Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Man Called Kyril | 1981 | John Trenhaile | Buy |
| 2 | View from Square | 1983 | John Trenhaile | Buy |
| 3 | Nocturne for the General | 1985 | John Trenhaile | Buy |
The Stepan Povin trilogy by John Trenhaile begins with The Man Called Kyril (1981), which was the author’s debut novel. The series follows Soviet General Stepan Povin as he navigates the dangerous world of Cold War intelligence. View from Square (1983) and Nocturne for the General (1985) continue the story as Povin’s situation becomes more precarious.
The trilogy is set firmly in the tradition of le Carre-style Cold War fiction, with its focus on moral ambiguity, bureaucratic infighting, and the personal costs of espionage. Trenhaile’s portrayal of the Soviet side of the Cold War gives the books a perspective that was less common in British spy fiction of the early 1980s.