Fan Fiction -> The Vanguard Secret
SiCo
EnglandPosts: 1,371M
Neal Kydd has published his second work of fan fiction on ajb007.co.uk. The Vanguard Secret is now available for download.
http://www.ajb007.co.uk/fanfiction/thevanguardsecret.php
Please discuss his story here and offer him feedback. I hope you enjoy this new addition to the Fan Fiction section.
http://www.ajb007.co.uk/fanfiction/thevanguardsecret.php
Please discuss his story here and offer him feedback. I hope you enjoy this new addition to the Fan Fiction section.
Simon
Comments
T.V.S. off the ground. My gratitude goes out especially to Matt, Jason and Simon. I hope the tale reads as well as intended. There are lots of talented writers here, each one raising the bar each and every time.
Neal
Matt
:007)
Wess
I give this tale a resounding 10/10.
I got the bug to work hard and create some cool scenes. I am very happy you guys can appreciate that.
To those of interest in this side of the Bond Phenomena - :
I'm glad of any kind of feedback -
So if anyone hates Vanguard, and can rationally explain how it can be improved - please deliver the intelligence at once!
Wess
The high standard of writing is evident from the very first chapter, which includes some very nasty torture scenes.
The pace did slow down a bit over the next 2 chapters, which deal with internal politics and the relocation of the Double-O's. However, this is a really small nit to pick. Besides, the dialogue between Bond and M, and Bond and May, is very well done, and very entertaining to read.
The pace, however, is picked up significantly as Bond went on the training mission. The first encounter he had with an assassin on Whale Island is brutal, and beautifully described.
I am now on Chapter 6, A Glittering Cargo, and I must say that I'm hooked. I look forward to reading the rest of this intricately-plotted, explosive tale.
Well done!
Wess
Firstly, M is a man. He is the one and only Miles Messervy from the Fleming novels.
Secondly, the Bond character portrayed in this novel is best described as Ian Fleming’s James Bond, rather than any of the actors from the film franchise. I’m sure Wess will tell us what he intended it be, but it seems like the original Bond, with a bit of Neal’s own flavour.
Lastly, I would strongly suggest that you give this tale a read. As you can tell from the positive reviews that have been posted, it is a fantastic piece of fan-fiction. So go ahead, read it, and enjoy!
Who is my Bond? Good question!
But thankfully Goldrush007's description is on the money. In the main my Bond is definitely based on the man in Fleming's novels. A little older, a little wiser, a little more jaded perhaps; but still with many of the same traits and certainly the same Fleming ideology. There has been no major alteration to the base DNA! You wanna read Bond? With me you get the REAL James Bond!
Of course at times his sentiments might have a different colour, and I may have imbued him with some of my experiences of Naval and Army life. For instance, many of the places mentioned in Vanguard have at least been visited by me. As a boy I spent plenty of time on Whale Island, in the pouring rain, canoing and sailing. There is one other thing - I am in the habbit of imagining Connery's voice when I write the dialogue - and I do see at times that steely look of Brosnan's when the chips are down.
With all that said I hope The Vanguard Secret lives up to expectations.
Lastly - I have rewritten a few troubles I spotted since it went online. So mebbe in the future we can post a '2nd Edition'.
Neal
I guess you could do that, but it probably isn't worth the trouble. I'm sure that the problems wouldn't spoil the read for anybody. Anyway, its up to you. I was considering the same thing for my fan-fic, but I decided against it.
:007)
The edit is indeed different to the Fleming ouvre - more like a modern thriller - although Bond's world stays intact - But as you say once you get rolling it kinda hangs together.
Much obliged for your comments
Wess
Even some of the more far-fetched parts of the tale, like REDAX is written in a comvincing, believable way.
One of my favourites things to read in a Bond novel are glimpses into the day-to-day, routine side of Bond. The early scenes in this novel are very enjoyable in this way. Also it is good to see some of Bond's home life, and some good interaction with May the houesekeeper, one of my favourite characters from the original novels.
Another strong point in this novel is the dialogue. It is well written and convincing. Many amateur writers (myself included) tend to write dialogue which doesn't read well. It appears staged and fake. Not so with TVS. The dialogue here is very believable, and comes across as a genuine conversation rather than being like robotic creatures reading from a script.
With so many James Bond novels and fan-fiction it is difficult to come up with an original plot. TVS is as original a plot as I have ever seen in a fan-fiction.
Also, TVS features little things that do wonders to improve a fan-fic. A male M, a believable, Fleming style bond and a torture scene.
So, top marks Neal. This fan-fiction has to rank as the best individual fan-fic written for AJB. Sc1's The Great Chrysanthemum comes a close tie with TVS. I am very glad to have been involved with this project! So, well done Neal and keep writing!!
:007)
Check out the recent leaps in nano technologies . . .
Seriously - I hope everyone enjoys TVS as much you have.
w.
Wess
What an honor
that seriously must have been a lot of reading