DOC and Sam Durell

[Dave]

Sam Durell was the lead character of the ASSIGNMENT paperback series
-- a CIA agent from the 1950s to 1980's (?)

I picked up ASSIGNMENT: SUICIDE at the library used book sale. An
early entry, from 1956. The plot is the same as Dent's THE RED
SPIDER. Enough that I wonder if Dent tossed it off as an idea he'd
never been able to use.

Durell parachutes into Russia undercover. Met by a Russian woman he
can't trust. The mission is to find the mystery-man among the
Russians who dreams of a war with the West that he believes will make
him the leader of Russia -- and we have different factions of the
Politbureau, jockeying for position -- maybe helping, maybe not.

Of course, Sam is a lot quicker to jump into bed than DOC ever was

Dave

[m***@peoplepc.com]

I'll read that one next. I have all the assignment paperbacks by
Edward Aarons--I think there's over forty or so. Excellent spy yarns
with good, crisp writing but they seem forgotten now with the end of
the cold war. They are generally fast moving adventures with good
plots and interesting characters.

[Dave]

Ouch. Had to put it on high-skim to make my way through it. THE RED
SPIDER is superior to ASSIGNMENT SUICIDE. Way too much coincidence
and capture and escape to pad out a simple plot. Makes you realize
how good donald Hamilton was.

Dave

[m***@peoplepc.com]

Well, Dave, IMO those early assignment novels of the 50's were not as
good as the later ones in the series. Personally, I prefer the ones
written in the 60's and 70's.

[Dave]

Post by m***@peoplepc.com
Well, Dave, IMO those early assignment novels of the 50's were not as
good as the later ones in the series. Personally, I prefer the ones
written in the 60's and 70's.

No argument from me -- I've always found them to be reliable page-
turners, but ASSIGNMENT SUICIDE was just awful. Local color for the
USSR from NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, it seemed, and just too much pulpy
coincidence.

Dave

[m***@peoplepc.com]

I started Assignment Suicide and after the first chapter it didn't
grab me like his other novels seem to do. His narrative is usually
crisp so I don't get it.