When not reading Fleming - I would recommend ?

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  • Posts: 15,114
    Villiers53 wrote:
    Ludovico wrote:
    Because it is being reprinted, Tremor of Intent, by Anthony Burgess. Who wrote a script for TSWLM, by the way. I heartily recommend it.

    @Ludovico, to each their own. For my part, I read this back in the day and thought it was a real stinker!

    Don't read it as spy novel. It is about moral and identity. And in a way the anti Bond.
  • Posts: 802
    I've just finished Le Carre's new one; "A Delicate Truth" and have to say, it's fantastic. To think that somebody in their eight decade is turning out work of this quality is an inspiration.
    As always, the master's work is deep he finds a way to weave a morality tale of our time into a tense thriller that sees a retired Whitehall warrior colluding with an ex special service operative and a young diplomat to try and expose bad deeds. Needless to say Le Carre ramps the tension up off the richter scale and he delivers a thoroughly literate thriller. I loved it but the big problem with finishing a Le Carre is what to read next ?
    Le Carre never appreciated Fleming's work which is a shame because they are flip sides of the same great coin.
  • Posts: 2,483
    For my money, David Stone is the best dam' thriller writer in the business right now. He's only written four novels, but they are all sparklers. But if you can't handle gruesome violence--and, I confess, sometimes it's a bit much even for me--stay away.

    I'm currently reading The Orpheus Deception and it's a page-turner supreme. Stone doesn't have Fleming's style (who does?) but he tells ripping good yarns, bloody well.

    If you've never broken open a Stone, I highly recommend that you do.
  • edited May 2013 Posts: 4,622
    OK Khan, if you read a Destroyer novel (Remo Williams) (I'd recommend Dead Reckoning, as you in particular would like it), I'll read a Stone of your choosing.
  • Posts: 15,114
    Could James Ellroy count? American Tabloid mixes history, crime fiction and is borderline spy thriller.
  • Posts: 2,483
    I'll put Dead Reckoning on my list, timmer. Great title, BTW.
  • Posts: 802
    Ludovico wrote:
    Could James Ellroy count? American Tabloid mixes history, crime fiction and is borderline spy thriller.
    Anything that promotes a greater following for Ellroy works for me.
    I think he's a fabulous writer albeit his rhythm and syntax take a bit of effort.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,789
    timmer wrote:
    .
    I would also recommend Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir's The Destroyer series, featuring the Masters of Sinanju, American top-secret assassin, Remo Williams (The Destroyer of Sinanju legend) and his very deadly mentor Chiun.
    Great campy hard-edged adventure with biting satire and humour, and with a dash of Sinanju mysticism.
    I have #3, just ordered #20... loved the 80's movie.
    Question: will I become addicted? b-(
  • edited May 2013 Posts: 4,622
    Yes you should become addicted. The '70s '80s Destroyers are a riot. The first 70 Destroyers are funny as heck. Quality leveled off, late '80s when the first ghost took over, but they were still readable.
    One of my favourites is #22 Brain Drain. Remo is hanging out at a biker bar, as part of his assignment of course. He orders a water. Naturally the dirtbag bikers, harass him, call him names. When Remo finally wearies of their noises, much hilarity ensues. Remo in very short order,returns to his water, but now surrounded by broken biker bodies. One is missing a nose IIRC, that wound up floating in another bikers now pink-coloured beer.
    Lesson: don't be bothering Masters of Sinanju, especially when your dump of a biker-bar is the last place they want to be in the world anyway.
    Sidenote. Warren Murphy maintains James Cameron's Terminator has been ripping off the Destroyer for years. He's got a point. We meet Mr. Gordons (named after a gin bottle), a very Terminator-like recurring nemesis first introduced in #18 Funny Money.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,789
    timmer wrote:
    Yes you should become addicted.
    Lesson: don't be bothering Masters of Sinanju, especially when your dump of a biker-bar is the last place they want to be in the world anyway.
    I can see that I'll be seeking out every book now... ;)
  • Posts: 802
    I've just finished the second Milo Weaver thriller; 'The Nearest Exit' by Olen Steinhauer and I must say, it's fantastic.
    It's the second in a trilogy-the first being 'The Tourist' and the third being 'An American Spy'. Although they are stand alone, there is a strong continuity and I would definitely recommend reading them in chronological order.
    They could be described as Le Carre but at Fleming's speed.
    In Weaver, Olen has created the perfect spy for our times. Compromised and disillusioned but still harbouring an overall desire to do the right thing — first class stuff and Steinhauer is definitely up there with the greats.
  • Posts: 4,622
    Vince Flynn's American Assassin books featuring Mitch Rapp, are pretty good take-no-prisoners adventuresI
    I've only read the one, Kill Shot (2012) but I'm looking forward to devouring a couple more. Rapp is very no nonsense. He cuts through red tape and othe bureaucratic bs.
    Just what you want in an assassin/operative working for the good guys.
    Rapp is blunt instrument like Bond, but not as smooth, but then who is. Bond is the ultimate.

    KillShotColor.jpg
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    timmer wrote:
    Vince Flynn's American Assassin books featuring Mitch Rapp, are pretty good take-no-prisoners adventuresI
    I've only read the one, Kill Shot (2012) but I'm looking forward to devouring a couple more. Rapp is very no nonsense. He cuts through red tape and othe bureaucratic bs.
    Just what you want in an assassin/operative working for the good guys.
    Rapp is blunt instrument like Bond, but not as smooth, but then who is. Bond is the ultimate.

    KillShotColor.jpg
    I am a huge Vince Flynn/Mitch Rapp fan. I have read a good bit of the books in the series, and definitely want to return and read those I missed.
  • Posts: 4,622
    @OBrady
    Very good. If you know your Rapp, then why are the two later books, considered to be #'s 1-2, in the Mitch Rapp chronology, when there was a whole bunch written before them. According to the Vince Flynn website, American Assassin is #1 and Kill Shot is #2, but they are the two latest titles. Huh?
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    timmer wrote:
    @OBrady
    Very good. If you know your Rapp, then why are the two later books, considered to be #'s 1-2, in the Mitch Rapp chronology, when there was a whole bunch written before them. According to the Vince Flynn website, American Assassin is #1 and Kill Shot is #2, but they are the two latest titles. Huh?

    They are prequels. American Assassin is the origin tale of Rapp, so it is first chronologically, followed by Kill Shot which is also Rapp at the start of his career. The first published Rapp book was Transfer of Power. It isn't a prequel, but an exciting read about terrorists infiltrating the White House, which two recent films about attacks on the White House probably got inspiration from. It is only recently that Vince has began telling Rapp's origins, so that is why there are only a small number yet that tell of his start. I think the next book being released by Vince is set in current times again.
  • edited June 2013 Posts: 4,622
    Ahh, thank you @OBrady. When I read Kill Shot I had no idea it was set in the past. I guess we are only talking about 10 years ago, although possibly a bit further back maybe.
    Yes, Kill Shot did clearly reference American Assassin.
    Also now that I think of it, it did have a bit of an origins flavour to it. Rapp seemed very much established by the time it was done though, with most, if not all of his internal agency enemies decisively vanquished.
    Rapp does not hestitate to take down those who need taking down. He's pretty thorough. He appeals to my Remo Williams sensibilties. :)
    I guess I will read American Assassin next, the first of the two prequels.
  • Posts: 15,114
    Elmore Leonard. Not exactly spy fiction, but some of his novels have elements of it.
  • Posts: 2,483
    Currently reading Charles Cumming's Trinity Six. Rather a gripping read. Reminds me somewhat of Anthony Hyde's classic The Red Fox although with less atmosphere, action and globe-trotting.
  • Posts: 15,114
    Currently reading Charles Cumming's Trinity Six. Rather a gripping read. Reminds me somewhat of Anthony Hyde's classic The Red Fox although with less atmosphere, action and globe-trotting.

    Oh gosh I read The Red Fox! That was decades ago, I was 12 I think. What a brilliant novel. Not merely a good spy thriller, a real novel with characters. And it reminds me that I should read more Anthony Hyde.
  • Posts: 4,622
    @Khan
    I am almost done Vince Flynn's American Assassin, but I have to set Mitch Rapp aside for awhile. It's engaging stuff but it's kind of gung-ho too. Need a little break from Rapp's relentless war on jihad. Plus he's continually running and exercising. It's exhausting keeping up with him.
    So can you recommend a David Stone for me. I want to change things up. Try something new.
    I'll revisit Rapp down the road.
  • Posts: 2,483
    Ludovico wrote:
    Currently reading Charles Cumming's Trinity Six. Rather a gripping read. Reminds me somewhat of Anthony Hyde's classic The Red Fox although with less atmosphere, action and globe-trotting.

    Oh gosh I read The Red Fox! That was decades ago, I was 12 I think. What a brilliant novel. Not merely a good spy thriller, a real novel with characters. And it reminds me that I should read more Anthony Hyde.

    As far as thrillers go, it's right up there with Fleming's best. Unfortunately, Hyde's two other novels are considerably less successful. China Lake is bizarre, self-indulgent and quite pornographic. Formosa Straits is better than China Lake, but still a few steps down from The Red Fox.
  • Posts: 2,483
    timmer wrote:
    @Khan
    I am almost done Vince Flynn's American Assassin, but I have to set Mitch Rapp aside for awhile. It's engaging stuff but it's kind of gung-ho too. Need a little break from Rapp's relentless war on jihad. Plus he's continually running and exercising. It's exhausting keeping up with him.
    So can you recommend a David Stone for me. I want to change things up. Try something new.
    I'll revisit Rapp down the road.

    Might as well go with Stone's first, The Echelon Vendetta. Once you read it, you'll want to read the rest, and they're best read in chronological order.

    And speaking of Stone, I hope something hasn't happened to the bloke. I tried contacting him through two email addresses on his website--davidstonebooks.com--and both addresses are kaput. I sent an emessage to his publisher requesting contact information, and never received a reply. Stone's last book was published in 2010. If he's got something else in the works, I'm sure he'd be promoting it on his site. Ah well, perhaps he's retired.

  • Posts: 15,114
    Ludovico wrote:
    Currently reading Charles Cumming's Trinity Six. Rather a gripping read. Reminds me somewhat of Anthony Hyde's classic The Red Fox although with less atmosphere, action and globe-trotting.

    Oh gosh I read The Red Fox! That was decades ago, I was 12 I think. What a brilliant novel. Not merely a good spy thriller, a real novel with characters. And it reminds me that I should read more Anthony Hyde.

    As far as thrillers go, it's right up there with Fleming's best. Unfortunately, Hyde's two other novels are considerably less successful. China Lake is bizarre, self-indulgent and quite pornographic. Formosa Straits is better than China Lake, but still a few steps down from The Red Fox.

    Was Anthony Hyde a one-hit wonder? Well, so far I haven't published one so should not judge;-).
  • Posts: 2,483
    Yes, it's fair to class Hyde a OHW. But what a hit it was!
  • edited June 2013 Posts: 4,622
    Stone's 4 book titles sound like Ludlum titles.
  • Posts: 2,483
    Yep. They sure do. But I think he's a better writer than Ludlum.
  • Posts: 802
    Currently reading Charles Cumming's Trinity Six. Rather a gripping read. Reminds me somewhat of Anthony Hyde's classic The Red Fox although with less atmosphere, action and globe-trotting.

    Loved 'Trinity Six' and his new one 'A Foreign Country' BUT his best thus fare is 'Typhoon,' it is absolutely phenomenal and draws comparison with Le Carre's best; 'The Honourable Schoolboy'.
    Personally, I think Cumming is the best of the new breed of spy writers and I would love to see IFP commission him to write a Bond novel. That said, I'm not sure he'd do it.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    I do not know this author (Cumming), but I will check him out. Thanks!
    I'll order Typhoon this weekend. I love good spy novels. Le Carre is the very best for me, although I must say I am usually depressed after reading his works. Because it all seems so real and he doesn't pull punches.
  • Posts: 2,483
    The only Le Carre I've read is Russia House, and frankly, it bored me to tears.

    So far I'm impressed with Cumming, but I'm not sure his style is right for Bond. Perhaps too literal and lacking the requisite flamboyance.
  • Posts: 802
    The only Le Carre I've read is Russia House, and frankly, it bored me to tears.

    So far I'm impressed with Cumming, but I'm not sure his style is right for Bond. Perhaps too literal and lacking the requisite flamboyance.

    It's a shame that your only Le Carre experience is 'Russia House' because that's a little like judging Fleming by TSWLM. My strongest advice would be try 'The Honourable Schoolboy'. In my not so humble opinion, it's one of the best books of the last century — any genre and it's certainly the best Spy story ever written. As 4EverBonded said, he is the very best — my God, I can't believe I said that on a Bond site!
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