The passing of the guard is an anxious time for any James Bond fan.

Now that Daniel Craig has left the role, it will be some time before a new actor is cast and a new Bond film hits the cinemas.

If you’re wondering what to do till then, there are always the James Bond books by Ian Fleming to go through.

But, if you want to experience something else and expand your spy horizons, there’s a ton of great spy literature out there for you to read.

To help narrow the search, here are five books you should read as a James Bond fan:

The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum

The Bourne film series is also on indefinite hiatus just like the Bond films. However, new books in the Bourne series keep coming out each year.

While they take the character in interesting directions, they cannot match the thrill and excitement of The Bourne Identity.

Jason Bourne is not a James Bond clone. He’s far more aggressive, more American, and he suffers from amnesia.

However, his adventures aren’t any less exciting, and the very first book of the series is still the best way to experience Jason Bourne and satisfy your spy craving.

The Spy Who Came In from the Cold by John le Carre

While Bond and Bourne are known for jumping right into the action, George Smiley is more of a shadow player.

John le Carre’s spymaster is the person who comes up with the plans and orchestrates the missions that see people like Bond risk their lives for the sake of their country.

In no book is this trait more apparent than in The Spy Who Came In from the Cold.

The classic book has long been hailed as the best spy novel, giving readers a deeper look into the kinds of lives spies live.

The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers

Another classic spy novel, the Riddle of the Sands is an incredible book that goes deep into the art of spy craft.

Set on the eve of World War I, it tells the story of Davies and Carruthers, two Englishmen who become tangled in espionage during a trip to the Baltic Sea.

What makes Riddle of the Sands so incredible is how detailed it is. It’s loved by actual spies and is often hailed as a fact-book rather than fiction.

The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy

No list of spy novels would feel complete without a mention of Tom Clancy, and what better book to include than The Hunt for Red October?

The classic Jack Ryan novel features a Soviet submarine whose commander decides to defect to the West.

Thus starts a high-stakes game of cat and mouse between the world’s two superpowers with Ryan caught in the midst of it.

The Hunt for Red October is classic spy literature featuring a healthy mix of espionage and action that is bound to make up for the lack of Bond.

More than that, it’s also going to make you a fan of Clancy and Jack Ryan.

The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth

Frederick Forsyth was long hailed as the best spy novel writer after Ian Fleming, and it’s easy to see why with this book.

The Day of the Jackal is a fast-paced thriller that will keep you on the edge of your toes.

It’s the kind of page-turner that you will no doubt end up finishing in one night and want to re-read time and again.

 

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The Hunt for Red October (1990) ORIGINAL TRAILER

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