Fleming on the Continuation Authors

AlphaOmegaSin

What do you think Fleming would make of those who carried on the Torch for the Bond Novels? Would he approve of them? Or would he have had some Objections to them?

Thunderpussy

Amis, As they were friends, I'm sure he'd have been amused.
Gardner, I think he'd have respected the first few,might have
Regarded the later ones as workman like, a couple
I'm sure he'd have regarded as poor.
Benson, I doubt Fleming would have liked any of his basic
Pulp fan fiction efforts.

I'm not counting wood as they were film tie in novels.

AlphaOmegaSin

I agree with you on the Benson's -{ Whilst being enjoyable, they read more like Fanfiction.

Thunderpussy

I'm as thick as Sh*t, so a book must be bad if even a lump like me
Can think it's bad ! )

AlphaOmegaSin

) )

David Schofield

Fleming would have liked Amis, as has been mentioned. Would probably have glowed with pride that someone like Amis was taken with his work.

The others? Well, depends how much IF was being paid; there is a group of us lit. Bond fans who hold to the theory that IF, had he lived, might have "franchised off" JB in the late 60s because he himself couldn't be arsed anymore, so long as he was well paid for the privilege. What's so different about the continuations?*


* may also explain the lasses of IFP milking JB for all its worth regardless of the quality of the end product...

AlphaOmegaSin

I don't think it was so much as 'Not being arsed anymore' but due to Ill Health.

David Schofield

AlphaOmegaSin wrote:

I don't think it was so much as 'Not being arsed anymore' but due to Ill Health.

You should note two things:

1 My comment "had he lived" presumes Fleming's health was not an issue.

And, if you disregard the above

2 That Fleming had said he was "out of puff" with Bond long before his health deteriorated.

-{

AlphaOmegaSin

Doh! )

Silhouette Man

David Schofield wrote:

AlphaOmegaSin wrote:

I don't think it was so much as 'Not being arsed anymore' but due to Ill Health.

You should note two things:

1 My comment "had he lived" presumes Fleming's health was not an issue.

And, if you disregard the above

2 That Fleming had said he was "out of puff" with Bond long before his health deteriorated.

-{

Well at least for TMWTGG anyhow.

Thunderpussy

Although it must be a tough gig to have to write
a Bond every year. Would anyone know did J Gardner
carry on with his own writing, while doing Bond or did he
only write the Bond novels ?

Barbel

Gardner continued to write other novels, quite a few of them, while writing his Bonds.

Thunderpussy

Thanks Barbel, often wondered if they took up all his time. -{

David Schofield

Silhouette Man wrote:

David Schofield wrote:

AlphaOmegaSin wrote:

I don't think it was so much as 'Not being arsed anymore' but due to Ill Health.

You should note two things:

1 My comment "had he lived" presumes Fleming's health was not an issue.

And, if you disregard the above

2 That Fleming had said he was "out of puff" with Bond long before his health deteriorated.

-{

Well at least for TMWTGG anyhow.

FRWL and thereafter, with differing degrees.

AlphaOmegaSin

Thunderpussy wrote:

Although it must be a tough gig to have to write
a Bond every year. Would anyone know did J Gardner
carry on with his own writing, while doing Bond or did he
only write the Bond novels ?

And he continued through poor Health as well.

Thunderpussy

) We all think we have a Bond story in us, maybe two but to
Have to come up with a new story every year must be incredibly
Stressful.

David Schofield

Yeah. Easily the equivalent of a shift at the pit face.

Thunderpussy

No son of mine will go down pit, You'll be a poet like me
And your grandfather ! )

AlphaOmegaSin

The old Ways? )

David Schofield

Well, they can't go down the pit anymore that's for sure.

Have to become writers or actors instead. Which is good as Dave Morrissey was bitchin a short while back about there not being enough working class actors about. Though a few million quid a role'll soon change that.

Thunderpussy

Oh, I don't think that's true. The whole country is going down the pits ! )
With university fees etc, only the rich can become actors.

David Schofield

Yup. Some how in last 31 years someone's spent all the cash, 'cos then there were no fees and some of us even got a full grant

Miken Ayers

If they were selling I don't think he would've minded. From everything I've read and heard in interviews Fleming wrote the novels just to establish the Bond concept so he could license it out and get paid while everyone else did the work. Throughout the 50s that itself was a bit of a task to the point adaptations or original scripts by Fleming even fell through.

Also once EON started making the film's he encouraged them to take whatever liberties they needed to make it work for the broadest audience possible. Up to and including stressing not to make the movies too British, so only British people would go and see them.

So as long as there's enough Bond in the stories to where Ian Fleming would get a check, I believe all would be well.

David Schofield

Miken is, I'd say, pretty much spot on.

As long as the money rolled in so IF could indulge his pleasures and drown in martinis, all would be fine with whatever was done with Bond.

The only riders I'd add is that I doubt Fleming would have been too comfortable had Bond taken on a life of his own to such extent that he - IF - was almost forgotten.

And I think he'd have liked the idea of holding the power of veto so no new writer could do anything Fleming found ridiculous. Such as some smart-arse coming up with the idea that Blofeld was really a sibling of JB, blood or not....

dlb007

Thunderpussy wrote:

Although it must be a tough gig to have to write
a Bond every year. Would anyone know did J Gardner
carry on with his own writing, while doing Bond or did he
only write the Bond novels ?

Gardner was quite busy during the 80s. Not only did he pen the continuation novels, but he continued to work on his exceptional Herbie Kruger series, and began The Railton series around 1985.

I highly recommend them both.