Which Bond novel are you currently reading?

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  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Kronsteen wrote:
    More praise for Gardner! Anybody with me... anybody?

    Mmm, nah.
    The trouble I find with Gardner's books - those that I've read is that he seems to be trying to please the fans of the books and the fans of the films, and this just doesn't work for me. To start he would be near pensionable age and then he has a dalliance with Felix's daughter, yuk, and we Q'ute (wtf). I have also read DMC, which I actually quite liked, even though it is more of a pastiche than a proper Bond novel, and Carté Blanche, which I though was okay but definitely not Bond. For me ONLY Fleming's novels are Bond.

    Well if you are wondering if you should read Gardner, Lancaster007 has just given the biggesr thumbs up possible!

    He doesn't like Gardner but he does like DMC which is a bit like saying you don't like lying on a desert island drinking endless cocktails surrounded by bikini clad babes but you do like being chained up in a skip in Burnley next to a dead dog as a tramp has a slash on top of you.

    DMC is an absolutely pitiful entry into the Bond canon. Far worse than DAD and to be honest if someone posted it on here as fan fiction I'd still be quite shocked at how poorly written it was. If you enjoy it then you must think Benson is possessed by the spirit of Fleming himself.

    I'm with you all the way Kronsteen (and let me hasten to add that Kronsteen and TWOI are not the same person!) although not regarding Cold or Brokenclaw.

    I would say that Colonel Sun, Licence Renewed, Role of Honour, Nobody Lives Forever and Win, Lose or Die are all better than TSWLM and whilst not Fleming comprise the only decent additions to the Bond literary oeuvre.

    Death is Forever apart the later Gardners after Win Lose or Die are pretty by the numbers (Seafire in particular is a grim slog) and you could feel his inspiration waning by then. I don't really count LTK as it was just the book of the film he probably knocked out in a weekend.

    Bensons efforts come across as what they are - fan fiction, Faulkes should be so embarrassed he sent his cheque back and I can't comment on Deaver as I have got round to reading it. Had it on the shelf since release - just never felt the urge.
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    Thumbs Up? Wizard - don't see that. I did say DMC was more of a pastiche, but I don't consider it a Bond novel although it is set at the right time and features Mathis a favourite character from CR. I would not recommend one to read it and I suggest (unless you really like JD's work) that CB is left on your bookshelf. Fleming and only Fleming can/could write a Bond novel.
  • edited September 2012 Posts: 11,189
    I'm over half way through LALD at the moment and I have to say the actor I picture in my head keeps changing. At the moment it's Dalton. He's just found out about Felix being mamed and is breaking into the aquarium. However I've also pictured Moore (walking through the airport and in the Harlem bar with Felix), Connery (walking around in his hotel room, putting his gun in his shoulder holster, cleaning it out and "waiting for the night"), Craig (happily greeting the receptionist with Solitaire when they come into the hotel and also taking a long stiff drink, which he swallows in one, after his first encounter with Mr Big), occasionally Brosnan (the stern expressions) and Laz (looking out the window).

    Funny how moments in the books remind you of certain scenes in the films.

    One thing worth noting about Dalts. You can tell he's read Fleming's books and has tried to copy Bond's expressions.
  • edited September 2012 Posts: 160
    Re-read CR, LALD and Moonraker. Currently halfway into DAF.

    CR is actually my favourite one. Always been from the ones I read, though OHMSS and YOLT come close. Fantastic novel and Vesper ist still the most fascinating of the Bondgirls for me.

    LALD is very good though has some drags at times imo. Mr Big is enjoyable and kinda the classic Bond villain. Felix has some of his best moments with Bond in this one and Solitaire really contributes greatly to the novel.

    Moonraker shapes up to be one of my favourites. I enjoyed it even more this time around. It really grabs the attention. I love Flemings Drax, I felt antipathy from the first chapters and wanted to see him lose, even more so than Le Chiffre. I like M's involvement in the beginning and even though it's one of Flemings more fantastical plots, it just works for me.
    I love the end. Here is hope we see it some time on the screen.

    As for DAF, never read it, so it's a first time and it's a bit of a let down for me after MR. Since Bond arrived in Vegas, it picks up...but I found the start a bit troublesome.
    I like Felix and he has great chemistry with Bond, but he is on the edge of being overused in this one. Let's see how it plays out.
    On the positive side, I really enjoy Tiffany Case in the novel! The little that has been there so far...

    and btw I agree with BAIN123 on Dalton! :-)
  • Posts: 11,189
    Re-read CR, LALD and Moonraker. Currently halfway into DAF.

    CR is actually my favourite one. Always been from the ones I read, though OHMSS and YOLT come close. Fantastic novel and Vesper ist still the most fascinating of the Bondgirls for me.

    LALD is very good though has some drags at times imo. Mr Big is enjoyable and kinda the classic Bond villain. Felix has some of his best moments with Bond in this one and Solitaire really contributes greatly to the novel.

    Moonraker shapes up to be one of my favourites. I enjoyed it even more this time around. It really grabs the attention. I love Flemings Drax, I felt antipathy from the first chapters and wanted to see him lose, even more so than Le Chiffre. I like M's involvement in the beginning and even though it's one of Flemings more fantastical plots, it just works for me.
    I love the end. Here is hope we see it some time on the screen.

    As for DAF, never read it, so it's a first time and it's a bit of a let down for me after MR. Since Bond arrived in Vegas, it picks up...but I found the start a bit troublesome.
    I like Felix and he has great chemistry with Bond, but he is on the edge of being overused in this one. Let's see how it plays out.
    On the positive side, I really enjoy Tiffany Case in the novel! The little that has been there so far...

    and btw I agree with BAIN123 on Dalton! :-)

    I haven't read DAF for a while. I think I might skip MR next (only read that a couple of years ago) and move to that one.
  • BAIN123 wrote:
    Re-read CR, LALD and Moonraker. Currently halfway into DAF.

    CR is actually my favourite one. Always been from the ones I read, though OHMSS and YOLT come close. Fantastic novel and Vesper ist still the most fascinating of the Bondgirls for me.

    LALD is very good though has some drags at times imo. Mr Big is enjoyable and kinda the classic Bond villain. Felix has some of his best moments with Bond in this one and Solitaire really contributes greatly to the novel.

    Moonraker shapes up to be one of my favourites. I enjoyed it even more this time around. It really grabs the attention. I love Flemings Drax, I felt antipathy from the first chapters and wanted to see him lose, even more so than Le Chiffre. I like M's involvement in the beginning and even though it's one of Flemings more fantastical plots, it just works for me.
    I love the end. Here is hope we see it some time on the screen.

    As for DAF, never read it, so it's a first time and it's a bit of a let down for me after MR. Since Bond arrived in Vegas, it picks up...but I found the start a bit troublesome.
    I like Felix and he has great chemistry with Bond, but he is on the edge of being overused in this one. Let's see how it plays out.
    On the positive side, I really enjoy Tiffany Case in the novel! The little that has been there so far...

    and btw I agree with BAIN123 on Dalton! :-)

    I haven't read DAF for a while. I think I might skip MR next (only read that a couple of years ago) and move to that one.

    Last time I read Moonraker was... I guess 7 years ago... and I had a blast this time! :-)
    DAF, as I said, has a slow start imo. And especially the horse race chapters didn't really interest me all that much. It gets better now though..
  • edited September 2012 Posts: 11,189
    Moonraker was great and FAAR better than the film overall (however the film has its guilty pleasures). The end is a little over-the-top though with Drax foaming at the mouth as he explains his backstory to Bond.

    I remember feeling a tad underwhelmed by the DAF novel. Other than Tiffany Case most of the characters weren't really that memorable. However it was still better than the film.
  • I enjoy Moonraker (film), even though the end really jumps the shark 14 times...or nukes the fridge...whatever one prefers.
    The novel has a few ott moments and basically the whole plot is ott, but I love the pacing and the character development. Yes, Fleming gets a bit extreme at the end (and Ms comment about the nuclear cloud going home shocked me), but overall it's one of the most gripping imo.

    That truly is a big problem. There are many characters, but they really don't stick out. Even Bond smiles to himself about the stereotype gangsters and when you compare them to Le Chiffre, Mr Big and Drax...they really are just unimpressive. Though I guess that could have been exactly Flemings goal. After three big main villains, having a smuggling gang of many featureless faces.
  • Posts: 11,189
    I enjoy Moonraker (film), even though the end really jumps the shark 14 times...or nukes the fridge...whatever one prefers.
    The novel has a few ott moments and basically the whole plot is ott, but I love the pacing and the character development. Yes, Fleming gets a bit extreme at the end (and Ms comment about the nuclear cloud going home shocked me), but overall it's one of the most gripping imo.

    That truly is a big problem. There are many characters, but they really don't stick out. Even Bond smiles to himself about the stereotype gangsters and when you compare them to Le Chiffre, Mr Big and Drax...they really are just unimpressive. Though I guess that could have been exactly Flemings goal. After three big main villains, having a smuggling gang of many featureless faces.

    I'd go for "surfs the wave" ;)

    I love the final few chapters of MR where Bond and Gala are captured, Drax reveals his true identity and then the two manage to escape after being placed under the rocket (why oh why doesn't Drax watch them?)

    Really suspensful stuff.
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    Just finished Dr No. I am taking a break from Bond - for one book only - while I try to make the pile of paperbacks on my bedside table a little shorter.
    Next on the Bond-Read-a-thon will be (obviously as I am reading in order) Goldfinger. After two top class novels, I find Goldfinger quite a dark brooding novel (quite unlike the tone of the film), so thought I would read something else before tackling it. Though I have two of the best to look forward to Thunderball and the magnificent On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
  • Posts: 11,189
    Just ordered some of the audio books. One of which is From Russia With Love read by Toby "course I want to bloody continue" Stephens.

    Should be good :D
  • BAIN123 wrote:
    I enjoy Moonraker (film), even though the end really jumps the shark 14 times...or nukes the fridge...whatever one prefers.
    The novel has a few ott moments and basically the whole plot is ott, but I love the pacing and the character development. Yes, Fleming gets a bit extreme at the end (and Ms comment about the nuclear cloud going home shocked me), but overall it's one of the most gripping imo.

    That truly is a big problem. There are many characters, but they really don't stick out. Even Bond smiles to himself about the stereotype gangsters and when you compare them to Le Chiffre, Mr Big and Drax...they really are just unimpressive. Though I guess that could have been exactly Flemings goal. After three big main villains, having a smuggling gang of many featureless faces.

    I'd go for "surfs the wave" ;)

    I love the final few chapters of MR where Bond and Gala are captured, Drax reveals his true identity and then the two manage to escape after being placed under the rocket (why oh why doesn't Drax watch them?)

    Really suspensful stuff.

    "Surfs the wave" is probably in this case the most fitting ;-)

    Yep, but the "villain ain't watching Bond"-thingy was killed anyway with Austin Powers ;-) Though in that case, I'm even willing to accept that Drax was just so full of himself!
  • Posts: 11,189
    BAIN123 wrote:
    I enjoy Moonraker (film), even though the end really jumps the shark 14 times...or nukes the fridge...whatever one prefers.
    The novel has a few ott moments and basically the whole plot is ott, but I love the pacing and the character development. Yes, Fleming gets a bit extreme at the end (and Ms comment about the nuclear cloud going home shocked me), but overall it's one of the most gripping imo.

    That truly is a big problem. There are many characters, but they really don't stick out. Even Bond smiles to himself about the stereotype gangsters and when you compare them to Le Chiffre, Mr Big and Drax...they really are just unimpressive. Though I guess that could have been exactly Flemings goal. After three big main villains, having a smuggling gang of many featureless faces.

    I'd go for "surfs the wave" ;)

    I love the final few chapters of MR where Bond and Gala are captured, Drax reveals his true identity and then the two manage to escape after being placed under the rocket (why oh why doesn't Drax watch them?)

    Really suspensful stuff.

    "Surfs the wave" is probably in this case the most fitting ;-)

    Yep, but the "villain ain't watching Bond"-thingy was killed anyway with Austin Powers ;-) Though in that case, I'm even willing to accept that Drax was just so full of himself!

    Funny how some of the "cliches" in the films have their genesis in the books.
  • BAIN123 wrote:
    BAIN123 wrote:
    I enjoy Moonraker (film), even though the end really jumps the shark 14 times...or nukes the fridge...whatever one prefers.
    The novel has a few ott moments and basically the whole plot is ott, but I love the pacing and the character development. Yes, Fleming gets a bit extreme at the end (and Ms comment about the nuclear cloud going home shocked me), but overall it's one of the most gripping imo.

    That truly is a big problem. There are many characters, but they really don't stick out. Even Bond smiles to himself about the stereotype gangsters and when you compare them to Le Chiffre, Mr Big and Drax...they really are just unimpressive. Though I guess that could have been exactly Flemings goal. After three big main villains, having a smuggling gang of many featureless faces.

    I'd go for "surfs the wave" ;)

    I love the final few chapters of MR where Bond and Gala are captured, Drax reveals his true identity and then the two manage to escape after being placed under the rocket (why oh why doesn't Drax watch them?)

    Really suspensful stuff.

    "Surfs the wave" is probably in this case the most fitting ;-)

    Yep, but the "villain ain't watching Bond"-thingy was killed anyway with Austin Powers ;-) Though in that case, I'm even willing to accept that Drax was just so full of himself!

    Funny how some of the "cliches" in the films have their genesis in the books.

    Absolutely! I had a few times where I thought that to myself while I was reading!

  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,423
    I just re-read Casino Royale in preparation for Skyfall. Wonderful, as always; it's always nice to read a bit of Fleming, get back to basics. Fleming's prose and word-smith, is just really top-notch - "the empty room sneered at him".
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    It took far longer than expected but I finished Moonraker last night.
  • DB5DB5
    Posts: 408
    DB5 wrote:
    Well after getting a little more than half way through I gave up on Gardner's "Icebreaker." No more Gardner Bonds for me, and I hear that Benson isn't any better. I actually enjoyed Amis' "Colonel Sun and Deaver's Bond in "Carte Blanche," while not Fleming's Bond, was at least a believable character in a believable story. Decided to try Len Deighton, currently reading "The IPCRESS file."


    Is that your first stab at Gardner? If so dont give up on John as Icebreaker is one of his weakest efforts.

    Get hold of Nobody Lives Forever, Licence Renewed or Win Lose or Die and you will have some great fun. Not Fleming admittedly but light years ahead of the likes of Benson and the DAD of the literary Bond, Devil May Care.

    In answer to your question, no, "Icebreaker" was ot my first stab at Gardner. Previously I had read "Nobody Lives Forever." In the words of In Living Color's Men on Books, "Hated it!"

  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    BAIN123 wrote:
    Just ordered some of the audio books. One of which is From Russia With Love read by Toby "course I want to bloody continue" Stephens.

    Should be good :D

    Just got OHMSS, across eight discs! Awesome. Just need a day off work sick to listen to it, ha ha.
  • edited September 2012 Posts: 11,189
    BAIN123 wrote:
    Just ordered some of the audio books. One of which is From Russia With Love read by Toby "course I want to bloody continue" Stephens.

    Should be good :D

    Just got OHMSS, across eight discs! Awesome. Just need a day off work sick to listen to it, ha ha.

    I drove to my local Tesco just so I could buy a Costa coffee (going through a coffee phase at the moment) and sit in the car with it listening to Mr Bill Nighy read out Moonraker*

    *God I need to get a life.


    Another thing, I don't buy that Fleming's books were as "realistic" as some say. True they were more grounded than most of the films but Drax boarders on pantomime (Fleming even describes his actions as such during the game at Blades).

    Easy to see where Toby Stephens got his inspiration from.
  • Yeah, realistic might not be the best choice of words. Especially, as I already said, regarding Moonraker!

    After finishing DAF (finally and at the moment, it's my least favourite of the Fleming books), I started From Russia with Love. It immediately caught my interest. I love the focus on Grant in the first chapters.
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    edited September 2012 Posts: 1,874
    Yeah, realistic might not be the best choice of words. Especially, as I already said, regarding Moonraker!

    After finishing DAF (finally and at the moment, it's my least favourite of the Fleming books), I started From Russia with Love. It immediately caught my interest. I love the focus on Grant in the first chapters.

    It is almost a quantum leap between the two. FRWL is intricately plotted and a great read, brave of Fleming and the film-makers to not have Bond in it till quite a bit into the story. Can you imagine a modern Bond film where he doesn't appear for the first 20 minutes?
  • Yeah, realistic might not be the best choice of words. Especially, as I already said, regarding Moonraker!

    After finishing DAF (finally and at the moment, it's my least favourite of the Fleming books), I started From Russia with Love. It immediately caught my interest. I love the focus on Grant in the first chapters.

    It is almost a quantum leap between the two. FRWL is intricately plotted and a great read, brave of Fleming and the film-makers to not have Bond in it till quite a bit into the story. Can you imagine a modern Bond film where he doesn't appear for the first 20 minutes?
    That's what I was thinking! It truly takes some time until our hero shows up.
    Very brave indeed, but it's such a good read already. I like the fact that Grant really feels like a threat to Bond, with this focus on him and his past!

    A modern Bond film wouldn't do it. I don't know however if it would work that well in a movie. That said, more attention and build up for the villain could actually be an intriguing idea!
  • DB5DB5
    Posts: 408
    After being disappointed twice with John Gardner I decided to try Raymind Benson's "Zero Minus Ten." More than halfway through, and I'm really enjoying it! The story moves along, plenty of action, and I really feel like Benson has captured the essence of Hong Kong culture.
  • Posts: 224
    I've started to read Casino Royale again, but I'm a slow reader and I'm also trying to rewatch all the movies before the 23rd, so.......
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,789
    Well I just finished Christopher Wood's novelization of TSWLM, and it was a good read. I liked his style, very Flemingesque, and he kept it all moving very well. The changes from what ended up onscreen were mainly good, although I prefer Stromberg's demise in the movie. Overall a worthy book for any Bond fan, though I will admit that i was seeing some scenes from the movie in my head towards the end... I rarely read novelizations of movies because, well, there's the MOVIE to watch, but this was different enough in tone and some details that I can recommend it.

    Now on to License Renewed...
  • Posts: 7,653
    chrisisall wrote:
    Well I just finished Christopher Wood's novelization of TSWLM, and it was a good read. I liked his style, very Flemingesque, and he kept it all moving very well. The changes from what ended up onscreen were mainly good, although I prefer Stromberg's demise in the movie. Overall a worthy book for any Bond fan, though I will admit that i was seeing some scenes from the movie in my head towards the end... I rarely read novelizations of movies because, well, there's the MOVIE to watch, but this was different enough in tone and some details that I can recommend it.

    Now on to License Renewed...

    You should try Christopher Woods James Bond and the Moonraker as well, he is in my humble opinion one of the best continuation writers since Fleming.

    On another matter currently reading the 1st book of The Moneypenny diaries by Kate Westbrook. Very good stuff so far, I am really impressed.

  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,789
    SaintMark wrote:
    You should try Christopher Woods James Bond and the Moonraker as well, he is in my humble opinion one of the best continuation writers since Fleming.
    I thought about it, but it seems like Jaws dies in the novelization, and that's how I'd like him to stay. If he had cut Jaws out of MR in the book, I'd have bought it!
  • Posts: 7,653
    chrisisall wrote:
    SaintMark wrote:
    You should try Christopher Woods James Bond and the Moonraker as well, he is in my humble opinion one of the best continuation writers since Fleming.
    I thought about it, but it seems like Jaws dies in the novelization, and that's how I'd like him to stay. If he had cut Jaws out of MR in the book, I'd have bought it!

    You shortchange yourself, do whatever you want.

  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    edited November 2012 Posts: 17,789
    Is it really as good as his TSWLM book??
  • Posts: 7,653
    chrisisall wrote:
    Is it really as good as his TSWLM book??

    Both books are closer to Fleming than all the others imho. But honestly TSWLM is probably a bit better.
    But when it comes to continuation writer he is easily the best, and it is a shame he only did two novelisations instead of an original one. Which they both were to be honest.

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