EricCWelch

Adam Hall (one of Elleston Trevor' many pseudonyms) wrote many classic spy stories, and this one is considered one of his best. Apparently, it was made into a classic movie and there is even a website compiled by Trevor devotees. He was the author of [book:Flight of the Phoenix] which became a really great movie. His Quiller books have been compared favorably to Le Carre' novels although the first was written before Le Carre' Trevor himself has noted the similarity but claims his Quiller is much less intellectual. Quiller is a secret agent, a spy, and in this early work he has been assigned to track down a neo-Nazi organization (this was written in the sixties) called Phoenix that is directed by Heinrich Zossen. Quiller is familiar with Zossen whom he last saw at an execution pit. During the war, Quiller had operated under cover as a German soldier and attempted to save the lives of Jews. He considered his mission a failure. Indeed, much of what we know about Quiller comes from negatives. He doesn' smoke or drink, has no relatives, apparently owns nothing, and his relationship with his controllers could best be described as untrusting. He knows they manipulate him, but he must put up with it because they are his only entree into the shadowy moral never-never-land that he thrives in. He despises fools and dilettantes, priding himself in his professionalism. He also refuses to carry a gun, claiming that not having one gives him a substantial psychological edge over his enemies. There' a great explanation of his rationale that I can' resist quoting in its entirety because it accurately reflects my own position. Quiller has been drugged and captured by the Phoenix group and is being held for interrogation. There are about four men in the room and he explains why not having a weapon provides him with an advantage. " you have the advantage unarmed providing the enemy knows that you are....Knowing you have no gun they' not afraid of you. There is a natural spur to alertness. Unarmed you disarm them. . . .A gun is psychologically a penis substitute and a symbol of power, the age range of toy shop clientele begins at about six or seven, rises sharply just before puberty and declines rapidly soon after the discovery of the phallus and its power. From then on guns are for kids and the effete freaks and misfits who must seek psycho-orgasmic relief shooting pheasants." Great line. So Quiller must rely on his wits (refreshing change).