά (που δεν αντιλέγω, είναι αρκετά). Συμπάθησα πολύ τον πρωταγωνιστή, μου άρεσε πολύ η ατμόσφαιρα, βρήκα τη γραφή ευκολοδιάβαστη και χωρίς φιοριτούρες, ενώ απόλαυσα ορισμένα σκηνικά και τοπία. Κάτι μου λέει ότι λίγο έως πολύ θα περάσω το ίδιο καλά και με άλλες περιπέτειες του SAS... (7.5/10)
April 7, 2021
Çocukluğuma ait güzel anılardan birisidir SAS serisi...
Yazlık marketinde çizgi roman ve beyaz dizi kitaplarıyla birlikte satılır ve kapaklarından dolayı hayli ilgimi çekerdi. Ama erotik kapaklarından dolayı marketten istemekten çekinirdim.
Soylu Serenissime Altesleri prens Malko Linge ile tanıştığımız ilk kitaptır ama Türkiye'de yayınlananlar arasında beşinci sıradadır. Fransızcada 'Son Altessse Serenissime' olarak belirtilen lakabının kısaltılmışı olarak SAS denir kendisine...
Altın renkli gözleri ve olağanüstü bir belleği vardır. İki kere okuduğu bir kitabı ezbere tekrarlayabilir, on yıl önce yirmi saniye gördüğü birini bir anda tanıyabilir. Tam 25 dil bilmektedir. İki ay içinde herhangi bir dili öğrenebilir ve aradan yirmi yıl geçse bile aksansız olarak tekrardan konuşabilir.
Kolay okunan çıtır çerez bir seridir.
Yazlık marketinde çizgi roman ve beyaz dizi kitaplarıyla birlikte satılır ve kapaklarından dolayı hayli ilgimi çekerdi. Ama erotik kapaklarından dolayı marketten istemekten çekinirdim.
Soylu Serenissime Altesleri prens Malko Linge ile tanıştığımız ilk kitaptır ama Türkiye'de yayınlananlar arasında beşinci sıradadır. Fransızcada 'Son Altessse Serenissime' olarak belirtilen lakabının kısaltılmışı olarak SAS denir kendisine...
Altın renkli gözleri ve olağanüstü bir belleği vardır. İki kere okuduğu bir kitabı ezbere tekrarlayabilir, on yıl önce yirmi saniye gördüğü birini bir anda tanıyabilir. Tam 25 dil bilmektedir. İki ay içinde herhangi bir dili öğrenebilir ve aradan yirmi yıl geçse bile aksansız olarak tekrardan konuşabilir.
Kolay okunan çıtır çerez bir seridir.
August 13, 2018
La nascita di un personaggio, che avrebbe poi tenuto botta per cinquant'anni e duecento romanzi, nella traduzione di uno dei migliori professionisti sulla piazza. Se tolgo queste due caratteristiche dalla mia considerazione del romanzo, quattro stelle non gliele darei proprio.
Paradossalmente, in questa spy story che non avrebbe altrimenti dignità di menzione, già si respira proprio la routine dell'episodio di mezzo di un lunghissimo corso.
Paradossalmente, in questa spy story che non avrebbe altrimenti dignità di menzione, già si respira proprio la routine dell'episodio di mezzo di un lunghissimo corso.
January 20, 2020
I’ve been reading SAS for the past two decade and probably read over 70 of them. This one was the first introduction to Malko and his sidekick Elko. This book was very entertaining, the storytelling and factual events mixed were very enjoyable. Avid reader of SAS
August 8, 2017
3.5, mais qu'est-ce que c'est bon de retourner aux origines, et de relire un S.A.S. !
J'avais oublié à quel point ses (més)aventures féminines faisaient sourire :D
J'avais oublié à quel point ses (més)aventures féminines faisaient sourire :D
May 10, 2020
Fantastic
Read
June 10, 2020I like S.A.S
August 29, 2016
SAS... Pour ceux qui n'en ont jamais su la signification, la voici : Son Altesse Sérénissime. Une couverture mythique que l'on a tous déjà croisé dans les librairies des gares. D'ailleurs, il est qualifié de roman de gare. Les SAS représentent pas moins de 200 ouvrages qui ont été écrits entre 1965 et 2013. Sur les couvertures, toujours des filles légèrement vêtues ou devrais-je dire complétement dévêtues ont fait toute son emblème. Je n'en avais jamais lu, c'est mon premier, et j'ai commencé par le premier de la saga que mon ami Marc a bien voulu me prêter. Je te remercie de m'avoir fait découvrir ce roman d'un genre tout nouveau pour moi.
En effet, c'est la première fois que je lisais un roman catégorisé comme roman d'espionnage. Alors bien évidemment lorsque l'on pense à l'espionnage pour une néophyte comme moi, je ne peux que m'imaginer James Bond, avec son Aston Martin, ses gadgets et de ravissantes créatures à son bras. Ici Gérard de Villiers nous propose quelque chose de plus subtile, non je m'emballe : pas de voiture de luxe à l'horizon, juste une voiture taxi pourrie et son chauffeur louche, pas de gadgets, mais les créatures de rêve sont elles présentent même si Malko Linge manque désespérément de charisme et de classe. Mais c'est peut être, au final, un personnage beaucoup plus proche de la réalité que ne l'ai notre très cher James Bond. Il travaille dans l'ombre, avec une équipe pour faire le sale travail à sa place, lui n'est en fait que le cerveau de l'équipe qui essaye de dénouer le nœud du problème. Alors non, il ne plongera pas avec des bouteilles d'oxygène dans le Bosphore, pas la peine de se mouiller lorsque d'autres peuvent le faire à sa place...
Alors oui, on peut dire que SAS à Istanbul fait maintenant vieillot, où l'intrigue est simple, sans grand retournement de situation, sans grand suspens, mais il a le mérite d'être une lecture facile, sans prise de tête et sans tension, ce qui en ce moment me convenait parfaitement bien, j'y reviendrais sans doute ...
En effet, c'est la première fois que je lisais un roman catégorisé comme roman d'espionnage. Alors bien évidemment lorsque l'on pense à l'espionnage pour une néophyte comme moi, je ne peux que m'imaginer James Bond, avec son Aston Martin, ses gadgets et de ravissantes créatures à son bras. Ici Gérard de Villiers nous propose quelque chose de plus subtile, non je m'emballe : pas de voiture de luxe à l'horizon, juste une voiture taxi pourrie et son chauffeur louche, pas de gadgets, mais les créatures de rêve sont elles présentent même si Malko Linge manque désespérément de charisme et de classe. Mais c'est peut être, au final, un personnage beaucoup plus proche de la réalité que ne l'ai notre très cher James Bond. Il travaille dans l'ombre, avec une équipe pour faire le sale travail à sa place, lui n'est en fait que le cerveau de l'équipe qui essaye de dénouer le nœud du problème. Alors non, il ne plongera pas avec des bouteilles d'oxygène dans le Bosphore, pas la peine de se mouiller lorsque d'autres peuvent le faire à sa place...
Alors oui, on peut dire que SAS à Istanbul fait maintenant vieillot, où l'intrigue est simple, sans grand retournement de situation, sans grand suspens, mais il a le mérite d'être une lecture facile, sans prise de tête et sans tension, ce qui en ce moment me convenait parfaitement bien, j'y reviendrais sans doute ...
November 2, 2023
Une série "mythique" du moins au niveau des pochettes, que j'ai croisé plusieurs fois dans ma tendre jeunesse. Aujourd'hui à 47 ans je lis un (le) premier SAS et j'en suis très heureux. L'histoire est intéressante, l'écriture est bonne et le héros est particulier mais attachant. Savoir qu'il y a plus de 200 histoires de SAS m'amène à pensé que le tout doit se raffiner et s'améliorer, alors je suis encore plus partant pour la suite. J'aime bien le fait que (selon mes recherches sur la série) les histoires sont conçu et écrite avec une facture journaliste ce qui aura pour effet de me promener à travers les courants de l'actualité diplomatique de l'époque. Let's go Malko!
June 22, 2025
Well, they don't say that life is short without reason, as this novel, the first one from a long series, was published for the first time in 1965, almost sixty years ago.
Sex, lies and violence, that's the name of the game. Take it or leave it, but most people are curious. At least, for once...
Sex, lies and violence, that's the name of the game. Take it or leave it, but most people are curious. At least, for once...
March 31, 2018
I have read two books in the SAS series to practice my French. They are really good for that purpose because they repeat a lot of vocabulary are entertaining, move fast and don't use too many obscure words. It's interesting to we how much lighter hearted the first books are then the later ones. Here the CIA are unequivocally the good guys, Malko's love life is more comic than erotic and the Russians are classic villains. Later ones things are generally more ambiguous and the plots a little less absurd. Either way they're fun to read.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews