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I can't say Benson wrote any of my favourites, but I'm not a harsh critic. I'll say his 6 original books were all readable enough. They statisfied my Bond appetites at the time. Mind you, expectations weren't super high, as we readers by this time,were well conditioned to the only good-to-adequate offerings of Gardner. Quite readable mind you IMO, but nothing from the Gardner catalogue really jumps out at me.
I appreciate his efforts though.
I have read all the continuation novels.
I've enjoyed them all, well enough.
The notable exception though being Carte Blanche, which was wrong on so many levels.
@PussyNoMore 's progression of the 4 celebrity-author offerings does resonate.
Horowitz has resurrected things.
My favourite continuation offering is the Pearson book and then I jump ahead to the Moneypenny Diaries trilogy, and the recent 4-book run of Steve Cole Young Bonds, which have our hero more developed and recognizable than the earlier Higson books.
= On another note it does seem the only available copies of the new book here in the colonies, are via mail from England.
It doesn't seem anything will be available in Canada until November.
As I mentioned though, Amazon does have the affiliation with Blackwell's of Oxford.
I like Blackwell's shipping. You get a nice letter with the book plus one of their official bookmarks
I do like receiving my first edition Bond hardcovers, signed and from an official English bookseller, rather than something issued here later.
The Waterstones edition would be best, with the added Fleming material, but I do like Blackwells.
Looking forward to getting another collectible bookmark, and hopefully another signed edition.
I think the explanation is simpler. Faulks read how Fleming wrote his novels in a relatively short time. He "adapted" the technique and thought that was all it took.
Fleming did write in a relatively short amount of time. He had worked at Reuters, a news service, where you learn to write fast.
However, that applied to Fleming's *first drafts.* Once he was back in London from Jamaica, he rewrote, revised, etc. I've seen some of his manuscripts. Fleming wrote revisions in long hand.
Speculation: Faulks thought he "wrote like Fleming did" for first drafts and thought that was all there was to it.
Spybrary is a great site and has become PussyNoMore’s go to destination for spy literature appreciation and news.
Never heard about that site/podcast before. Thanks for sharing!
PussyNoMore thinks that at heart Faulks found this Bond stuff intellectually a bit silly but he didn’t find the cheque silly at all.
In truth, as the ghosts who haunt this cyber hall know, to walk in another man’s footsteps for 200+ pages without slipping whilst, at the same time, being creative and original in terms of plot, requires enormous concentration. You have to be a writer who is also a fan to want to do it. You also have to keep your own ego under control.
The Pussy says the ghosts know because one slip regarding tone or Bond lore and they will rightly pull you up on it.
In PussyNoMore’s not so humble opinion, Faulks was a Bond writer who was not a fan. Boyd was a fan but let his own ego run riot by trying to turn Bond into a Le Carre/Graham Greene type character.
Happily Horowitz is a writer who is also a genuine fan who does his damnedest to deliver in the style of Fleming.
Thanks, enjoyed listening to that.
I hope and expect Fleming estate to ask him for a third and at this point, might contract for two or three... I also hope it's not a three year wait. He's very prolific, so if asked, that wouldn't be a problem.
PussyNoMore agrees with the good Doctor. A three year wait is to be avoided at all costs.
Horowitz continuing is very desirable but, if for whatever reason that doesn't work, The Pussy is very relaxed about Charlie Higson sharpening his pencil.
He did a great job on 'Young Bond'.
Very nice collection there. Where did you pick up that copy of Colonel Sun?
I've never read Higson... I can't say I like the idea of young Bond stories in the first place, but I'm glad to hear they're well written... I may have to break down and give one a shot.
I have read 4 of the Young Bond books and I will admit, I don't LOVE them. I read them to get my Bond fix, but it doesn't quite do it for me. Some of the stories are OK but at times I feel they are a bit too 'tweeny' for my liking.
I don't want to break your spirits, check them our if you are interested, but they aren't my favorite.
Thank you! I found it at a used book store for $5.99. Pretty good find!!
Alas, it is not a signed copy. They did ship signed copies of the recent 4-title run of Steve Cole Young Bonds.
But they did send nice thank-you letter on official letterhead. Very English!
And, joy!!! Another Blackwell's official Vintage Edition bookmark.
"originally designed and distributed between 1887-1918"
Another treasured keepsake.
Blackwells is on Broad Street in Oxford, part of Trinity College.
To know that my copy has such famous origins, and that it was handled by actual Oxford booksellers is awe-inspiring.
I may employ reading gloves.
Let the adventure begin.
Chapter One: Killing By Numbers
Timmer is hunkered down
No, I think that's a Waterstones exclusive!
So completely worthless, then.
Very meta.
Yes, but about half the price of shipping a Waterstones edition.
Also I do like dealing with Blackwell's and having official English print editions at good price.
Until recently my entire Bond HC collection were pretty much Canadian print editions.
But yes it's the Waterstones editions that have the value appreciation potential.
You collectors
Keep them mint!
Maybe next time I'll splurge.
Fabulous artwork. Tom Adams did a fabulous job. It is extremely Daliesque and was a great development after Chopping. PussyNoMore loves it to bits and is lucky enough to have a JC first edition that is in pristine condition. He guards it with his life.
Whatever happend to great cover art ?
Worry not timmer. You have done just fine.
The only one that will appreciate significantly is the Goldsboro numbered and signed editions.
The Waterstone's edition is way too widely printed to have value. It was a very significant run.
Meantime, I consider the Blackwell's replica vintage bookmark to be priceless! :)
Nice Pussy! Can you post pictures? @PussyNoMore
It's a first edition Bond hardback. And a good one, at that!
Enjoy, timmer!
Says so right on it. I love that's it got official English pricing on it.
If a Canadian printing ever emerges, phttt. No thanks. Authentic English first editions only, thank you.