21 replies to this topic

[Tanger]

[clinkeroo]

Ha, I'll tear this hack apart ! It will be funny to go back after a year and a half and critique it. I just hope Evan is up for another rewrite.

[Matt Helm]

I was hoping that this was the topic of the upcoming IFP announcement. One can only wish.

Read this piece and enjoy, it is not even in the same league as the others read by the club thus far. I'm not taking anything away from those authors, this one is just that good.

Was that enough butt kissing Clinkeroo? People will start thinking that we're related.

[Xenobia]

You mean you two aren't the same person?



I've been looking forward to reading this one Clinkeroo, and I know I will enjoy it.

-- Xenobia

[clinkeroo]

You mean you two aren't the same person?



I've been looking forward to reading this one Clinkeroo, and I know I will enjoy it.

-- Xenobia

Thanks Xen and Matt,

No, but I do owe quite a bit to the kind words of many good people such as Matt, Evan, and Jonathan Andrew Sheen that kept me going over the four years it took me to write the thing. As you know, Xen, one of the great things about fan fiction is that your work is never done; unlike a book in print, you can always go back and tweak a little bit more, so I look forward to hearing the opinions of the many people here in the reading club I've come to know, and seeing if they can bring a little more to it. I already owe quite a bit to Cesari for the effort he put in to editing the French/Corsican text and content. I am certainly no Walt Whitman, but if he can rework Blades of Grass all those times, certainly there could be room in From Death's Door for some more revision.

[Xenobia]

Yes, I do know TC that things can be tweaked over and over again. At some point I probably will try to go back and clean up the sections of my fanfic that relied on translation. It's tricky stuff, but I'll find a way to make it work.

-- X

[Joyce Carrington]

Wow, Mr. Clink!

Just read the first chapter and I'm loving it so far.

Somehow I picture Dalton and Hedison as Bond and Felix.

Very nice.

[scaramanga1]

I have to say this is excellent so far!

[Qwerty]

I'm having some problems with my computer lately, so I hope I'll get them all fixed soon so that I can read, from what I've heard, this very good fan fiction piece.

Either way, by the deadline or not, I'll will read this Clinkeroo, because I really want to.

[Tanger]

I think it's been about 3 weeks now, I can't remember but I'll post anyway. I hope everyone enjoyed this piece. I won't write too much as the piece is too long for me to be able to mention everything, but I'll talk about what stuck out.

First impressions: WOW!
This has to be the greatest piece of Fan Fiction I have ever read. Several times whilst reading it I wanted to print it out, bind it and stick it with my Bond novels. It really is that excellent.

First of all, the character of Bond is clearly the one that Fleming created but suitably aged to fit in with this modern tale. He is protrayed here as a man of experience and on many occasions this comes across. He is a man who has been scarred by life, challenged but overcome it all. This is possibly the best portrayal of the Bond character I have ever read in a fanfic.
Classic characters are back too. A stroke of genius on Mr. Clink's part is when he brings back the character of Marc-Ange Draco. One of the most popular characters from Bond's past and here suitably portrayed, like Bond, as a man of experience. Felix is present and correct too and here is very much a man of action, helping Bond. It adds great depth to the character showing that whilst he hasn't fully overcome his injuries, he is still very much an able man. Complete with a new woman aswell, no less.
We have a nice selection of new characters to complete the ensemble, but I'll let somebody else talk about those.

The plot is an intriguing one and the idea of linking it to something that Bond had done in the past is inspired. Again, I won't talk too much about this as discussing plots isn't really my strong point.

Like most Bond fanfics, I always try to link it within the continuity of the existing novels. Here the though, it seems as if Gardner and Benson have been ignored and this picks up the story of Bond in modern times. There is no evidence to show that Gardner and Benson have been ignored, but that fact that no events have been mentioned, at least none that I recall, tend to lean towards this. I tend to agree with this decision and much prefer it when writers continue on with Fleming's Bond rather than trying to tie in their events to all the novels.

The writing is pure Fleming. The sites, the smells, everything seems to seep from the pages as you read and you can't help but become immersed in the story to the point of actually being lost in it's world. This demonstrates superb writing, where you can picture everything and just lose yourself in another world. There is definitely a feeling that Mr. Clink has visited some if not all of the locations described as the descriptions are so vivid in detail that you can picture everything.
It is also clear that a great deal of research has been put into it and this comes across on so many occassions when Mr. Clink is talking about politics, history etc. It shows he's a man who, like Fleming, is willing to go out and do the work so that the story they write is as realistic as possible.

There is nothing in this story, aside from a few minor typos that I can fault. Quite simply put, if you're looking for a classic James Bond story in the mold of Fleming, you won't find better. This is superb and I can't wait to read more of Mr. Clinks work.

5/5.

[Qwerty]

Clinkeroo, of what I'm told is the best story and my computer gets problems! And lots of them. I'm sorry that I was unable to read this piece of fan fiction, but I will read it eventually and I hope no one minds that when I do finish it, I still post a review here, because it sounds like a fine bit of reading.

[Leviathan]

This is absolutely the finest piece of fanfic I have ever read.... But even that doesn't go far enough. What this is, quite simply, is what the Bond continuation novels should be.

"From Death's Door" is breathtaking in its scope and daring, literatry in its themes and intelligence, visceral in its thrills and shocks, and ultimately very satisfying indeed.

Its locations are beautifully drawn and brought to life, Fleming's returning characters aquit themselves with honor, and the new characters are mesmerizing. You have to go back to Fleming to find a villain for Bond to face who is this terrifying.

I can't speak highly enough of this novel, and, I've said it before and I'll say it again, Ian Fleming Publications, Ltd. could do ever so much worse than to simply publish this novel, as-is... And frequently has.

[Tanger]

Welcome Mr. Sheen. Would you be interested in joining the club? It's always interesting to have actual writers as members and funnily enough, we're discussing your piece, Finders, Keepers this week.

The thread's up, I don't know if they other members have seen it.

[clinkeroo]

Hi Jonathan, and glad to see you here. I've read F,K and now I'm just waiting for everyone else so we can have some cross discussion.

Tanger, if you remember where any of the typos are drop me a PM so I can squish them like the bugs they are ! We really have to get Qwerty back up and running so we don't miss out on his valuable input. Hopefully, everyone else is still lingering, I'd hate to think it was my story that put a crimp in the reading club . I don't think that would bode well in the feedback department.

[Qwerty]

No! Why would such a grand, and so far the longest, which is a good thing put a stopper in the game, I'm sure once I get a chance to read it, it'll be great, and I'll certainly put in some input!

[clinkeroo]

Sorry, Devin, that may have come across wrong. By "back up and running" I meant helping you get whatever computer malady fixed that might be infringing upon your ablity to read the stories. Of all of us, Tanger and you have done the most to keep the ball rolling .

[Qwerty]

Well, trust me when I say there is a LOT of problems, but I may be able to download it this weekend, and as I have next week off, I can read during then hopefully!

[Bond_Bishop]

A really great Bond fan fiction. One of the best

[scaramanga1]

Have been busy of late but promise to give you my comments soon. It is really excellent -and I feel like an amateur when reading such a fantastically written piece of 007 literature. Fleming would be proud.

[scaramanga1]

Well what can I say that hasn't been said already -how about -have Ian Fleming Publications approached you yet? If not they should. This is top notch. I love the whole ambience and pace of the tale - it reads fantastically well and immerses the reader into the world of James Bond brilliantly. At once you feel that you are reading the genuine article and not a fanfic. The characters are excellent, the plot is tight and true to form. The action is excellently written also. There are great moments of tension, as well as moments of good satisfying humour.
I can not praise this tale enough -all Bond fans should read it.

I myself have just completed my own novella The Designation of Death,(soon to be launched over at AJB -probably first week of May) and although I'm proud of it -and think the story works well, after reading this I feel it is a little clumsy in comparison. May I ask are you already a published author? You have written with the professional air of a more than accomplished writer.

I give this a resounding 91/2 out of 10

[clinkeroo]

May I ask are you already a published author? You have written with the professional air of a more than accomplished writer.

I haven't published anything in about the last twenty years. Once upon a time I was a journalist, but I turned my back on it due to some ethical conflicts I had with my editors and the business in general. During that peroid I wrote a few short stories and some poetry that worked its way into regional publications. I majored in English Lit. and History (focus on European Middle Ages), and minored in Journalism, Broadcasting, and Speech (an educated idiot, in other words). After bailing on journalism and teaching, I settled into theater management, where I've been for the last twenty years. I still love writing, but now I do it on my own time, and I am able to write about things that I love (such as Bond). I still submit a story every few years, but I just haven't had enough gumption to really create the mass submissions one needs to break through. I guess I'd rather play with my kids . I offer up kudos to those like Chandlerbing and Zencat, who keep the hope of publication, or production, alive for so many of us.

Edited by clinkeroo, 19 April 2004 - 02:03 AM.

[scaramanga1]

well Clink -if you were to write a full length novel I'd buy it. You may find it interesting to know that I have recently graduated -as a mature student I may add - in English Lit and history, and am currently training to be an English and Drama teacher. I have also studied Media, and have successfully had a collection of poetry published. So it seems we are not that different you and I -other than it seems you may be a little more experienced.

I look forward to reading anything you may write in the future.

Edited by scaramanga1, 19 April 2004 - 09:46 AM.