One of the best spy thrillers from the early days of this genre is The Thirty Nine Steps by John Buchan. This book was about the urgent need for counter-espionage at a time when the Germans were plotting against the British navy. This was a common theme in books of the time and the division between good and evil was clearly drawn. European powers were battling for supremacy and for the first time spies were becoming important to governments. Intelligence and counter-intelligence agencies had been established, giving authors inspiration for their novels.
These first books reflected a simplistic division between good and evil which changed after World War 1. Authors became increasingly cynical about war and the role of the governments and their agencies. The spies in their books were often conflicted and solitary men. Graham Greene reflected this cynicism in his books.
Another man who was writing espionage thrillers of a very different nature at the same time was Ian Fleming. He gave us the ultimate fictional hero in the form of James Bond. His plots were far-fetched and depended heavily on fantastic gadgets and amazing escapes. Good and evil characters, flag-waving nationalism and cosmopolitan glamor were all part of the appeal. Of course the movies based on these novels have made James Bond a legendary figure.
It was during the Cold War years that this genre came into its own. The writers began to stress moral issues and ideological conflicts. Their spies faced enemies both inside and outside of their governments. There works had a realism to them as they were often written by those who had some experience of espionage themselves.
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John Le Carre was one of the most famous. It deals with intrigue between British and east German agents in Cold War Berlin. He brings to light the way international espionage really works. This is a story about a British agent who longs to end his career but is directed to undertake one final assignment.
When Frederick Forsyth wrote his novel in 1971 not even he realized that his assassin, The Jackal would make such an impact or that his book would become a best seller. The realism of this work gave many the impression that it was more than a work of fiction. This assassin, who was on a mission to kill President de Gaulle, was chillingly portrayed.
In the early days of this genre, British novelists dominated but the Americans came into the picture with some best selling novels, such as those written by Robert Ludlum. One of the secret agents in his books, Jason Bourne, has become a household name, as movies based on these novels have proved very popular. Bourne has to find out who he is, why he is a trained assassin and why he is the number one target of his own government.
The best spy thrillers written during the years with World War 11 and the Cold War as a backdrop will always remain popular. Today, the world has changed completely and nothing is as clear cut as it was in the past, even when it comes to spying. However, well written books combining political intrigue, danger, power and suspense continue to thrill us.
These first books reflected a simplistic division between good and evil which changed after World War 1. Authors became increasingly cynical about war and the role of the governments and their agencies. The spies in their books were often conflicted and solitary men. Graham Greene reflected this cynicism in his books.
Another man who was writing espionage thrillers of a very different nature at the same time was Ian Fleming. He gave us the ultimate fictional hero in the form of James Bond. His plots were far-fetched and depended heavily on fantastic gadgets and amazing escapes. Good and evil characters, flag-waving nationalism and cosmopolitan glamor were all part of the appeal. Of course the movies based on these novels have made James Bond a legendary figure.
It was during the Cold War years that this genre came into its own. The writers began to stress moral issues and ideological conflicts. Their spies faced enemies both inside and outside of their governments. There works had a realism to them as they were often written by those who had some experience of espionage themselves.
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John Le Carre was one of the most famous. It deals with intrigue between British and east German agents in Cold War Berlin. He brings to light the way international espionage really works. This is a story about a British agent who longs to end his career but is directed to undertake one final assignment.
When Frederick Forsyth wrote his novel in 1971 not even he realized that his assassin, The Jackal would make such an impact or that his book would become a best seller. The realism of this work gave many the impression that it was more than a work of fiction. This assassin, who was on a mission to kill President de Gaulle, was chillingly portrayed.
In the early days of this genre, British novelists dominated but the Americans came into the picture with some best selling novels, such as those written by Robert Ludlum. One of the secret agents in his books, Jason Bourne, has become a household name, as movies based on these novels have proved very popular. Bourne has to find out who he is, why he is a trained assassin and why he is the number one target of his own government.
The best spy thrillers written during the years with World War 11 and the Cold War as a backdrop will always remain popular. Today, the world has changed completely and nothing is as clear cut as it was in the past, even when it comes to spying. However, well written books combining political intrigue, danger, power and suspense continue to thrill us.
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