Tremor of Intent

By Anthony Burgess

Book Overview

Burgess's purpose was to write a novel which would investigate some of the moral grey areas of the Cold War. The book deals with the misappropriation of nuclear secrets by the Russians, following the decision of Edwin Roper, a leading atomic scientist, to leave England and form a new allegiance to the Soviet Union. The novel begins with a long letter written by Roper's old school friend, Denis Hillier, a professional assassin who has been sent to bring him home or kill him.
Hillier encounters genuine evil in the form of Mr Theodorescu, an international man of mystery with a Romanian name and a perfect English public-school accent. Having administered a truth drug by nefarious means, Theodorescu attempts to extract secret information from Hillier, with the intention of selling it either to the Russians or the Americans. He does not care which side ends up with the intelligence: it is simply a question of who will pay the highest price.
Given the historical reality of the Cold War, the novel suggests, it is imperative that everyone should choose something to believe in -- a political ideology or a nation state -- and remain constant in that belief. Theodorescu is a villain because he believes in nothing more substantial than personal wealth. His neutrality is presented as the ultimate evil.
Among its other accomplishments, Tremor of Intent deserves to be regarded as Burgess's most detailed statement about the atomic age. By investigating the ethics of nuclear technology, he demonstrates that his novels are capable of articulating complex ethical problems and engaging with the global politics of the mid-twentieth-century. This is a much under-estimated work, which shines a light onto the shadowy history of the Cold War.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1915530709
• ISBN13: 9781915530707
• Release Date: May 2026
• Publisher: Galileo Publishers
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.61 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.1" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

a short yet modestly diverting (and fun) espionage novel

'Tremor of Intent' is really a very minor effort by Anthony Burgess, an author who has otherwise fully earned his stellar reputation. It is a spy story that mostly takes place on a cruise ship in the Adriatic during the 1960s. The book seems mainly as vehicle for the author to show off his considerable wit and knowledge of languages. The plot? Not very important, plausible or even fully understandable. But no bother. The book is full of clever dialog and memorable characters. Bottom line: a weak effort by Anthony Burgess would be considered a tremendous achievement by most anyone else. Yet, I think this book is best for Anthony Burgess fans only.

Intellectual beach read

So glad to see this romp back in print. Sheer escapism, best read when you're young enough to take the macho fantasizing straight; blissful, absurd! Feminists (well, women) should probably avoid. But hey, it's parody, girls - lighten up! (I fear not...) This is a thriller for those who find thrillers dumb, just as The Sirens of Titan or War with the Newts (two more of my favourites) are scifi for those who grew out of scifi. Enjoy!

a damn decent read...

i hate giving huge descriptions about books and how the characters are and the problems of the book. to put it simply if you like anthony burgess and you like spy stories with a great ending then pick this book up. the history and development of the main characters was probably one of the most interesting aspects of the book. the two main characters are spies and one of them has left the side of "good" to be with the "bad". the one that remains on the good side is basically threatened by the "good" side in order to bring the other spy back. both characters go through some interesting development and get into some real trouble like a 250 lb child molester who doesnt just have his eyes on the children. the ending is definitely something unexpected but for those who read anthony burgess, they already know this. burgess has an incredible of keeping your interest the whole time. spies on adventures and their sexual prowess, as well as, their naievity and insanity that comes with job. overall an intersting read for any fan of burgess. you will definitely root for the good guys the whole way. anthony burgess hands down, was and continues to be one of the best writers in modern lit