It was only at the end of the nineteenth century that espionage began to be important. It was shortly before World War 1 that countries established intelligence agencies and began to use spies in their attempts to increase their power. This gave an impetus to the genre of espionage novels. Most of the books written during this time featured plots by the Germans against the British Navy. One of the best spy thrillers of the time was a novel by John Buchan called The Thirty Nine Steps.
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.
It was in the early days of the Cold War that Ian Fleming wrote his novels featuring James Bond. James Bond, secret agent, was pitted against evil characters and managed incredible escapes, saving the day for his country. The unlikely plots, amazing gadgets and the glamor all provided entertaining escapism. James Bond has become a legend due to all the movies based on these books.
The Cold War gave an enormous boost to espionage fiction and lead to its great popularity during the years which followed. The new writers offered more realism and authenticity in the works they wrote. They explored the moral conflicts and ideological contradictions of the secret world. Skepticism about all the political rhetoric was conveyed.
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.
Although this genre was dominated by the British for some time, more recently American authors like Robert Ludlum have become very popular. Jason Bourne, one of his characters, tries to discover who he is and who is responsible for transforming him into a lethal CIA assassin. He is target number one of the agency and has to be on the move constantly to avoid being caught and killed.
With the two world wars and the Cold War far behind us, contemporary espionage novels have taken different directions. Other issues have become relevant as the world shrinks and technology changes. Terrorism is just one of those issues being addressed today. The best spy thrillers continue to make this type of fiction an intoxicating combination of power, politics, intrigue and suspense.
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.
It was in the early days of the Cold War that Ian Fleming wrote his novels featuring James Bond. James Bond, secret agent, was pitted against evil characters and managed incredible escapes, saving the day for his country. The unlikely plots, amazing gadgets and the glamor all provided entertaining escapism. James Bond has become a legend due to all the movies based on these books.
The Cold War gave an enormous boost to espionage fiction and lead to its great popularity during the years which followed. The new writers offered more realism and authenticity in the works they wrote. They explored the moral conflicts and ideological contradictions of the secret world. Skepticism about all the political rhetoric was conveyed.
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.
Although this genre was dominated by the British for some time, more recently American authors like Robert Ludlum have become very popular. Jason Bourne, one of his characters, tries to discover who he is and who is responsible for transforming him into a lethal CIA assassin. He is target number one of the agency and has to be on the move constantly to avoid being caught and killed.
With the two world wars and the Cold War far behind us, contemporary espionage novels have taken different directions. Other issues have become relevant as the world shrinks and technology changes. Terrorism is just one of those issues being addressed today. The best spy thrillers continue to make this type of fiction an intoxicating combination of power, politics, intrigue and suspense.
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