They were, unfortunately, published in no particular order, which did add to some confusion to the readers. In the early 70’s, Pinnacle added to its growing list of adventure titles such as the Executioner and the Destroyer with translations of some of the chronicles of the Austrian agent-for-hire. A complete list of the French titles is given below. These stories, written in French and translated to other languages in Europe, continue to this day. According to information on the Internet, each new adventure sells at least 100,000 copies, making a fairly decent living for the writer. Since that start of the series, de Villiers has produced on average 3 to 4 episodes each year. He thought about the possibility of creating his own series and soon came up with Prince Malko Linge. The author, Gerard de Villiers, has told how in 1965, a friend in the French publishing business talked about the brewing success of James Bond, this just shortly after Ian Fleming had passed away. His memory, while not photographic, is nevertheless excellent and has helped keep him alive on more than a few occasions. Though he is an excellent marksman, or perhaps because of it, Malko does not go in for heavy armament but instead relies on a very small handgun which is easy to conceal, especially since he always has his suits tailored-made, adjusting for the weapon.īeing so cosmopolitan, Malko speaks many languages, several of them fluently. This does not stop him from enjoying the favors of numerous other women during his adventures, at least until his engagement. Linge remains a bachelor though he has an ongoing relationship with a Baroness, later becoming engaged, in a nearby town. Few of his acquaintances know of his work with the Agency and see him mainly as a jet-setting playboy, a fact he does nothing to change as it provides good cover no matter where he travels. At one time he owned a house in Poughkeepsie, New York, but during the course of the series he elected to move to the castle he owns in Liezen, Austria and for which he devotes most of his earnings to restoring. Malko, Austrian by birth, is truly a man of the world and his wide experience in virtually every corner is testiment to that. He graduated from Harvard in 1954 and worked as an arms salesman for several years before taking his first assignment for the CIA's Plans Division.

Though he is eligible for American citizenship, he prefers to stay foreign. Standing 6'1' with golden brown eyes and blond hair, Malko is a 38-year old man at the start of his activities who works on a contract basis for the CIA. This title is also used as a codename for the agent. Often referred to as 'Son Altesse Serenissime', or His Serene Highness, due to his lineage, Malko is an Austrian Prince by birth.

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