16 replies to this topic

[Santa]

http://www.independe...ls-2316976.html

Number 10: Seriously? This must be an advert.

[OmarB]

Good post. I have not read like 3 or 4 of those so I guess I've got some holes in my collection. Funny how CB is on there, it's gonna chaff some people.

[Dustin]

Bourne Ultimatum on #3 is nobody doing a favour. It's easily the worst of the three Bournes.

Restless on #4 is a good recommendation, an overlooked gem. Albeit I feel it's very high up on the list. I'd perhaps rate it in the top twenty, somewhere around 10 or so.

From Russia With Love definitely belongs among the top three in my view, with practically any Ambler and a lot of the leCarré oeuvre keeping it company.

Carte Blanche would not show up on any list of contemporary espionage higher than 60 to 50 perhaps. Any book by Charles Cumming (particularly Typhoon), Jeremy Duns, David Wolstencroft, Greg Rucka, Barry Eisler and most of David Morrell and Alistair MacLean is vastly superior to Carte Blanche. It's truly quite average, the most interesting thing about it the use of Bond, without whom them book would be a mostly forgettable affair.

Has to be an ad. Could have been bolder and rank it at #1, not much difference.

Edited by Dustin, 21 July 2011 - 06:08 PM.

[Skudor]

LOL
Each to their own, the links to places where you can buy them speaks volumes though.

[Jump James]

Bourne Ultimatum on #3 is nobody doing a favour. It's easily the worst of the three Bournes.

Restless on #4 is a good recommendation, an overlooked gem. Albeit I feel it's very high up on the list. I'd perhaps rate it in the top twenty, somewhere around 10 or so.

From Russia With Love definitely belongs among the top three in my view, with practically any Ambler and a lot of the leCarré oeuvre keeping it company.

Carte Blanche would not show up on any list of contemporary espionage higher than 60 to 50 perhaps. Any book by Charles Cumming (particularly Typhoon), Jeremy Duns, David Wolstencroft, Greg Rucka, Barry Eisler and most of David Morrell and Alistair MacLean is vastly superior to Carte Blanche. It's truly quite average, the most interesting thing about it the use of Bond, without whom them book would be a mostly forgettable affair.

Has to be an ad. Could have been bolder and rank it at #1, not much difference.

Agreed Dustin, and I also agree on your above Author choices.

(Mothers reading Carte Blanche at the moment. Sent text to say very enjoyable so far. She hasnt read Fleming since the 60s so I suspect she will enjoy it. Good for her.)

Edited by Jump James, 21 July 2011 - 06:46 PM.

[Loomis]

Any book by Charles Cumming (particularly Typhoon)

Yes, TYPHOON is well worth a read, although I enjoyed the plot far less than I did the wealth of detail on China and Hong Kong.

As for CARTE BLANCHE, I doubt it's even one of the ten best spy novels published so far this year, let alone a classic for all seasons.

[Harmsway]

Lousy list.

[Guy Haines]

Who compiles these lists? I understand FRWL being there, but Carte Blanche? I enjoyed it, much more than the last continuation Bond, but really, does it belong on the top ten of all time? I doubt it. There because whoever compiled this list was stuck for the tenth entry, then in a "lightbulb" moment realised there was a new Bond book out?

[Major Tallon]

Who compiles these lists? I understand FRWL being there, but Carte Blanche? I enjoyed it, much more than the last continuation Bond, but really, does it belong on the top ten of all time? I doubt it. There because whoever compiled this list was stuck for the tenth entry, then in a "lightbulb" moment realised there was a new Bond book out?

If the compiler was searching for a tenth book, he should have recalled any of Adam Hall's wonderful Quiller adventures. Or the works of Graham Greene. Or Leslie Charteris. Or the Ashenden stories. Or, well, a dozen others.

[Kilroy6644]

Yeah, The Bourne Ultimatum and Carte Blanche don't belong there. I thoroughly enjoyed CB, but it ranks below all of Fleming's books, which means any one of them would make this list before it. I don't really know what I'd substitute, though. Turns out, I really don't read all that many spy novels.

[The Shark]

No Trevanian, Deighton, Forsyth or Greene, but Deaver?

FFS.

[Jim]

Fret not my lovelies; this newspaper does one of these ten best lists every day. Yesterday's was travel games and I know I've seen them do watering cans, paper shredders and cheese graters in the recent past. Believe me, the fora of CommanderCheddar.net are ablaze - everyone knows that the Clunge500x grater is the best and they didn't even mention it and went and put the JuggermuggerJhifhp043 on the list but that's only 'cos it's new and everyone knows it takes yer fingers off.

"Here are 10 spy novels" might have been a better title.

For what it's worth, today's appears to be ten best ice cream makers. Probably more credible, certainly more helpful.

[Miles Miservy]

This list is incredibly suggestive. Several honorable mentions are ignored, such as:

David Baldacci
Tom Clancy
Ken Follett
Frederick Forsyth &
Jack Higgins

...just to name a few.

[Jump James]

Jim's correct. Samuel Muston has done quite a bit of extensive work on 10 best of.....

Bedside Lamps

Can Openers

Beach Towels

Sofas


Also some Bathroom scales. 10 of them. But no Deighton.

[Syndicate]

I would have like to see them think about these novel as choices for the 10 best spy novels.

The Hunt For Red October by Tom Clancy
The Cardinal Of Kremlin by Tom Clancy
Clear And Present Danger by Tom Clancy
The Sum Of All Fears by Tom Clancy
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy By John Le Carre
Smiley's People by John Le Carre
The Russia House by John Le Carre
The Day Of The Jackal by Fredrick Forsyth
The Fourth Protocol by Fredrick Forsyth
The October Circle by Robert Littell
The Company: A Novel of the CIA by Robert Littell
Body of Lies by David Ignatius
The Brotherhood Of The Rose by David Morrell
The Enemy Within by Larry Bond
Secret Families by John Gardner
License Renewed by John Gardner
Role Of Honor by John Gardner

Well what are the ones they have looked at or through about before coming to those 10. That is what they should also have talk about. The only one I agree with them is The Spy who Came In From The Cold.

Edited by Syndicate, 24 July 2011 - 12:00 AM.

[univex]

Lousy list.

That´s putting it mildly. It´s really an awful list But I guess it´s a matter of taste as well. I wouldn´t have lacking from a list of the sorts something like Pigeon Project or The Spy who came in from the cold, From Russia with Love or Our Man in Havana. I hate lists, they go out of date so quickly.

[Jim]

Yesterday's list of ten best was flasks. There y'go - spy novels considered as commodities similar to flasks, or coathangers. May be something in that.

FlaskJeeves.com is UP IN ARMS about the results, I tells yer.

Personally I am looking forward to the list of ten best clawhammers. It's the offspring's summer holidays and I need a new clawhammer (it's daily moving beyond want). I will not be able to make up my mind without being told which is the best buy and most easily disposed of, which sinks quickest into a canal, which is quickest to wipe clean of matted hair and gore and bits o'brain.