#118. WASP By Eric Frank Russell

Published : 1957
Pages : 180
Overall Mark : 9/10

The war had been going on for nearly a year and Earth needed an edge. Which was where James Mowry came in. If a wasp buzzing around in a car could distract the driver enough to cause him to crash, what havoc could one elite operative wreak on an unsuspecting enemy? Intensively trained, his appearance surgically altered, Mowry is landed deep in enemy territory. His mission is simple: sap morale, tie up resources, cause mayhem. In short, be a wasp.

ERIC FRANK RUSSELL (1905-78)
Eric Frank Russell was born near Sandhurst, where his father was an instructor at the Royal Military Academy. He was the first British writer to contribute regularly to Astounding Science Fiction, his first story, ‘The Saga of Pelican West’, appearing in that magazine in 1937. His novels include Sinister Barrier, Next of Kin, The Great Explosion and Wasp, generally regarded as his best novel: a witty and exciting account of a covert war in the heart of enemy territory.

VERDICT
This is a very tongue in cheek look at international terrorism, using the idea of an enemy alien race in place of a foreign power. Russell manages to build up the actions of the so-called wasp of the story, who infiltrates an alien planet and attempts to bring it down from within using underhand tactics such as spreading rumours, and leads us to a conclusion that shows just how futile the life of a spy can be. Great fun, and well worth reading.