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M in James Bond novels

mirandafrostmirandafrost
edited April 2014 in Literary 007 Posts: 368
Hey guys,
are there any descriptions of M in the novels?
Like age, look, ...?
Regards, Miranda

Comments

  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,125
    Yes there are, but I cannot think of a specific novel exactly.
  • Agent007391Agent007391 Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start
    Posts: 7,854
    You post exactly like Bentley does... Curious.

    Anyway, I swear there was quite a good description of M somewhere in The Man with the Golden Gun.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited April 2014 Posts: 18,281
    The problem is that there are mentions of M's physical appearance and mannerisms (especially that) in nearly all of the Bond novels and short stories (excepting The Spy Who Loved Me as it is anomalous, being written in the first person by the civilian heroine of the story). I suggest just reading the early scenes with M and you will get plenty of physical descriptions like his "lined sailor's face" and "damnably clear grey eyes". In fact, more relevant perhaps Kingsley Amis' The James Bond Dossier (1965) where there is a whole chapter devoted to the character of M.
  • Villiers53Villiers53
    Posts: 802
    M's age isn't mentioned in any of the books albeit his war record and rank would probably dictate that he was in his early '50s when Fleming launched the franchise.
    Ironically, it was Kingsley Amis that gave 'M' his biggest role in the fabulous Colonel Sun.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    Villiers53 wrote:
    M's age isn't mentioned in any of the books albeit his war record and rank would probably dictate that he was in his early '50s when Fleming launched the franchise.
    Ironically, it was Kingsley Amis that gave 'M' his biggest role in the fabulous Colonel Sun.

    In the FYEO short story it does mention that he was at the Havelocks wedding as Best Man in 1925.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,125
    Dragonpol wrote:
    Villiers53 wrote:
    M's age isn't mentioned in any of the books albeit his war record and rank would probably dictate that he was in his early '50s when Fleming launched the franchise.
    Ironically, it was Kingsley Amis that gave 'M' his biggest role in the fabulous Colonel Sun.

    In the FYEO short story it does mention that he was at the Havelocks wedding as Best Man in 1925.

    Yes, it is from FYEO that stemmed all the plots where M was involved at a personal level. And we learn a fair deal about him in the novel MR: where he spends his free time, for one, who he hangs out with and we also learn that he is not a rich man.
  • 007InVT007InVT Classified
    Posts: 893
    K Amis' chapter in his JB Dossier called 'Damnably Grey Eyes' is worth a read for the lowdown on M.
  • Villiers53Villiers53
    Posts: 802
    Ludovico wrote:
    And we learn a fair deal about him in the novel MR: where he spends his free time, for one, who he hangs out with and we also learn that he is not a rich man.

    True, Moonraker gives a great insight into both 'M' and Bond.
    It's a fabulous book. For many years I had OHMSS & FRWL head and shoulders above the rest but I recently reread MR and have created a club of three encompassing the aforementioned.

  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    Villiers53 wrote:
    Ludovico wrote:
    And we learn a fair deal about him in the novel MR: where he spends his free time, for one, who he hangs out with and we also learn that he is not a rich man.

    True, Moonraker gives a great insight into both 'M' and Bond.
    It's a fabulous book. For many years I had OHMSS & FRWL head and shoulders above the rest but I recently reread MR and have created a club of three encompassing the aforementioned.

    Moonraker     was the first Bond novel I ever read back in 1997 and it's still top of the pile for me yet.
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