From Russia with Love

Ian Fleming · 1957 · Novel

Explore this on the mapTrace its ancestors and descendants live in the tree.

Spy thriller tropes Action-oriented spy narrative

Solidified the glamorous, action-packed spy thriller, popularizing the character of James Bond and his world of international intrigue.

What it is

James Bond is targeted by SMERSH in a plot involving a beautiful Soviet agent and a deadly assassin.

↑Inherited from(1)

The Thirty-Nine Steps· 1915↑ open

Buchan's work helped define the adventurous, often globe-trotting spy narrative with a resourceful protagonist that Fleming popularized.

↓Passed on to(1)

The Bourne Identity· 1980↓ open

Fleming's Bond novels set the standard for international espionage with action and intrigue, which Ludlum evolved with a more grounded, amnesiac protagonist.