Random Things Tours: The Peacock and the Sparrow by I.S.Berry

The end of the Cold War challenges not only the geopolitical balance of power, but also dramatically changes the literary spy thriller narratives. Decades after, the world, the literary one too, still tries to recover after the shock, but personally I see here a lot of positive influences.

The struggle between ´Bad Guys´ and ´Good Guys´ turned many of the thrillers into very predictable stories, although seasoned sometimes with some spectacular changes of perspective and defections. What the ´New World´ allows now, is a narrative beyond those stereotypical matrix which makes the reading so relatable and the creativity in so much demand. Also, very important, it focuses on geographical areas and countries that before were just used as an arena or pretext for loudly displaying the bipolar confrontations. 

And who else may know better those new perspectives than a CIA operative? I.S.Berry, the author of the stellar spy debut that I had the pleasure to be offered to read and review was, among others, in charge with clandestine service operations throughout the Middle East and South Asia. The Peacock and the Sparrow - a parabole which is explained in the book for those curious to grab the book and start reading it right now, you will not regret it - is a complex narrative, where spy life is revealed in its multi-faceted ways. 

Set in Bahrain, during the latest times of political unrest, it features Shane Collins, a CIA-case officer caught in the net of intrigues, bureaucratic opportunism and professional habits that may shape his personality so strongly that even when he is dreaming of love, is thinking about the object of his love in terms of ´target´. 

The Peacock and the Sparrow is a spy thriller that although priviledges the action and spy challenges, allows a generous space to psychological introspection and the myseries - without a ´t´ - of secret agents. There are no heroes or villains, rather doing a job sometimes bigger than life.

This is a recommended book for anyone looking for a well-paced, extremely insightful thriller set in Bahrain, eye-opening in a very different literary way.

Rating: 5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usuall, my own