Anthony Horowitz's Bond novel - Forever and a Day

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  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,968
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    If I can get through the rest of the Fleming novels, then all the adaptation ones I listed by the end of the year somehow, I'd be really happy. In that case, I'd definitely have to pick up FOAD to cap it all off, too.

    How many books is that in total?

    That's 15 total, which sounds like a heavy undertaking. That's seven months total, so roughly two books a month? I guess it's viable, we'll see how much I progress in the next couple of months.
  • edited June 2018 Posts: 17,756
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    If I can get through the rest of the Fleming novels, then all the adaptation ones I listed by the end of the year somehow, I'd be really happy. In that case, I'd definitely have to pick up FOAD to cap it all off, too.

    How many books is that in total?

    That's 15 total, which sounds like a heavy undertaking. That's seven months total, so roughly two books a month? I guess it's viable, we'll see how much I progress in the next couple of months.

    That's impressive! Hope you make it through all the books, including FAAD. Reading all the books in succession might give some fresh insight to Fleming's writing in comparison to the continuation writers!
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,968
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I've read them in two weeks. They're short.

    That's nearly one a day. I could manage that, if all I did those entire two weeks was read.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    edited June 2018 Posts: 15,423
    I read both Trigger Mortis (again) and Forever and A Day (my copy arrived only yesterday) back-to-back, and I have to say I'm disappointed, too. Both in the whole of the books they're covered in read like fan fictions. I'd like to cripple the bits I don't like in the slightest, but seeing as other members haven't read it, I'll refrain from that.
  • PropertyOfALadyPropertyOfALady Colders Federation CEO
    Posts: 3,675
    I read both Trigger Mortis (again) and Forever and A Day (my copy arrived only yesterday) back-to-back, and I have to say I'm disappointed, too. Both in the whole of the books they're covered in read like fan fictions. I'd like to cripple the bits I don't like in the slightest, but seeing as other members haven't read it, I'll refrain from that.

    Unfortunately you won't get another Fleming. He's dead.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    Birdleson wrote: »
    That's irrelevant to what he's saying. A continuation novel needn't read like amateur hour.
    Exactly. It does read like an amateur hour. Well, both of them.
  • edited June 2018 Posts: 520
    Birdleson wrote: »
    That's irrelevant to what he's saying. A continuation novel needn't read like amateur hour.
    Exactly. It does read like an amateur hour. Well, both of them.

    Oh how PussyNoMore wishes he could be so amateurish!
    For fun Pussy read FAAD and CR back to back and it re-enforced his view that, in the round, Horowitz has done a very creditable job.
    Where he falls foul of this particular literary aficionado is when he speeds things up to please a supposedly ‘modern’ audience. The Pussy can live with this because everybody has to make a buck. Some of Fleming’s work was quite slow by contemporary standards, PussyNoMore loved that because you can really soak up the atmosphere but he doubts that it would fly today particularly with the movie buffs. Boyd tried that with ‘Solo’ and was buried.
    All said FAAD was better than TM, which in itself was good. It’s a rollicking fun read and, at the end of the day, isn’t this what Fleming did ? The Pussy thinks he’ll be smiling.

  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    I believe it was more to do with Boyle’s rather boring premise and storyline than his storytelling aspect. Solo’s problem never lied in its narrative but rather the plot itself.
  • Posts: 2,599
    I haven't even downloaded FAAD yet but TM didn't read to me like fan fiction at all.

    Benson's did. That was amateur hour.

  • SeanCraigSeanCraig Germany
    Posts: 732
    Can‘t await the novel to be published in Germany - I was very pleased with Trigger Mortis, the writing is very much Fleming-like and the first reviews sound just as awesome. Changed my mind right while typing and ordered the english paperback ... can‘t wait :-D
  • Posts: 787
    I finished reading FAAD just yesterday, and enjoyed it a lot. A good cracking read, and very quick. I might start another spoiler-safe review thread to discuss it, but overall for me the book did exactly what is says on the tin.
  • Posts: 520
    I believe it was more to do with Boyle’s rather boring premise and storyline than his storytelling aspect. Solo’s problem never lied in its narrative but rather the plot itself.

    PussyNoMore can’t completely agree that it was just the story.
    Boyd tried to build on the angst of TMWTGG and turn Bond into a melancholic Graham Greene type character.
    Ultimately the book failed at every level which Pussy found quite distressing as he is a Boyd fan and had harboured massively high hopes for ‘Solo’.
    To say they were dashed is the understatement of the decade. Thank God Horowitz has saved us !

  • mybudgetbondmybudgetbond The World
    Posts: 189
  • Posts: 7,653
    Finished FAAD myself and found my self enjoying the second 007 outing by Horowitz better than his first. The Fleming bit was not enough to base an entire book on but was certainly a nice marketing gimmick.

    Since we are never getting a new Fleming novel I prefer a third one by Horowitz as he seems to understand the character. A new novel by Charlie Higson is welcome too.

    But so far I have enjoyed these two 007 books better than the last two movie stories of Emo-Bond.

    A classic Bond lady, a partial plot borrow form a EON movie, the first half of the book is close to bloody brilliant and 007 in his own Fleming timeline. Very enjoyable.

    If this is fan-fiction I wish I could write as well.
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    edited June 2018 Posts: 3,176

    Gosh, they took good notes! I'm glad someone got all the details down, because a lot of them are fading for me already.
  • edited June 2018 Posts: 520
    SaintMark wrote: »
    Finished FAAD myself and found my self enjoying the second 007 outing by Horowitz better than his first. The Fleming bit was not enough to base an entire book on but was certainly a nice marketing gimmick.

    Since we are never getting a new Fleming novel I prefer a third one by Horowitz as he seems to understand the character. A new novel by Charlie Higson is welcome too.

    But so far I have enjoyed these two 007 books better than the last two movie stories of Emo-Bond.

    A classic Bond lady, a partial plot borrow form a EON movie, the first half of the book is close to bloody brilliant and 007 in his own Fleming timeline. Very enjoyable.

    If this is fan-fiction I wish I could write as well.

    Too true SaintMark. Clearly you are a Bondologist with consummate good taste.

    Like you, PussyNoMore's absolute preference is for Horowitz to continue.
    The Faulks, Deaver, Boyd rollercoaster of despair was too much to take and the thought of going through it all again is enough to make a man sell his Bentley !
    If however he were to dip out, Pussy would certainly welcome Higson as his successor. Charlie did a marvellous job with 'Young Bond' and even if Horowitz continues it would not be crazy to have Higson take Bond through his war period.
    Regarding FAAD, it might be fun if readers indicated their favourite chapters.
    For PussyNoMore it was 'Killing By Numbers', 'Strawberry Moon', 'First Day' & 'Meeting With M'.
    Effectively the first four or the set-up.
    Horowitz got these absolutely pitch perfect. You could almost feel Fleming looking over his shoulder.
    There again Pussy always preferred the beginnings of Fleming's books.
    CR, L&LD, MR, FRWL & OHMSS were really the only five full length novels that maintained the
    intensity and quality of the early chapters throughout.
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,176
    If however he were to dip out, Pussy would certainly welcome Higson as his successor. Charlie did a marvellous job with 'Young Bond' and even if Horowitz continues it would not be crazy to have Higson take Bond through his war period.

    I saw Charlie Higson talk Bond at the Imperial War Museum soon after Devil May Care came out. His view was that Faulks had squandered his opportunity a bit, and if he, Higson, had been given the chance to write adult Bond, he'd have put in lots of 'nasty violence and freaky sex'!
  • Posts: 2,917
    Higson also thinks YOLT was one of Fleming's weakest novels, and while I can understand why he'd say that, part of me thinks one cannot be a hardcore Fleming-fan without appreciating that book.
  • Posts: 520
    Agent_99 wrote: »
    Higson, had been given the chance to write adult Bond, he'd have put in lots of 'nasty violence and freaky sex'!

    Now that's what PussyNoMore likes to hear !

  • ggl007ggl007 www.archivo007.com Spain, España
    Posts: 2,541
    My copy:

    Sadly it is not the Waterstone edition with Fleming text and Horowitz's introduction about it. If someone kindly could scan or photograph those pages, I'd be eternally grateful...
  • Posts: 520
    One thing that PussyNoMore omitted to mention there is the obligatory historical inaccuracy in the chapter 'First Day'.
    For Horowitz to miss it is not particularly forgivable. For his editor to miss it is unforgivable.
    It is interesting that the faux pas in both books have been transport related !
  • Posts: 520
    One thing that PussyNoMore omitted to mention there is the obligatory historical inaccuracy in the chapter 'First Day'.
    For Horowitz to miss it is not particularly forgivable. For his editor to miss it is unforgivable.
    It is interesting that the faux pas in both books have been transport related !

    Have any of you spotted the faux pas yet ?

  • Posts: 632
    Birdleson wrote: »
    Now that I am far into the novel I will have too say that I was a little too harsh too early. I'm finding Horowitz's work here much smoother and far less awkward than in the first one. This is shaping up to be one of the better continuation novels (meaning that its is one of maybe five that I could recommend with a clear conscious). Most of my earlier sarcasm (amateur hour) was due to what I found to be his overly cinematic and, frankly, silly action sequences in TM, as well as his attempts at mimicking Fleming. He seems to have found a nice balance with FAAD. There are some specific bits of Bond's behavior that seem out of character, but they are forgettable (I guess). I will eventually go into further detail in my full review on the appropriate thread.

    That begs the question, which 5? It's been so long since I've touched some I honestly couldn't say with any clarity what I would say are the five best. Plus, what I liked at 18-20 I may not find as in character with Fleming in my early 40's. I remember loving them all in my youth, particularly Benson and I'm not so sure I would feel that way now having reread Fleming more.
  • Posts: 632
    One thing that PussyNoMore omitted to mention there is the obligatory historical inaccuracy in the chapter 'First Day'.
    For Horowitz to miss it is not particularly forgivable. For his editor to miss it is unforgivable.
    It is interesting that the faux pas in both books have been transport related !

    Have any of you spotted the faux pas yet ?

    I got my copy Monday and once I finish Thunderball I plan to dive into it with a glass of MacAllan or a Vesper hopefully by the weekend!
  • Posts: 520
    Birdleson wrote: »
    Now that I am far into the novel I will have too say that I was a little too harsh too early. I'm finding Horowitz's work here much smoother and far less awkward than in the first one. This is shaping up to be one of the better continuation novels .....

    The Pussy finds that aim, steady, fire works better than fire, steady aim.
  • Posts: 270
    I am starting the book tonight. I am pumped!
  • RC7RC7
    edited June 2018 Posts: 10,512
    I found it a little slow going at first and the Fake Out was unnecessary and too gimmicky. However, it gradually came together and by the end I found it to be a very worthy continuation (or beginning). It’s certainly one that I’ll read again, which suggests it’s definitely one of the superior non-Fleming’s.
  • Posts: 520
    One thing that PussyNoMore omitted to mention there is the obligatory historical inaccuracy in the chapter 'First Day'.
    For Horowitz to miss it is not particularly forgivable. For his editor to miss it is unforgivable.
    It is interesting that the faux pas in both books have been transport related !

    Have any of you spotted the faux pas yet ?

    Have any of you renowned Bondologists out there spotted the faux pas yet or do you need yet another clue ?

  • Posts: 1,165
    Finished the book this evening. I enjoyed it for what it was. I don't think it was to the high standard of Trigger Mortis. It was a fairly run of the mill Bond story, enjoyable but unnecessary. It seems as though making it a prequel to Casino Royale was just to give the story an extra push when it comes to marketing.

    I know all of that might sound harsh but I did enjoy it! (just didn't love it)
  • Posts: 7,653
    One thing that PussyNoMore omitted to mention there is the obligatory historical inaccuracy in the chapter 'First Day'.
    For Horowitz to miss it is not particularly forgivable. For his editor to miss it is unforgivable.
    It is interesting that the faux pas in both books have been transport related !

    Have any of you spotted the faux pas yet ?

    Have any of you renowned Bondologists out there spotted the faux pas yet or do you need yet another clue ?

    No I have not got a clue.
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