Allan
Topol
"I quit writing," the would-be novelist said, "when
I realized that the headlines in the newspapers heralded stories more
bizarre than I could ever create in my mind."
Welcome to the minefield which is the attempt to write a thriller having
as a background a current and critical international political issue.
The objective is to have the readers turn the pages, hopefully long
into the night.
Some time ago, I concluded that fiction can be an effective vehicle
to address a serious subject, as well as an entertainment. While a novel
is ultimately about people, the story can be educational and deal with
the serious international political issues with which the author is
concerned. Some novelists such as Graham Greene and Leon Uris did that
very effectively.
For example, Greene's novel, THE HONORARY CONSUL, which was number
one on bestseller lists for many weeks, provided an incisive view of
the brutal military dictatorship in Paraguay. In THE COMEDIANS, the
backdrop was repression in Haiti. THE HEART OF THE MATTER provided a
view of life in European colonies in Africa during the Second World
War.
Likewise, Leon Uris's bestselling novels EXODUS and QB VII educated
millions of readers about the founding of the State of Israel and the
Holocaust. But Uris by no means confined himself to the "Jewish
issues." TOPAZ dealt with Castro's Cuba. From his superb
novel, TRINITY, I learned much of what I know about the conflict in
Northern Ireland.
Neither Greene nor Uris would be classified as thriller writers, though
some of their fiction has elements of this genre. But Ken Follet certainly
would. His novel TRIPLE focuses on Israeli efforts to obtain material
for nuclear weapons. In THE KEY TO REBECCA, the setting is Egypt during
a critical period in the Second World War as Rommel's army tore
east.
For those who wish to try this type of thriller, there are two key points.
The first is to find a sufficiently important issue and one which will
impact the American people. With the end of the Cold War and the USSR,
this takes some creative thinking, although there is no paucity of issues
and not just in the Middle East. John Le Carre focuses on Panama in
THE TAILOR OF PANAMA. Militarism is on the rise in Japan. China may
attempt to seize Taiwan by force.
Subscribe to the ECONOMIST and let your mind wander. You'll find
that issue. People often ask me whether the story comes first or the
issue. The answer is they usually hit my mind at about the same time.
Research is essential. Visiting all the places described is invaluable.
The factual predicates must be correct. Regardless of the issue, many
readers will be knowledgeable.
Prayer is useful if you're so inclined. Pray that changing world
events don't blow away your story. I was all ready to go with
one about the Shah of Iran when he was overthrown.
This brings me to the second point. At the end of the day, a thriller
must have a story and characters that will make the reader want to continue
turning the pages. Having an issue is great, but too much of a good
thing kills. Becoming bogged down in the factual background can destroy
a thriller.
It's a fine line to walk. Very satisfying, however, when it works.
© 2005 Allan Topol
A graduate of Carnegie Tech, majoring in chemistry, Allan
Topol abandoned science and obtained a law degree from Yale. A partner
in a major Washington law firm, he practices international environmental
law. An avid wine connector, he has traveled extensively, researching
dramatic locations for his best-selling novels , which include SPY DANCE,
DARK AMBITION, CONSPIRACY, and ENEMY OF MY ENEMY.
