WITH A MIND TO KILL by Anthony Horowitz (May 2022)

11617181921

Comments

  • Posts: 1,078
    We've been well served by Horowitz. My Goldbsboro edition arrived last week, it's lovely.
    As for the ending . . .
    I think it was completely 'allowed' because it was ambiguous, and Fleming had done the same thing in an ever more severe way in FRWL. A cliff-hanger is much different to killing off a character. If Horowitz would've killed off Bond, I'd be as boringly stuffy about it as I am about NTTD.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,383
    Oh yeah, it's not the same thing as killing him off at all, but I like the playful flirting with the idea that he might have finally have reached the end of the line and be about to be killed. It's an excellent and rather perfect way to 'end' the Bond novels, and this one fits in so well with TMWTGG that I think it works very well as an ending to it, even if it's not strictly Fleming canon.
  • edited August 2022 Posts: 1,078
    I think the book 'completed' TMWTGG, and even made it a better book. I was lucky that I read TMWTGG just before WAMTK, and they really ran well together. I said on here before, it's almost like Horowitz thought one of the faults on Golden Gun was the almost brushing aside aside of the whole brainwash/recovery thing. WAMTK somehow fixes that, and completes the story of Bond's post YOLT life.

    I read that Fleming wanted an extra year on TMWTGG to improve it, and add detail. It felt to me like Horowitz was the man that did just that, all these years later. What a tribute!
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,383
    Yes I did enjoy the little mention that Bond didn't read his obituary, as famously seen in YOLT. Nice little touch :)
  • Posts: 1,630
    For those who already have read the book, does a better title come to mind ?
    With a Mind to Kill
    Quite stilted, no ? Perhaps a classic one-word title ? Or just something more poetic ?
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,383
    Yeah the title doesn't work for me. It's apposite to what happens in the book, but it's just such a casual phrase that it seems a bit silly. I mean, I go into the kitchen with a mind to clean the sink... know what I mean? :)
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,547
    I'm not a fan really either... I've only read up to chapter 3 so far.
    Too similar to other Horowitz titles, not very evocative. Oh well.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,383
    Horowitz already has another book out! The man's a machine :D
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    mtm wrote: »
    Horowitz already has another book out! The man's a machine :D

    When quality isn t an issue, anyone can do that.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,383
    Well not really, because you don't tend to get picked up by publishers if quality isn't an issue :)
    Horowitz, on the other hand, is very good.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    mtm wrote: »
    Well not really, because you don't tend to get picked up by publishers if quality isn't an issue :)
    Horowitz, on the other hand, is very good.

    I admit I have only read one book, and know from experience that a full authorship can t be judged, based on one book. I didn t like TRIGGER MORTIS one bit, but I know many do. It just gave me no urge to pick up another book from him.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,547
    mtm wrote: »
    Well not really, because you don't tend to get picked up by publishers if quality isn't an issue :)
    Horowitz, on the other hand, is very good.

    I admit I have only read one book, and know from experience that a full authorship can t be judged, based on one book. I didn t like TRIGGER MORTIS one bit, but I know many do. It just gave me no urge to pick up another book from him.

    What didn't you like about it?
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    mtm wrote: »
    Well not really, because you don't tend to get picked up by publishers if quality isn't an issue :)
    Horowitz, on the other hand, is very good.

    I admit I have only read one book, and know from experience that a full authorship can t be judged, based on one book. I didn t like TRIGGER MORTIS one bit, but I know many do. It just gave me no urge to pick up another book from him.

    What didn't you like about it?

    I didn t like anything. It was poorly written, uninteresting and very different from Fleming, which I see as some sort of standard when it comes to Bond. I found the characters and the dialogue annoying as well. It felt like the book was written just because someone asked him to.
  • mattjoesmattjoes Julie T. and the M.G.'s
    Posts: 7,021
    mtm wrote: »
    Well not really, because you don't tend to get picked up by publishers if quality isn't an issue :)
    Horowitz, on the other hand, is very good.

    I admit I have only read one book, and know from experience that a full authorship can t be judged, based on one book. I didn t like TRIGGER MORTIS one bit, but I know many do. It just gave me no urge to pick up another book from him.

    What didn't you like about it?

    I didn t like anything. It was poorly written, uninteresting and very different from Fleming, which I see as some sort of standard when it comes to Bond. I found the characters and the dialogue annoying as well. It felt like the book was written just because someone asked him to.

    https://youtube.com/watch?v=Da-RjeCObyA&t=47s
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    mattjoes wrote: »
    mtm wrote: »
    Well not really, because you don't tend to get picked up by publishers if quality isn't an issue :)
    Horowitz, on the other hand, is very good.

    I admit I have only read one book, and know from experience that a full authorship can t be judged, based on one book. I didn t like TRIGGER MORTIS one bit, but I know many do. It just gave me no urge to pick up another book from him.

    What didn't you like about it?

    I didn t like anything. It was poorly written, uninteresting and very different from Fleming, which I see as some sort of standard when it comes to Bond. I found the characters and the dialogue annoying as well. It felt like the book was written just because someone asked him to.

    https://youtube.com/watch?v=Da-RjeCObyA&t=47s

    Did she steal Robert Smith s wig?
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,547
    mtm wrote: »
    Well not really, because you don't tend to get picked up by publishers if quality isn't an issue :)
    Horowitz, on the other hand, is very good.

    I admit I have only read one book, and know from experience that a full authorship can t be judged, based on one book. I didn t like TRIGGER MORTIS one bit, but I know many do. It just gave me no urge to pick up another book from him.

    What didn't you like about it?

    I didn t like anything. It was poorly written, uninteresting and very different from Fleming, which I see as some sort of standard when it comes to Bond. I found the characters and the dialogue annoying as well. It felt like the book was written just because someone asked him to.

    Fair enough. I enjoyed it, but to be fair it doesn’t stick out in my mind as super memorable.
  • goldenswissroyalegoldenswissroyale Switzerland
    edited August 2022 Posts: 4,483
    I finished WAMTK yesterday. I liked it. I would rank it almost at the same level as FAAD while I definitely prefer TM over these two. TM was a bit more over the top, a bit more action driven and I always like it when Bond does have longer interactions with the main villain.

    I like the idea of connecting this book with TMWTGG and I think it really improves the older one. I will definitely looking forward to reread WAMTK after the next complete Fleming read.
    While the mood of the book worked in combination with the (somehow unattractive) locations, I prefer the more exotic vibe of other Bond novels.

    I read the book in english, which is maybe the reason that I didn't understand some details...one thing I don't understand:
    Why isn't Bond shot at the location where they also kill Katya. Who decided to kill Katya and why? And why let they Bond alive?
  • I read the book in english, which is maybe the reason that I didn't understand some details...one thing I don't understand:
    Why isn't Bond shot at the location where they also kill Katya. Who decided to kill Katya and why? And why let they Bond alive?
    Katya is killed by the same people who were going to kill Bond once he reached the getaway car: her father’s men. She’s killed because she’s warning Bond to stay away since she knows it’s a trap. She sacrifices herself for him.

    It’s not really explained how Bond is able to go unnoticed since he’s clearly within eyesight of both Katya and the shooters, but presumably they don’t see him since he’s able to go back to the main street and disappear into the crowd.

    It’s hard to imagine how they wouldn’t see him though if Bond can see the shooters and they can see Katya and Katya and Bond can see each other. It seems like it would be pretty apparent to the hitmen that their target is right there. They were shooting from three different directions around the square. At least two of them should have seen him.
  • goldenswissroyalegoldenswissroyale Switzerland
    Posts: 4,483
    Thanks @Some_Kind_Of_Hero . Strange, that this isn't worked out more logical by the author (?).
  • I think it was a case of hoping no one would care or that they'd come up with their own explanations.
  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    edited August 2022 Posts: 4,629
    https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/whats-on/anthony-horowitz-shaken-not-stirred

    Happening right now, but available to watch later as well. Kim Sherwood is interviewing Anthony Horowitz about With a Mind to Kill at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. There might be a few bits about Double Or Nothing, but seems to be mostly focused on Horowitz.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    edited August 2022 Posts: 7,547
    Old but came across this again recently; does this mean I get to be the next continuation author

    300630783_409744647917185_5598578278760986530_n.jpg?stp=cp1_dst-jpg&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=0debeb&_nc_ohc=Tj5gTVwh04QAX_6p8pX&tn=XRcpcHzT8IxaKnrb&_nc_ht=scontent.fcxh3-1.fna&oh=00_AT8lCaQsn1rYiBIQgwHud6Q42u7IzonhEYIkFWWJ71mkjA&oe=6308E775
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,176
    Old but came across this again recently; does this mean I get to be the next continuation author

    Nice one!
  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    Posts: 4,629
    https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/985125-james-bond-is-not-misogynistic-he-lives-by-different-moral-code-says-bond-author

    He states himself that WAMTK is his last book. Sounds like he’s going out on a high note.
  • Posts: 1,986
    I do think it's a good idea to read or re-read TMWTGG before reading WAMTK. It follows on almost immediately after the events of the Scaramanga adventure. It seems to fill in a lot of what might have been intended for TMWTGG but never made it into print. Plenty of callbacks to previous villains and adventures. Of AH's three novels, this one works best for me. Like TMWTGG the action is muted and the main villain lacks the larger than life quality of Fleming's best villains. As a plot element, there's a scene here that seems to have been influenced by the film QOS. The story is good if not terribly exciting. A sentence here and there seems unFlemingish, but overall it's a worthwhile read. The title? We get it. But really not a very good title at all.
  • BondStuBondStu Moonraker 6
    Posts: 373
    I had a lot of fun with this book. Really enjoyed it.
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,426
    I've just reached the Berlin section of the book and I must say I am really enjoying the book. It seems to be written in the style of Fleming and I think I will take @CrabKey suggestion and read them back to back in the future. I haven't read TMWTGG in years so it would be good to see if it heightens the enjoyment of WAMTK.

    However, reading this on it's own has been enjoyable and rather fun. Hoping the end doesn't disappoint me.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    edited September 2022 Posts: 7,547
    Finally got around to reading / finishing this one (Ending Discussed):
    Quite enjoyed it, like a combination of FRWL and OHMSS. Tough to set a Bond novel in drab Russia, when half the time Bond isn't allowed to be Bond, but rather pretend to be a slave to Colonel Boris. At least in OHMSS he had the Swiss Alps, and myriad women. But I still enjoyed it, and I really enjoyed the Le Carre-esque (reminiscent of The Spy Who Came In From The Cold) ambiguous ending. Given the ultimate fate of Katya, and Bond thinking a little too hopefully about his future outside of the service, I'm afraid to say I think Horowitz gave Bond the same sendoff that NTTD did (although, this version seemed much more fitting for the beleaguered spy).
    The story was a bullet: cold, simple, efficient and straight to the point. And they both leave what I feel will be a memorable impact, moreso than Horowitz' other two, but I'm looking forward to a re-read of all the Flemings plus the Horowitz', so we'll see if that holds true. Anyway, just my thoughts.

    EDIT: I'll add, at times, it had another similarity to OHMSS (the film this time), in that it was constantly reminding us it was part of the same canon as Casino Royale, Moonraker, Goldfinger, etc. Although I really did love how Bond used his injury from Scaramanga at a key moment at the end. Boris, I thought, was also a great villain. Nice to see General G return also, and have a scene with Bond.
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,426
    Loved this book. Read it quite fast for me and at times couldn't stop reading it. I found the characters to be well done and I didn't see some of the twists coming. I loved the tragic romantic ending and the ambiguity of how the book ended things.
    It reminded me a bit of the Sopranos ending. Was he struck by a bullet, was he going to get out of this? It is left to the reader to determined. Unlike NTTD I enjoyed this ending much better. Perfect for someone to carry on from here, still respectful of other writers and their adventures.
Sign In or Register to comment.