John Gardner RIP

emtiem · August 2007

Sad news, apparently 80's Bond novelist John Gardner has died at the age of 80:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/columnists/columnists.html?in_article_id=473373&in_page_id=1772&in_author_id=230

Golrush007 · August 2007

Yes, very sad!

John Gardner's Bond novels may not be universally liked, but I certainly enjoyed the ones that I have read. And besides Bond, his literary career was long and very distinguished. A very good novelist who I'm sure will be missed.

TOOTS · August 2007

I am very sad but not surprised. John's health had been failing over the last few years but his spirit was always high. He was an amazing person having lived an extraordinary life. He was a good human being a great family man and a lively spark - always great company.

John was very proud that he was a professional author and had written many books in many genres. I have not read all his books but I do encourage people to read some of his non-thrillers. My personal favourite is Every Night's A Bullfight, a melodrama about the stage world - something John knew a lot about having worked as a drama critic. It is very well written and funny and moving. If you can pick up a copy of his first book, his autobiography, Spin The Bottle, it will be well worth it too.

On a Bondian note, I devoured his Bond novels in a seamless switch from Fleming to Gardner. I waited every year for his new entertainment. Now, having re-read most of them, I see the joy he had in writing them and the fun he had in creating those stories. He succeeded in his aim: he entertained millions.

I always welcome any effort to encourage people away from their screens and dip into the pages of litBond world. Gardner's adventures were thrilling at the time and kept the literary Bond active. For a certain generation of Bond fans, John Gardner's name evokes the joy of those days of childhood and, now, sadness at the passing of them.

RIP John Edmund Gardner - 1926 - 2007

The Adventures of Ian Fleming's James Bond by John Gardner

1) LICENCE RENEWED 1981
2) FOR SPECIAL SERVICES 1982
3) ICEBREAKER 1983
4) ROLE OF HONOUR 1984
5) NOBODY LIVES FOR EVER 1986
6) NO DEALS MR BOND 1987
7) SCORPIUS 1988
8) WIN LOSE OR DIE 1989
9) BROKENCLAW 1990
10) THE MAN FROM BARBAROSSA 1991
11) DEATH IS FOREVER 1992
12) NEVER SEND FLOWERS 1993
13) SEAFIRE 1994
14) COLD (US: COLD FALL) 1996

Film Novelizations
a) LICENCE TO KILL 1989
b ) GOLDENEYE 1995

Hardyboy · August 2007

This is sad news indeed. While I had complaints about his Bond novels, I admire Gardner for taking on the difficult task of following in Fleming's footsteps; and I think he deserves a place in the history of espionage lit for his creation of Boysie Oakes. Farewell, Mr. G!

Loeffelholz · August 2007

I was also a fan of his 'Secret' series: The Secret Generations, The Secret Houses, The Secret Families.

A remarkable career. His first two Bonds were his best, but I read them all.

Rest in peace -{

Sir Miles · August 2007

Loeffelholz wrote:

I was also a fan of his 'Secret' series: The Secret Generations, The Secret Houses, The Secret Families

Same here.
And, like TOOTS, I waited every year for his next Bond novel, quickly rushing out to buy it the day it was published - I'm so glad I did as some are now worth quite a few pounds !
It's always sad when someone who has brought you joy passes away but, from what I heard, he did well to live this long - and what a rollercoaster life it appeared to have been.

Sir, I raise a glass to your memory and thank you -{

Asp9mm · August 2007

Sad news indeed. I really enjoyed his Bond novels apart from the last few that went awry from the norm. John Gardner kept the literary Bond alive and like Sir Miles, I used to go out and buy them every year, a great annual event. He also had a reasonable taste in handguns and will not be forgotten. RIP John Gardner.

wollastonblue · August 2007

Saddened to here his death, on the day I finally complete my collection of his Bond novels, aswell.

Will always be the man who brought James Bond from the Cold War, and into a the new age, and creator of some wonderful Characters, Nena Bismarquer, Sukie Tempesta, Flicka Von Grusse, to name but a few.

God Rest.

Barbel · August 2007

Rest In Peace. I'd been reading Gardner for years before he started writing Bond novels, and his Boysie Oakes is one of the few 007-influenced series worth reading (personal favourite- Traitor's Exit). His sense of humour came much more to the fore there than with his Bond. The earlier Bonds he wrote have some good moments (personal favourite again- Nobody Lives For Ever), and he took pains to ensure the technology Bond used in his books was believable. It's sad to hear he's passed away.

Krassno Granitski · August 2007

His work provided me with many hours of entertainment.

RIP John Gardner

Smoke_13 · August 2007

I discovered Gardner's books at a time when the cinematic Bond was dead to me. I had a personal dislike for the latter Moore films and the Dalton era. I've grown to like them a bit more over the years but at that specific time, I was convinced that the Bond franchise was indeed dying.

Then one day at during that time at a local library I saw "License Renewed" sitting on a shelf. I was very cynical at first thinking, "Who's this guy who's riding Ian Flemings coattails?" However, I gave it a shot. I took it home and from the time I began reading it I loved every bit. I then went out and starting buying all the Gardner Bond books I could and reading them in order. I know his works aren't unanimously loved on this site but I will confess that I can certainly remember looking forward to each new one that I picked up.

Thanks for the hours of entertainment Mr. Gardner and thanks to you sir for keeping the kid in me alive just a little bit longer.

scaramanga1 · August 2007

Sad news indeed - I have likewise enjoyed many of books- and although it was a difficult task taking up the baton from Fleming he worked with a tenacious aplomb to deliver yarns that have helped many a person to continue enjoying the literary 007. I too raise a glass to his memory and send condolences to his nearest and dearest.

NOBODY LIVES FOREVER - But we will remember him.

superado · August 2007

I'm very grateful for having new Bond novels available (and a lot of them too!) with Gardner's entry into the Fleming fold. They provided me with many hours of quiet pleasure on the couch and the campus bench.

Steve Rush DI5 Agent · August 2007

I have to agree with our friend above, in that JG's Bond novels also provided me with many entertaining hours.

The first three were brilliant, but you couldn't help feeling that he was sort of "going through the motions" with some of the later novels. That said, every now and again a real cracker would emerge between a couple of slower burning stories.

He will be sadly missed but it's kind of ironic that he should pass away during the year 2-007.

Sleep well, John,

Steve

MyrddinMerlino · August 2007

Golrush007 wrote:

Yes, very sad!

John Gardner's Bond novels may not be universally liked, but I certainly enjoyed the ones that I have read. And besides Bond, his literary career was long and very distinguished. A very good novelist who I'm sure will be missed.

I agree. some of his novels are very fine.

Scribe74 · August 2007

Been quite a while since my last post, but felt compelled to write a quick note on this topic. Before I read Fleming's originals, my introduction to literary Bond when I was a kid was through Mr. Gardner's books. Today, they still still sit on my bookshelf . . . I have a fond sentimental attachment to them. While their quality varied greatly, they were still very much entertaining reads.

Thanks, John . . .

John Gardner RIP

Comments