ranking John Gardner's Bond novels

Richard--W

He wrote fourteen cover novels, if I count off the top of my head correctly.

Which is his best Bond novel?

I can't decide between Licence Renewed and Icebreaker.

Some of them, like For Special Services are so bland and colorless, I dislike.

Let's hear opinions from everybody.

Thunderpussy

I like Licence renewed as I can still remember the excitement of reading a New adventure after so long. But unlike some I love For special services. at the moment I'm reading Brokenclaw again.
Gardner did some good stories but the later novels seem tired and several feel a very similar But he is far better then R Benson in my opinion.

Golrush007

Of Gardner's original novels, I have only read 6 so far. I guess my ranking of these are as follows:

1. Icebreaker
2. No Deals, Mr Bond
3. Scorpius
4. Licence Renewed
5. For Special Services
6. Role of Honour

I wouldn't consider any of them duds, as I enjoyed them all. I also got about 2/3 of the way through Nobody Lives Forever, but had to stop reading for a while due to other things, and somehow never got back to finishing it. I'll probably read Brokenclaw next, as the only two Gardners which I have with me at the moment are Brokenclaw and Death is Forever, both of which I picked up recently in a second hand book sale.

MrSpy

I'm reading The Man From Barbarossa & loving it, so far.

I read all the 1980's JG's in the 80's but none of his 90's. I understand he was having serious health issues, was tired of Bond & had a hard time keeping up with one JB novel per year.

I am looking forward to rereading the 3 that are being reissued this Xmas, after fall semester