Yes, sadly Fleming never got to do his reworking on it when ( as with
the other books) he'd add more details and descriptive passages, as he'd
Done with the other books.
Still a good story, with an exciting finish. -{ I do love Bond's first meeting
With Scaramanga in the run down bar. A great atmospheric piece of writing
from Fleming, you can almost smell the tension, mixed with sweat !
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
I just finished reading Brokenclaw last night. It was the first Gardner novel that I've read since 2012 and it certainly is one of the weakest Bond novels that I have read to date. I was fairly convinced that I was going to rank it at the bottom of my list for most of the novel but then I thought it picked up quite nicely in the last 5 or 6 chapters and I ended up enjoying it more than I expected.
It started quite slowly with lots of talking, but I will still engaged for the first 60-70 pages but it lost me a bit in the middle section. I was reading about a chapter a day for a while, and I was struggling to keep track of what was happening when Bond and Chi-Chi were infiltrating Brokenclaw's organisation. But once their cover was blown it got a lot more entertaining and the wolf sequence as well as the Oh-kee-Pa ceremony at the end were good reading. I did enjoy the villain Brokenclaw Lee, and also Ed Rushia was a good ally so those are two points in the book's favour.
So, in the end: Still one of the weaker Bond novels but I can say that in the end I enjoyed it even though the middle section was a slog. Next I am going back to the earlier days of Gardner's tenure and reading Nobody Lives For Ever. For some reason I have never read it despite owning a copy for years.
A brief word on Seafire, so far after the last couple of Books I'm enjoying this
A lot more. -{ although it has a feeling of the beginning of " No deals, Mr Bond"
About it.
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
Seafire :
Enjoyed this quite a bit after Gardner's last couple of Books. Bond is
Back doing a bit of espionage again, and not part of a team.
A decent villain, with another crazy plan. The last four or five chapters
are real boys own adventure stuff, lots of crawling about planting explosives
and joining up with the SAS for a bit of gun play. All excellent stuff, well I enjoyed
It anyway.
Gardner gives us lots of characters, but many are either under used or almost forgotten
About near the end of the Book. Several henchmen types are unsatisfactorily done
Away with. Although the villain himself gets a fitting end.
In this Book Bond also has to work under a committee, as M is ill. In many ways
I feel the Craig era of Bond is reflective of this, Dame Judi as M is seen having to
Answer to various committees in the films. Showing that unlike in Fleming's time
People expect the secret service to he held accountable for their actions.
This just leaves Cold or Coldfall. and that's the end of the Gardner Books.
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
It's been a while since I've read him but I did like his first couple. his later Books I didn't
like so much. Although it will be fun to read them again, and who knows I might change
my mind.
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
Yes, the story is all very familiar, even shoving in a Nazi connection, and
The ending having to get rid of so many villains, seems a bit rushed. I think
He could have cut down on the amount of henchmen, as the character Beth
Is only really used in one scene, so her " bit of business" could have been done
By another character.
The two bodyguards, are virtually thrown away at the end. I was hoping for a
Big confrontation scene with Bond, I felt the ending was a bit unsatisfactory.
Although I did enjoy Bond's sabotage mission on the sub, and the attack with
The SAS. Gardner also uses a lovely description of Bond shooting a villain on
The reasherch ship. " ... In the blink of an eye he went from living to Dead !".
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
so it sounds like people like Gardner more than Fleming, is that right?
No, but Gardner wrote some very good Bond Stories -{ (But the quality eventually declined)
Spot on. I think Gardner when he was at his best wrong some cracking Bond adventures. There are a few, such as Icebreaker and No Deals Mr Bond which I would rank higher than some of Fleming's weaker novels. But overall Fleming is an another league altogether.
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,845MI6 Agent
I think that the "celebrity trilogy" has well shown how good a job of the Continuation Bond project John Gardner actually delivered. His legacy lives on; his contribution to the fortunes of the literary Bond cannot be overstated. -{
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
I think that the "celebrity trilogy" has well shown how good a job of the Continuation Bond project John Gardner actually delivered. His legacy lives on; his contribution to the fortunes of the literary Bond cannot be overstated. -{
Agreed 100% {[]
Without him, Bond Book would probably have remained dead.
1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
Cold :
The last Gardner Bond adventure, perhaps I'm being a little over sentimental
but it didn't seem as bad this time around, not great either, although not as
Bad as the likes of Death is Forever. )
Bond meets up with a few of his old girlfriends, stops a "Military overthrow"
Of America, gets a new boss .......... It's all go for a secret agent, these days.
of the Gardner Bonds, up until and including Scorpius, they're very good,
especially No deals Mr Bond and Nobody lives Forever. After Scorpius, the
Quality does drop off, I'm not going to single any one book out as really bad,
But if you want one full of endless chapters on briefings and filing then Death is
Forever is the one for you.
Next up the first of the Benson series of Bond Books ( once again,I'm not including
the film tie ins, as they are eon's Bond, shoe horned into the literary world. Although
I have read them )
So starting Monday it's Zero minus Ten.
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
Finished Colonel Sun and enjoyed the finale, overall I enjoyed it but felt it lulled a bit halfway before getting back on track. Im no expert on writing but indeed it had the Fleming vibe.
Taking Thunderpussys advice (timeline) I have jumped into Devil May Care. So far I find it enjoyable and very easy reading due to the standard of writing (huge contrast), however I must admit it feels a kind of "paint by numbers" thing with many references to Flemings stories and Bond habits like the talc on the case and hair on the door trick. Dare I say a bit of an easy / lazy thing? Maybe unfair as im enjoying it at the moment.
I noticed he references the last mission (Scaramanga) which also happens in Colonel Sun so im guessing the Sun book / mission is ignored despite being a Fleming continuation novel???
Halfway point of Solo, gotta admit I'm struggling with this one at the moment! It started off interesting whilst he was in London but gone downhill fast ?:)
) I have come round to the conclusion that after I go through the list of
All the Bond authors, I'll only ever read the Fleming books again.
I quite liked CB, as it's a updated modern Bond, so at least is not trying
to do a " Fleming", but it still tries to be a bit clever at times.
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
I think I will chew my way through Solo just to see if he sleeps with the woman from the first few chapters ) The mission I could care less lol
Goldeneye: Where Bond was born will be next and be a welcome break. I have an 18 hour plane journey coming up so maybe Carte Blanch will do to finish the more modern ones and then I will head back to Fleming.
Solo is putting me off pre-ordering Trigger Mortis, will wait for more reviews!
Comments
the other books) he'd add more details and descriptive passages, as he'd
Done with the other books.
Still a good story, with an exciting finish. -{ I do love Bond's first meeting
With Scaramanga in the run down bar. A great atmospheric piece of writing
from Fleming, you can almost smell the tension, mixed with sweat !
It started quite slowly with lots of talking, but I will still engaged for the first 60-70 pages but it lost me a bit in the middle section. I was reading about a chapter a day for a while, and I was struggling to keep track of what was happening when Bond and Chi-Chi were infiltrating Brokenclaw's organisation. But once their cover was blown it got a lot more entertaining and the wolf sequence as well as the Oh-kee-Pa ceremony at the end were good reading. I did enjoy the villain Brokenclaw Lee, and also Ed Rushia was a good ally so those are two points in the book's favour.
So, in the end: Still one of the weaker Bond novels but I can say that in the end I enjoyed it even though the middle section was a slog. Next I am going back to the earlier days of Gardner's tenure and reading Nobody Lives For Ever. For some reason I have never read it despite owning a copy for years.
I suppose if they ever do adapt the Novel (Although unlikely) it will need some Work done to it.
A lot more. -{ although it has a feeling of the beginning of " No deals, Mr Bond"
About it.
Enjoyed this quite a bit after Gardner's last couple of Books. Bond is
Back doing a bit of espionage again, and not part of a team.
A decent villain, with another crazy plan. The last four or five chapters
are real boys own adventure stuff, lots of crawling about planting explosives
and joining up with the SAS for a bit of gun play. All excellent stuff, well I enjoyed
It anyway.
Gardner gives us lots of characters, but many are either under used or almost forgotten
About near the end of the Book. Several henchmen types are unsatisfactorily done
Away with. Although the villain himself gets a fitting end.
In this Book Bond also has to work under a committee, as M is ill. In many ways
I feel the Craig era of Bond is reflective of this, Dame Judi as M is seen having to
Answer to various committees in the films. Showing that unlike in Fleming's time
People expect the secret service to he held accountable for their actions.
This just leaves Cold or Coldfall.
1. Thunderball 2. FRWL 3. Casino Royale 4. TLD 5. OHMSS 6. SkyFall 7. GF 8. TSWLM 9. GE 10. FYEO
like so much. Although it will be fun to read them again, and who knows I might change
my mind.
The ending having to get rid of so many villains, seems a bit rushed. I think
He could have cut down on the amount of henchmen, as the character Beth
Is only really used in one scene, so her " bit of business" could have been done
By another character.
The two bodyguards, are virtually thrown away at the end. I was hoping for a
Big confrontation scene with Bond, I felt the ending was a bit unsatisfactory.
Although I did enjoy Bond's sabotage mission on the sub, and the attack with
The SAS. Gardner also uses a lovely description of Bond shooting a villain on
The reasherch ship. " ... In the blink of an eye he went from living to Dead !".
Yes, they are sort of female versions of the film incarnations of Wint and Kidd in DAF.
No, but Gardner wrote some very good Bond Stories -{ (But the quality eventually declined)
Spot on. I think Gardner when he was at his best wrong some cracking Bond adventures. There are a few, such as Icebreaker and No Deals Mr Bond which I would rank higher than some of Fleming's weaker novels. But overall Fleming is an another league altogether.
Agreed 100% {[]
Without him, Bond Book would probably have remained dead.
Gone slightly dull a little after a superb start and middle. Hopefully it picks up during the finale!!
Im kind of looking forward to re-reading some of my fave Fleming titles, particularly Casino Royale and Moonraker -{
Think im going to source the First Library Editions or Eastons for my re-read!!
The last Gardner Bond adventure, perhaps I'm being a little over sentimental
but it didn't seem as bad this time around, not great either, although not as
Bad as the likes of Death is Forever.
Bond meets up with a few of his old girlfriends, stops a "Military overthrow"
Of America, gets a new boss .......... It's all go for a secret agent, these days.
of the Gardner Bonds, up until and including Scorpius, they're very good,
especially No deals Mr Bond and Nobody lives Forever. After Scorpius, the
Quality does drop off, I'm not going to single any one book out as really bad,
But if you want one full of endless chapters on briefings and filing then Death is
Forever is the one for you.
Next up the first of the Benson series of Bond Books ( once again,I'm not including
the film tie ins, as they are eon's Bond, shoe horned into the literary world. Although
I have read them
So starting Monday it's Zero minus Ten.
Taking Thunderpussys advice (timeline) I have jumped into Devil May Care. So far I find it enjoyable and very easy reading due to the standard of writing (huge contrast), however I must admit it feels a kind of "paint by numbers" thing with many references to Flemings stories and Bond habits like the talc on the case and hair on the door trick. Dare I say a bit of an easy / lazy thing? Maybe unfair as im enjoying it at the moment.
I noticed he references the last mission (Scaramanga) which also happens in Colonel Sun so im guessing the Sun book / mission is ignored despite being a Fleming continuation novel???
Was going to start the Gardners but after Solo I'm tempted to re-read Fleming again to restore sanity!
Where would you rate Carte Blanche amongst DMC and Solo?
All the Bond authors, I'll only ever read the Fleming books again.
I quite liked CB, as it's a updated modern Bond, so at least is not trying
to do a " Fleming", but it still tries to be a bit clever at times.
I think I will chew my way through Solo just to see if he sleeps with the woman from the first few chapters
Goldeneye: Where Bond was born will be next and be a welcome break. I have an 18 hour plane journey coming up so maybe Carte Blanch will do to finish the more modern ones and then I will head back to Fleming.
Solo is putting me off pre-ordering Trigger Mortis, will wait for more reviews!