Review
In essence,
The Spanish Game is a novel in two parts. The
first, longer section serves to set the scene and introduce us to
the protagonist, Alec Millius. Cumming's considerable literary
talent is most evident here. He describes modern-day Spain in
loving, exacting detail that transports the reader in a way only
top-notch writing can. He is equally exacting in the creation and
description of his characters:
"Mikel Arenaza, politician and friend of
terror, is a lively, engaging man – I could tell as much by his
manner on the phone – but the full extent of his ebullient
self-confidence becomes apparent only upon meeting him. We arrange
to have a drink in the old town of San Sebastian, not in an herriko
taberna – the type of down-at-heel pub favored by the radical,
left-wing...
Beyond the Book
Like many spy thrillers,
The Spanish Game is awash in an
alphabet soup of acronyms. Below is a brief translation for the
uninitiated.
MI5: "Military Intelligence, Section 5." Formed in 1909, MI5
is a UK counter-intelligence and security agency which concentrates
its efforts mainly on security issues within the UK (approximately
equivalent to the FBI). For more about the Military Intelligence
Units & MI5 see the sidebar to
At Risk by Stella Rimmington.
SIS: "Secret Intelligence Service" (sometimes incorrectly
known as MI6). Formed in 1909 as the Secret Service Bureau, the SIS
is the UK's external intelligence-gathering agency (approximately
equivalent to the CIA). During...
