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A review by iggy63
The Ipcress File by Len Deighton
3.0
I've been meaning to read Len Deighton for years, and finally got around to it. Cold war era espionage is appealing, and I had heard good things (it was a best seller, led to a a film adaptation in 1965, and started a very long writing career). His debut novel has its moments, but overall I think it's a slightly flawed. It's a pretty straightforward plot, but numerous times I found myself saying "What just happened?" Deighton seemed to gloss over some major plot points, and twice I consulted an on-line synopsis of the novel to get me back on track. Maybe we can chalk it up to a first time writer, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and read the next book. But beware of some vague explanations and abrupt (confusing) transitions.
The mood is certainly Cold War era and very British, and I liked that, even though I was occasionally lost with his extremely British references. There have been comparisons to Ian Fleming, but after this first one, I feel Fleming is a better writer, despite his dips into racism and sexism (both generally absent Deighton's writing). The unnamed protagonist here is the anti-Bond, being somewhat bookish and self-conscious. He's a secret agent in an realistic, analytical way, and is perhaps a more realistic example of British "Intelligence" than the suave, international 007. There's an element of bureaucratic muddling and squabbling that is absent from the Bond novels. On the other hand, I feel like Fleming's novels have more universal appeal, while the Ipcress File may have delighted the Brits a little more than everyone else, if that makes any sense. I'll read on see what comes next.
The mood is certainly Cold War era and very British, and I liked that, even though I was occasionally lost with his extremely British references. There have been comparisons to Ian Fleming, but after this first one, I feel Fleming is a better writer, despite his dips into racism and sexism (both generally absent Deighton's writing). The unnamed protagonist here is the anti-Bond, being somewhat bookish and self-conscious. He's a secret agent in an realistic, analytical way, and is perhaps a more realistic example of British "Intelligence" than the suave, international 007. There's an element of bureaucratic muddling and squabbling that is absent from the Bond novels. On the other hand, I feel like Fleming's novels have more universal appeal, while the Ipcress File may have delighted the Brits a little more than everyone else, if that makes any sense. I'll read on see what comes next.