Is Craig Bouchard’s ‘Soul Ties of Spies’ the Future of Espionage Fiction?

One may be awash in a sea of fresh titles in a crowded airport bookstore. Amidst the visual and sensory cacophony, a book titled “Soul Ties of Spies” by Craig Bouchard captures any reader’s attention. But this novel aims to do more than merely hold interest—it seeks to challenge and redefine the genre of espionage fiction.

The Evolving Nature of Spy Fiction

The year 2023 is when the lines between literary genres blurred to an unprecedented extent. The spy novel is not a new literary invention; what Craig Bouchard brings to the table is fresh context and an updated perspective.

The book is a genre-defying masterpiece, blending elements of science fiction, romance, espionage, and quantum physics, rejecting old-fashioned tropes of spy fiction. More than just providing a form of entertainment, Bouchard aims to create a resonant and reflective experience. “It’s not James Bond or Jason Bourne,” says Bouchard. They were the heroes of prior generations.”

Bouchard writes his novels in the present tense, which is unusual in fiction. He wants the reader in the room with the main characters, Natalia Net and Crew Thomas. “It’s a challenge to portray the relationship between a man and a woman with each POV written by a man,” says the New York Times best-selling author.

Traversing the Unconventional Path

Many business leaders transition to philanthropy or political activism during their corporate journeys, but Bouchard takes a different path: that of a writer. This transition is neither abrupt nor unintentional, especially in his newest work, “Soul Ties of Spies,” which is book one of the “Natalia’s Game” trilogy. Bouchard’s “The Caterpillar Way” was #1 on the Barnes & Noble Best Seller list, and #7 and #8 on two of the New York Times Best Seller lists in 2013. 

Bouchard doesn’t like to talk about his background consulting with the CIA and meeting covert operators who influenced his book’s writing. Out of this experience comes a novel where the CIA, Scotland Yard, Russia’s FSB (which used to be the KGB,) and the Romanian SRI work together to save the world from catastrophe. He even suggests a final resting place for Malaysian Air Flight 370. This mystery has confounded aviation experts worldwide after years and thousands of miles of search. You will find all this and more in the red-hot love story inside “Soul Ties of Spies.” 

“Intelligence agencies working together is a theme worth writing about in this divisive new world order. Why can’t intelligence services collaborate for the common good? In real life, almost everyone is tired of diplomatic intrigue,” says Bouchard.

The experience of writing technothrillers has much in common with orchestrating multi-million dollar ventures, which Bouchard has accomplished several times. Bouchard describes the common ground where the roles of entrepreneurs and spies intersect. Both require gathering intelligence, forming alliances, and outwitting rivals. While still the Chairman of two technology companies, Bouchard’s move into fiction represents applied strategic thinking to make a difference, a pattern that has dominated his professional life.  The book contains photos Bouchard took of an alleged former CIA Black Site built by the spy of spies, Jack Holcomb, in Eastern Kentucky. This lends a unique twist to his readers, leading them to wonder if the book is fiction or factual.

Bridging Gaps Between Generations and Genres

Indeed, in the competitive arena of modern literature, Craig Bouchard seems keen to reshape the boundaries of narrative and reader interaction. With his fresh take on the espionage genre, love, and quantum physics, he has an ambitious vision for the future of publishing; The New York Times Best Selling author continues to blossom as one of the literary titans worth reading.

Bouchard clarifies that he is not writing to commercialize but to engage with Gen Z, Gen X, and, to some extent, Millennials, who believe they have seen the future in their dreams.

“They’re interested in manifesting something to happen and convinced the day will come when they can astral project and teleport to another dimension. They might be right.”Where does the concept of “soul tie” come in? “This generation believes only one person is meant for each of them—not a hundred candidates, just one. That’s a true soul tie intended to bring Gen Z and Gen X into my story,” added the author.