Quiller
| Quiller | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | The Quiller Memorandum (1965) |
| Created by | Elleston Trevor |
| Portrayed by |
George Segal in The Quiller Memorandum (1966 film) |
| Information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Nationality | English |
George Segal in The Quiller Memorandum (1966 film)
Quiller is a fictional character created by English novelist Elleston Trevor. Quiller, whose one-word name is a pseudonym, works as a spy, and he is the hero of a series of Cold War thrillers written under the pseudonym "Adam Hall".
The books focus on a solitary, highly capable operative who works, usually on his own, for a British government organization, referred to as "The Bureau", which "doesn't exist". Quiller narrates his adventures in first person, addressing the reader in an informal tone. He was named for the real-life Cornish writer Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch.
Quiller is a highly skilled driver, pilot, diver, linguist and martial artist. In his choice of self-defence methods, he favors Shotokan karate, much like Trevor himself. Additionally, Quiller has knowledge of Chin Na - a related, complementary art focused on advanced joint manipulation. He does not carry a firearm "in peacetime". Indeed, this may mean that he has not carried one since World War II, reasoning that if he were caught, he would be able to explain anything he was carrying except a gun. He also believes that guns give their carriers a dangerously false sense of security, and dislikes the noise they make. His resistance to interrogation is exceptional and he has managed to keep the "suffix-nine" designation indicating he is "reliable under torture". He has a morbid dislike of dogs, especially guard dogs.
Quiller's narration of the tradecraft he routinely employs is one of the defining elements of the novels. Certain other common factors appear. First, he is almost always reluctant to take on a mission and he regularly tells the reader all Bureau operatives have an option to refuse. Manipulation to get him to agree to the mission is usually necessary.
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