The Contract: A Novel of Suspense

by Gerald Seymour

Set against a backdrop of the treacherous East/West German border, this tells of the journey into redemption for a disgraced British army officer who requires the defection of a top flight Soviet scientist.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Espionage

431 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Gerald Seymour (born 25 November 1941 in Guildford, Surrey) is a British writer.

The son of two literary figures, he was educated at Kelly College at Tavistock in Devon and took a BA Hons degree in Modern History at University College London. Initially a journalist, he joined ITN in 1963, covering such topics as the Great Train Robbery, Vietnam, Ireland, the Munich Olympics massacre, Germany's Red Army, Italy's Red Brigades and Palestinian militant groups. His first book, Harry's Game, was published in 1975, and Seymour then became a full-time novelist, living in the West Country. In 1999, he featured in the Oscar-winning television film, One Day in September, which portrayed the Munich Olympics massacre.
Television adaptations have been made of his books Harry's Game, The Glory Boys, The Contract, Red Fox, Field Of Blood, A Line In The Sand and The Waiting Time.

Reviews

[George K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Το Συμβόλαιο", εκδόσεις Καρρέ.

Ο Τζέραλντ Σέιμουρ είναι ένας σχετικά γνωστός Βρετανός συγγραφέας κατασκοπευτικών θρίλερ, με το πιο πολυδιαβασμένο έργο του να είναι το Harry's Game, που έγινε και τηλεοπτική μίνι σειρά. Στα ελληνικά έχουν μεταφραστεί σίγουρα τρία μυθιστορήματα του (The Contract, The Glory Boys, Red Fox), τα οποία ανήκουν στην συλλογή μου. Το "Συμβόλαιο" είναι το πρώτο μυθιστόρημα του συγγραφέα που διαβάζω και σίγουρα με άφησε ευχαριστημένο.

Οι Βρετανοί θέλουν στα χέρια τους έναν κορυφαίο επιστήμονα που εργάζεται στα πυραυλικά συστήματα των Σοβιετικών και η τέλεια ευκαιρία είναι τον μήνα όπου ο επιστήμονας αυτός θα κάνει διακοπές με την κόρη του στο Μαγδεμβούργο, που είναι κοντά στα σύνορα. Έτσι, θα σταλεί στα επικίνδυνα εδάφη της Λαοκρατικής Δημοκρατίας της Γερμανίας ένας Βρετανός στρατιωτικός, για να φέρει εις πέρας την αποστολή αυτή. Όμως πολλά πράγματα δεν θα πάνε σύμφωνα με το σχέδιο... Η κεντρική ιδέα δεν είναι πρωτότυπη, μιας και πολλές ιστορίες έχουν γραφεί με τέτοιο θέμα, όμως έτσι όπως είναι γραμμένο το βιβλίο, με την εξαιρετικά ρεαλιστική εξέλιξη της πλοκής και τις ωραίες περιγραφές, το κάνουν αρκετά ξεχωριστό στο συγκεκριμένο είδος. Μου άρεσε πολύ ο τρόπος αφήγησης, οι περιγραφές των κινήσεων σε πολιτικό και επιχειρησιακό επίπεδο, καθώς και η δράση, που ήταν σε φυσιολογικά επίπεδα. Επίσης οι χαρακτήρες μου φάνηκαν αρκετά ικανοποιητικοί, ενώ ενδιαφέρον είχαν και κάποιες σκέψεις τους για τα πολιτικά τεκταινόμενα. Τέλος, η γραφή πολύ καλή και ιδιαίτερα ευκολοδιάβαστη ενώ η ατμόσφαιρα εξαιρετική.

Γενικά, ένα πολύ καλό κατασκοπευτικό-ψυχροπολεμικό θρίλερ, με όλα τα καλούδια του είδους. Και, μάλιστα, χωρίς χάπι εντ. Σίγουρα είναι ένα βιβλίο που προτείνω σε όλους όσους θέλουν τέτοιου είδους ιστορίες, μιας και εγγυημένα θα περάσουν κάποιες ευχάριστες ώρες. Ελπίζω μόνο να ευχαριστηθώ εξίσου το ίδιο και τα άλλα δυο βιβλία του που έχω στην βιβλιοθήκη μου. Η μετάφραση μου φάνηκε αρκετά καλή και προσεγμένη για τα χρόνια της.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this espionage/political thriller about a disgraced soldier (he shot a teenage girl in N. Ireland, thinking she was an IRA terrorist) who is employed by MI6 to exfiltrate an important Soviet scientist from East Germany to West Germany, and thence to England. He knows how the border works (terrifying: razor wire, electric fences and alarms) but first has to persuade the scientist to go with him. He also has to do all this without the knowledge or help of the West German authorities, who are not best pleased when they find out what their ally, Britain, is doing on their territory without their consent.
His MI6 handler is an experienced middle-ranking agent who is a bit cynical and disparaging of his masters, though he has to follow orders, which causes problems, especially as the mission is top secret and, therefore, deniable.
The ultimate boss is the minister, who is interested in his reputation rather than about the people, of course.
The ending is not too happy and can leave you feeling cynical about 'the powers that be' but the whole story comes across as plausible, realistic and is a thoroughly good read, along the lines of The Spy Who Came in From the Cold.
I had not heard of Gerald Seymour and picked this book up in a charity shop. I was shocked at how good it is and a bit saddened that such good books are not more widely promoted.
This will appeal to lovers of espionage stories and those who grew up in the seventies and remember the height of the cold war (which I believe never ended, btw!)

[Eric_W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poor Willi Guttmann. Like a dying bear in a pit with fighting dogs. That's the image Seymour conveys as British agents attempt to learn about his father's role with a Russian weapons system. They had helped Willy escape from the Russian trade delegation in Geneva after he had fallen in love with a girl and got her pregnant. His escape was designed to be seen as an accident. The KGB is not so certain. And MI6 soon realizes that Willi has nothing to offer, Willi learns Lizzie was not really pregnant, thinks MI6 might be out to kill his father, and he becomes a pawn in a much larger game.

There is much to like in this story and a great deal that resonates even today: the conflict between the intelligence service and the Prime Minister (there is a marvelous scene with the two sparring verbally) the service knowing the chief is but a temporary occupant of the post; incompetence coupled with arrogance leading to accidents; fear of a superior's opprobrium justifying not passing alone information he really should have been given; the disdain of field officers for the blokes at the head office who have no clue how to do things; and the inevitable things going wrong as the best laid plans get all f'd up.

Seymour's characters are believable, the setting seems quite real, and I would put his books up against Le Carre any day.

[Eswee42 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always forget how much I like to read the old books, where the cold war and/or the iron curtain are still a daily reality to people. It feels like fiction, even though I know it's cold hard reality of a not so long ago history. Gerald Seymour has written this story from every possible angle, and has added a lot of historical details about happenings back then. The story itself is intriguing, full of suspense and hope that they will possibly make it till the other side of the iron curtain and at the same time dread about the possibility of failure. It feels realistic enough to me, even though I have (very luckily) never had to live that life.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another edge of the seat, expertly told thriller from this great author. I am again amazed by Seymour's ability to weave his knowledgeable, intense, spy craft into great storytelling.

[Naznin Azeez · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the first few pages, I thought it's not worth my time. It seemed too grim. But then the reviews for it were glowing. So, I ploughed on.

When the character Johnny comes into picture the story picks up the pace and it becomes interesting. It's a great spy novel, probably my first time reading one like this. The ending is a little sad. I wish it ended differently.

Johnny is a great character. You get to understand him so well and his emotions are very much tangible. He seems hopeless in the end and it really breaks your heart. So much more could have happened in the end.... Overall, good story..

[M.K. South · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book: simple but strong plot with a lot of satellite events and characters. More a suspense than a thriller. 2 things that made me rate it 4: the MC didn't really 'emerge' as the MC until the second half of the book. I actually thought a different character was the MC in the beginning. Second, the same language was used to describe inner thoughts across the whole cast, so they all sounded the same. Otherwise, I liked the style (almost John le Carre), and the ending which was unexpected.

[Nigel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slightly better than average cold war espionage novel, which focuses on the plan to extract an German scientist who is working on anti-tank weapons from his holiday home which list located quite close to the border. The characters are reasonably well done and the clashes between the MI6 staff and the politicians I thought was believably written. There is nothing standout or special but Seymour continues to deliver enjoyable novels.

[Bob Box · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in 1984. Espionage thriller.

[TC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended.

Review posted at Tzer Island book blog:

https://www.tzerisland.com/bookblog/2...

[Keith Barraclough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant concept just something overall lacking. Still a great espionage novel.

[Mike Rymarz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished it and still waiting for the action to start

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 1980, one of his earliest books. There is actually a reference to this particular story - bringing an agent over from East Berlin, across the Wall - in his 2016 book, Vagabond, which is a bit of a look-back on Harry's Game, his first book. Seymour is, I think, unique in his style and unconventional metaphors - vivid and surprising powerful always.

[Barry Bridges · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book from one of the masters of the thriller genre. Set during the cold war and concerning the defection of East Germans to the West. Couldn't help hoping for a sweet, happy ending but I'm giving no clues as to whether you get one!!

[peter f mastrangelo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to find early book by GS. Got it from a used book seller via Amazon Prime. This is a really good read that was published in the UK but not on the U.S.

[Shane Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good writing as always with authentic detail. Good range of characters. Was a bit slow in the middle but picked up again and finished really well. Great description of the of each scene.