8 replies to this topic

[Qwerty]

How old were you when you first read the James Bond novel, Colonel Sun? Anything stand out about it to you? Was it one of the first Bond novels/collections you had ever read?

[FLEMINGFAN]

How old were you when you first read the James Bond novel, Colonel Sun? Anything stand out about it to you? Was it one of the first Bond novels/collections you had ever read?

I am a bit confused by the 'short story collection' reference, but I was 18 when I read COLONEL SUN. It was a bit of a literary event at that time.

[MrDraco]

I was 12.. Was a pretty good read, (Looks at shelf) have to break it out again after I get done picking at Casino Royale

[Qwerty]

How old were you when you first read the James Bond novel, Colonel Sun? Anything stand out about it to you? Was it one of the first Bond novels/collections you had ever read?

I am a bit confused by the 'short story collection' reference, but I was 18 when I read COLONEL SUN. It was a bit of a literary event at that time.

Typo - fixed now.

[TheSaint]

I know I tracked down a copy after I finished the Flemings so, probably late high school/early college.

[MarcAngeDraco]

I first read CS when I was around 15 or so. I had already read most of the Fleming books, but it was my first continuation book.

[Mark_Hazard]

I would have been 16 in 1968 when it was first published (in Cape), it was also the first 1st edition that I bought (with staff discount at WHS).

I already had Pan copies of the Fleming books, but with the list on the dj I asked if the Fleming Capes were still available, to my surprise they were, so I set about buying Cape versions of all the Flemings - the only other 1st I got at this time was Octopussy, in fact I've never seen a second - a few years ago a local remainder shop (The Works) was selling the Cape Octopussy and these were 1sts too.

I was very disappointed that the second Amis Bond novel never came to fruition as I really enjoyed CS. I also remember collecting the Daily Express serialisation, with pictures by Robb, which for some idiot reason I later disposed of.

[Loomis]

Well, I first read "Colonel Sun" at the age of 27 or thereabouts (round about the time of DIE ANOTHER DAY's release), although I was aware of the book as a kid and owned a copy, which I flicked through but never really attacked. While I'd read "Live and Let Die" and "You Only Live Twice" years earlier, CS was the book that really turned me on to the literary Bond, after many years of just being a fan of the films. I was blown away by the quality, and found the story incredibly gripping. If only that were true of the other continuation novels, which I think are mostly rubbish. Still, CS did at least get me started on Fleming.

[Qwerty]

I think I was probably around 14 years old. I had read nearly all of the Fleming books at the time, and was just learning of the Gardner and Benson ones. Remember coming across this one at a used bookstore in a nearby town I still visit once in a while.