Spies: The Action We Want In On

Many novels in the Spy fiction genre have been adapted for films, including works by John le Carré, Robert Ludlum and John Buchan. These are old classics, interpreting the imagination of the authors to the viewers through sound and colour. Popular demand caused these films to be made, their producers seeing an enormous gap in the film industry.

These films have sparked the beginning of a new era of Spy fiction. Nowadays there are thousands of novels which have been adapted into film, such as the James Bond and Alex Rider Series, as well as the Cherub and Henderson's Boys books. At the same time, action thriller films began to spring up, now filling almost 15% of the total film market. Famous films include Johnny English, Austin Powers and Charlie's Angels. 

However, today most contemporary Spy stories have trended away from spectacular fantasies and terrifying situations in favor of realism. The gadgets and private planes have been swapped for guns and secret identities, hiding and running rather than openly pursuing the opposition. This trend can be seen in the Bourne films, the latest Bond films and most films headlining Jason Statham. 

Offering a combination of technological thrills, exciting escapism and action-packed adventures, the generic spy film combines the science fiction and action genres that audiences just can't get enough of. The dream of one day being caught up in a twisting tale of corruption and lies is similar to that of one day living on the moon, but we watch it incessantly anyway. 

Personally I love Spy stories. The secretive and bad-ass attitude is so different from my own that its easy to be caught up in the plot line and forget myself as I read through their adventures. Perhaps I have a predisposition for spies because I once wanted to be one desperately. Fortunately, rather than pursuing that route, I found that I possessed a skill for writing, and now narrate the exploits of my own fictional spy characters into a series of novels. 

In the coming weeks I will tell you more about my novels, and eventually post the chapters up on this blog. I hope you enjoy it, and in the meantime, my question to you is: Do you prefer reading about spies, or watching them in action?