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Which Bond novel are you currently reading?

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  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    edited April 2013 Posts: 13,978
    chrisisall wrote:
    I really REALLY want to see how you feel about Colonel Sun....
    Great reviews, thanks!

    And thank you. Based on my dad reading it and not liking when it was first published, and what I've read in Bond reference books like The Bond Files & The Rough Guide To James Bond, i'm eager to start Colonel Sun.


  • DB5DB5
    Posts: 408
    Just finished Gardner's NDMB. Thought the whole "characters not who you think they are" bit had been done in IB, but I guess Gardner felt if it worked once it would work again. And I've heard he does the same thing in DIF. So far I've read LR, FSS, IB, NLF and NDMB. Any other Gardners worth reading?
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,801
    DB5 wrote:
    Just finished Gardner's NDMB. Thought the whole "characters not who you think they are" bit had been done in IB, but I guess Gardner felt if it worked once it would work again. And I've heard he does the same thing in DIF. So far I've read LR, FSS, IB, NLF and NDMB. Any other Gardners worth reading?
    I own all the ones you've listed, but haven't read them yet... soon though.
  • dkem91dkem91
    edited April 2013 Posts: 66
    Having just finished all the Flemming novels, I just started Colonel Sun. Only fifteen pages in, but so far it's good. I have also purchased the first five Gardner novels, are they any good fellow Bond enthusiasts? Also any recommendations on other continuation novels, I've only read Devil May Care and Cart Blanc.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    edited April 2013 Posts: 13,978
    dkem91 wrote:
    Having just finished all the Flemming novels, I just started Colonel Sun. Only fifteen pages in, but so far it's good. I have also purchased the first five Gardner novels, are they any good fellow Bond enthusiasts? Also any recommendations on other continuation novels, I've only read Devil May Care and Cart Blanc.

    I enjoyed Benson's High Time To Kill, though with it reading like a 90's Bond film (i'd liken it to TND, in that it's slow to begin with) , it won't please everyone. I was also going to suggest the first 3 Gardner books, but I see you've already read those.

    I'm reading Colonel Sun too, though i'm about 5 chapters in.
  • dkem91dkem91
    Posts: 66
    Thanks for the advice. I have noticed in these boards that the Benson books are compared to the 90's films and fan fiction.
  • DB5DB5
    Posts: 408
    I would echo MajorDSmythe's recommendation of HTTK. Also heartily recommend Amis' CN, one of the top five Bond novels in my opinion.
  • ohfilms1ohfilms1
    Posts: 112
    I'm in the middle of Moonraker at the moment. Loved Casino Royale and liked Live and Let Die
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    Last night I finished the last two chapters of Colonel Sun, having not read any of it for a few days. It was my first time reading it. Some highlights being the opening kidnap, Bond & Ariadne's escape from the Acropolis and the attack on the ship. Overall, it was... ok, I think it just about scrapes through into being one of the better Bonds. Earlier this evening I started the next book (see bottom of post). The updated ranking:

    01. Moonraker - Ian Fleming (1955)
    02. On Her Majesty's Secret Service - Ian Fleming (1963)
    03. From Russia With Love - Ian Fleming (1957)
    04. You Only Live Twice - Ian Fleming (1964)
    05. Casino Royale - Ian Fleming (1953)
    06. The Living Daylights - Ian Fleming (1966)
    07. For Your Eyes Only - Ian Fleming (1960)
    08. Thunderball - Ian Fleming (1961)
    09. Quantum Of Solace - Ian Fleming (1960)
    10. Live And Let Die - Ian Fleming (1954)
    11. From A View To A Kill - Ian Fleming (1960)
    12. Risico - Ian Fleming (1960)
    13. Colonel Sun - Robert Markham (1968)
    14. The Property Of A Lady - Ian Fleming (1966)
    15. The Hilderbrand Rarity - Ian Fleming (1960)
    16. Dr No - Ian Fleming (1958)
    17. The Spy Who Loved Me - Ian Fleming (1962)
    18. Octopussy - Ian Fleming (1966)
    19. The Man With The Golden Gun - Ian Fleming (1965)
    20. Goldfinger - Ian Fleming (1959)
    21. Diamonds Are Forever - Ian Fleming (1956)
    22. 007 In New York - Ian Fleming (1966)

    Next up: The Spy Who Loved Me*

    *The Christopher Wood novelisation, another Bond that I've not read before.
  • offtheradarofftheradar
    Posts: 80
    Reading Carte Blanche, License Renewed and Casino Royale.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited April 2013 Posts: 13,355
    How do you juggle three books at once?
  • offtheradarofftheradar
    Posts: 80
    Samuel001 wrote:
    How do you juggle three books at once?

    Almost finished Carte Blanche and just started License Renewed. Casino Royale is just at the ready for some Fleming cravings.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    Ah, I see. Being at different stages makes it manageable to some degree. I was shocked when I first read your post, so thanks for explaining.
  • offtheradarofftheradar
    Posts: 80
    Yeah, I'm diving into the Gardner books finally and then back to some Fleming for an aperitif.
  • DB5DB5
    Posts: 408
    Currently a third of the way through Benson's "Doubleshot." It's actually pretty good.
  • timmertimmer
    edited April 2013 Posts: 4,622
    Recently ploughed through a re-read of all 14 Flemings plus Colonel Sun and John Pearson's JB Authorized Bio. Now I don't know what to do. The Flemings, plus CS and Pearson's book are what I consider the core source canon.
    I think both Amis and Pearson nicely complement the Fleming originals in the Fleming timeline and belong on the shelf beside the Flemings.
    I've actually read everything else too, so I have to figure out what the next re-read will be. I could pick-up with the film novelizations. Before I started the Flemingathon, I had committed to the 7 screenplay novelizations, but after I got through the two Chris Wood's and Gardner's LTK, I had a hankering to revisit Fleming.
    The problem with these screenplay novelizations is that I find them to be instantly forgetable once I am done with them. It's probably my knowledge of the films that wipes out anything different in the books. But I don't have this problem with the Fleming books versus the films. The Flemings stick in my head. Maybe its because original source material has a way of sticking, such as original novels and original films.
    I guess up next will be the remaining screenplay novelizations; Gardner's GE and Benson's TND, TWINE and DAD. Then I might re-visit Faulk's DMC and Deaver's CB, just for the hell of it, as a lead-in to Boyd's book in the fall.
    In the near future I think I will try and read all the Gardners and Benson's in order again.
    I don't think though that I will ever re-read Young Bond or MP Diaries. Both are good little series but still they are spin-offs. I'd rather read actual Bond adventures.
  • 007InVT007InVT Classified
    Posts: 893
    timmer wrote:
    Recently ploughed through a re-read of all 14 Flemings plus Colonel Sun and John Pearson's JB Authorized Bio. Now I don't know what to do. The Flemings, plus CS and Pearson's book are what I consider the core source canon.
    I think both Amis and Pearson nicely complement the Fleming originals in the Fleming timeline and belong on the shelf beside the Flemings.
    I've actually read everything else too, so I have to figure out what the next re-read will be. I could pick-up with the film novelizations. Before I started the Flemingathon, I had committed to the 7 screenplay novelizations, but after I got through the two Chris Wood's and Gardner's LTK, I had a hankering to revisit Fleming.
    The problem with these screenplay novelizations is that I find them to be instantly forgetable once I am done with them. It's probably my knowledge of the films that wipes out anything different in the books. But I don't have this problem with the Fleming books versus the films. The Flemings stick in my head. Maybe its because original source material has a way of sticking, such as original novels and original films.
    I guess up next will be the remaining screenplay novelizations; Gardner's GE and Benson's TND, TWINE and DAD. Then I might re-visit Faulk's DMC and Deaver's CB, just for the hell of it, as a lead-in to Boyd's book in the fall.
    In the near future I think I will try and read all the Gardners and Benson's in order again.
    I don't think though that I will ever re-read Young Bond or MP Diaries. Both are good little series but still they are spin-offs. I'd rather read actual Bond adventures.

    Do you mean Pearson's 'Life of Ian Fleming' or this http://www.amazon.com/James-Bond-Authorised-Biography-ebook/dp/B009ZE7IP2/ref=pd_sim_kstore_7?

    How would you rank the Gardner novels and what's your favorite Fleming?
  • 007InVT007InVT Classified
    Posts: 893
    MajorDSmythe wrote:
    Last night I finished the last two chapters of Colonel Sun, having not read any of it for a few days. It was my first time reading it. Some highlights being the opening kidnap, Bond & Ariadne's escape from the Acropolis and the attack on the ship. Overall, it was... ok, I think it just about scrapes through into being one of the better Bonds. Earlier this evening I started the next book (see bottom of post). The updated ranking:

    01. Moonraker - Ian Fleming (1955)
    02. On Her Majesty's Secret Service - Ian Fleming (1963)
    03. From Russia With Love - Ian Fleming (1957)
    04. You Only Live Twice - Ian Fleming (1964)
    05. Casino Royale - Ian Fleming (1953)
    06. The Living Daylights - Ian Fleming (1966)
    07. For Your Eyes Only - Ian Fleming (1960)
    08. Thunderball - Ian Fleming (1961)
    09. Quantum Of Solace - Ian Fleming (1960)
    10. Live And Let Die - Ian Fleming (1954)
    11. From A View To A Kill - Ian Fleming (1960)
    12. Risico - Ian Fleming (1960)
    13. Colonel Sun - Robert Markham (1968)
    14. The Property Of A Lady - Ian Fleming (1966)
    15. The Hilderbrand Rarity - Ian Fleming (1960)
    16. Dr No - Ian Fleming (1958)
    17. The Spy Who Loved Me - Ian Fleming (1962)
    18. Octopussy - Ian Fleming (1966)
    19. The Man With The Golden Gun - Ian Fleming (1965)
    20. Goldfinger - Ian Fleming (1959)

    21. Diamonds Are Forever - Ian Fleming (1956)
    22. 007 In New York - Ian Fleming (1966)

    Next up: The Spy Who Loved Me*

    *The Christopher Wood novelisation, another Bond that I've not read before.

    Wow - Moonraker at #1? That's high praise. What do you like so much about it. I haven't read it yet but can't stand the movie.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    I don't like Moonraker (the film), either. But you should read the book, it's nothing like it's cinematic counterpart.
  • timmertimmer
    edited May 2013 Posts: 4,622
    007InVT wrote:

    Do you mean Pearson's 'Life of Ian Fleming' or this http://www.amazon.com/James-Bond-Authorised-Biography-ebook/dp/B009ZE7IP2/ref=pd_sim_kstore_7?

    How would you rank the Gardner novels and what's your favorite Fleming?
    I am referring to the latter, which is a fictionalized biography of Bond, along the Fleming timeline. The hook though is that Bond is real, and that Fleming wrote the novels to throw persistent Smersh assassins off Bond's trail. The novels were intended to fool Smersh into believing Bond was not real. Pearson actually picks up and runs with a thread that Fleming himself left dangling in the YOLT obit, where he mentions his own novels, within the context of one of his novels. :-O
    But what's quite endearing about Pearson's Bond bio, is that it fleshes out Bond's whole life pre-CR, working with the scraps that Fleming left, and advances Bond's life post TMWTGG into the present context which is 1973.

    I don't have any rankings for either the Flemings or Gardner books. I could do it, but it truly would be an exercise in splitting hairs, especially with the Flemings. I love all the Fleming books equally. Golden Gun might be the only one that falls a tad flat.
    Gardner's books also all kind of resonate equally with me. Simplest thing to do with both collections I think, is to simply read them in order.

  • 007InVT007InVT Classified
    Posts: 893
    @timmer - I have plans to read them all anyway, so it's moot point, but I would like to go in chronological order.

    Ironically, I like the movie MWTGG, probably because I like Christopher Lee so much. You should read his auto-biography, he talks about the making of the film, Roger Moore quite a bit. Also references he's a cousin of Fleming.

    Just a damn good egg.
  • 007InVT007InVT Classified
    Posts: 893
    MajorDSmythe wrote:
    I don't like Moonraker (the film), either. But you should read the book, it's nothing like it's cinematic counterpart.

    Thanks, I'll bump it up.
  • timmertimmer
    edited May 2013 Posts: 4,622
    007InVT wrote:
    I like Christopher Lee so much. You should read his auto-biography, he talks about the making of the film, Roger Moore quite a bit. Also references he's a cousin of Fleming.
    Just a damn good egg.
    Sure, thanks for the tip! A Christopher Lee auto-bio would be a good read!

  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    How old is the autobiography of Christopher Lee?
    I am definitely interested in reading this and will try to get it.
  • 007InVT007InVT Classified
    Posts: 893
    4EverBonded wrote:
    How old is the autobiography of Christopher Lee?
    I am definitely interested in reading this and will try to get it.

    It's not that old but hard to find. Only released in the UK.

    http://www.amazon.com/Lord-Misrule-The-Autobiography-Christopher/dp/0752859331/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1367527977&sr=8-3&keywords=christopher+lee
  • Sir_James_MoloneySir_James_Moloney
    Posts: 388
    I'm re-reading Fleming at the moment and am about 2/3s of the way through LALD. It makes for very uncomfortable reading in places due to the 1950s attitudes to race.

    The biggest surprise so far is that Bond doesn't have a licence to kill at this point (by which I mean Fleming hasn't invented it yet.) The 00 number just means that he's killed someone in the course of duty.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    Re: Chritospher Lee's autobio - OK, I will check my bookstore here; they do order from the UK for me. Hope I can get it; I'll try! Thanks.
  • timmertimmer
    Posts: 4,622
    4EverBonded wrote:
    Re: Chritospher Lee's autobio - OK, I will check my bookstore here; they do order from the UK for me. Hope I can get it; I'll try! Thanks.
    Have you read the Pearson book yet. Being a book buff you should get a real kick out of it. It's like actually meeting James Bond. Like we, the dear reader, are being let in on a secret -that Bond is in fact real. :O
    It's my favourite Bond read, after the Flemings.

  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    timmer wrote:
    4EverBonded wrote:
    Re: Chritospher Lee's autobio - OK, I will check my bookstore here; they do order from the UK for me. Hope I can get it; I'll try! Thanks.
    Have you read the Pearson book yet. Being a book buff you should get a real kick out of it. It's like actually meeting James Bond. Like we, the dear reader, are being let in on a secret -that Bond is in fact real. :O
    It's my favourite Bond read, after the Flemings.

    You sold me. I will have to look for it as well... I already think, scratch that, KNOW that Bond is real, so I will give it a chance. ;)
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    And that's Christopher Wood's novelisation of The Spy Who Loved Me finished. All in all, an easy read. Bond is portrayed as something between Fleming's Bond and Moore's Bond.

    Wood's novelisation of Moonraker is up next, but on the strength of this book, I would have liked Wood to have written his own continuation Bond.

    01. Moonraker - Ian Fleming (1955)
    02. On Her Majesty's Secret Service - Ian Fleming (1963)
    03. From Russia With Love - Ian Fleming (1957)
    04. You Only Live Twice - Ian Fleming (1964)
    05. Casino Royale - Ian Fleming (1953)
    06. The Living Daylights - Ian Fleming (1966)
    *****07. The Spy Who Loved Me - Christopher Wood (1977)*****
    08. For Your Eyes Only - Ian Fleming (1960)
    09. Thunderball - Ian Fleming (1961)
    10. Quantum Of Solace - Ian Fleming (1960)
    11. Live And Let Die - Ian Fleming (1954)
    12. From A View To A Kill - Ian Fleming (1960)
    13. Risico - Ian Fleming (1960)
    14. Colonel Sun - Robert Markham (1968)
    15. The Property Of A Lady - Ian Fleming (1966)
    16. The Hilderbrand Rarity - Ian Fleming (1960)
    17. Dr No - Ian Fleming (1958)
    18. The Spy Who Loved Me - Ian Fleming (1962)
    18. Octopussy - Ian Fleming (1966)
    20. The Man With The Golden Gun - Ian Fleming (1965)
    21. Goldfinger - Ian Fleming (1959)
    22. Diamonds Are Forever - Ian Fleming (1956)
    23. 007 In New York - Ian Fleming (1966)

    Next up: Moonraker
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