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Colonel Sun


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#1 White Persian

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Posted 23 May 2001 - 07:29 PM

What... nobody with anything to say about Robert Markham's(Kingsley Amis's) "Colonel Sun?"Perhaps the book is a bit hard to find these days, bit I'd urge Bond fans to seek it out because it's easily the best written of the non Fleming Bond novels.
Amis slips easily into Fleming's style and his Bond is recognisably the same man (which I can't say for John Gardner's Bond). The reader is instantly plunged into a gripping yarn when an unarmed Bond inadvertently interrupts the abduction of M. from his Thames side home Quarterdeck (decades before Renard tried something similar in T.W.I.N.E.).
Colonel Sun (a name Fleming would be proud of) is a villain worthy to stand beside Auric Goldfinger or Rosa Klebb.
Bond fans who have discovered 007 through the movies may be disappointed by a shortage of gadgets and car chases, but to mind this is in the book's favour. This Bond is no superman, but a resourceful professional facing real dangers who must rely on his wits and training to survive.
It's a great shame that Amis wrote no more Bond pastiches - I suspect he thought doing one was an interesting challenge, but prefered to pursue his own literary career. Plans for a succession of writers to continue the Fleming legacy inder the "Robert Markham" name sadly petered out.
Does anyone else have thoughts on Colonel Sun?
In short

#2 Blue Eyes

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Posted 23 May 2001 - 11:07 PM

That's a brilliant review Persian. Now I want to go out and get it.

Honestly, I haven't read it. I only discovered yesterday that my university has it, but at another campus. So I'm ordering it!

If you ever want to write a review for the main site feel free to contact me, you know my e-mail :)

#3 Trempo

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Posted 24 May 2001 - 06:30 PM

I agree with Blue Eyes. It is a brilliant review.

Colonel Sun was actually my first James Bond book. I liked it. And then I started with Fleming's and after that Gardner's. But they didn't translate all Gardner books here in Germany (that is where I live). So I bought the English ones. After that I have read all the Fleming's in English too. And Colonel Sun and the books from Christopher Wood and Raymond Benson.

#4 Blue Eyes

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Posted 25 May 2001 - 03:55 AM

Who is your favourite Trempo? And how does Amis compare to Fleming?

#5 Trempo

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Posted 25 May 2001 - 05:11 PM

My favourite is Ian Fleming, of course. He started it all.
Amis comes very close to Fleming. Also Christopher Wood. In these books Bond has doubts of his work and he is not the all-knowing Superman as in the films and the later books. And is what I like.

#6 Mr Trump

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Posted 03 August 2001 - 10:16 PM

How many Bond novels did Amis write because I have only ever heard of the one book.

#7 White Persian

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Posted 06 August 2001 - 02:38 AM

Amis only wrote one Bond novel, "Colonel Sun" (unfortunately), but he also penned "The James Bond File", a survey of the Fleming Bonds, and something of a defence of Fleming against the "sex and snobbery'' accusations of the 60s. I believe he is also the "Col. William Tanner" responsible for the very funny "Book of Bond-or- every man his own 007", a guide on how to live a Bond lifestyle on a budget.
He has said he had an idea once for a Bond short story parodying the Sherlock Holmes story "The Final Problem", in which Bond locks horns with the insidious Comrade Moriarvski, and the two plunge to their apparent deaths over a Swiss waterfall. Glidrose was horrified, not appreciating that if you plunge your hero off the Reichenbach Falls then he's sure to return unscathed. I hoped a copy would turn up after Amis's death, but it seems it never got past the "idea" stage.

#8 Blue Eyes

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Posted 07 August 2001 - 01:59 AM

I believe that Amis did write an outline of some sort about Bond's death over a waterfall. I never knew it was a parody of Holmes though!!

#9 Jacques Nexus

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Posted 27 August 2001 - 12:17 PM

Some of the things I like about COLONEL SUN:
1. Col Sun Liang-tan is a true Fleming style villain...and it's Amis's writing skill that leaves the reader with no doubt he is a very icy villain indeed.

2. The torture sequence with the meat skewer in 007's ear hole...perhaps the most terrifying ordeal Bond has faced. I still get the chills thinking about it !. Amis really makes you believe perhaps 007 is really heading for the chop.

3. The heroine, ARIADNE...what a beautiful name !. The first time 007 teams up with a Communist agent.

4. The Colonel is one of the rare villains who actually calls 007...James ! (instead of Mr Bond).

5. The final confrontation was emotionally charged. Even after getting knifed in the back by 007, Sun manages to get up and surprise Bond, with a mortar shell in his hands, threatening 007 in a mad & demented fashion...babbling about the Marquis de Sade (Sun's role model !). Brilliant stuff.

#10 Blofeld's Cat

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Posted 05 September 2001 - 02:32 AM

Anyone know who owns the film rights to Col. Sun?
I'm surprised it hasn't been made into a movie by now.

#11 zencat

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Posted 05 September 2001 - 03:05 AM

Eon/Danjaq owns the cinematic rights to James Bond, which means they own the film rights to ALL the Bond novels, including Col. Sun. Why they've never adapted Col. Sun, or any of the Gardner or Benson books, is a mystery to me as well.

#12 Blue Eyes

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Posted 05 September 2001 - 07:05 AM

I coudl be wrong but I think the idea behind not making them into movies is as not to have what is basically the plot floating around so far in advance.

#13 Jacques Nexus

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Posted 05 September 2001 - 02:13 PM

Blue Eyes (05 Sep, 2001 08:05 a.m.):
I coudl be wrong but I think the idea behind not making them into movies is as not to have what is basically the plot floating around so far in advance.

Exactly Blue Eyes !. Even I think most of the time that it is perhaps better for EON to always produce original screenplays so that the fans are constantly kept in suspense. Then again, if they adapted a novel, they would change it drastically anyway...so is there any real difference ?.

#14 Blue Eyes

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Posted 05 September 2001 - 10:19 PM

Would they change it all that much? Fleming's FRWL isn't that different to the film. And some of the novels (especially some of the Benson novels) would work really well as movies.

#15 Blofeld's Cat

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Posted 06 September 2001 - 04:52 AM

Thanks for the answer, zencat.
Another possible reason for not making the movie is the title. Not very Bondian in this day and age.
That's not to say EON couldn't produce a movie using some of the plot points from the book, and changing the title.
What could it be called.....hmmmm??

#16 Barebumundermakilt

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Posted 30 September 2001 - 07:42 PM

I thought this was about the book???? I agree with all thats been said, but for the record, I picked the book up in holiday......the weather was really crap!! and I was walking past this book shop in the Costa Del Sol (Feb '90) then I saw it..or rather my wife did....(she doesent appreciate Bond!!but knows I do) but hey for 1.25 pesetas and the weather looking grim...I bought it!!
WOW...blew me right away.......even the chapter titles were like Flemings!! all in all I read the book from cover to cover in 2 days....... with about 4 hrs sleep I REALLY liked this and could not put it down!!
I agree re the PC rigth now but I still think it would make a great Bond Movie

#17 White Persian

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Posted 15 October 2001 - 09:44 AM

The political situation is probably not right to film Colonel Sun (which I think is a VERY Bondian title) at the moment...the Red Chinese aren't seen as posing a threat... but it would have made a terrific third Dalton movie, Bond's rescue of a kidnapped M nicely restoring relations after his rebellion in LTK.
Actually, since the kidnapped M theme, central to C.S. has been used in TWINE, its pretty unlikely to ever be filmed.

#18 rafterman

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Posted 23 October 2001 - 02:41 PM

it's a good book, very Fleming, but more political than his got, it would make an excellent film with modifications

#19 alexgilbert

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Posted 28 October 2001 - 08:10 AM

Hi there, fellow Bondians. I am curious abou Colonel Sun. Its a story that always fascinated me, but where I live its not that easy to get that book (still waiting for Never Dream of Dying). I wrote and posted a treatment based on the Casino Royale novel and I am currently working on a more faithful adaptation of Moonraker (which I called Spearhead). Concerning Colonel Sun, I would like to know which would be the chages you would make if you could turn Colonel Sun into a movie.

#20 Blue Eyes

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Posted 28 October 2001 - 08:32 AM

alexgilbert (28 Oct, 2001 08:10 a.m.):
Concerning Colonel Sun, I would like to know which would be the chages you would make if you could turn Colonel Sun into a movie.


Yes I'd love to know as well. What elements would you keep. Which would you get rid of? How with CS work as a film?

#21 scaramanga

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Posted 28 October 2001 - 06:02 PM

Considering the 'M kidnapping' sequence was used in TWINE, I think that they could 'lift' the 'sabotaging a peace conference and blaming it on the British' plot.

#22 Mister Asterix

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Posted 28 October 2001 - 07:13 PM

I wouldn't mind seeing the M kidnapped plot reused if they were top make Colonel Sun, as long as they make a comment that it has happened before. That said, I wouldn't want it in Bond 20.

#23 MDSmith

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Posted 29 October 2001 - 03:29 AM

I don't know what my problem is, it's taking me months to get through CS. Maybe I have so much school work but I read all the Flemings in 3 months. I JUST NEED TO FIND SOME FREE TIME!

#24 White Persian

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Posted 27 December 2001 - 09:52 PM

I just picked up a remaindered copy of Eric Jacob's biography of Kingsley Amis, hoping it might shed some light on Colonel Sun, or Amis's vetting of the TMWTGG manuscript after Fleming's death.
Zilch! There's a little bit about The James Bond Dossier, but nothing at all about how Amis came to be chosen to continue the saga. Very disappointing ( though the bio itself is an interesting read.)

#25 Blofeld's Cat

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Posted 28 December 2001 - 10:32 AM

White Persian (27 Dec, 2001 09:52 p.m.):
I just picked up a remaindered copy of Eric Jacob's biography of Kingsley Amis, hoping it might shed some light on Colonel Sun, or Amis's vetting of the TMWTGG manuscript after Fleming's death.
Zilch! There's a little bit about The James Bond Dossier, but nothing at all about how Amis came to be chosen to continue the saga. Very disappointing ( though the bio itself is an interesting read.)

I suppose CS only represented one book in his whole writing career, but the subject matter is part of a worldwide phenomenon. So it surprises me somewhat as well.

WP, does the bibliography indicate that any research on CS/TMWTGG/Bond may have been conducted anyway?

#26 White Persian

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Posted 28 December 2001 - 10:51 AM

Blofeld's Cat (28 Dec, 2001 10:36 a.m.):
Does the bibliography indicate that any research on CS/TMWTGG/Bond may have been conducted anyway?


It doesn't seem to. Jacobs is mainly interested in Amis's fiction (and poetry) insofar as it has autobiographical elements which shed light on Amis's emotions, attitudes etc. I think a pastiche of another writer's work just doesn't interest him. Amis's Conan Doyle pastiche (admittedly just a short story) doesn't rate a mention either, even though it was filmed.

#27 Blofeld's Cat

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Posted 28 December 2001 - 11:06 AM

White Persian (28 Dec, 2001 10:51 a.m.):

Blofeld's Cat (28 Dec, 2001 10:36 a.m.):
Does the bibliography indicate that any research on CS/TMWTGG/Bond may have been conducted anyway?


It doesn't seem to. Jacobs is mainly interested in Amis's fiction (and poetry) insofar as it has autobiographical elements which shed light on Amis's emotions, attitudes etc. I think a pastiche of another writer's work just doesn't interest him. Amis's Conan Doyle pastiche (admittedly just a short story) doesn't rate a mention either, even though it was filmed.

What a shame. I won't bother to track that one down

But, I am trying to find a book on Amis and the many letters he had written over the years. I believe there is a fair amount of Bond references in it.

Heard of it WP?

#28 walther

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Posted 10 February 2002 - 01:21 AM

Does anybody know what a UK 1st Ed. Hardcover of Colonel Sun would be worth today? Cause I got one. And it's in fairly good condition.

#29 RossMan

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Posted 11 April 2002 - 08:58 PM

Just realized we had a topic discussing this book. :)

I love Colonel Sun, it was great and the most "Flemingesque" books from any of the three authors to take over after Fleming. I wish he would have made another book or two. Sun was a terrific villain, and the beginning with M's kidnapping from his own home is brilliant.

#30 RossMan

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Posted 16 April 2002 - 10:14 PM

Blue Eyes (28 Oct, 2001 08:32 a.m.):
What elements would you keep. Which would you get rid of? How with CS work as a film?


In the movie, M wasn't really kidnapped as in the book but it's still pretty much the same. Perhaps if they made a movie of it, it could be Sir Miles who gets kidnapped for some reason, that way Bond could still show up at Quarterdeck in the middle of the kidnapping. That would make an excellent pre-title sequence, I think.

I wish td1 could have done this one, he'd be perfect.