Cover of The Secret Agent
Occult FictionClassic Fantasy

The Secret Agent

A Simple Tale

by

  • 1907 first published
  • 272 pages
  • ★ 4.1 (28 ratings)
  • 335 editions
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Published in 1907, The Secret Agent is an occult fiction and classic fantasy play by Joseph Conrad. It takes readers to London, England and Borneo in 1900's. It features Adolf Verloc. Readers will find themes of anarchists, conspiracies, bombings and Terrorism.

Open Library readers give it an average of 4.1 out of 5 from 28 ratings, and 375 more have it on their want-to-read list. It has been published in 335 editions across 6 languages.

At about 272 pages, most readers finish it in 4–5 hours.

About The Secret Agent

**The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale** is a novel by Joseph Conrad, first published in 1907. The story is set in London in 1886 and deals with Mr. Adolf Verloc and his work as a spy for an unnamed country (presumably Russia). The Secret Agent is one of Conrad's later political novels in which he moved away from his former tales of seafaring. The novel is dedicated to H. G. Wells and deals broadly with anarchism, espionage, and terrorism. It also deals with exploitation of the vulnerable in Verloc's relationship with his brother-in-law Stevie, who has an intellectual disability. Conrad’s gloomy portrait of London depicted in the novel was influenced by Charles Dickens’ *Bleak House*. (Source: [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_Agent))
Description from Open Library

Opening line

“The bell, hung on the door by means of a curved ribbon of steel, was difficult to circumvent.”

Themes, setting & tropes

Genres

Setting

Era

  • 1900's

Characters

  • Adolf Verloc

Subjects

  • Anarchists
  • Conspiracies
  • Bombings
  • Terrorism
  • Royal Greenwich Observatory
  • Drama
  • Trading companies
  • Dutch
  • Classic Literature
  • Moles, Spies
  • Political
  • British and Irish fiction, Fictional works by one author
  • Africa
  • Psychological
  • London, England
  • English Romances

Quick answers

Who wrote The Secret Agent?

The Secret Agent was written by Joseph Conrad and first published in 1907.

What genre is The Secret Agent?

It is usually shelved as Occult Fiction and Classic Fantasy.

How long is The Secret Agent?

The median edition has 272 pages, about 4–5 hours of reading at 250 words per minute.

What books are similar to The Secret Agent?

Readers who like it often enjoy The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Great God Pan and A Christmas Carol.

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