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| Bond Book Reviews: Christopher Wood |
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Dug this out of the old paperback collection to read again when past commuting to London.
The author is co-writer of the screenplay with Richard Maibaum, so if you go by the cover you'll be expecting another Book of the Film - WRONG !
Wood decides to set the story in the Fleming world of Bond with "the cruel smile" not the fantasy world of Moore with the witty one-liners.
It's a pity the film's poster wasn't used for the cover, as at least then there would be some similarities.
The title is changed as not to clash with Fleming's story but follows the film's main narrative but without some of the over-the-top fantasy efforts.
The characters are better developed with more background e.g. in one ending chapter, not in the film, the Russian agent Anya prays "do not let him kiss me again" - no not 007 but Jaws !
Poor James bleeds in this story and doesn't even get a jet-ski to rescue lovely Anya for the finale - think Japan arrival in YOLT.
It's not often that the book proves to be more enjoyable than the movie ( which was the sum of past parts ) but that's down to Wood's writing style.
Alas the book may not be around to buy now but look out for it in libraries & book sales as well worth a read despite being 30 years old !
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This time the publishers use one of the movie's posters for the cover to tell us that this is The Book of the Film! and
despite being also the screenplay writer, Wood decides to keep the story in the Fleming world of Bond not the fantasy world of Moore with one-liners like "Play it again Sam" after the Venice fight.
As before, the title is changed as not to clash with Fleming's story but follows the film's main narrative but without some of the over-the-top fantasy efforts.
There is no silly gondola hovercraft or romance for Jaws.
Remember the slo-mo dog chase & death of chopper pilot, Corrine Clery ( in the book she's called Trudi Parker ), that's only briefly recalled by Goodhead.
When James gets sent up the Amazoco in his little boat, the Q-craft, it doesn't take 5 minutes as in the movie but a few days with some interesting happenings.
The author yet again gives us a book which proves to be more enjoyable than the movie.
It's a shame the Bond producers didn't keep closer to his narrative, it would have been a better movie and less costly.
This book may not be around now but look out for it in libraries & book sales as a really good read despite being 28 years old !
My copy is showing signs of age and is falling apart in places.
| Bond Book Review: Kate Westbrook |
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The third in a trilogy of books called The Moneypenny Diaries about "the affairs and adventures of James Bond's right-hand woman", the previous two ( Guardian Angel & Secret Servant ) are unread by this reviewer. It must be great being related to a famous character like Sherlock Holmes or James Bond, so author Kate Westbrook* is the niece of the world's most famous secretary Miss Moneypenny. *In real life she is actually writer Samantha Weinberg.
Told from two diary viewpoints, the 282 page book starts in 2007 with Kate advising us of the death of her aunt Jane Moneypenny in 1990 "a year short of her sixieth birthday". Having died in a boating accident and as her heir Kate has to identify her body in Scotland, so she starts to read through her diaries starting back in July 1964. Moneypenny has already broken the primary rule of the Secret Service by keeping a diary.
Along the way we encounter regular & familiar characters like M, Bond, Tanner and even Miss Goodnight who gets marriage advice from our Jane in Jamaica. The main plot is trying to reveal the identity of a traitor called the Sieve. By keeping and reading the diaries Dr Westbrook's life is endangered and seeks help and guidance from an insider called Macintyre. With trips from London to Scotland and Cambridge she tries to get to the bottom of the unsolved mystery of the 60s spy and more importantly her aunt's death.
It's a really good read and keeps you interested to the end with the traitor's identity. Also we get the chance to read about life's end or Final Fling of some of our favourite Fleming characters. There's even an end twist with another identity revealed. So if you enjoy the literary world of 007 you will enjoy this whether you buy it for £17.99, less now in sales or borrow it like me from your local library.
| Bond Book Review: Sebastian Faulks |
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First what is this "Writing as Ian Fleming", has the spirit of the legendary writer taken over the author ? After much publicity to celebrate the centenary of Ian Fleming's birth on 28 May, 1908 we have this adventure which picks up after his last effort. Forget what followed, Gardner, Benson etc it was a dream !
So set in the 60s, we have old friend René Mathis who opens proceedings with a Paris murder. Meanwhile Bond travels around recovering from the last mission until summoned by boss M. So as expected we have elements & characters from past Fleming which are integrated like May, Bond's Scottish 'treasure' house-keeper, old pal Felix Leiter re-surfaces to help new aide Darius in Tehran and 007 arrives as David Somerset ( remember from FRWL ). In Persia he is helped by resourceful driver Hamid.
After a slow start, Bond is now a tennis ace ( yes at his age ! ) in order to encounter the villain of the story Julius Gorner - the man with The Monkey's Hand - shades of Dr No and first meeting with Goldfinger on the golf course. His side-kicks are "trusted lieutenant" Chagrin & the earlier Paris killer Mr Haslin. So who is the mysterious & beautiful Scarlett Papova, love interest, twin sister or more ? More excitement in the second half with a VC10 plane crash and an escape form Russia.
Spread over 20 right starting[?] chapters, this one just makes 295 pages and not sure if author is influenced by screen 007 as it contains elements from the movies, like drugs ( LALD/LTK ), Casper Sea ( TWINE ), vulcan planes ( TB ) and Afghanistan ( TLD ) - where hasn't Bond been ? Added pages are about the author & Fleming followed by Penguin's short descriptions of Fleming's books starting/numbered with 001 - Casino Royale to 0014 - Octopussy/The Living Daylights. Then the same treatment for Higson's Young Bond books. With a colorful lady front cover we have a simple black back cover with quoted words of 'Come in, 007' said M 'It good to see you back.' He sounds like Argy/Q in Connery's NSNA.
Overall not a bad effort but a struggle to get into ( did I miss where the title fits in ? ) for this reader and not worth a price tag of £18.99 - not surprised to see it discounted later. So if still not read, head for the local library or a book sale.
Told from two diary viewpoints, the 282 page book starts in 2007 with Kate advising us of the death of her aunt Jane Moneypenny in 1990 "a year short of her sixieth birthday". Having died in a boating accident and as her heir Kate has to identify her body in Scotland, so she starts to read through her diaries starting back in July 1964. Moneypenny has already broken the primary rule of the Secret Service by keeping a diary.
Along the way we encounter regular & familiar characters like M, Bond, Tanner and even Miss Goodnight who gets marriage advice from our Jane in Jamaica. The main plot is trying to reveal the identity of a traitor called the Sieve. By keeping and reading the diaries Dr Westbrook's life is endangered and seeks help and guidance from an insider called Macintyre. With trips from London to Scotland and Cambridge she tries to get to the bottom of the unsolved mystery of the 60s spy and more importantly her aunt's death.
It's a really good read and keeps you interested to the end with the traitor's identity. Also we get the chance to read about life's end or Final Fling of some of our favourite Fleming characters. There's even an end twist with another identity revealed. So if you enjoy the literary world of 007 you will enjoy this whether you buy it for £17.99, less now in sales or borrow it like me from your local library.
| Bond Book Review: Jeffery Deaver |
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Brought up to date this James Bond still lives in a Chelsea flat and drives the latest Bentley ( a Continental GT ) with a spare old 60s E-Type Jag belonging to his late father in his garage. He now works for ODG ( Overseas Development Group ) after recruited by M over a meal but still part of Six ( MI6 ) from Royal Naval Reserve in Afghanistan. Regular characters are still around Tanner, Moneypenny ( now resembling actress Kate Winslet ), Goodnight & Leiter. One change is Q Branch now run by Sanu Hirani who now supplies the high-tech gadgets to 007.
After an opening author's note explaining "the world of intelligence, counter-intelligence is one of acronyms and shorthand." So the 432 page book includes an end 4 page glossary of them to aid [?] the story which is divided into days from Sunday ( The Red Danube ) to the concluding Friday ( Down to Gehenna ) over 72 mostly short chapters. 007's action travels take place in Serbia, London,York, Dubai & Cape Town.
Along the way James encounters new characters Severan Hydt the villain described as a Rag And Bone Man as his business is Green Way International Disposal and Recyling. Perhaps also due to his weird interest in dead bodies. He has an Irish assassin aide called Niall Dunne and girl-friend Jessica Barnes who isn't allowed to wear make-up in order to show her ageing. Early London office help to Bond is provided by Ophelia 'Philly' Maidenstone who is having relationship problems but provides useful intelligence analysis and driving skills. He is also hindered by MI5's Percy Osborne-Smith but after events finally trusts our boy James.
Once Bond arrives in South Africa for the main bulk of the story he meets attractive Capt. Bheka Jordaan from the SAP ( local police ) and reluctantly after advice from Tanner to avoid a MI6 contact, Gregory Lamb. Later undercover as Gene Theron, he encounters the love interest who is Felicity Willing ( of course she is ! ), a local providing food aid support for a charity but is there more to her than meets the eye ? So what is Gehenna or Incident Twenty ? Who is Noah ?
Priced at £19.99 the book is a good, enjoyable & easy ( due to text size ) read helped by the author's twists & turns with the Bondian plot despite those annoying acronyms. Still suggest just a library borrow rather than purchase. My local supermarket had the novel on opening week offer of just £5 but home space prevented my purchase.
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