74 replies to this topic

[DaveBond21]

Sad news

Didn't realise he was a fellow Geordie. I used to go to Seaton Delaval (the beach) when I was a kid.

[Vodka Martino]

John Gardner carried the Bond torch during a time when the Bond films were getting sillier and sillier. If it hadn't been for his Bond books, I would have outgrown 007. "Licence Renewed" was great and "For Special Services" was brilliant, as was "Icebreaker". Those three particularly stand out in my mind. And he wrote a passage in "Cold" that, when I first read it, caused my eyes to well up (Chapter 13-Water Carnival. "By then hypothermia was setting in...").
If you can track down his non-Bond fiction, then do so. His Boysie Oakes series from the 60s was as un-Bond as you could get.
Farewell, Mr Gardner.
Loved your work.

Vodka Martino

[Cruiserweight]

Rest in peace dear sir

[spynovelfan]

Two obituaries of John Gardner:

http://www.washingto...7080802307.html

And a more interesting one at his old paper:
http://www.stratford...ory.php?ID=1125

[[dark]]

Media Marks Passing Of John Gardner

Two obituaries appear online, reflecting on the life of the James Bond author

[DLibrasnow]

Sad news

Didn't realise he was a fellow Geordie. I used to go to Seaton Delaval (the beach) when I was a kid.

Yes, I wrote him after reading Icebreaker and when he wrote back he mentioned that he was from my part of the world.

[stromberg]

A Message from Simon Gardner to the members of CBn:

I would like to thank all your members on behalf of John's family and friends for the wonderful messages posted on your forums. John in fact died from 'old age', as in his heart just gave out. Not a stroke or heart attack as first thought. My Father at times was not the greatest 'Pro-Bond' guy but he did not take writing Bond lightly. I think he succeeded in bringing Bond to new generations of readers who will continue to love the world of Bond.

Again thank you all for your kind words.

And of course, Sincerest Condolences from my side, too.

[B5Erik]

Sad news. Gardner was a very, very good writer, and helped revitalize the James Bond franchise. With his first 3 Bond novels he let it be known that Bond was once again a literary force to be reckoned with.

He will be missed.

[Vauxhall]

I've come to this thread very late, but I can only back up what everyone else has said before me. John Gardner was crucial to keeping the literary Bond alive, and the significance of that should never be overlooked by the Bond fan community. Long may his influence be appreciated and cherished.

[SportzStooge007]

Devastating. Positively devastating.

Damn. Rest in peace, Mr. Gardner.

[YellowDetective]

This made me sad when I read this... And right on the heels of Ingmar Bergman's death as well...

What a bummer of a month so far.

[Qwerty]

The busy buglers

Thriller writer and James Bond author John Gardner must have enjoyed a celestial chuckle at his daughter Alexis's frantic but unsuccessful efforts to have a Royal Marine bugler sound the Last Post at his funeral last week. Gardner, who died at the age of 80 last month, was a Marine commando before he became a writer.

"The Marines tried very hard to find one, but there were so many funerals on the same day that all their buglers were busy," says Alexis. "We had to make do with a recording."

The Rector, Canon Nigel Cumming, told the congregation: "I knew this was going to be different from most funerals when I saw we were going to sing Monty Python's Always Look On The Bright Side of Life."

http://www.dailymail...n_author_id=230

[Jim]

3 August 2007: In Memoriam

[Righty007]

John Gardner Passed Away 4 Years Ago Today (FelixLeiter.com)

[Kronsteen]

As a coincidence I just finished re-reading Licence Renewed today. It was better than I remembered it, a great re-start for the literary Bond franchise back in '81. It really has all things a Bond novel should have, so I truly found it a worthy follow-up to Flemings work and to Colonel Sun.

We all miss you dearly, Mr. Gardner.