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Right, it's also the main thing from Fleming that shouldn't belong in a Bond novel in my opinion. It doesn't make sense in the contexte of the novel (why would novels being written about Bond while the latter is still active?), and even less considering YOLT was followed by TMWTGG (how could Bond be again active when his obituary was public and when he was the main character of novels?).
I get the complaints about the Bond novels more-less existing in the Bond universe, but I don't really understand this problem; surely if a spy comes back into service, a previously publicly released obituary would only be a good thing, because everyone will think he's dead.
It's the winking fish of the novels.
By Royal Command: Bond meeting the future Queen Elizabeth. I know that (until now, I guess) the fates and fortunes of Bond and the Queen have always been linked but especially as he already meets the future King Edward VIII it strains credibility.
Red Nemesis: Bond's Beretta having been his father's pistol. It does add another layer to why Bond is so angry at M in Dr No but, I'll go into more when I get around to writing a proper review of it, the decisions taken in that book are in some ways unforgivable, and I say that as someone who loves No Time to Die.
I though agreed with the obituary of Bond in YOLT, it just make things a bit confusing to me, it doesn't even makes that sense in Skyfall either, and yes even in YOLT (the film version).
I also liked the Ursula Andress quite a bit there, the only thing that I could live without aside from the semi-rape line in TSWLM, was Tracy's "Treat Me Like The Lowest Whore In Creation" line.
I could also live without the aspect of Red Grant killing in the full moon, it's just felt out of place for a serious espionage novel.
That's all I'm saying.
Benson certainly was a lot more graphic with the sexual detail than Fleming ever was. I remember an interview with him where he put it down to moving with the times and that Fleming was a man very interested in sex and that he would be adding more details too if he were still alive at the time. I think some people did find the sex a bit much in the Benson novels. However, I suppose the graphic depiction of the violence had been increasing since the eras of Amis and Gardner so Benson probably thought that the sex was a fair cop too. Sadly, I think it crossed the fine line from being classy to being crude.
I doubt that was the reason given that the book in question, Never Dream of Dying, was published in 2001. I take it the 2003 Francophobia had to do with France (wisely, as it turned out) not joining the coalition for the Iraq War?
It's understandable given his background and his situation.
What I don't understand is the treatment of Mathis, why does he need to suffer like that? He's one of the most memorable characters in Fleming, yet he's been given such a treatment or an exit like that, Mathis deserved better.
This is great, I also have my own idea, I wish you would like it, it's in the Your Ultimate Timeline thread.
I'd liked to hear your thoughts on it. 🙂
This is a great story! Really liked this one! 👍
EDIT: Just had a read of it, and I think it makes a lot of sense that Draco would have the Union Corse (SP?) handle the revenge plot over Tracy's death; I feel like he would need to do it himself because of the importance of her being a blood relative. I also really like how they uncover that it was Irma Bunt that killed her and she becomes an archvillain with a megalomaniacal plot in her own right. Really clever stuff, well done!
Thank you! 🙂
Actually in the novels, it's Blofeld who killed Tracy, in the film, it's Irma Bunt, it's actually reversed.
Fleming was always describing those female villains as ugly people, think of how he described Rosa Klebb, it's skin crawling.
He described Klebb as "the oldest and ugliest whore in the world" and a toad like figure :))
So it's no surprise that he would do the same for Irma Bunt.
Apart from that I suppose it'd be Fleming's revelation that the literary Bond wears short sleeved shirts with his suit. It's not something explicitly mentioned in the novels incidentally, but instead something Fleming himself said in an interview I believe (apparently he liked to do this himself).
I suppose it was in character at least but bullfighting is a controversial subject.
What? Haha
Ann Reilly, affectionately known as "Q'ute" in the John Gardner Bond continuation novels. She later became the Head of Q Branch. Gardner said in an interview that she was based on a real person he knew and I think he was even on Irish TV with her!
Yes, that seems to be a perennial complaint about the novel. It almost seemed as if old Felix was pimping his daughter out to someone with Bond's reputation (when it came to the ladies). Leiter's note about "the gift of a daughter" doesn't help either.