Would Lee Child have been a good choice to write a James Bond Continuation Novel?
SpectreOfDefeat
Posts: 404MI6 Agent
This interesting interview with Time Magazine from 2007 claims that Lee Child- author of the Jack Reacher books- was asked to write a continuation novel twice in the 2000s, but turned down the offer. Here's the relevant quote:
You (Lee Child) were asked a couple of times to write a James Bond novel, and you declined. Why?
You would want to update it obviously, write a James Bond for the 21st century. Which would be very difficult, because James Bond is one of the reasons that the world changed, in a funny way. You'd be writing about the agent of change, and I think that would be very hard to pull off in a way that was intellectually coherent.
Author Lee Child | TIME (archive.org)
I think Lee Child might have had a good stab at Bond; his Reacher novels are written in deliberately Americanised prose, highly dissimilar to Fleming, but he might have been able to adapt his trademark style of blunt, laconic action scenes well to Bond action sequences.
So my question today is: would Lee Child have been a good choice for a Bond continuation author? Would others have liked to have seen Lee Child attempt to write a continuation novel?
"The spectre of defeat..."
Comments
I've never read any of his books so can't comment. I do wish that Horowitz had been contacted sooner or perhaps Higson had been asked to write adult Bond books.
I’ve read all of Lee Child’s Reacher novels, and I don’t think he’d be any good at writing a Bond novel…his style of writing just wouldn’t suit, imo.
No, no, no! Lee’s style is all wrong.
@Barbel You’re missing out on a brilliant series of books, I heartily recommend the Jack Reacher series.
They just don't appeal, @CoolHandBond, sorry.
I see the Jack Reacher novels as a mix of westerns and classic crime stories like Sherlock Holmes. We see a mysterious stranger going from town to town righting wrongs, just to ride into the sunset when he has done so. But he is also the intelectual thinker who solvens mysteries.
In another interview Lee Child said (from memory): "Continuation novels are like tribute bands". I see his point, but I still think he could write a really good James Bond novel.