22 replies to this topic

[deth]

......I'm somewhere around chapter 5....


........I never thought I could be so bored with a Bond novel....

(this is my first Gardner novel btw... I've read all the Fleming, Benson books)

.....Does it get better??

[Righty007]

Unlike Licence to Kill, this novel is spelled "License" and not "Licence". It's not my favorite book but it is good and should get better for you.

[deth]

Originally posted by Righty007
Unlike Licence to Kill, this novel is spelled with "License" and not "Licence". It's not my favorite book but it is good and should get better for you.

I should hope it does....

[Cesari]

I'm not at all fan of Gardner books and generally I find them boring.
But this one is one of the best of all the Bond book he did!
If you have problems with this one I'm afraid you won't like much more the major part of the others.
But go on, you will see

[jwheels]

It is a one of the best Gardner novels, if not the best. If you have trouble reading it, you will have a difficult time reading any of the others, especially The Man from Barbarossa.

[Tanger]

AWWW!
Don't say it's boring, I've just gone and bought this!

[Tanger]

And Righty, LicenCe is the English spelling and LicenSe is the American.

[Righty007]

Originally posted by Tanger
And Righty, LicenCe is the English spelling and LicenSe is the American.

Correct. I was just pointing out that this novel is LisenSe Renewed, which uses the American spelling and LicenCe To Kill uses the British spelling.

[DLibrasnow]

I was never fond of "License Renewed" as a Bond book. Although I far perfer Gardners work to Benson's (can't stand Raymond Bensons books which I find to be the perfect cure for insomnia) I think John Gardners best 007 books were "Icebreaker", "Role of Honor" and "No Deals Mr. Bond".

[Tarl_Cabot]

Ice breaker rules.

[zencat]

Sorry to hear it's not working for you, deth. I do think it's one of the better Gardner novels. But maybe after reading Fleming and Benson, even good Gardner is a letdown. I've always said Benson is better continuation novelist of the two.

[jwheels]

Yes, of the 2, Benson is much better than Gardner. But what I would give for another Amis novel.

[Qwerty]

Well, I loved this one by Gardner.
And (I'm sorry to say this), if you're tired of Gardner already, you'll be sick of him entirely when you get to his later novels (TMFB).

[deth]

ok, now that I'm about 20 pages form the end, I can say that it HAS gotten better.... which I'm happy about....

........It was just the first part of the book which was terribly dreary.... I think what killed me was the chapter about the villain's family and stuff.... ugh.

.....anyways, I'm enjoying it now, at least enough to continue on reading some of the other Gardner's....

........and yes, I think Benson is far better

[Qwerty]

Be prepared. After NLF, it's starts to shift between good, bad and terrible (TMFB) Although SeaFire and Never Send Flowers are excellent.

[DLibrasnow]

Originally posted by zencat
Sorry to hear it's not working for you, deth. I do think it's one of the better Gardner novels. But maybe after reading Fleming and Benson, even good Gardner is a letdown. I've always said Benson is better continuation novelist of the two.

I cannot agree zencat....I think Gardner is the better writer.

[Jim]

Originally posted by Righty007
Correct. I was just pointing out that this novel is LisenSe Renewed, which uses the American spelling and LicenCe To Kill uses the British spelling.

In the UK it's called Licence Renewed.

Regardless of how one spells the title, it's still pretty dull. The only amusing thing is to consider how much of it may have "inspired" ides for the films.

Gardner found form with the next four, then drifted off considerably.

[Jim]

Double post, sorry.

[Righty007]

I understand now. Thanks.

[Mjr. P.Townsend]

I like Benson's books, but somehow they come off more like filmscripts than books. But the filmscripts seem more interesting than Purvis' and Wade's film script. Mixing a good Bond idea at the beginning with a remake of Diamonds Are Forever at the end (with the worst CGI I've ever noticed) is one of the stupidest ideas I've ever heard.

Back to the topic: Gardner's earlier books seem to be faster moving compared to his later stuff. Icebreaker is an excellent Bond book. If you want to take a long nap, The Man From Barbarossa will do a good job.

Tip: Double-Cross syndrome seems to be in most Gardner Bond books (expected because Gardner is famous for being a mystery novelist). If Gardner becomes the next Bond author, the book should be called "DoubleCross" !!!

[DAN LIGHTER]

I managed to get a copy in first edition for a great price. I think it was £8. So I have been so looking forward to reading it. I am up to chapter 4 and cant get past it.

It just has not got me hooked yet. Maybe because it isnt Fleming, or the fact his Bond is driving a Saab and he's in the eighites and the 00 section has been abandoned.

I enjoyed Colonel Sun, Devil May Care and Young Bond. But I thought Amis, Faulks and Higson had the Fleming feel to them. The Young Bond books I could imagine Fleming writing himself.

Is Licence Renewed not a bit like Moonraker also?

Edited by DAN LIGHTER, 02 February 2009 - 10:26 PM.

[eddychaput]

I read it a couple of weeks ago. It was alright. There are some silly moments that didn't feel very...very Bond-ish to me, but then again, I guess every author will bring their own ideas to the 007 universe.

I thought the final few chapters were a real dud. Nothing exciting at all.

[DAN LIGHTER]

What is it with this book? I am rather enjoying it now. When I got past chapters 4-5 it just got better. Maybe its all the changes Gardner tackled so early on? I found Q'ute and her bedroom a bit cheesy.

I am not sure Bond would give a toss about a Slumberland 2002 Sleepcentre? I mean Bond walks into a room and looks at the bed and "Ahh a Slumberland Sleepcentre, you have good taste Laird" Maybe it will feature at the end of the novel?

All in all its fun.

Edited by DAN LIGHTER, 13 March 2009 - 10:33 PM.