spy thriller recs for my husband?

elemenoP · 03-07-2011, 02:37 PM

My husband recently got back into reading novels and I would like to get him some for his birthday. His ultimate favorites: Robert Ludlum and Graham Greene. More recently he read Legal Tender by Lisa Scottoline and Bangkok 8 by John Burdett.

Any recommendations along these lines?

Thanks,
eP

seagull · 03-07-2011, 03:01 PM

I'd recommend anything by John le Carré, particularly 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold' and 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy'

jbcohen · 03-07-2011, 04:10 PM

My recommendation is rather than getting hooking him up with a particular author and having to search for a new one when that one dies I would recommend hooking him up with a group of authors who come and go as they so desire. This way your husband is guaranteed to have many years of great reading. To that end I typically suggest Mack Bolan, let me alaborate:

Mack Bolan grew up in Pittsfield, Mass where he lived with his parents, sister and brother (johnny). He was drafted into the military and served two tours of duty in Vietnam where he obtained the rank of Sargent. He returned to his home in Pittsfield on compationate leave when his family was slaughtered by the American Mafia to bury his family.

He then went on a one man crusade against the mafia vowing to "Shake their house down." He was chased by the mafia one one side and the law on the other, by two men in particualr Hal Brognola (who is now an Assistant Secretary in the US Department of Justice) and a young Los Angeles Police officer named Carl Lyons. Through the next twenty novels Mack took on the mafia and decimated them when Hal Brognola offered Mack a deal: Amnesty for all of his prior actions if he would join a new covert government intelligence organization called Stony Man, absed out of western virginia near a mountain called Stony Man from whence the organization took its name.

Over the next fifteen novels he worked with the organization and the love of his life April Rose until one fine day when the Stony Man offices (Stony Man Farm, because it was based out of a real working farm) was attacked a traitor in its ranks and the Soviet KGB. April took a bullet that was ment for Mack (this incident is called the Day of Morning). With that Day of Morning Mack broke with Stony Man and went on a one man crusafde against the KGB for the next thirty or so novels.

Now Mack works in arms length with the Stony Man organization that he used to work with. Now he still works with Stony Man and its two action teams Phoenix Force and Able Team and its seveal members.

The book series consists of five series:

Executioner - now nearing 400 books in the series that details the entire combat career of Mack Bolan, except for those exploits detail in the Super Bolan series. Typically around 180 pages each novel.

Super Bolan - Now around 150 novels and details other eventures of Mack Bolan. Typically around 300 pages each novel.

Stony Man - Details the exploits of the two Stony Man action teams: Able Team and Phoenix Force.

Deathlands - Takes place after a nucelar war between the US and USSR (called the skydark) and details a group of survivors living approximatly a century after the sky dark and the advanced technology of their day.

Outlands - Takes place a century after the events of the deathlands and the enemy has evolved from barons to alien overloards who were the ancient gods of ancient eygpt and the fertile crescent.

For more reading on the series try thee web sites:

mackbolan.com
jamesaxler.com

You will be able to find any of the books in any bookstore or Amazon or Borders search on the key words: Mack Bolan.

The publisher is at readgoldeagle.blogspot.com.

Penforhire · 03-07-2011, 05:26 PM

I'll second Le Carre and add Frederick Forsyth (Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Devil's Alternative, The Fourth Protocol, The Deceiver, The Fist of God). Both of them have out-of-date pacing (haven't read Forsyth's more recent sequel to Fist of God) but were top spy writers of their day.

GA Russell · 03-07-2011, 08:22 PM

I like Adam Hall's Quiller series. Last November I read The Ninth Directive and loved it.

Hoyt Clagwell · 03-07-2011, 08:41 PM

I enjoyed the BlackFord Oakes series by William F. Buckley. Here is the synopsis for the first book from Fantastic Fiction.

Quote:

Connoisseurs of the cloak-and-dagger tradition know William F. Buckley Jr as the creator of Blackford Oakes, America's top fictional secret agent and protagonist in ten of the most thrilling spy novels ever written. Blackford Oakes performed his first heroic effort in Saving the Queen, in which Buckley coaxes readers back to the earliest years of the Cold War. The year is 1952 and Harry Truman is president of the USA. The beautiful, young Queen Elizabeth has just settled on to the throne of England. The CIA, however, is baffled. Shocking things are going on at Buckingham Palace and vital Western military secrets are falling into Soviet hands. Worst of all, the leak has been traced directly to the Queen's chambers. A recent Yale graduate and ex-combat pilot, the debonair Oakes is selected to penetrate the Royal Circle, win the Queen's confidence and plug the leak. It all leads to an explosive showdown in the skies over London, one that could determine the future of the West.

Filark · 03-07-2011, 08:56 PM

My husband and I enjoy the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child (fast paced novels about an ex-military police officer which remind me a bit of the old "Fugitive" TV series), and the Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly (Bosch is former military, currently an LAPD detective). In my opinion Michael Connelly is the better writer of the two, but the Reacher novels are a good ride!

Another idea is buy him a gift certificate with recommendations -- that's what I'd do!

Sorry, my suggestions aren't properly "spy" thrillers, but I bet he'd like them! For classic spy thrillers, John LeCarre as mentioned already. Also look at Robert Ludlum, Frederick Forsyth, and Nelson DeMille.

Good luck, and have fun!!

wallcraft · 03-07-2011, 10:32 PM

Some john le carré novels are only available as ebooks in the UK. A recent spy novel in the tradition of Le Carrie is Slow Horses by Mick Herron - highly recommended.

SlowRain · 03-08-2011, 11:58 AM

John le Carré is the natural progression from Graham Greene. Greene wrote several purely thriller novels and several literary ones. Le Carré is sort of a combination of both--just longer and more developed. However, le Carré is almost the complete opposite of Robert Ludlum. Yes, they both have books about international intrigue, but Ludlum is usually a fast-paced, action-packed ride, whereas le Carré's characters spend a great deal of time talking and analyzing. So I guess it depends on what your husband prefers.

If he prefers the literary route, then I'd wholeheartedly recommend le Carré first and foremost. As mentioned above, start with Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy as it contains some possible spoilers for the other two in the loose trilogy, The Honourable Schoolboy and Smiley's People. It's also being (re)made into a movie with Gary Oldman as George Smiley. I think A Perfect Spy is his magnum opus. The Little Drummer Girl, The Russia House, and Our Game are all good, too. His more recent novels are a bit activist in tone, but are still decent. I didn't really care for Absolute Friends, so maybe give that one a miss for now.

You could also try the novels about spies in World War 2 by Alan Furst. He's lighter on plot and a bit sparer, but he's extremely atmospheric.

I also recommend The Turn-around by Vladimir Volkoff, but good luck finding it. You'll have to look in second-hand bookstores.

Vengeance: The True Story of an Israeli Counter-terrorist team by George Jonas, the basis for Spielberg's Munich, is quite interesting, too.

Some people like Len Deighton, but I haven't tried too much of his yet.

If your husband wants the faster-paced stuff, you could try Daniel Silva or maybe Henry Porter. I really don't know what else to recommend here as that's not my area of interest.

SlowRain · 03-08-2011, 11:59 AM

John le Carré is the natural progression from Graham Greene. Greene wrote several purely thriller novels and several literary ones. Le Carré is sort of a combination of both--just longer and more developed. However, le Carré is almost the complete opposite of Robert Ludlum. Yes, they both have books about international intrigue, but Ludlum is usually a fast-paced, action-packed ride, whereas le Carré's characters spend a great deal of time talking and analyzing. So I guess it depends on what your husband prefers.

If he prefers the literary route, then I'd wholeheartedly recommend le Carré first and foremost. As mentioned above, start with Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy as it contains some possible spoilers for the other two in the loose trilogy, The Honourable Schoolboy and Smiley's People. It's also being (re)made into a movie with Gary Oldman as George Smiley. I think A Perfect Spy is his magnum opus. The Little Drummer Girl, The Russia House, and Our Game are all good, too. His more recent novels are a bit activist in tone, but are still decent. I didn't really care for Absolute Friends, so maybe give that one a miss for now.

You could also try the novels about spies in World War 2 by Alan Furst. He's lighter on plot and a bit sparer, but he's extremely atmospheric.

I also recommend The Turn-around by Vladimir Volkoff, but good luck finding it. You'll have to look in second-hand bookstores.

Vengeance: The True Story of an Israeli Counter-terrorist team by George Jonas, the basis for Spielberg's Munich, is quite interesting, too.

If your husband wants the faster-paced stuff, you could try Daniel Silva or maybe Henry Porter. Shibumi by Trevanian is quite popular. I really don't know what else to recommend here as that's not my area of interest.

Wintings · 03-08-2011, 03:00 PM

Try anything by Alan Furst, "Legacy" by Alan Judd and "The Increment" by David Ignatius. Another great writer of spy fiction is Charles McCarry;try his earlier stuff such as "The Tears of Autumn", "The Secret Lovers", "The Better Angels" and "The Last Supper".

DavidRM · 03-08-2011, 03:09 PM

"Brotherhood of the Rose" by David Morrell. He also has "The League of Night and Fog", "Covenant of the Flame" and some others that might be of interest.

-David

elemenoP · 03-08-2011, 05:54 PM

Thanks, guys! Some of these names sound familiar from our bookshelves (meaning the real six foot high ones in the living room). Too bad the bookshelves don't have a "search" feature so I can see at a glance which titles he already has!

eP

gwynevans · 03-08-2011, 06:28 PM

I was passing a Waterstones in Milton Keynes last Saturday and got given "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" by John le Carré, as one of the World Book Night giveaways!

Anyway, my suggestion for a spy thriller author would be Adam Diment and his four "Phillip MacAlpine" novels, despite them not being available in eBook format!

Simon Wood · 03-11-2011, 12:48 AM

How about Trevanian. He wrote The Eiger Sanction amongst other titles. Very James Bondy.

And while we're on the subject of James Bond, check out the books. Very different from the movies.

03-07-2011, 02:37 PM	#1
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	spy thriller recs for my husband? My husband recently got back into reading novels and I would like to get him some for his birthday. His ultimate favorites: Robert Ludlum and Graham Greene. More recently he read Legal Tender by Lisa Scottoline and Bangkok 8 by John Burdett. Any recommendations along these lines? Thanks, eP

03-07-2011, 04:10 PM	#3
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,033 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	My recommendation is rather than getting hooking him up with a particular author and having to search for a new one when that one dies I would recommend hooking him up with a group of authors who come and go as they so desire. This way your husband is guaranteed to have many years of great reading. To that end I typically suggest Mack Bolan, let me alaborate: Mack Bolan grew up in Pittsfield, Mass where he lived with his parents, sister and brother (johnny). He was drafted into the military and served two tours of duty in Vietnam where he obtained the rank of Sargent. He returned to his home in Pittsfield on compationate leave when his family was slaughtered by the American Mafia to bury his family. He then went on a one man crusade against the mafia vowing to "Shake their house down." He was chased by the mafia one one side and the law on the other, by two men in particualr Hal Brognola (who is now an Assistant Secretary in the US Department of Justice) and a young Los Angeles Police officer named Carl Lyons. Through the next twenty novels Mack took on the mafia and decimated them when Hal Brognola offered Mack a deal: Amnesty for all of his prior actions if he would join a new covert government intelligence organization called Stony Man, absed out of western virginia near a mountain called Stony Man from whence the organization took its name. Over the next fifteen novels he worked with the organization and the love of his life April Rose until one fine day when the Stony Man offices (Stony Man Farm, because it was based out of a real working farm) was attacked a traitor in its ranks and the Soviet KGB. April took a bullet that was ment for Mack (this incident is called the Day of Morning). With that Day of Morning Mack broke with Stony Man and went on a one man crusafde against the KGB for the next thirty or so novels. Now Mack works in arms length with the Stony Man organization that he used to work with. Now he still works with Stony Man and its two action teams Phoenix Force and Able Team and its seveal members. The book series consists of five series: Executioner - now nearing 400 books in the series that details the entire combat career of Mack Bolan, except for those exploits detail in the Super Bolan series. Typically around 180 pages each novel. Super Bolan - Now around 150 novels and details other eventures of Mack Bolan. Typically around 300 pages each novel. Stony Man - Details the exploits of the two Stony Man action teams: Able Team and Phoenix Force. Deathlands - Takes place after a nucelar war between the US and USSR (called the skydark) and details a group of survivors living approximatly a century after the sky dark and the advanced technology of their day. Outlands - Takes place a century after the events of the deathlands and the enemy has evolved from barons to alien overloards who were the ancient gods of ancient eygpt and the fertile crescent. For more reading on the series try thee web sites: mackbolan.com jamesaxler.com You will be able to find any of the books in any bookstore or Amazon or Borders search on the key words: Mack Bolan. The publisher is at readgoldeagle.blogspot.com. Last edited by jbcohen; 03-07-2011 at 04:13 PM.

03-07-2011, 08:56 PM	#7
Filark Armed with a smile :) Posts: 1,421 Karma: 2463560 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: California, USA Device: enTourage eDGe & Pocket eDGe, Samsung Galaxy Note II	My husband and I enjoy the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child (fast paced novels about an ex-military police officer which remind me a bit of the old "Fugitive" TV series), and the Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly (Bosch is former military, currently an LAPD detective). In my opinion Michael Connelly is the better writer of the two, but the Reacher novels are a good ride! Another idea is buy him a gift certificate with recommendations -- that's what I'd do! Sorry, my suggestions aren't properly "spy" thrillers, but I bet he'd like them! For classic spy thrillers, John LeCarre as mentioned already. Also look at Robert Ludlum, Frederick Forsyth, and Nelson DeMille. Good luck, and have fun!! Last edited by Filark; 03-07-2011 at 09:04 PM.

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03-07-2011, 03:01 PM	#2
seagull Addict Posts: 247 Karma: 89950 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Amazon Kindle 2	I'd recommend anything by John le Carré, particularly 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold' and 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy'

03-07-2011, 05:26 PM	#4
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	I'll second Le Carre and add Frederick Forsyth (Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Devil's Alternative, The Fourth Protocol, The Deceiver, The Fist of God). Both of them have out-of-date pacing (haven't read Forsyth's more recent sequel to Fist of God) but were top spy writers of their day.

03-07-2011, 08:22 PM	#5
GA Russell Ticats/Als, Riders/Lions Posts: 7,717 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	I like Adam Hall's Quiller series. Last November I read The Ninth Directive and loved it.

03-07-2011, 10:32 PM	#8
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,977 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	Some john le carré novels are only available as ebooks in the UK. A recent spy novel in the tradition of Le Carrie is Slow Horses by Mick Herron - highly recommended.

03-08-2011, 11:58 AM	#9
SlowRain Addict Posts: 311 Karma: 9553 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: a Canadian expat in Taiwan Device: HTC 10, Asus Phonepad	John le Carré is the natural progression from Graham Greene. Greene wrote several purely thriller novels and several literary ones. Le Carré is sort of a combination of both--just longer and more developed. However, le Carré is almost the complete opposite of Robert Ludlum. Yes, they both have books about international intrigue, but Ludlum is usually a fast-paced, action-packed ride, whereas le Carré's characters spend a great deal of time talking and analyzing. So I guess it depends on what your husband prefers. If he prefers the literary route, then I'd wholeheartedly recommend le Carré first and foremost. As mentioned above, start with Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy as it contains some possible spoilers for the other two in the loose trilogy, The Honourable Schoolboy and Smiley's People. It's also being (re)made into a movie with Gary Oldman as George Smiley. I think A Perfect Spy is his magnum opus. The Little Drummer Girl, The Russia House, and Our Game are all good, too. His more recent novels are a bit activist in tone, but are still decent. I didn't really care for Absolute Friends, so maybe give that one a miss for now. You could also try the novels about spies in World War 2 by Alan Furst. He's lighter on plot and a bit sparer, but he's extremely atmospheric. I also recommend The Turn-around by Vladimir Volkoff, but good luck finding it. You'll have to look in second-hand bookstores. Vengeance: The True Story of an Israeli Counter-terrorist team by George Jonas, the basis for Spielberg's Munich, is quite interesting, too. Some people like Len Deighton, but I haven't tried too much of his yet. If your husband wants the faster-paced stuff, you could try Daniel Silva or maybe Henry Porter. I really don't know what else to recommend here as that's not my area of interest.

03-08-2011, 11:59 AM	#10
SlowRain Addict Posts: 311 Karma: 9553 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: a Canadian expat in Taiwan Device: HTC 10, Asus Phonepad	John le Carré is the natural progression from Graham Greene. Greene wrote several purely thriller novels and several literary ones. Le Carré is sort of a combination of both--just longer and more developed. However, le Carré is almost the complete opposite of Robert Ludlum. Yes, they both have books about international intrigue, but Ludlum is usually a fast-paced, action-packed ride, whereas le Carré's characters spend a great deal of time talking and analyzing. So I guess it depends on what your husband prefers. If he prefers the literary route, then I'd wholeheartedly recommend le Carré first and foremost. As mentioned above, start with Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy as it contains some possible spoilers for the other two in the loose trilogy, The Honourable Schoolboy and Smiley's People. It's also being (re)made into a movie with Gary Oldman as George Smiley. I think A Perfect Spy is his magnum opus. The Little Drummer Girl, The Russia House, and Our Game are all good, too. His more recent novels are a bit activist in tone, but are still decent. I didn't really care for Absolute Friends, so maybe give that one a miss for now. You could also try the novels about spies in World War 2 by Alan Furst. He's lighter on plot and a bit sparer, but he's extremely atmospheric. I also recommend The Turn-around by Vladimir Volkoff, but good luck finding it. You'll have to look in second-hand bookstores. Vengeance: The True Story of an Israeli Counter-terrorist team by George Jonas, the basis for Spielberg's Munich, is quite interesting, too. If your husband wants the faster-paced stuff, you could try Daniel Silva or maybe Henry Porter. Shibumi by Trevanian is quite popular. I really don't know what else to recommend here as that's not my area of interest.

03-08-2011, 03:00 PM	#11
Wintings Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle	Try anything by Alan Furst, "Legacy" by Alan Judd and "The Increment" by David Ignatius. Another great writer of spy fiction is Charles McCarry;try his earlier stuff such as "The Tears of Autumn", "The Secret Lovers", "The Better Angels" and "The Last Supper".

03-08-2011, 03:09 PM	#12
DavidRM Addict Posts: 203 Karma: 1007768 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Device: Kindle	"Brotherhood of the Rose" by David Morrell. He also has "The League of Night and Fog", "Covenant of the Flame" and some others that might be of interest. -David

03-08-2011, 05:54 PM	#13
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	Thanks, guys! Some of these names sound familiar from our bookshelves (meaning the real six foot high ones in the living room). Too bad the bookshelves don't have a "search" feature so I can see at a glance which titles he already has! eP

03-08-2011, 06:28 PM	#14
gwynevans Wizzard Posts: 1,402 Karma: 2000000 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: iPad 2, iPhone 6s, Kindle Voyage & Kindle PaperWhite	I was passing a Waterstones in Milton Keynes last Saturday and got given "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" by John le Carré, as one of the World Book Night giveaways! Anyway, my suggestion for a spy thriller author would be Adam Diment and his four "Phillip MacAlpine" novels, despite them not being available in eBook format!

03-11-2011, 12:48 AM	#15
Simon Wood Addict Posts: 237 Karma: 400001 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: California Device: none	How about Trevanian. He wrote The Eiger Sanction amongst other titles. Very James Bondy. And while we're on the subject of James Bond, check out the books. Very different from the movies.