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De Villiers May Gain an American Audience, Posthumously De Villiers May Gain an American Audience, Posthumously
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When Gérard de Villiers died of cancer last fall at age 83, he left behind a publishing legacy that any best-selling novelist would envy. In his lifetime, he published more than 200 espionage novels, which often hinged on and in some cases anticipated major geopolitical events. He grew even more prolific toward the end of his life, writing five books a year.When Gérard de Villiers died of cancer last fall at age 83, he left behind a publishing legacy that any best-selling novelist would envy. In his lifetime, he published more than 200 espionage novels, which often hinged on and in some cases anticipated major geopolitical events. He grew even more prolific toward the end of his life, writing five books a year.
His books sold more than 120 million copies worldwide, putting him in the same league as heavyweight thriller writers like Ian Fleming and John Le Carré.His books sold more than 120 million copies worldwide, putting him in the same league as heavyweight thriller writers like Ian Fleming and John Le Carré.
One career milestone that eluded him was an American audience. Just a few of his books were released in the United States, in 1978 and 1979, and they have long been out of print.One career milestone that eluded him was an American audience. Just a few of his books were released in the United States, in 1978 and 1979, and they have long been out of print.
This summer, Mr. de Villiers may finally gain an American fan base, albeit posthumously. Vintage Books, a paperback imprint of Penguin Random House, is publishing three newly translated books by Mr. Villiers over the next several months in an effort to draw American readers to his work.This summer, Mr. de Villiers may finally gain an American fan base, albeit posthumously. Vintage Books, a paperback imprint of Penguin Random House, is publishing three newly translated books by Mr. Villiers over the next several months in an effort to draw American readers to his work.
This week, Vintage released the first English translation of Mr. de Villiers’s pulpy, racy 2012 spy novel, “The Madmen of Benghazi.” His 2013 novel, “Chaos in Kabul,” is set to come out inOctober, and a third, “The Revenge of the Kremlin,” which features Vladimir V. Putin, is scheduled for publication in April of 2015. This week, Vintage released the first English translation of Mr. de Villiers’s pulpy, racy 2012 spy novel, “The Madmen of Benghazi.” His 2013 novel, “Chaos in Kabul,” is set to come out in October, and a third, “The Revenge of the Kremlin,” which features Vladimir V. Putin, is scheduled for publication in April of 2015.
Mr. de Villiers was known for prying state secrets out of tight-lipped intelligence officers and weaving classified information into lurid, over-the-top plots featuring his recurring spy, an Austrian aristocrat and freelance C.I.A. operative named Malko Linge. “The Madmen of Benghazi,” for example, centers on the fight between Islamic groups and the C.I.A. in post-revolutionary Libya, and features a detailed description of the C.I.A.'s secret command center in Benghazi. It was published in France six months before an attack on the American embassy that resulted in the death of J. Christopher Stevens, the American ambassador to Libya. Another novel, set in Lebanon, gave a detailed and, it later emerged, accurate account of the individuals behind the assassination of Rafik Hariri, the former prime minister.Mr. de Villiers was known for prying state secrets out of tight-lipped intelligence officers and weaving classified information into lurid, over-the-top plots featuring his recurring spy, an Austrian aristocrat and freelance C.I.A. operative named Malko Linge. “The Madmen of Benghazi,” for example, centers on the fight between Islamic groups and the C.I.A. in post-revolutionary Libya, and features a detailed description of the C.I.A.'s secret command center in Benghazi. It was published in France six months before an attack on the American embassy that resulted in the death of J. Christopher Stevens, the American ambassador to Libya. Another novel, set in Lebanon, gave a detailed and, it later emerged, accurate account of the individuals behind the assassination of Rafik Hariri, the former prime minister.
Anne Messitte, the executive vice president and publisher of Vintage Books, said she first learned of Mr. de Villiers’s novels in January2013, when she read a profile of him in The New York Times magazine. “It was surprising to learn, after their significant success as international best-sellers, that these novels were not being published anywhere in the world in English,” Ms. Messitte wrote in an email.Anne Messitte, the executive vice president and publisher of Vintage Books, said she first learned of Mr. de Villiers’s novels in January2013, when she read a profile of him in The New York Times magazine. “It was surprising to learn, after their significant success as international best-sellers, that these novels were not being published anywhere in the world in English,” Ms. Messitte wrote in an email.
Last March, she bought translation rights to five of Mr. de Villiers’s books from the literary agent Ryan Harbage with the goal of publishing them close together. She chose recent novels with settings and themes that she thought would be of interest to American readers, and consulted with Mr. de Villiers, who passed away a few months later.Last March, she bought translation rights to five of Mr. de Villiers’s books from the literary agent Ryan Harbage with the goal of publishing them close together. She chose recent novels with settings and themes that she thought would be of interest to American readers, and consulted with Mr. de Villiers, who passed away a few months later.
“The Madmen of Benghazi,” set in Libya and Cairo, has gotten strong early reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. “The book is short, blazingly fast and full of explicit sex,” a reviewer wrote in Publishers Weekly. “Readers may wonder why American publishers waited so long to bring the series to this country.”“The Madmen of Benghazi,” set in Libya and Cairo, has gotten strong early reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. “The book is short, blazingly fast and full of explicit sex,” a reviewer wrote in Publishers Weekly. “Readers may wonder why American publishers waited so long to bring the series to this country.”