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I have a burning need to know stuff and I love asking awkward questions.

Thursday, June 14, 2012



Just Finished Reading: The Ipcress File by Len Deighton

The story starts when the unnamed protagonist (called Harry Palmer and played by Michael Caine in the 1965 movie adaptation) is transferred from his old post in Military Intelligence – probably part of what is now called MI5 – into a counter-espionage unit led by the enigmatic character Dalby. Here he learns that British scientists have been disappearing over the past few months and it’s their job to find out what is happening and stop it. Of course things are simply not that easy. The chief suspect is thought to be a double agent – although there’s no proof that he is – and the one scientist they get back has large chunks of his memory missing and is now useless to HM Government. If that wasn’t bad enough the American’s suspect that MI5 has been penetrated by the Russians and ‘Harry’ is their main suspect.

When it was published in 1962 this novel was hailed as a breakthrough in the espionage genre. For the first time spying was shown as just another job with meetings, file keeping, arguments over expenses and heavy layers of bureaucracy. It showed, or at least appeared to show, the more down-to-earth side of things. So much so that it drips with the details and minutia that embedded it firmly in its time and place thereby dating it very badly. Probably a good thing at the time but over 40 years later maybe not – except maybe for the social historians amongst its readership. That may have been part of what helped confused me for ¾ of the book. Although it was eminently readable I really didn’t have much of a clue what was going on. Memories of the film didn’t help much as (IIRC) the plot was significantly different – with enough similarities to make it even more confusing! I’ve read several Deighton books in the past – most recently XPD – and have pretty much enjoyed all of them (in particular SS-GB). But I can’t honestly say the same about this offering. One for dedicated Deighton fans only I think. 

6 comments:

wstachour said...

Never heard of this author, but it sounds a bit like John LeCarré (as opposed to Ian Fleming's take on what a spy should be).

CyberKitten said...

wunelle said: it sounds a bit like John LeCarré (as opposed to Ian Fleming's take on what a spy should be.

I think so yes, at least sort of. I haven't read any LeCarre and only have memories of the TV series made from his books (not having seen the latest movie yet) but I think it covers more of the day job aspects of things rather than the 'glamour' end.

Of course the Bond books are very different than most of the films. Having read them *many* years ago they're much more like the Daniel Craig Bond than, say, the Roger Moore version. I might actually dig them out again at some point and see if they're still readable.... [muses]

wstachour said...

I think Craig has kind of revitalized the whole franchise. After his first knockout installment, I was less enamored with the second (Quantum Of Solace, as I recall), but we saw it on TV on the cruise ship and it was better than I remember. Eager for the third now.

CyberKitten said...

wunelle said: Eager for the third now.

Ditto. I've seen all of the Bond films (most at the cinema) so can't stop now especially, as you said, Craig has given the series a much needed boost.

wstachour said...

It's interesting to go back and see how badly SOME of the films have aged. What struck us as savvy or cool or hip or sophisticated decades ago seems pretty lame now. Time marches on, I guess.

But the stories that don't rely on gadgetry or anything too strenuously topical to the present day seem to wear better. In Dr. No, Bond was just a guy out trying to investigate a mystery that happened to relate to the burgeoning space program. Not too much gadgetry, just swagger, booze, sex and an international setting.

Well, these things still work.

CyberKitten said...

Technology quickly ages where brawn and whit (and the more simple handguns) just don't I'm guessing....