The Writers Who Came In From the Cold: The Great “Spy” Novelists

I am an unabashed admirer of the “spy novel” genre. The prime examples of authors who have mastered the craft are Ian Fleming, Frederick Forsyth and John Le Carre. Espionage narratives capture the reader because they are multidimensional, both intellectually challenging and psychologically complex. The best work combine geopolitical intrigued occasional moments of intense action. The classics are sophisticated examinations of how moral ambiguity operates in high risk environments. The Great Game of diplomacy focuses on maintaining a country’s position of strength through negotiation and persuasion while the intelligence services act clandestinely. Great historical conflicts provide the best stage for spy thrillers. Therefore, many of the most recognised works are inspired by the dark recesses of the Cold War or the contemporary insanity in the Mideast.

My “spy guy” period began in college and it has remained a core fiction reading interest for 50 years. The timing of this blog posting was triggered by two recent events which rekindled my fascination with the dark arts. First, a true life example of espionage in action. Mossad’s amazing string of successes in laying the foundation for Israel’s military victories over Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran. In systematic operations, Israeli intelligence assassinated top Iranian nuclear scientists, dismembered Hezbollah in the exploding “Pagers” operation in Lebanon, eliminated the Hamas Political Director in a targeted bombing attack in Tehran and decapitated Iran’s military command leadership in the early hours of the twelve day June war. These actions were brilliantly planned, synchronised and orchestrated- featuring ground level field intelligence, complete penetration of their adversaries institutions and technical dexterity and perfection in execution. If the Israelis ever reveal the means and methods employed, it will be a fantastic mini series. The second flash was an actual TV series- The Bureau, a polished French production inspired by the French intelligence service (DGSE) infiltration of agents into Russia, Syria, Iran and the general Mideast. It ran for five seasons from 2016 to 2020 and I executed a successful 5 day binge viewing extravaganza this month. It is ambitious. We see the underlying drama in fighting ISIS and undermining the Iranian nuclear program. We see the Syrian Civil War up close and witness non stop Russian machinations in Artificial Intelligence and electronic warfare. Great narratives, wonderful characters and a magnificent cast. You even see the American CIA and the Russian FSB in all their glory. A strong recommendation from me and I liked it enough to reserve a future spot for a review in Montaigne and Me. Mossad and The Bureau inspired me to reexamine my nominees for espionage classics.

My journey began with James Bond. The Sean Connery Bond movies were wish fulfillment fantasies for any young male aspiring to a life of “cool.” My guide to the Ian Fleming book series was my dear friend John Iberle, a “M” type persona himself who disclosed that the Bond films were actually based on books. Who knew? Ian Fleming wrote 15 Bond books between 1953 and 1965. I quickly located a one volume compilation of his early works- Casino Royale, From Russia with Love, Live and Let Die, Diamonds are Forever, Dr No and Goldfinger and devoured them on an early 70’s Mahoney family summer vacation in international hotspot Delavan, Wisconsin. Loved them I gradually completed the whole series- The Spy Who Loved Me, Thunderbolt, For Your Eyes Only and Live and Let Die. Fleming succeeded because he combined real life experience- he was a British Intelligence Officer in WWII, with a vivid imagination and a crisp, journalist type writing style. Fleming’s prose showed an eye for signature details- remember “A Martini, Shaken Not Stirred.” Mr Bond was an uncomplicated hero and the reader did not devote much energy to thinking about his psychological profile. The Fleming formula demanded a Bond who always outwitted his adversaries and bedded the beautiful girl in the end. He was a Type A male who did his thing in glamorous locations with sophisticated gadgets. He was a representative of the British upper class, spoke in a clipped and bemused fashion and was at home with luxury. His early adversaries were cunning Russian operatives from Smersh and Spectre. He then evolved into saving mankind from demonic evildoers and villains seeking world domination. The plots became more absurd and far fetched as the series matured. The Bond books were ultimately fantasy and escapism, but they remain an important benchmark in the creation of a unique literary genre. I remain a fan. Kudos to Mr Fleming!

I then progressed to Frederick Forsyth- another default choice for great poolside or beach reading. I loved The Day of the Jackal and enjoyed The Dogs of War and The Odessa File. He had a journalist’s eye for clinical detail and his lead characters were true professionals- disciplined, prepared, meticulous, competent and no nonsense. The celebrity Bond spy model left the building. The books are thrillers, but remain anchored in reality. He builds narrative tension gradually with a series of revelations and disclosures leading to an inevitable confrontation. There is a respect for tradecraft, an eye for political complexity and a successful pursuit of genuine suspense in Forsyth’s work. He is a B plus novelist and his commercial success should not be viewed as a weakness.

John Le Carre is my lodestars an espionage craftsman. He actually qualifies as an artist. He wrote under a pseudonym. His real name was David John Moore Cornwell. He was a British M15 and M16 agent before becoming a novelist. He definitely drew upon his real life experience serving as an agent in West Germany. He took espionage literature to a new level, casting off prior models and instead choosing to graphically portray the psychological burdens created by “intelligence” operations. His language is precise and understated. Ideas are often suggested or inferred with no American stye outbursts or bluntness. There is irony and melancholy- the tone is sometimes dark, usually gray, rarely sunny. My favourites are the books produced by the Cold War conflict between the Soviet Union and the West. They include The Spy Who Came In From the Cold, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Honourable Schoolboy, Smiley’s People, The Russia House, The Perfect Spy and The Legacy of Spies. They are deep dives into the internal struggles of the British Intelligence services and I am the rare Irish American who is an Anglophile who eats this stuff up. He covers an era when Britain was scandalised by the spying and defections of the Cambridge Five, highly placed British officials who spied for the Soviet Union. Real life events were cannon fodder for his plots.

It is themes not the characters, that create LeCarre’s winning formula. Betrayal, loyalty, secrecy, moral confusion and the ambiguity of truth are the core concepts in these books. Relationships with friends, families, colleagues are always under pressure. How do you measure loyalty to your country? People lie regularly and artfully. Moral certainties are rare. Secrecy corrupts character. Opportunities for pure heroism are few and far between. His focus is managing the psychological strain experienced by his characters, not gadgets, technology or explosions. The primary players are not charismatic masters of the universe. They are flawed, weak, lonely and compromised. There is violence, but it is restrained. His writing is imaginative and keeps the eye on the ball- how to keep your moral compass in real world, life or death circumstances.

Bond dominates the Fleming books. In contrast, LeCarre gives us a series of characters with a medley of strengths and frailties. George Smiley is a patriot, a brilliant and dedicated spymaster. He is also physically unprepossessing and dresses like an insurance salesman. He is stressed because of “mole" suspicions in his group and depressed because his aristocratic wife is promiscuous, often choosing his coworkers as her playmates. Ouch! Bill Hayden is based on Kim Philby, the most notorious defector to the Soviets. He is a counterpoint to Smiley, smooth as silk, handsome, urbane, a womaniser and a traitor. He seeks the upper hand over Smiley in a British elitist manner, openly seducing his wife. Magnus Pym, Jon Prideaux, Alex Leames are key operatives- scammers, damaged souls with elements of decency and humanity. Karla, the Soviet spymaster is ultra competent, brilliant, ruthless and an ideological crusader. The Soviets are dangerous because they actually believe in their cause while the British can be resigned and cynical. Espionage fiction becomes a literary tour de force with LeCarre’s brilliant pen. The best dialogue is the conversations the agents have internally. Their victories are not operational or tactical, but simply navigating the moral challenges inherent in the job. The literary setting is the high risk and high stakes environment created for players seeking to prevail in an enormous geopolitical struggle. LeCarre succeeds because he fuses that reality with more basic individual choices about loyalty and truthfulness.

The critique of LeCarre is his thinking man’s approach to the genre can make for some “hard reads” for his audience. Why not some more thrills to spice thinks up? I agree that his narratives can be confusing, murky, complicated, shadowy and ambivalent. However, ultimately he has no match in describing people and tense scenarios magnificently. I rarely keep my hard copy fiction- most of it has been donated to deserving libraries where I assume they provide a nice decorative touch in this electronic and digital reading world. However, I have kept LeCarre in my home library. As part of this exercise, I reviewed the passages I underlined on original reading and identified a host of timeless words of wisdom. My plan was to share here apt quotes on the nature of spying, the ambiguity of truth, the nature of institutional decay and the costs of secrecy. I made a game time decision not to go that route and instead urge you to read all of his work on your own. You should personally experience moments of enlightenment and rapture of LeCarre at his best.

Finally, I will conclude with some rather unfocused observations. Fleming, Forsyth and LeCarre all portray women with stereotypes that have not aged well. Women are frequently unfaithful, manipulative, selfish, vulnerable, mysterious or dangerous. At best, they are cool girlfriends or competent secretaries. Sex is consistently used as a tool of espionage. I suspect LeCarres’ rather exotic personal history with the fair sex coloured his descriptions of female characters. He specialised in extramarital affairs and abandoned his first family entirely. It is curious that many of his key male characters struggle mightily with intimacy, fidelity and commitment. His spies deceive regularly in the course of their work and often default to lying in their personal relationships. Truth as a casualty of the life of espionage! LeCarre was not a knight in shining armour in real life and neither are the major protagonists in his novels. They make for compelling reading tho!

A cautionary note on LeCarre’s body of work. My laudatory comments are primarily based on my experience with his Cold War novels. His later work is solid, but don’t move my inner critic’s needle to the same degree. They don’t deliver the same moral complexity or psychological tension. I do recommend The Night Manager, The Little Drummer Girl and The Constant Gardener. His skills as a craftsman and wordsmith are present to the end of his career. There are documentaries and biographies flooding the market now, but I would read his fiction before reading about him. Enjoy!