The freedom trap
Another novel by Desmond Bagley, author of The Vivero Letter, one of my all time favourite writers. I only wish I could have met him.
The Freedom Trap was first published in 1971 and is said to be loosely based on the escape of, spy, double agent and traitor depending on your point of view, George Blake from prison five years earlier. It was made into a film in 1973, called The Mackintosh Man, starring Paul Newman.
The fiction story starts with Joseph Rearden who is a villain from South Africa . He meets an agent of MI5 in London called Mackintosh, who recruits him for an assignment. It is a dangerous task and is to trap The Scarperers who are a well known gang of criminals who gaol-breaking long-term prisoners. He is also to catch Slade who is a Russian double agent whom they recently helped to escape. Rearden is told to rob a postman with a packet of uncut diamonds. He is then ‘caught’ and sent to jail in hopes that he can contact the Scarperers. It is a clever and exciting plot which races to Malta and beyond……well worth a read.
In the mid 20th century, British writers such as Hammond Innes, Alistair MacLean, Desmond Bagley set out the conventions of the thriller genre. Their heroes were a resilient and resourceful ordinary individuals facing tremendous odds. The villains were utterly ruthless in pursuit of their goals.
Desmond Bagleyren beste nobela bat, The Vivero Letter-en egilea, nire idazle gogokoenetako bat. Ezagutzea bakarrik nahi nuke.
Freedom Trap 1971n argitaratu zen lehen aldiz, eta bost urte lehenago George Blake kartzelatik zetorren, espioiaren, agente bikoitzaren eta traidorearen ihesean oinarrituta omen dago. 1973an film bat egin zuten, The Mackintosh Man izenekoa, Paul Newman protagonista zuela.
Fikzio istorioa Hegoafrikako gaiztoa den Joseph Reardenekin hasten da. MI5 agenteko agente bat ezagutuko du Londresen Mackintosh izenekoa, eta honek zeregin baterako kontratatuko du. Zeregin arriskutsua da eta epe luzeko presoak hausten dituzten gaizkile talde ezaguna diren Scarperers harrapatzea da. Gainera, duela gutxi ihes egiten lagundu zioten agente biko errusiarra den Slade harrapatzekoa da. Reardenek postari bati ebaki gabeko diamante pakete batekin lapurreta egiteko esan dio. Gero “harrapatu” eta espetxera bidali dute Scarperers-ekin harremanetan jartzeko itxaropenarekin. Trama argia eta zirraragarria da, Maltara eta haratago lasterketetan ibiltzen dena … irakurtzea merezi du.
Mendearen erdialdean, Hammond Innes, Alistair MacLean, Desmond Bagley bezalako idazle britainiarrek thriller generoaren konbentzioak zehaztu zituzten. Haien heroiak izugarrizko probabilitateak zituzten gizabanako arrunt erresilienteak eta aberatsak ziren. Gaizkileak erabat gupidagabeak ziren helburuak lortzeko.
Photo by Carla Anne on Unsplash
