I've just finished it. I hesitate to post my thoughts as to not influence others. I will say I like it better than the last couple of offerings and it must be really difficult to write an interesting story given the character.
Just been on to my local Waterstones about getting a copy of their
Special edition with the extra Fleming bits. The manager said he could
Order me one ( even when I mentioned, They may be all gone) he seemed
Very sure, as he said they hadn't been sent any. So he'd expect a few would
Have had to be set aside for his shop ?
Either way I'll know in a few days, luckily he's also said if the book arrives in
and is just the standard hardback, I don't have to take it.
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
I have gotten about 4 chapters in. I am enjoying it. I think he has the same voice as Fleming, with the details of his views and surroundings. Good start.
Bond: "But who would want to kill me, sir?"
M: "Jealous husbands, outraged chefs, humiliated tailors . . . the list is endless."
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,865MI6 Agent
Just been on to my local Waterstones about getting a copy of their
Special edition with the extra Fleming bits. The manager said he could
Order me one ( even when I mentioned, They may be all gone) he seemed
Very sure, as he said they hadn't been sent any. So he'd expect a few would
Have had to be set aside for his shop ?
Either way I'll know in a few days, luckily he's also said if the book arrives in
and is just the standard hardback, I don't have to take it.
I must try that one myself. Did you see the prices the black editions are going for on eBay already? Scary!
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
I remember that Ian Fleming wrote the books or attempted to, in American English so that they could understand it. So is Trigger Mortis keeping up with Fleming's american style? My copy is supposed to arrive in October dang it
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,865MI6 Agent
I remember that Ian Fleming wrote the books or attempted to, in American English so that they could understand it. So is Trigger Mortis keeping up with Fleming's american style? My copy is supposed to arrive in October dang it
Did he? I think it's more that the Americans edited them that way when they were published in the US. See my article here for more details:
I do remember reading on the back of a few of the old Pan Books,
that Fleming is credited as writing not like an English author, but
More like an American. I'd guess that was because of his love of
American writers.
As SM points out, I do think the versions were edited for the American
market, or at least " tweaked" a little.
As for TM, it reads in places, very much in the Fleming style.
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
I do remember reading on the back of a few of the old Pan Books,
that Fleming is credited as writing not like an English author, but
More like an American. I'd guess that was because of his love of
American writers.
As SM points out, I do think the versions were edited for the American
market, or at least " tweaked" a little.
As for TM, it reads in places, very much in the Fleming style.
I'm sure I'd read somewhere in one of the biographies that someone went through and made sure they read correctly for the American reader
I know that character is a little different but I think Horowitz's might
Have based his character Duggan on
Wilfred ( Biffy ) Dunderdale. Who although not gay, was very flamboyant,
Very well dressed etc, and one of the agents who some say Fleming may
have used as one of the agents he knew who all helped to form 007.
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
Fellow Bondologists,
As some of you doubtless know, I've been victimised and vilified on other forums by SPECTRE members. Particularly by Blofeld's ugly partner, Bunt, who was inexplicably supported in her evil endeavours by henchmen masquerading as MODS.
Despite all of this, V53 is alive and well and here to report that TM is an absolute triumph.
I was lucky enough to attend the launch evening with my good friend Bentley and received a special Waterstones edition inscribed by Anthony "To ...., Pussy Galore's most ardent admirer".
The book itself is an absolute triumph. It's a great, action packed story and Anthony maintains the master's high old tone whilst giving the book the élan and pace that modern readers expect from their thrillers. Great stuff and IFP would have to be barking mad not to do a multiple book deal with him. Viva Bond and viva Horowitz.
I remember that Ian Fleming wrote the books or attempted to, in American English so that they could understand it. So is Trigger Mortis keeping up with Fleming's american style? My copy is supposed to arrive in October dang it
Did he? I think it's more that the Americans edited them that way when they were published in the US. See my article here for more details:
Thanks for the marvelous blog, David. Surprised to see that my Kindles of the Amazon/Thomas and Mercer imprints are based on the English versions. I'll have to dig out my Signet paperbacks, presumably the edited US versions. The editing on Live and Let Die comes as a huge surprise.
Another surprise is the disappearance of Waterstones' black jacket edition of TM from their site. Can't dig up any info on why (was it limited or have they just sold out and waiting for another print run? I'm in California).
The opening hooks you, unlike Carte Blanche and Solo. Despite it being a bit predictable who would betray _____ in the prologue. CH.4 - Bond has actually killed people this far in! Its great! In Solo, Bond kills nobody! He goes out of his way to tie up 4 people during a gun fight rather than just shooting them. In Carte Blanche, bond kills like 2 people like 400 pages in. As a writer, the problem in that lies in the gun being too easy to kill. Horrowitz solves this by having bond leave his gun in the bentley. Simple as that. Boyd went the long way around and turned bond into a pacifist. Deaver just didn't give Bond anybody to shoot for a long time. I enjoyed all 3 but Horrowitz is the better writer by a landslide.
We are introduced to bond where he is now (Ch.1), setting up the mission (Ch.2), and CH.3 he has his mission and is off to the races [pun unintended].
A few things that bugged me.
Horrowitz relies a little too much on 'reminding' the reader of previous bond books. Thats ok in moderation but hes been doing it a little too much.
When he said "Bond sucked once more on his cigarette" - That just sounds wrong. Change it to "Bond took one more puff..."
When he keeps saying "Go to hospital," - is that like a specific part of England accent where they remove 'the'. Either way it seems like Horrowitz is tacking on his own accents, because both Bond and the girl talked like that. Bond has never talked like that before, i am pretty sure anyway.
CH.4 - The fight. I would've liked it better if he approached it like this: Bond looks in the backseat, and sees an umbrella and a grocery bag. TELL THE READER WHICH ONE HE CHOOSES RIGHT THERE. Then have the girl ask "what on earth are you gonna do with that." Then bond can say something cool. Then show how bond uses the salt and stuff he chose. I was thrown off by it trying to keep it a secret what he chose for just a few extra pages for effect. Keep how he will use it a secret, not what he chooses.
Pussy being there after Goldfinger makes sense. You always wonder what happens to these bond girls after the end of the book / movie. Something has to happen where they leave Bond. Its inevitable. I didnt find it out of character that Fleming's Bond wouldn't mind lesbians. He might be homophobic towards gay men, but girls are another thing entirely. It was not cliche. It would feel more cliche if she just disappeared at the end with no explanation.
PLEASE HELP WITH A QUESTION ABOUT THE RACES: These are suppose to be like regular sized cars or are they those little formula one racers? It really never specified. Stirling Moss is suposed to be the little racing carts. At first i thought it was the little racing carts but then it said they took the Aston Martin one out on the highway (so would that be highway driveable), or was that a regular sized car and the mazeratti was the racing car. also, what happened to Stirling Moss. They said he was going to be rescued, but it seems to be a different guy now, despite it being in the same time period roughly.
Horrowitz relies a little too much on 'reminding' the reader of previous bond books. Thats ok in moderation but hes been doing it a little too much.
I picked up on this too, and to someone who has read all the books, it came across as a little bit patronising, extreme as that may seem. I do realise though that Horowitz has to consider people who may be reading it who are not familiar with the Bond universe. For me, the parts in the books when Bond is at home are especially interesting, as we get a glimpse of such an unconventional character's home life, but Horowitz's references to all the exact same stuff as before (Chemex etc) do grate a little, and it would have been refreshing if some new things/brands were introduced.
also, what happened to Stirling Moss. They said he was going to be rescued, but it seems to be a different guy now, despite it being in the same time period roughly.
"[Horowitz] also revealed why he decided to change Sir Stirling Moss to a fictional character, as he believed that Fleming was not in the habit of making real people characters in his novels and so he wanted to remain true to that notion." From here:
"[Horowitz] also revealed why he decided to change Sir Stirling Moss to a fictional character, as he believed that Fleming was not in the habit of making real people characters in his novels and so he wanted to remain true to that notion." From here:
thanks for clearing that up. So do you know what type of racecars they are dealing with. The little ones, right? But the Aston they rescue Pussy in in CH.5, was that suppose to be a formula 1 too or was it a regular sports car, because they were driving it on public roads, right?
I am just over halfway. I am really enjoying this so far. I really liked Solo also but this has by far surpassed any of the recent books.
Yes being set in 1957 it reads very Fleming-like and a bit like Moonraker era.
From the Mail On Sunday newspaper (UK) (with Spectre location pics) there is UK Bestsellers Book List-Hardback.
This had Make Me by Lee Child (Jack Reacher book at -54,032 and then Trigger Mortis at - 16,621 after about a week on sale.
Bleuviller.
superadoRegent's Park West (CaliforniaPosts: 2,656MI6 Agent
"[Horowitz] also revealed why he decided to change Sir Stirling Moss to a fictional character, as he believed that Fleming was not in the habit of making real people characters in his novels and so he wanted to remain true to that notion." From here:
thanks for clearing that up. So do you know what type of racecars they are dealing with. The little ones, right? But the Aston they rescue Pussy in in CH.5, was that suppose to be a formula 1 too or was it a regular sports car, because they were driving it on public roads, right?
Let me just say that I haven't been as excited with an adult Bond continuation novel, which combines two passionate interests of mine, the US-Soviet space race and the vintage motor racing world! I believe the cars featured in Trigger Mortis are Formula 1 cars; I have a 1/18th diecast model of the Maserati 250F used by Bond Though set in a different racing era, the movie "Rush" prominently features Nurburgring, particularly the hazardous aspects of that track where Niki Lauda sufferred a fiery crash in 1976. There's also a passing mention of the epicly tragic 1955 Le Mans crash that killed over 80 people and caused Mercedes to bow out of competitive racing for several decades. Also worth noting, the novel mentions leather helmets which were used in earlier decades but by the 50s, hard-shelled safety helments were becoming state-of-the-art.
In this picture is what I think is the "Flugplatz" (German for "airport") in Nurburgring, a sharp rise on the track that causes cars to go airborne; the spot wasn't specified in the novel, but there's mention of Bond going airborne in the racing segment. The car pictured is legendary Argentine driver, Juan Manuel Fangio in a Maserati 250F in 1957, which again, is Bond's car in the novel that's also set in 1957.
A more dramatic pic of the Flugplatz, but with model 1966 cars:
"...the purposeful slant of his striding figure looked dangerous, as if he was making quickly for something bad that was happening further down the street." -SMERSH on 007 dossier photo, Ch. 6 FRWL.....
Comments
Trigger Mortis is at #7 on the book sales. -{
http://www.whsmith.co.uk/chart/books/fiction-02x08974
#5, on the WHSmiths list.
Special edition with the extra Fleming bits. The manager said he could
Order me one ( even when I mentioned, They may be all gone) he seemed
Very sure, as he said they hadn't been sent any. So he'd expect a few would
Have had to be set aside for his shop ?
Either way I'll know in a few days, luckily he's also said if the book arrives in
and is just the standard hardback, I don't have to take it.
M: "Jealous husbands, outraged chefs, humiliated tailors . . . the list is endless."
I must try that one myself. Did you see the prices the black editions are going for on eBay already? Scary!
much about it.
Best of luck anyhow!
Did he? I think it's more that the Americans edited them that way when they were published in the US. See my article here for more details:
http://www.thebondologistblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/james-bond-novels-that-were-edited.html
that Fleming is credited as writing not like an English author, but
More like an American. I'd guess that was because of his love of
American writers.
As SM points out, I do think the versions were edited for the American
market, or at least " tweaked" a little.
As for TM, it reads in places, very much in the Fleming style.
I'm sure I'd read somewhere in one of the biographies that someone went through and made sure they read correctly for the American reader
Have based his character Duggan on
Wilfred ( Biffy ) Dunderdale. Who although not gay, was very flamboyant,
Very well dressed etc, and one of the agents who some say Fleming may
have used as one of the agents he knew who all helped to form 007.
As some of you doubtless know, I've been victimised and vilified on other forums by SPECTRE members. Particularly by Blofeld's ugly partner, Bunt, who was inexplicably supported in her evil endeavours by henchmen masquerading as MODS.
Despite all of this, V53 is alive and well and here to report that TM is an absolute triumph.
I was lucky enough to attend the launch evening with my good friend Bentley and received a special Waterstones edition inscribed by Anthony "To ...., Pussy Galore's most ardent admirer".
The book itself is an absolute triumph. It's a great, action packed story and Anthony maintains the master's high old tone whilst giving the book the élan and pace that modern readers expect from their thrillers. Great stuff and IFP would have to be barking mad not to do a multiple book deal with him. Viva Bond and viva Horowitz.
Trigger Mortis has been using the same Walther PPK for over twenty years. It's had 3 new barrels, 8 new hand grips, 5 new triggers....
Thanks for the marvelous blog, David. Surprised to see that my Kindles of the Amazon/Thomas and Mercer imprints are based on the English versions. I'll have to dig out my Signet paperbacks, presumably the edited US versions. The editing on Live and Let Die comes as a huge surprise.
Another surprise is the disappearance of Waterstones' black jacket edition of TM from their site. Can't dig up any info on why (was it limited or have they just sold out and waiting for another print run? I'm in California).
The opening hooks you, unlike Carte Blanche and Solo. Despite it being a bit predictable who would betray _____ in the prologue. CH.4 - Bond has actually killed people this far in! Its great! In Solo, Bond kills nobody! He goes out of his way to tie up 4 people during a gun fight rather than just shooting them. In Carte Blanche, bond kills like 2 people like 400 pages in. As a writer, the problem in that lies in the gun being too easy to kill. Horrowitz solves this by having bond leave his gun in the bentley. Simple as that. Boyd went the long way around and turned bond into a pacifist. Deaver just didn't give Bond anybody to shoot for a long time. I enjoyed all 3 but Horrowitz is the better writer by a landslide.
We are introduced to bond where he is now (Ch.1), setting up the mission (Ch.2), and CH.3 he has his mission and is off to the races [pun unintended].
A few things that bugged me.
Horrowitz relies a little too much on 'reminding' the reader of previous bond books. Thats ok in moderation but hes been doing it a little too much.
When he said "Bond sucked once more on his cigarette" - That just sounds wrong. Change it to "Bond took one more puff..."
When he keeps saying "Go to hospital," - is that like a specific part of England accent where they remove 'the'. Either way it seems like Horrowitz is tacking on his own accents, because both Bond and the girl talked like that. Bond has never talked like that before, i am pretty sure anyway.
CH.4 - The fight. I would've liked it better if he approached it like this: Bond looks in the backseat, and sees an umbrella and a grocery bag. TELL THE READER WHICH ONE HE CHOOSES RIGHT THERE. Then have the girl ask "what on earth are you gonna do with that." Then bond can say something cool. Then show how bond uses the salt and stuff he chose. I was thrown off by it trying to keep it a secret what he chose for just a few extra pages for effect. Keep how he will use it a secret, not what he chooses.
Pussy being there after Goldfinger makes sense. You always wonder what happens to these bond girls after the end of the book / movie. Something has to happen where they leave Bond. Its inevitable. I didnt find it out of character that Fleming's Bond wouldn't mind lesbians. He might be homophobic towards gay men, but girls are another thing entirely. It was not cliche. It would feel more cliche if she just disappeared at the end with no explanation.
PLEASE HELP WITH A QUESTION ABOUT THE RACES: These are suppose to be like regular sized cars or are they those little formula one racers? It really never specified. Stirling Moss is suposed to be the little racing carts. At first i thought it was the little racing carts but then it said they took the Aston Martin one out on the highway (so would that be highway driveable), or was that a regular sized car and the mazeratti was the racing car. also, what happened to Stirling Moss. They said he was going to be rescued, but it seems to be a different guy now, despite it being in the same time period roughly.
I picked up on this too, and to someone who has read all the books, it came across as a little bit patronising, extreme as that may seem. I do realise though that Horowitz has to consider people who may be reading it who are not familiar with the Bond universe. For me, the parts in the books when Bond is at home are especially interesting, as we get a glimpse of such an unconventional character's home life, but Horowitz's references to all the exact same stuff as before (Chemex etc) do grate a little, and it would have been refreshing if some new things/brands were introduced.
"[Horowitz] also revealed why he decided to change Sir Stirling Moss to a fictional character, as he believed that Fleming was not in the habit of making real people characters in his novels and so he wanted to remain true to that notion." From here:
https://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/event-trigger-mortis-launch
That said, Ursula Andress is in one of the novels.
thanks for clearing that up. So do you know what type of racecars they are dealing with. The little ones, right? But the Aston they rescue Pussy in in CH.5, was that suppose to be a formula 1 too or was it a regular sports car, because they were driving it on public roads, right?
Yes being set in 1957 it reads very Fleming-like and a bit like Moonraker era.
From the Mail On Sunday newspaper (UK) (with Spectre location pics) there is UK Bestsellers Book List-Hardback.
This had Make Me by Lee Child (Jack Reacher book at -54,032 and then Trigger Mortis at - 16,621 after about a week on sale.
Bleuviller.
Let me just say that I haven't been as excited with an adult Bond continuation novel, which combines two passionate interests of mine, the US-Soviet space race and the vintage motor racing world! I believe the cars featured in Trigger Mortis are Formula 1 cars; I have a 1/18th diecast model of the Maserati 250F used by Bond
In this picture is what I think is the "Flugplatz" (German for "airport") in Nurburgring, a sharp rise on the track that causes cars to go airborne; the spot wasn't specified in the novel, but there's mention of Bond going airborne in the racing segment. The car pictured is legendary Argentine driver, Juan Manuel Fangio in a Maserati 250F in 1957, which again, is Bond's car in the novel that's also set in 1957.
A more dramatic pic of the Flugplatz, but with model 1966 cars: