Alistair MacLean

I wonder if anyone reads Alistair MacLean anymore? I used to read his books as a kid, and, of course, I loved the films he scripted, such as Where Eagles Dare, and The Guns of Navarone. He helped create the British action, adventure genre, and has been a big influence on 'Death Force'. It will have been subliminal, however, since it is many years since I read one. So I picked up 'The Golden Rendezvous' from a local charity shop. It's about as good as I remember them. Some of the writing is a bit loose by modern standards, and the characters are naturally enough old-fashioned in their attitudes and sensibilities (the book was published in 1962, the year I was born, so that is hardly surprising). But the plot holds up fantastically well, the pacing is razor-sharp, the action scenes are note perfect. He certainly deserves to be up there with the likes of John Buchan.