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Which non-Fleming Bond book do you recommend as a good holiday read?

bekkibondbekkibond
edited May 2011 in Literary 007 Posts: 15
I am off on holiday in a few weeks, and naturally I want to take 007 with me in my hand luggage. ;-)

I've read all the Fleming ones of course, but I can't decide which novel to buy to take with me. I've read the Sebastian Faulk one, for me it was the supermarket own-brand diet coke of bond novels, it is ok on its own but doesn't compare well to the real thing.

So I've decided to ask the professionals, which 007 novel have you enjoyed the most?
Looking forward to seeing your recommendations............

Comments

  • saunderssaunders Living in a world of avarice and deceit
    Posts: 987
    Great idea for a discussion bekkibond, in my opinion if your looking for something similar to Fleming you might want to try Colonel Sun by Robert Markham/Kingsley Amis, but for me despite being stylistically similar to the original novels it still falls short and is a little bit dull in places.
    For holiday reading I would recommend most of John Gardner's earlier books Licence Renewed, For Special Services, Role Of Honour, Nobody Lives Forever and No Deals, Mr Bond. They are very different to Fleming's novel's with a older, more conservative Bond and if you think Sebastion Faulks effort as supermarket own-brand diet coke then you may find these more like corner shop value orange squash, but they make for easy if forgettable reads and just right for a sun soaked, cold beer fueled, non taxing, relaxing holiday break.
  • The_Preacher711The_Preacher711
    Posts: 139
    for me it was the supermarket own-brand diet coke of bond novels, it is ok on its own but doesn't compare well to the real thing.
    Maybe the best description of Faulk's effort I've read!!! Thanks for the giggle....

    I would agree with the learned Mar Saunders, but would also offer in the Chris Woods versions of TSWLM and MR.

    But for me, it wouldn't be holiday without MR.... or FYEO at least...
  • MrSpyMrSpy
    Posts: 116
    Dr. No! Or Thunderball. Most fun of the series IMO.
  • SeveSeve The island of Lemoy
    Posts: 443
    Colonel Sun
  • BounineBounine
    edited May 2011 Posts: 2,599
    In choosing just one book I would recommend 'For Special Services'. Cracking read!

    As for Colonel Sun, it is dull in places so I would hold off reading this book until you return from your holiday. The first half is better than the second. Amis is a good writer but I think his style, like Faulks's, is better suited to the drama genre. There is a lack of punch and suspense evident in these two books of the thriller classification. Certainly more so in DMC.

    Haven't read Woods's TSWLM and MOONRAKER. Both books have recently arrived from Amazon so I am looking forward to getting into them. Someone said that the Bond in these books is the literary figure not Roger Moore's Bond which is good.
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