Berlin Game (Bernard Samson, #1) in Espionage Aficionados

Jan 29, 2022 Bill Fairclough rated it it was amazing

Len Deighton's novels are mostly brilliant and, inter alia, they inspired me to write Beyond Enkription, the first of six stand-alone fact based novels in The Burlington Files series based on my life.

I find it amusing that some critics have described me as "the posh Harry Palmer" in Beyond Enkription, the first of six stand-alone fact based spy novels in The Burlington Files series based on my life!

PS I am aware that Len Deighton did not refer to the protagonist in several of his novels includin ...more

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Mar 16, 2020 Sam Reaves rated it really liked it

I've come late to an appreciation of Len Deighton; after reading The Ipcress File as a breathless teenager (many years ago, soon after the film came out) and a miscellany of his other novels at various points over the years, I only recently discovered the bulk of his espionage fiction and realized what a top-notch practitioner of the genre he is. Le Carré may always appeal more to the literary set, but for a solid, convincing spy tale anchored in reality, you can't go wrong with Deighton.
This is ...more

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Jul 09, 2020 Will Perkins rated it really liked it

Really good classic spy novel. Characters are well done, especially Fiona. It's hard to avoid comparisons with John Le Carre since the setting and focus on character development is similar - good novels that happen to be spy novels. This book has a lot of echoes of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy but isn't a masterpiece like that one. Nonetheless it is very good. ...more

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