18 replies to this topic

[zencat]

For some reason I have a real thing for unused titles. Most Bond fans know these, but for those of you who don't, here's a list of John Gardner's orginal titles choices (also see my Benson ones):

License Renewed:
-- Meltdown
-- (Published in France as "Operation Warlock")

Nobody Lives Forever:
-- You Only Die Once

No Deals, Mr Bond:
-- Tomorrow Always Comes
-- (several of Gardner's subsequent Bond novels list it as "No Deals For Mr Bond".)

Licence to Kill:
-- Licence Revoked (orig. movie title)

COLD
-- (published in the U.S. as "Cold Fall")

[Blue Eyes]

When was No Deals, Mr Bond published? Tomorrow Always Comes is suspiciously similair to Tomorrow Never Dies! I wonder ??

[zencat]

zencat (26 Aug, 2001 09:47 p.m.):
He also mentions in a previous question that the book he just finished "is called YOU ONLY DIE ONCE" (which became Nobody Lives Forever).

Of course, I think YOU ONLY DIE ONCE would be a good title for Benson 6 (a.k.a. "The Japan Book").

[Blue Eyes]

I'm not sure about You Only Live Once. While it's a clever title, I'm not sure if I'd be comfortable with it. It may just come across as corny. Am I being closed-minded?

[zencat]

Blue Eyes (28 Aug, 2001 03:10 a.m.):
I'm not sure about You Only Live Once. While it's a clever title, I'm not sure if I'd be comfortable with it. It may just come across as corny. Am I being closed-minded?

You might be right about that Blue Eyes. I could see the Benson bashers really going off on him for that title.

[scaramanga]

zencat (25 Jun, 2001 02:29 a.m.):

Blue Eyes (25 Jun, 2001 02:22 a.m.):
When was No Deals, Mr Bond published? Tomorrow Always Comes is suspiciously similair to Tomorrow Never Dies! I wonder ??

NO DEALS MR. BOND was published in 1987. Maybe I should add that to my list of mysterious Gardner/movie similarities? I remember that was the first thing I thought when the TND title was announced.

Of course, I think both titles are off base. Seems the Flemingesque title would be: TOMORROW NEVER COMES.

I don't mean to criticise, but I was sure the working title of No Deals, Mister Bond, was Tomorrow Never Comes, as in the saying: "Live for today, for tomorrow never comes", not Tomorrow Always Comes. I could be wrong.

[zencat]

Scaramanga (26 Aug, 2001 12:50 p.m.):
I don't mean to criticise, but I was sure the working title of No Deals, Mister Bond, was Tomorrow Never Comes, as in the saying: "Live for today, for tomorrow never comes", not Tomorrow Always Comes. I could be wrong.

I went back and checked my source on this just to make sure. This is from an interview w/ John Gardner in "The Armchair Detective", Vol. 10 #3, Summer 1986:

"Question: Will you continue doing the series?

Gardner: The sixth Bond synopsis has been accepted. And I think it will be called Tomorrow Always Comes..."

He also mentions in a previous question that the book he just finished "is called YOU ONLY DIE ONCE" (which became Nobody Lives Forever).

But I agree with you that Tomorrow Never Comes is a better title.

[Blue Eyes]

Oh I never thought of that. That would set them off probably. I can just imagine the line they'd take against that one.

But somewhere in me it just doesn't sit right. It's a good title, don't get me wrong. But I think mentally I'd just expect it on a Bond spoof rather than a proper novel.

[zencat]

I've always heard Glidrose and Gardner had a terrible time coming up with the title for his 6th book, which became NO DEALS, MR. BOND (which I think we all agree is one of the worst Bond titles ever).

I wonder why they didn't call the book BLACKFRIAR. That's the villian's name, Gardner hadn't used a one word title since Icebreaker, it's not bad. Better than NO DEALS, MR. BOND.

[zencat]

From John gardner's official website (http://www.john-gardner.com/bond.html) re the Bond titles:

"I have always believed that the editor who begins a session with the words, "I'm not happy with the title," has nothing to say about the book. Many reviewers said that my titles were poor. Little did they know what I'd saved them from because publishers almost to a man (or woman) wanted title changes and the Americans in particular suggested the most appalling new titles: I recall such wonders as Oh No, Mr. Bond! And Bond Fights Back. Those two finally became, after many protests on my part, the dreadful No Deals Mr. Bond while my original title for Icebreaker was instantly turned down only to be picked up again a month later after turkey after turkey had to be rejected. My former agent is convinced to this day that he was responsible for Death is Forever, which was actually taken from some dialogue in a Stephen King book. I tried to explain it to him but he still claimed that he was the one. I can't think why because it isn't a very sophisticated title. Peter Janson-Smith came up with two of the titles, though by now I've forgotten which, and somewhere I have the original lengthy list of quite abominable titles suggested by publishers."

[Blue Eyes]

I want the list of suggested titles that he mentions he has somewhere!

[zencat]

Blue Eyes (28 Mar, 2002 11:09 p.m.):
I want the list of suggested titles that he mentions he has somewhere!

Me too.

[Blue Eyes]

Who knows, now that Gardner is online and seemingly making a come back, there seems a chance that fan relations with him could improve and that he would release the list to the public.

[RossMan]

I wish there was a way to contact Gardner personally, the website only gives his agent's e-mail address.

Even at raymondbenson.com, the websmaster will forward letters to Benson for him to read and reply to personally.

[Blue Eyes]

I may have to split from you here Zencat, which may just be a first!! C'est la vie.

I think I like No Deals, Mr Bond. But I must admit I haven't read the book.

In my head I can imagine some German accented villain saying No Deals, Mr Bond. Don't know, it just runs well in my head.

[scaramanga]

Personally, I think No Deals, Mister Bond is Gardner's best book and its a shame that the plot was mirrored for Death is Forever (its like Gardner ran out of ideas). Mind you Zencat, Blackfriar's not a bad title. I think ENDGAME would have been a good title for the book.

[zencat]

Blue Eyes (25 Jun, 2001 02:22 a.m.):
When was No Deals, Mr Bond published? Tomorrow Always Comes is suspiciously similair to Tomorrow Never Dies! I wonder ??

NO DEALS MR. BOND was published in 1987. Maybe I should add that to my list of mysterious Gardner/movie similarities? I remember that was the first thing I thought when the TND title was announced.

Of course, I think both titles are off base. Seems the Flemingesque title would be: TOMORROW NEVER COMES.

[General Koskov]

Originally posted by Blue Eyes
In my head I can imagine some German accented villain saying No Deals, Mr Bond. Don't know, it just runs well in my head.

My exact thought when I first picked up the book! But it's not even said (I think), so what's the point?

T'was a good book, though.

[marktmurphy]

'Tomorrow Never/Always Comes'? Sounds a bit dirty to me. Especially if the girl had been called Tamara.
'Fnar' as Jim would say.
Besides, The Beatles got there first with 'Tomorrow Never Knows'. Much better than all of them. And that includes you 'Dies/Lies'.

Personally I think Gardner's titles are great, except for the few rubbish ones. You know: 'Death Is For Afters'; 'No Book Deals, Mr Benson' etc.
'Brokenclaw' is very Fleming if you ask me.