Nooilforpacifists’s Comments (group member since Jul 31, 2014)

Nooilforpacifists’s comments from the Espionage Aficionados group.

Brian,

I might be the only one—but I just don’t like Ambler! His writing is too detached and foggy.

—NOfP

Of course! All of them. An IV of ennui.

And, IMHO, “Kingdom of Shadows” was his peak. The last two have bordered on terrible.

Thought it was the best read of 2021. A jewel. Am disappointed in the author’s follow-up effort, which is disjointed and (obviously from the start) cannot possibly end well.

NOfP

Odd -- to me, there's no question Furst's
Sixth novel, "Kingdom of Shadows" is his best. It's got it all: a well-developed protagonist, an exciting plot, scads of ennui, and (surprisingly) a halfway well-developed female character.

Although the novel's scenes in the City of Light just prior to the Nazi invasion are, well, luminous, the events in Czechoslovakia and Hungary are maddeningly frightening, and heart-stopping suspense, in turn. As always, Furst's work is backed by impeccable research. This book is an especially effective history lesson (on the practical affect of appeasement) wrapped in a fog-shrouded espionage tale, wrapped in a war-time romance.

Although there's constant back-references (to places and events), Frust's books don't focus on the same characters, and thus need not be read in order. So should you not have read any Furst -- hard to imagine -- "Kingdom of Shadows" would be a great toe dip.

Another source: Frederic Morton's excellent "Thunder at Twilight: Vienna 1913/14", Chapters 6 and 7.

Feliks,

I just added a book called "Spy of the Century: Alfred Redl and the Betrayal of Austria-Hungry", by John Sadler: it's a February 2017 release. But -- outside of the movie -- my knowledge of Colonel Redl comes from a 10 page section in Stefan Zeiwg's "The World of Yesterday", starting at page 209 in my edition.

Don't know if this is helpful, as it's not traditionally classed as a mystery, and your shelf suggests more interest in fantasy than hard SF, but how about Neal Stephenson's "Cryptonomicon"? If you make it through the first 50 pages, you may get hooked--I loved it from page one.

The omission of "Day of the Jackal" alone proves your point. Read it before seeing the movie--and both were five star.

Feliks is right: it's an ODD list. Mostly in the choice of work by the the authors, but some of their author/titles don't belong in such rarified heights.

Feliks, for comparison, do you have an easy link to where you've tried your hand at a similar list?

Doubledf99.99,

You'll like it. The second book in Rabb's Berlin Trilogy is good as well. Stay clear of book three which -- unaccountably -- shifts to the Spanish Civil War.

Felik,

Fresh from watching Reilly (and I still vastly preferred the first six episodes), I may join you. Do you intend on reading that one work or the entire series (think there were six)?

David, the Canaris book just hit my TBR as well. Would you recommend the Gehlen autobiography? (Wonder if it made Kindle…)

Feliks is right that Reilly: Ace Of Spies took a lifetime achievement in its theme music. I can't but hear the "Romance" than to visualize that opening montage of old photos and maps, always landing on a place and date.

As for the Anatole France parallels and dialogue, I'll let you and Dave handle the back-and-forth.

OK, Dave; you've rocked my world. I knew the theme music was Shostakovich's Romance from the Gadfly--I even have the suite. But it never occurred to me that Reilly himself could have inspired it.

It's one of those tales that just *should* be true.

There's something in what you say, of course: compare his wife in episode 1 with his "last bride." (Though I do think Reilly and his Russian mistress from episodes 5/6 truly enjoyed each other, despite the high-wire act.)

But I think you've validated some of my points. No one rushed to the cinema to see Sean Connery marry Honor Blackmam--they wanted to see James Bond attract Pussy Galore! We agree Reilly became "bitter; somewhat obsessed and vengeful"--but these are not the entertaining qualities of the first seven episodes.

Further, you ascribe his failure (and thus these qualities) to "blind chance." With respect, I disagree. It was impossible that a half-Jewish English spy, who left Odessa in his late teens, and took an Irish name, ever could have maneuvered to rule all Russia. It was a fantasy from the start--no wonder Reilly became an ugly drunk.

The cynical Reilly was great--and fully deployed throughout the first half of the series (he probably could have gone further but for the Leo McKern character--impossible to beat). But he wasn't bitter--he was cheerful as he undermined England's enemies, England's corporate competitors, plus screwed whichever woman he fancied--it was a plus when he could accomplish all three at once. (What was that interlude about the sister? The issue isn't "did he" but "how did it possibly affect the plot of any episode?")

Anyway, before I watched the series (when it first ran) I knew the Reds crushed the Whites. I didn't know the history behind episodes 1-6 (especially episode 1). That, alone, is enough to prefer the first half, and never re-watch the second.

There's no question that the mini-series is a must see--if only because it used as its theme the sole lyrical piece Shostakovich ever wrote. And also because the book borders on unreadable.

But there was (for me) a huge flaw in the plotting. Episodes 1-6 are brilliant, with 5 and 6 (they should be watched together) particularly excellent. Episode 7 is fine. But by this time, Reilly is in Russia, assisting the Whites, but mostly drunkenly shooting the eyes out of paintings in homes of the former aristocracy. The series tips down from there, perhaps because we all know Sidney backed a losing horse. But worse yet, he appears to do so mostly without lining his own pockets. It's just not as fun.

The first 6 episodes are as good as any cinematic spy story going. But you're on your own after that.

I've got the Bitcoins--but using them on secure connections? I understand the outrage and the principle but, the older I get, the more I agree with the late William Safire: "If you've done nothing wrong, you've got nothing to hide."

Damn. I haven't bought a new Wintel Machine in years, hoping they'd straighten out the O/S. Will it never end?

If you're looking for a hilarious, true account of the OSS, I recommend Roger Hall's "You're Stepping on My Cloak and Dagger".

James Carroll's "Secret Father" is next in the TBR queue.