It was not until the late nineteenth century when European powers were competing for power and influence throughout the world, that this genre became popular. It was at this time that espionage became important to national defense policies. By the outbreak of World War 1 intelligence and counterintelligence agencies had been formed, providing fuel for authors. Many books featured simplistically drawn good and evil characters and featured plots against the British by the Germans. One of the best spy thrillers of the time, featuring a plot by the Germans against the British navy, was The Thirty Nine Steps by John Buchan.
After World War 1 authors began to reveal a cynicism in their espionage novels. They were becoming critical of governments and their agencies. Their spies were often lonely individuals going through internal conflicts. One of these authors was Graham Greene.
A man who was writing a very different kind of espionage novel at the time was Ian Fleming. We all know his hero, James Bond, due to the exposure of the many movies based on his books. James Bond managed to escape from all sorts of dangerous situations, outwit evil villains and save beautiful damsels. The plots were far-fetched and the characters one dimensional but these books had an escapist appeal.
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 world of international espionage was changing and becoming less clear cut and this affected the books being written. The human costs involved were often high with innocent individuals being caught in the crossfire and corrupt agents being exposed. Operatives discovered that their missions were red herrings and had to face the fact that they were merely pawns in a larger chess game.
Espionage novels only really entered the mainstream in the 1960s and 1970s. When Frederick Forsyth wrote The Day of the Jackal he had no idea he was writing a best seller. He created such a realistic world that many were convinced they were reading a work of non-fiction. He took us inside the head of The Jackal, a cold blooded assassin with a contract to kill President Charles de Gaulle.
Initially the genre was dominated by British novelists but American authors such as Robert Ludlum and Tom Clancy changed this, writing best selling espionage fiction. The Jason Bourne character, who struggles to find out who he is and why his own government is trying to kill him, has become very well known.
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.
After World War 1 authors began to reveal a cynicism in their espionage novels. They were becoming critical of governments and their agencies. Their spies were often lonely individuals going through internal conflicts. One of these authors was Graham Greene.
A man who was writing a very different kind of espionage novel at the time was Ian Fleming. We all know his hero, James Bond, due to the exposure of the many movies based on his books. James Bond managed to escape from all sorts of dangerous situations, outwit evil villains and save beautiful damsels. The plots were far-fetched and the characters one dimensional but these books had an escapist appeal.
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 world of international espionage was changing and becoming less clear cut and this affected the books being written. The human costs involved were often high with innocent individuals being caught in the crossfire and corrupt agents being exposed. Operatives discovered that their missions were red herrings and had to face the fact that they were merely pawns in a larger chess game.
Espionage novels only really entered the mainstream in the 1960s and 1970s. When Frederick Forsyth wrote The Day of the Jackal he had no idea he was writing a best seller. He created such a realistic world that many were convinced they were reading a work of non-fiction. He took us inside the head of The Jackal, a cold blooded assassin with a contract to kill President Charles de Gaulle.
Initially the genre was dominated by British novelists but American authors such as Robert Ludlum and Tom Clancy changed this, writing best selling espionage fiction. The Jason Bourne character, who struggles to find out who he is and why his own government is trying to kill him, has become very well known.
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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