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BT Business' Rodney Kinchington is a fan of spy fiction
The Straits Times
|March 30, 2025
"I am reading The Afghan by Frederick Forsyth. I have always enjoyed spy novels because they transport me to a world of intrigue, intelligence operations and high-stakes decision-making.
Who: Rodney Kinchington, 52, managing director, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, of British communications provider BT Business. The chartered engineer joined the company in 2010 and has been based in Singapore since then.
I find them particularly engaging because they allow my imagination to unfold alongside the narrative, much like watching a movie, but with a deeper level of immersion.
Forsyth's meticulous research and gripping storytelling make this book particularly compelling and I appreciate how he weaves real-world geopolitical events into a thrilling work of fiction.
A line in the book, 'In intelligence, as in war, deception is half the battle', encapsulates the essence of spycraft and the delicate art of outmanoeuvring one's enemy without direct confrontation. It speaks to the underlying theme of strategic manipulation, which Forsyth executes brilliantly.
Since spy novels are a favourite, the last one I read before The Afghan was The Night Manager by John le Carre. His intricate character development and the morally complex world of espionage made it a fascinating read.
This story is from the March 30, 2025 edition of The Straits Times.
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