Mes influences (re-suite)

Une réponse à “Mes influences (re-suite)”

1. Talking of Len Deighton I wonder what Ian Fleming or John le Carré would have thought of the latest Ipcress File TV series. They allegedly occasionally met up with Len Deighton but alas their meetings ended in arguments about who was best equipped to write the most realistic books. It’s a shame all three focused on fiction. Fiction, fiction, fiction … why are so many spy novels thus? Factual novels enable the reader to research more about what’s in the novel in press cuttings, history books etc and such research can be as rewarding and compelling as reading an enthralling novel.

   Furthermore, if even just marginally autobiographical, the author has the opportunity to convey the protagonist’s genuine hopes and fears as opposed to hypothetical stuff any author can dream up about say what it feels like to avoid capture. A good example of a « real » raw noir espionage thriller is the first novel in The Burlington Files series. Its protagonist, Bill Fairclough (MI6 codename JJ) aka Edward Burlington, was of course a real as opposed to a celluloid spy and has even been likened to a « posh and sophisticated Harry Palmer ». Apparently Bill Fairclough who was one of Pemberton’s People in MI6 once contacted John le Carré in 2014 to do a collaboration. John le Carré replied « Why should I? I’ve got by so far without collaboration so why bother now? »

   A realistic response from a famous expert in fiction but maybe there was another more compelling and truthful reason. For more beguiling anecdotes best read a brief and intriguing News Article about Pemberton’s People in MI6 dated 31 October 2022 in TheBurlingtonFiles website and then read Beyond Enkription.

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