Assignment Ankara

Sam Durell #15

by Edward S. Aarons

Base Four is a radar installation along the Black Sea tasked with monitoring Soviet launch capabilities. Its leading researcher has a set of radar tapes that must be transported to the U.S. but an earthquake has made that difficult.

Genres: Espionage

176 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1961

About the author

AKA Paul Ayres, Edward Ronns.

Edward Sidney Aarons (September 11, 1916 - June 16, 1975) was an American writer, author of more than 80 novels from 1936 until 1962. One of these was under the pseudonym "Paul Ayres" (Dead Heat), and 30 were written using the name "Edward Ronns". He also wrote numerous articles for detective magazines such as Detective Story Magazine and Scarab.

Aarons was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and earned a degree in Literature and History from Columbia University. He worked at various jobs to put himself through college, including jobs as a newspaper reporter and fisherman. In 1933, he won a short story contest as a student. In World War II he was in the United States Coast Guard, joining after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. He finished his duty in 1945, having obtained the rank of Chief Petty Officer.

Reviews

[Paul Cornelius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edward Aarons likes for his hero, Sam Durell, to roam and journey afar in his stories. From country to country, to other continents, from seaside towns and ports to remote mountain jungles and forests. But in Assignment Ankara he handles things a bit differently. Yes, the action moves: from a Turkish village near the Russian border cut off from the world by an earthquake, to an airplane sent off course by a Soviet agent, and to a Russian trawler caught in a storm on the Black Sea. These locations, however, become pinpoints of isolation. The isolated village, confined airplane, and claustrophobic trawler all operate sort of as the setting for a mystery in an old, dark house. For that is what you have, here. As much as it's a spy story, it's also a bit of a detective type thriller, with each setting as much a part of the story as the people situated in them. Who is the enemy agent? Where is the spool of tape with super sensitive information on it? And how will Sam Durell get himself out all three situations? A good, solid story. Told in Aarons' efficient, non-stop manner. The only drawback being the exaggerated ending with Sam's latest love conquest. Could have done that in a page or two.

[Nicholas George · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're looking for an early sixties pulp spy novel, you could do worse than this one. It has an exotic locale--rural Turkey not too far from the Russian border; intriguing characters--a manic missionary and his (lovely) daughter and the other (lovely) daughter of a missing doctor; and expected but fast-paced twists and turns. Hero Sam Durrell is a cookie-cutter James Bond but he does what is needed.

[John Peel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam Durell's latest assignment is to recover a spool of tape from a wrecked base in Turkey. There's been an earthquake, leaving everything in ruins. There's a traitor (of course!) and a bunch of maybe-innocent Americans he has to take along with him on an emergency flight - that is shot down by the Soviets. It's action, mystery and and excitement all the way. A lot of fun, as all the Durell adventures are.

[Adam Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complete camp 1950s espionage stuff. Ok, but the stinking microfilm changed hands FAR TOO MANY TIMES!

[Benjamin Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sorry you had such a hell of a rough time. Things went into the usual snafu, didn’t they?

My favorite Sam Durell novel so far.

Sam Durell, go-to CIA agent for difficult assignments, is on a mission in Turkey to recover a data tape regarding Soviet launch capabilities when an earthquake disrupts all his plans. He joins six strangers in an attempt to get out of the country but one of them has stolen the tape. Each character seems to have their own hidden agenda and so Durell must figure out who the traitor is as well as recover the missing tape. The final third of the book reminded me a lot of an Agatha Christie mystery more than a Cold War CIA adventure as Durell acts the sleuth to solve the mystery.

I think by this 15th book in the series, the author has stopped trying to be another Ian Fleming and allowed his main character to be less Bond like and more himself. There are still similarities of course; action, pretty girls, etc. but I am enjoying the way Sam Durell is being fleshed out and the plots are becoming less formulaic. This was really a fun read.

[Rich Rimkunas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little spy novel whose addition to my reading repertoire only contributes further to my reputation of "Turkophile." A quote by my father to me in response to my being the only one in my family who enjoyed a particularly strong brew of Turkish coffee: "yea but Rich, if a 90 year old Turkish woman pissed in your mouth you'd enjoy it."

To return to the novel, it appears to be one in a series by Mr. Aarons, whose other words I have not read. A fun and quick and somewhat different spy novel that may be different from what you usually read. Perhaps a refreshing little break?