15 replies to this topic

[JimmyBond]

As I've just finished it a few minutes ago I thought I'd talk about the last few chapters, as those are fresh in my mind right now:

After all the set up with the terrorist squads and Murik briefing them on only aborting if he says so, I thought it was a little too easy how Bond was able to call them all off, in fact his escape from this bindings (while rather clever) also felt a little bit too easy.

It felt wrong for Tanner to accompany Bond to the Castle knowing full well that Murik might be there. I don't recall Tanner getting in on the action in any of the other novels (though I confess I havent read too many). I also wish we got some reaction out of Murik about his plans being ruined by Bond. After he's knocked out we don't get any more insight into his views the rest of the book, I did like the way he was killed mind you, I just wish we could relish in his defeat a little more.

As for the earlier bits, I really liked the whole set up of Murik's plans. Gardner really conveyed a sense of dread to the reader. I sure felt that this was the biggest threat 007 has faced yet. I also loved how Bond integrated himself into Murik's gang, but was disappointed that his cover (so to speak) is blown so early on and he spends most of the rest of the book as a prisoner. I was literally on the edge of my seat as Bond was attempting to escape the castle, well done bit of writing there, as was Bond's escape into town that ultimately lead to his recapture.

All in all I enjoyed it, it was paced rather well. And had interesting (if unremarkable) characters (outside of the usual MI6 staff).

[Double-Oh Agent]

Glad you liked it. It's a good, entertaining book. Anton Murik is a great character--I also liked the menacing Caber. The plot is indeed exciting and foreboding as you said. License Renewed is easily a top five Gardner entry. Hope you enjoy the next book in the series, For Special Services.

[David Schofield]

Gardner has SOME good ideas with his version of Bond (though on first reading in 1981 I missed them!)

I don't mind that Bond is slightly older than Fleming's Bond and is aware of this by cutting back on his boozing, smoking and keeping fitter (presumably, the natural fitness of Fleming's war hero no longer comes naturally at 40+). Benson ("'cos I know my Bond...!") had Bond back on the sauce, and Gardner, as his series progressed, knocked on the head the ageing idea, but I think it works for Bond Renewed. Hell, I even like the concept of the cottage and meeting old girlfriends for dinner on Friday night).

But then, my idea for a post Devil May Care continuation has Bond in the early 70s, married with two kids and living in Kent...

But the Saab? Sorry, that just doesn't work for James Bond. OLder guys don't have to have boring cars

[Auric64]

The problem I had with all of his Bond books was that Gardner was trying too hard to write like Fleming, and coming up very short in the process.

Unfortunately for him, Gardner is not of the same writing calibre of Fleming, (or of Kingsley Amis or Christopher Wood for that matter) so while we got the "Fleming effect" (the cars, the girls, the villians, etc) it just seemed it was there because it had to be there.

To his credit, the majority of his villians were well thought out, and their motives sound, but I didn`t think his Bond women stood up as well as Fleming`s.

Gardner, like Fleming, gave some of them prepostious names, but somehow for me, they were never as memorable, (either as names or as characters). I think the nadir was hit with FOR SPECIAL SERVICES when Gardner introduced Felix Leiter`s daughter, Cedar.

Now, apart from the fact that all readers of previous Bond novels (up to the time that FSS had been released) believed Felix to be single, why on earth would you saddle your child with a name like Cedar?

I always felt that the best part of the Gardner`s novels were the plots. I`m not talking about the situations Bond encountered throughout each novel, but the actual villians plot. Many of these were good ideas, and it`s a shame that EON don`t seem to want to use them for their cinematic outings.

[JimmyBond]

The problem I had with all of his Bond books was that Gardner was trying too hard to write like Fleming, and coming up very short in the process.

Really? I don't get that at all with Gardner, Benson maybe. And definately Faulks, but Gardner seems to go for a different approach/.

To his credit, the majority of his villians were well thought out, and their motives sound, but I didn`t think his Bond women stood up as well as Fleming`s.

Can't argue there, I thought the highlight of LR was the villian's plot. I just felt it was foiled too easily.

I always felt that the best part of the Gardner`s novels were the plots. I`m not talking about the situations Bond encountered throughout each novel, but the actual villians plot. Many of these were good ideas, and it`s a shame that EON don`t seem to want to use them for their cinematic outings.

Gotta agree there, well said Though I can imagine how the titles would read "Ian Fleming's James Bond 007 in John Gardner's..." Would be wordy.

[Auric64]

[Gotta agree there, well said Though I can imagine how the titles would read "Ian Fleming's James Bond 007 in John Gardner's..." Would be wordy.

I guess they could say BASED ON A JAMES BOND NOVEL BY JOHN GARDNER instead, (as they did towards the end of the titles in CASINO ROYALE with BASED ON THE NOVEL BY IAN FLEMING). I think it would work.

Glad you agreed re Gardner`s plots.

Although you haven`t got to it yet, I found Gardner`s fourth book, ROLE OF HONOUR, to be his best. Without spoiling it for you, there are a couple of ideas in it which EON did use, albeit in slightly different ways, in two of their 80`s Bond films. I`m sure you`ll spot them whilst reading it. Enjoy.

Edited by Auric64, 17 June 2009 - 09:18 AM.

[JimmyBond]

Not necessarily in response to anybody's post thus far, but I have another observation I just remembered:

I was terribly disappointed that Bond and Caber didnt have a fight on equal footing. Sure Bond had to "wrestle" him during the games, but he was aided with knockout gas. When Caber forced Bond to the rear of the plane I was hoping for a fight along the lines of the Bond/Necros fight from TLD. Instead Lavender shows up and stabs him in the throat.

I know it's perhaps more realistic, but this goes back to my feelings on Bond offing Murik. We as reader's don't get to relish in Bond's victories, as all the villians are done with pretty quickly and without a lot of text devoted to it.

[OmarB]

The problem I had with all of his Bond books was that Gardner was trying too hard to write like Fleming, and coming up very short in the process.

I never got that impression at all. Gardner's writing seems very personal to me, or have you not read his other non Bond novels? Faulks, Woods, Benson all tried to write like Fleming to varying degrees of success. Gardner on the other hand wrote his way. Heck, I can say without a doubt that some of his books do surpass Fleming's books with the twists, the double crosses and some pretty great action.

[Harry Fawkes]

I think License Renewed is simply the best non Fleming Bond novel out there!

[Kangch]

The thing I've particularly enjoyed is the fact that

Spoiler

is Lavender who is the real hair of the title of Laird of Murcaldy

. I've loved that because it was (for me, anyway) totally unexpected.

Edited by Kangch, 13 July 2009 - 07:42 PM.

[JimmyBond]

Really? I thought it was obvious fairly early on that her father was a fraud and she was the true heir.

[chrisno1]

Interesting stuff here Jimmy. Glad you liked LR.

I read it first in 1982 (I have the original "bullet hole" paperback) and at the time I really hated it, but over the years I have grown to appreciate LR much more.

I am quite a fan of the first 3 Gardner novels, chiefly because I felt they blended some of the old fashioned skull duggery and thuggery of Fleming with the less preposterous movie elements. Gardner's plots are fairly straight forward at this stage and he has a good turn of phrase when describing the action scenes.

I also really enjoyed the scenes at Muriks castle, including the midnight escape. I felt that was just so Ian Fleming, and the flirtation with Lavender has the same itchy-scratchy-naughty feel of the sleeping bag scene in DN.

I did think towards the end (after the Fleming-esque interrogation scene)it dragged a little and it misses a really thumping climax. It's here that the movie influence takes over because Gardner gives us three finales: the fashion show, the starlifter scenes, the coda at the castle.

Also interesting to note that both AVTAK and TLD borrowed elements of LR for their movies; even the airport scene in CR felt vaguely familiar...

All in all, I think it's a very good effort. It helps to remember that as I understand it, Gardner chose to tactfully "update" the time frame of the Fleming novels from the 50s & 60s to the 70s. I don't think he's that explicit about it. What I felt he was trying to do was interpret Bond for the 1980s, without any direct reference to the original novels. There are a few as the series progresses, but generally his Bond stands alone.

[Stuart]

Tanner was described by Fleming in CR as being a former member of a sabotage team that was wounded and thus had to give up field work in the war.

So the idea exist that he has skills (albeit rusty) that would be useful in a clandestine visit to Murik's castle..

[DAN LIGHTER]

I am just catching up on Gardner’s Bond novels. I struggled at the beginning with all the changes at the beginning of LR, but after it got them out of the way it was a good read. Now would Fleming have approved of a Saab? I can’t imagine he would, but, that aside it works just fine for Gardner’s Bond books.

I recall reading on CBn that someone thought the first chapter was pointless, I didn’t read it this way. I thought it was setting the scene with the chap the Laid had in his employment who was a bit of a master of disguise?

Now this is something that interests me and I am also catching up on, what went wrong for Gardner? He started of giving praise and thanks to the Fleming Board in LR and FSS for being chosen to pen the Bond novels. No doubt he did in the later novels also? He seemed quite chuffed. I read what must be what he wanted people to be his last words on the subject on his official website and he seemed far from pleased with the whole Bond thing 14 novels on. So what went wrong for him? How come he kept going on with Bond?

[zencat]

I'm a fan of this book -- especially the choice of the Saab! It was a great Bond car and was exactly right for the time. (My argument here)

[DAN LIGHTER]

What a great piece Zencat Thank you for this (Didnt know this was tucked away at youngbonddossier.com). As I say I am catching up with his books. The Saab worked well in For Special Services. I can only guess quite a few came to Gardners Bond in the 80s before Fleming, hence the love of the silver beast.

Edited by DAN LIGHTER, 15 October 2009 - 07:17 PM.