Frederick Forsyth: Reporter turned thriller legend remembered

Frederick Forsyth Remembered: Reporter-Turned-Thriller Icon Explored Realism and Politics

British thriller novelist Frederick Forsyth (1938–2025) was an investigative reporter who worked for major media outlets, including the BBC and Reuters. Drawing on his reporting experience, he wrote suspense novels that earned worldwide acclaim. His works are renowned for their realism. When depicting city streets, he reportedly included every detail, down to the corner newsstand. While some criticized his strong political leanings, he was equally unflinching in exposing the harsh realities of international politics, regardless of regime.

One of Forsyth’s earlier novels is set during the early years of détente, as the Cold War began to unravel. After the Cold War ended, nations downsized their intelligence agencies. Even a highly skilled agent, once considered a potential successor to head Britain’s MI6, could not escape the cuts. After completing his final mission and retiring, he was fishing in the countryside when he heard news that localized conflicts were erupting around the world. The novel concludes with the protagonist laughing heartily at this news.

I have not read Forsyth’s later works, so I do not know whether the protagonist returned to active duty. However, that particular scene stayed with me for a long time. It was not out of admiration for Forsyth, but because I have met countless intellectuals who believed peace would prevail if hegemonic powers such as the United States or the Soviet Union disappeared. Surprisingly, many even believed that all the world’s injustices and evils would vanish.

What is striking is that no matter how many historical examples are presented, once people hold this belief, they rarely change their minds. Many of them are even historians. As the United States, Russia, and China focus on their own interests, wars are erupting in some countries. Recently, situations in Colombia and Venezuela have become particularly tense. Observers ask whether this is because hegemonic powers have not yet completely disappeared.