Cold Fire/Fall? by John Gardner

00-Agent · May 2008

I picked up a paperback copy of the James Bond continuation novel Cold Fall written by John Gardner and published by Berkley Books in a used bookstore today. I am slowly purchasing and reading all the continuation novels and use the list from this site as a buying guide. The list on this site says the novel is named Cold (U.S. title: Cold Fire). I picked up the book in USA. Was it published under two different names in the US or is there a typo on the AJB list? Or do I have an extremely rare and valuable misprinted cover?.:D

Golrush007 · May 2008

Yes I think it must be a typo on the list if it says Cold Fire. It was released as COLD in the UK, and Cold Fall in the US. I seem to remember reading somewhere that a few bits might also have been cut out of one of the editions.

emtiem · May 2008

Shame it's not a hardback; I understand that's one of the most valuable Bond hardbacks out there.

Sir Miles · May 2008

Golrush007 wrote:

I seem to remember reading somewhere that a few bits might also have been cut out of one of the editions.

Pity they didn't cut pages 1 through 213

)

00-Agent · May 2008

Thanks for the answer Goldrush007. I thought it might be a typo.

Sir Miles wrote:

Pity they didn't cut pages 1 through 213 )

That bad? So far I have only read CS and LR. I enjoyed LR more than CS, but I did not think either was horrible. Maybe low expectations is saving the novels for me. Rarely do you hear anything good about the continuation novels. Hopefully Faulks' new novel will change all that.

Golrush007 · May 2008

John Gardner wrote some good Bond novels. I have not read all of them, but from what I have read. 'Licence Renewed', 'No Deals Mr Bond' and 'Scorpius' are my favourites. Compared to these, COLD wasn't much good at all I'm afraid.

Sir Miles · May 2008

00-Agent wrote:

Sir Miles wrote:

Pity they didn't cut pages 1 through 213 )

That bad?

Yep - that bad !

00-Agent wrote:

So far I have only read CS and LR. I enjoyed LR more than CS, but I did not think either was horrible. Maybe low expectations is saving the novels for me. Rarely do you hear anything good about the continuation novels. Hopefully Faulks' new novel will change all that.

I thought Colonel Sun a terrific Bond novel and Gardner did indeed write some good Bond novels, IMO. Gardner's best, for me, are Licence Renewed, Icebreaker, Nobody Lives Forever, No Deals, Mr. Bond and Win, Lose Or Die. His novels, IMO, tail off from there but these did coincide with his very poor health. Some of Benson's Bond novels are decent enough also - I rather like DoubleShot but I don't like Never Dream Of Dying, which fans of Benson regard as his best.
I know someone who has read the Faulks novel Devil May Care - he says it reads as a pastiche of Fleming.

emtiem · May 2008

Sir Miles wrote:

I know someone who has read the Faulks novel Devil May Care - he says it reads as a pastiche of Fleming.

Oh really? That's rather interesting; find out any juicy bits?

I suppose the pastiche isn't too bad- he's writing as Fleming, so I suppose it's supposed to be like that.

Sir Miles · May 2008

emtiem wrote:

Sir Miles wrote:

I know someone who has read the Faulks novel Devil May Care - he says it reads as a pastiche of Fleming.

Oh really? That's rather interesting; find out any juicy bits?

I could - but I'm trying to be good and save it for when I read it

Cold Fire/Fall? by John Gardner

Comments