Thoughts on "Brokenclaw" by Gardner and "Zero Minus Ten" by Benson

perdogg

Both novels were interesting. I really the like the Bond in Asia approach. Again, I am having trouble coming to grips with 'Captain' Bond, but Gardner's Operation Jericho was insightful. I thought Benson's "Zero" was well paced, both novels have a lot of material for screen treatments. Veronica in "Zero Minus Ten" was a lot like Severine in "Skyfall".

Quick thoughts:

1. Like the villain in Brokenclaw, should be used in a film. Maybe EON does not want to offend the Chinese (but has no problem offending the sensibilities of the audience).
2. Sex and violence in Brokenclaw would push the movie to an "R" rating in the US (no one under 17 without parent or guardian).
3. Really surprised about the description of the Aborigine woman in ZMT.
4. Benson writes a hybrid, novels with the Bond movies in mind. Should be writing for the films. It would not be any worse than what we are getting now.
5. Somewhat odd how Brokenclaw ended. The last chapter appeared to have been heavily edited. It seems the novel was going to continue forever, and just ended.
6. Zero Minus Ten was too predictable.

Barbel

I think ZMT was Benson's first novel, not just his first Bond novel, and he did a good job. He'd be keen to impress IFP and this wasn't the time to experiment too much. There are sections or characters that resemble previous Bond works, and as with many of the continuation novels sections or characters that resemble subsequent films- which may be pure coincidence, of course.

Golrush007

Zero Minus Ten was actually the very first Bond novel that I read. Without having any prior experience of the literary Bond, I didn't have anything to compare it to, but I felt that it delivered an exciting story in the style that I was accustomed from the Bond films. I also read the Tomorrow Never Dies novelisation around the same time and had a similar response. At this stage my memories of ZMT are rather hazy so I can't offer any specific thoughts or opinions about the content or style. Raymond Benson remains the only Bond author that I haven't really delved into, and I do intend to do so sometime soon. I will probably re-read ZMT when I do this.

Brokenclaw, I read relatively recently.
- Firstly, I like the title/villain's name as it recalls Shatterhand from YOLT.
- When I read the novel, I found the whole Jericho operation a little confusing.
- The passage with the wolves I found particularly exciting, especially when the narrative shifts to Ed Rushia’s point of view and we see how he foils Brokenclaw’s planned demise for Bond.
- The Indian O-Kee-Pa ceremony is brutally violent and I found this an entertaining, if slightly excruciating and possibly distasteful passage.
- I never felt any sort of connection with Chi-Chi. Wanda was an interesting character, but she comes and goes fairly quickly.
- I thought that Ed Rushia was a great character. Although not on the level of Felix Leiter or Kerim Bey, he reminded me a little of those great allies of Bond.
- Overall, one of the weaker Gardner novels in my opinion, but there was enough good stuff to keep my interested.

cdsdss

The Ed Rushia character is horribly written. No adult man has said "Gee whiz!"

Silhouette Man

cdsdss wrote:

The Ed Rushia character is horribly written. No adult man has said "Gee whiz!"

He shouldn't be as he was based on a real man that John Gardner knew when he lived in the United States. I think that he was a doctor if memory serves.

Golrush007

cdsdss wrote:

The Ed Rushia character is horribly written. No adult man has said "Gee whiz!"

I think I may have met one or two!