Tuesday, December 06, 2022

Fiction That Provided the Most "Wow" Moments for Me in 2022

 


  • "Slow Horses" by Mick Herron [I also read other titles in the series: Dead Lions, Real Tigers, Spook Street, and London Rules.]
  • "Gideon the Ninth" by Tamsyn Muir
  • "Death and the Penguin" by Andrey Kurkov
  • "All for Nothing" by Walter Kempowski
  • "The Aubrey-Maturin" series by Patrick O'Brian [A re-read and pure pleasure.]
  • "Mexico Set" by Len Deighton
  • "Berlin Game" by Len Deighton
  • "Strange Pilgrims" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
  • "The Wall" by John Hersey [A re-read and still powerful.]
  • "After Midnight" by Irmgard Keun
  • "The Passenger" by Ulrich Alexander Boschwitz

6 comments:

MI6 said...

The Ipcress File is compelling reading, but I think Len Deighton's most enthralling book by far was Funeral in Berlin. Deighton took it upon himself to counter both Ian Fleming and David Cornwell aka John Le Carré with what I call "raw espionage". It is rumoured that on the few occasions they met, near nuclear arguments ensued. They had a lot in common as spy fiction writers although paradoxically while on occasion Deighton arguably produced the most realistic stuff he had no direct experience of military intelligence. In that vein it is a shame more espionage thrillers aren't fact based. Courtesy of being factual extra dimensions are added. First, you can read about what’s in the novel in press cuttings and history books. Second, if even just marginally autobiographical, the author has the opportunity to convey his/her genuine hopes and fears as experienced in real life.

An example of such a "real" thriller is Beyond Enkription, the first espionage novel or memoir in The Burlington Files series by Bill Fairclough (MI6 codename JJ) aka Edward Burlington. It's worth mentioning in this context because, coincidentally, some critics have likened its protagonist JJ to a "posh and sophisticated Harry Palmer" and the first novel in the series is indisputably noir, maybe even Deightonesque but unquestionably anti-Bond. It's worth checking out this enigmatic and elusive thriller. Not being a remake it may have eluded you! It’s a must for all spy illuminati so not being a remake I would be surprised if it had eluded you!

MI6 said...

Shame Gary Oldman is mulling retirement even though there are ever more Slow Horses they remain a must see and a must read. Although Mick Herron’s Bad Actors meanders a bit, it is still almost as compelling a read as Slow Horses. Mind you, that’s not surprising: on Amazon, Mick Herron is described as “The John Le Carré of our generation” and it’s all to do with bad actors and slow horses. Who would have thought le Carré might be associated with "any generation"! In terms of acclaimed spy novels, Herron’s Slough House series has definitely made him Top Of The Pops in terms of anti-Bond writers. For Len Deighton devotees that ends a long and victorious reign at number one.

Raw noir espionage of the Slough House quality is rare, whether or not with occasional splashes of sardonic hilarity. Gary Oldman’s performance in Slow Horses has given the Slough House series the leg up the charts it deserved. Will Jackson Lamb become the next Bond? It would be a rich paradox if he became an established anti-Bond brand ambassador. Maybe Lamb should change his name to Happy Jack or Pinball Wizard or even Harry Jack. After all, Harry worked for Palmer as might Edward Burlington for Bill Fairclough (real life MI6 codename JJ) in another noir but factual spy series, The Burlington Files.

Of course, espionage aficionados should know that both The Slough House and Burlington Files series were rejected by risk averse publishers who didn't think espionage existed unless it was fictional and created by Ian Fleming or David Cornwell. However, they probably didn’t know that Fairclough once drummed with Keith Moon in their generation in the seventies. Both books are a must read for espionage illuminati.

Michael Wade said...

MI6,

Gary Oldman, of course, should never retire.

Michael

MI6 said...

Maybe in his nineties!

Michael Wade said...

But only with our permission.

Michael

MI6 said...

Quite right too!