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Comments
For historical and hysterical reasons, I have an uneasy relationship with this novel and it is one of two Fleming Bonds that I'd only read once.
First time around I didn't rate it at all and considered it a mis-step. As Fleming did himself.
Frankly, we were both wrong. It's a brave masterpiece were he really succeeded in doing something different.
Not only were his descriptive powers at their peak but he succeeded in writing through female eyes in a way that showed a sensitivity and understanding that should have countered completely accusations of misogyny.
Beyond that, it is a tightly told gangster tale in the style of 'Key Lago' that would have made a great Hitchcock movie. Great stuff.
Arne't they fabulous ?
PussyNoMore has a few collector's editions including the Bentley CR and a full set of the leather bound Easton Press edition but The Folio Society have really done something special with these releases. The illustrations by Fay Dalton are absolutely superb.
Hopefully they'll do MR next !
Happy Xmas to all 007 literary aficionados - may you wake up with both Folio editions in your stocking.
Might have to read newspaper strip version afterwards as I can't remember how faithful it is to the book.
Yeah, really hoping for a Moonraker edition next, think it would look the dog's danglers!
Both are just ok
timdalton007
Are Wood's novelizations worth my money and time?
TSWLM definitely is. It goes into a lot more depth about virtually everyone including laying out the backstories of Stromberg and Jaws. Plus there's some nice callbacks and tie-ins to Fleming (Gogol in the novelization is replaced by one of the SMERSH general's out of FRWL for example). Even the ending is different, more somber in keeping with the entirety of the novel.
As for the Moonraker one, I'm not so sure about. There are differences (as I talked about above) but not enough to make it a very different experience as most of the one-liners and some of the humor is still there. It's got a more serious tone as some of the more cringe-worthy gags and elements are gone. Having not finished it, I can't pass a full opinion but it's definitely not on the same level as TSWLM novelization thus far.
timdalton007
Couldn't agree more.
PussyNoMore can't wait to see what Fay Dalton would do with Sir Hugo Drax - her visual of Rosa Klebb was absolutely chilling!
Dalton is a great artist and it would be great if Folio would put prints of the key visuals for sale.
If anybody from Folio is checking in, PussyNoMore would vote for Moonraker next and then the Blofeld trilogy in chronological order.
Happy Christmas to all.
I really enjoyed it. It's only my second continuation novel, the first one being Carte Blanche which I didn't like too much. But Trigger Mortis was really good. Very Fleming-esque. The plot was quite clever and Jeopardy Lane was a more than decent Bond girl. Same goes for the villain.
All in all, I really liked it and I was very pleased that Mr Horowitz captured Fleming's world so successfully. I've always been a bit sceptical about continuation novels (hence I've only read 2), but Mr Horowitz's work started to change my mind. I'm glad he's writing another one.
Yep, both Wood books are good Bond reads. As good as anything in the continuation series, I think.
Both books compliment the films nicely.
Bond himself is very relatable.
I re-read them both recently .
Very satisfying Bond reads, I would say.
It was the beginning of a typical routine day for Bond. It was only two or three
times a year that an assignment came along requiring his particular abilities. For the
rest of the year he had the duties of an easy-going senior civilservant—elastic office
hours from around ten to six; lunch, generally in the canteen; evenings spent playing
cards in the company of a few close friends, or at Crockford’s; or making love, with
rather cold passion, to one of three similarly disposed married women; week-ends
playing golf for high stakes at one of the clubs near London.
My favourite bit is when Bond throws his knife at September 16th on the calendar, because that's my birthday. A very sweet thought on his part, even though he misses :D
Does he do that in the novel...?
Haven't read it for a while....
"But today is the 13th..!"
"I'm superstitious...!" :)
I have to say, I'm not really picturing Craig as Bond when I read the books. All I can think of is Connery, maybe a more solitary version.
Yeah I've tried to picture both Craig and Dalton, but all I can see is Connery.
Connery and Lazenby both work. The others not so much.