The Enemy

My opinion
I think that this book is good for people who like reading easy detective stories. But it is far too short for people who are used to reading detective stories. The plot is too easy forpeople who know some stories like that. And it is too easy to see through. But I think it’s a good book for people who start reading English books, because it’s easy to understand.
Written: Sep 09 '00Pros:Fast moving story with great characters
Cons:Nothing that isn't genre-specific

“Smashing New Thriller” and “International Bestseller!” That’s what the cover blurbs read on Desmond Bagley’sThe Enemy. Unfortunately, while Bagley’s work sold very well, he never gained the stature that others in the field did, and that’s a shame because his work remains some of my favorite in the thrillerfield.

Bagley was a wonderful British author who died almost twenty years ago. He didn’t write with the grace of a John MacDonald or the twisty-turny plots of Robert Ludlum or the historicalsettings of a Ken Follett or Jack Higgins. What he did extremely well, however, was plot the adventures of sympathetic characters. And like the best thriller writers, Bagley was a man of many interests whostayed cutting edge.

There may not be a better example of this trend then The Enemy’s focus on genetics and the dangers of mutating the human genome. That doesn’t seem so unusual in today’s world,but Bagley wrote this plot 23 years ago in 1977. You’ll even get a peak at a highly unorthodox computer – a good four years before the PC was even introduced.

Like his other stories, The Enemyhas a likeable British chap named Malcolm Jaggard who would be non-descript save for the fact that he’s just a little different than the other characters. He’s a little more self-assured, a little moreskilled and a little luckier than the other characters. Bagley pulls this off with his customary taut writing and by eschewing the trappings of a James Bond-like character. Yes, Malcolm falls in...