Rate John Gardner's James Bond Books
#1
Posted 15 June 2004 - 01:59 PM
Licence Renewed
For Special Services
Icebreaker
Role Of Honour
Nobody Lives Forever
No Deals, Mr. Bond
Scorpius
Licence to Kill
Win, Lose Or Die
Brokenclaw
The Man From Barbarossa
Death Is Forever
Never Send Flowers
SeaFire
GoldenEye
Cold Fall
My favorite still remains to this day, Nobody Lives Forever.
#2
Posted 15 June 2004 - 02:02 PM
For Special Services
Icebreaker
Role Of Honour
Nobody Lives Forever
No Deals, Mr. Bond
Scorpius
Licence to Kill
Win, Lose Or Die
Brokenclaw
The Man From Barbarossa
Death Is Forever
Never Send Flowers
SeaFire
GoldenEye
Cold Fall
#3
Posted 15 June 2004 - 02:07 PM
#4
Posted 15 June 2004 - 02:15 PM
For Special Services *****
Icebreaker *****
Role Of Honour ***
Nobody Lives Forever *****
No Deals, Mr. Bond ****
Scorpius **
Licence to Kill *
Win, Lose Or Die **
Brokenclaw **
The Man From Barbarossa **
Death Is Forever ***
Never Send Flowers *****
SeaFire ***
GoldenEye **
Cold Fall ----
Never Send Flowers was my first Gardner, and is still my favorite.
#5
Posted 15 June 2004 - 02:42 PM
For Special Services: **
Icebreaker: ***
Role of Honour: ***
Nobody Lives Forever: *****
No Deals, Mr. Bond: ***
Scorpius: ***
Win, Lose, or Die: **
Brokenclaw: **
The Man From Barbarossa: *****
Death Is Forever: ***
Never Send Flowers: ****
SeaFire: ****
ColdFall: ***
Haven't read the novelizations yet, so I can't comment on those.
#6
Posted 15 June 2004 - 09:34 PM
For Special Services ***
Icebreaker **
Role Of Honour *
Nobody Lives Forever ****
No Deals, Mr. Bond **
Scorpius *
Licence to Kill **
Win, Lose Or Die *
Brokenclaw ***
The Man From Barbarossa *
Death Is Forever **
Never Send Flowers ***
SeaFire **
GoldenEye **
Cold Fall *
#7
Posted 16 June 2004 - 02:55 AM
#8
Posted 16 June 2004 - 02:57 AM
What are your ratings on the other books though, DLibrasnow?My favorite has always been ICEBREAKER!
#9
Posted 16 June 2004 - 03:03 AM
For Special Services
Icebreaker
Role Of Honour
Nobody Lives Forever
No Deals, Mr. Bond
Scorpius
Licence to Kill
Win, Lose Or Die
Brokenclaw
The Man From Barbarossa
Death Is Forever
Never Send Flowers
SeaFire
GoldenEye
Cold Fall
#10
Posted 17 June 2004 - 04:39 AM
#11
Posted 17 June 2004 - 04:40 AM
I thought it to be a middle of the road Gardner.Despite having possibly the worst title ever for a Bond novel I really liked NO DEALS, MR. BOND!
#12
Posted 18 June 2004 - 01:49 AM
#13
Posted 18 June 2004 - 02:04 AM
I guess I could read one of the also rans first, but that sounds like a bit of a chore.
#14
Posted 18 June 2004 - 02:06 AM
BC, do not start with this book as it is the final part of a three part story.Based on this poll, and not having read a Gardner Bond yet, I'm tempted to at least read Nobody Lives Forever (the clear favourite), but then that leaves me with the also rans should I enjoy it and want to delve further into his his take on the world of Bond.
I guess I could read one of the also rans first, but that sounds like a bit of a chore.
For my advice, I'd start with the first, but it is up to you.
#15
Posted 18 June 2004 - 03:08 AM
#16
Posted 18 June 2004 - 03:11 AM
I did love reading that one for the first time on vacation years ago.
#17
Posted 18 June 2004 - 03:12 AM
#18
Posted 18 June 2004 - 03:13 AM
Oh, Nobody Lives Forever seemed to have the grandest scheme of them all. Icebreaker was very enjoyable also though. Just what you prefer.My first Gardner was ICEBREAKER which is still my favorite! I thought NOBODY LIVES FOREVER was without a grand scheme, which was one of the things I liked about my 007's in the 1980s.
#19
Posted 18 June 2004 - 10:28 AM
Licence Renewed:
For Special Services:
Icebreaker:
Nobody Lives Forever:
Win Lose or Die:
Licence to Kill:
Goldeneye:
#20
Posted 01 July 2004 - 01:52 PM
#21
Posted 01 July 2004 - 02:26 PM
#22
Posted 21 September 2004 - 10:13 AM
#23
Posted 21 September 2004 - 11:08 AM
Indeed, they're both two of his good ones for sure Tanger. I was just one however, who never liked the idea of Q'ute. But his plot overall for both books is above his average IMO.Finished Licence Renewed last night and moved straight on to For Special Services which is even better! Both are great though. Great updates on the Bond character imo. Thrilling reads.
#24
Posted 21 September 2004 - 03:03 PM
I don't think NOBODY LIVES FOREVWER has a grand scheme though Qwerty. I mean it was just an ordinary manhunt for 007, so there was no scheme.
#25
Posted 21 September 2004 - 04:30 PM
There may not be a grand scheme, but it was a nice change of pace novel and my personal favorite of the Gardners. I'd hardly call that manhunt ordinary by any means. You've got some of the most vicious killers in the world on your trail, backed by SPECTRE. That puts the stakes as high as some of the other plots, but on a more personal level, and I don't mean in a Purvis and Wade Brosnan script sort of way.I think Gardner really hit his stride with his third book ICEBREAKER which I read when it was first released in the early 1980s.
I don't think NOBODY LIVES FOREVWER has a grand scheme though Qwerty. I mean it was just an ordinary manhunt for 007, so there was no scheme.
#26
Posted 21 September 2004 - 07:06 PM
I agree with Turn on this one. Love it.There may not be a grand scheme, but it was a nice change of pace novel and my personal favorite of the Gardners. I'd hardly call that manhunt ordinary by any means. You've got some of the most vicious killers in the world on your trail, backed by SPECTRE. That puts the stakes as high as some of the other plots, but on a more personal level, and I don't mean in a Purvis and Wade Brosnan script sort of way.I think Gardner really hit his stride with his third book ICEBREAKER which I read when it was first released in the early 1980s.
I don't think NOBODY LIVES FOREVWER has a grand scheme though Qwerty. I mean it was just an ordinary manhunt for 007, so there was no scheme.
#27
Posted 15 October 2004 - 02:47 PM
FOR SPECIAL SERVICES is the one I most fondly remember, though the first three are all very good in their way. I think Gardner peaked with ROLE OF HONOUR, the books which followed seemed to lack the energy of his first books.
#28
Posted 28 October 2004 - 04:08 PM
I think it's a good story at least...
#30
Posted 12 June 2005 - 12:12 AM