The increased level of violence in Colonel Sun (1968)?

SIULHOUETTE_MAN

What are your thoughts on the uncharacteristically violent nature of Colonel Sun by Robert Markham, as a James Bond novel?

Did Kingsley Amis go too far in the CR and LALD direction, do you think?

This level of violence - rape/skewering/stabbing/burning/head torture etc. - was it a step too far for a James Bond novel or do you think it fitted in with the works of Ian Fleming?

There are characters stabbed to death, skewered with wooden skewers, almost burnt alive, raped, and Colonel Sun is stabbed by Bond twice in the heart then finally given the coup de grace by a knife slid into his heart. I think the violence in this Bond novel is certainly more graphic than those by Ian Fleming. I'm currently writing a lengthy article on this aspect of the first James Bond continuation novel, entitled 'The Strange Death of Colonel Sun'. Watch my blog space for when it features there.

chrisisall

There were some creepy moments to be sure.

Agent007391

I have to ask: why didn't you just start one single "did the continuation novels go too far" thread, instead of several threads?

oo7

well anything outside of fleming is too far, you dont like what you are reading you are free to stop and disregard it as you like.

DB5

I don't think the violence in "Colonel Sun" was that much worse than "Dr. No" or "You Only Live Twice." Amis wrote by far the best Bond continuation novel to date. The violence is graphic but so is the sex. That's what makes it a Bond novel!

JimThompson45

Actually, I find Colonel Sun to be the one Bond continuation novel in perfect keeping with Fleming's work. There was always a violent, sadistic streak in the Fleming books. Bond was nearly beaten to death with a carpet beater in Casino Royale, for example.

Villiers53

SIULHOUETTE_MAN wrote:

What are your thoughts on the uncharacteristically violent nature of Colonel Sun by Robert Markham, as a James Bond novel?

Did Kingsley Amis go too far in the CR and LALD direction, do you think?

This level of violence - rape/skewering/stabbing/burning/head torture etc. - was it a step too far for a James Bond novel or do you think it fitted in with the works of Ian Fleming?

If you want a great synopsis on Colonel Sun, you should read Bentley's posting in the literary section of this site. He gives a great review of the book and some interesting insights as to why it may have been less successful than deserved back in '67.

Because of his thread, and because IFP have published the book in "Kindle" format I read it and I have to say, Bentley is 100% correct. It's a masterpiece and up there with the very best of Fleming and has a plot as tight, if not tighter than "Skyfall".

You could quite literally lift it straight from the page onto the screen.

Is it too violent - absolutely not. It's just hard hitting and very thrilling!

JimThompson45

Villiers53 wrote:

You could quite literally lift it straight from the page onto the screen.

In a perfect world. :)

Villiers53

JimThompson45 wrote:

Villiers53 wrote:

You could quite literally lift it straight from the page onto the screen.

In a perfect world. :)

True and probably after "Skyfall" there is too much 'M' in it but, down the line, who knows?
We can live in hope.

Dragonpol

Agent007391 wrote:

I have to ask: why didn't you just start one single "did the continuation novels go too far" thread, instead of several threads?

Because each thread is on a different novel; such a thread would become unwieldy.

By the way, Dragonpol has taken over from SILHOUETTE MAN.