More Than Conquerors

by David Duncan

The present and past lives of James Kerr, university senior manager and former intelligence officer, collide in this campus-based thriller. He is drawn inexorably into the world of international espionage and geo-politics while simultaneously trying to cope with a home-grown crisis. Set in Beirut, York, London and Brussels, the story draws on the spy-writing tradition of Ian Fleming, John le Carré and Charles Cumming.

Readers' comments:

‘I love it!’ I Milne

‘Seriously good’ P Arthurson

“I read More Than Conquerors on the plane yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it. The Bond meets Campus Novel combination is very effective indeed. It is also very tightly written and the directness of the prose punctuated by the lush details of Kerr's world made it not only a real page turner, but also very visual (it would make a cracking hour long drama)”. Professor D Petrie

52 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2014

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author with this name on GR

Reviews

[Raj · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novelette about a suave senior university administrator with a background in the French foreign legion and British army seems all about the wish fulfilment (written, as it is, by a senior university administrator who was, at the time, working for the University of York, where the book is set). And the tone it takes regarding student protest and the role of unions says a lot. It's trying to nod to Fleming and James Bond, but feels more like a bad pastiche. As for the writing, "the sun shone yellowly" appears near the start, and it doesn't get much better. There are much better spy novels and better Bond pastiches. Don't waste your time on this one.