Intelligence work, real intelligence work, has almost zero in common with James Bond. There's no dry martinis and shootouts with Walther PPKs. There damn sure aren't any stupid castles made of ice that all of the sudden begin to melt and threaten the life of Halle Berry.
Instead the real craft of spywork, as masterfully demonstrated in author Greg Rucka's Queen & Country comic book series, is in the politics of it all. The infighting between British intelligence deparments and squabblings between section heads drives a large portion of the action in Rucka's series. And while reading the heated arguments of bureaucratic heads might seem about as mundane as picking out socks, Rucka has a way of making these moments of tension shine. Of course, this is mainly due to his solid balance of kinetic action and subtle characterization. You understand SIS Operations chief's Paul Crocker's frustration with his superiors as clearly as you feel each action-packed punch suffered by special agent Tara Chace's while in the field.
In Rucka's lastest book, A Gentleman's Game (the first novel in the Queen & Country series), Rucka takes on the personas of Crocker and Chace and puts them in some of their toughest spots yet. For Crocker, it's a matter of dealing with the politics of governmental forces beyond his control, which threaten to place the lives of his agents (known as Minders, of which Chace is one) in danger. For Chace, forced to carry out the desultory whims of HMG, it's simply a matter of survival.
As a fan of Rucka's other novels, as well as the Q&C comic series, I eagerly awaited the first book in the series. I wasn't disappointed, as the book offers a compelling and detailed look at the world of espionage. From the soul-deadening down time between operations, to moments of bullet-speed action, the book explores all aspects of the spying life to convincing and entertaining effect. I can't wait for the next book in the series, due sometime in next year.
One other thought for those familiar with the Q&C comics: The events in the book have serious and permanent consequences for the comic series. For fans of the Q&C comics, this book is essential. For those new to the genre, to the series, or to Rucka himself, the book is a fine place to start.