682 replies to this topic

[Qwerty]

Finishing Role Of Honour, reading From Russia With Love.

Also, I broke down and decided to keep reading the Gardners in order and am rereading Nobody Lives Forever. Only two chapters in I am remembering why this was my favorite Gardner book.

Qwerty, I just finished Role of Honor, too. Let me know what you thought of it if you get the chance.

Oh yes indeed. I've read it a couple times. It's just a letdown for me, I cannot get into it...a whole lot. Granted, I wouldn't call it bad. But when I compare it to Gardner's first three books, it doesn't match them in terms of keeping a interesting plot.

It seems quite dated, with such words as 'micros.' Granted, alot of books are, it's just something I notice. Characters like Jay Autem Holy and Tamil Rahani (in this book, he's good in Nobody Lives Forever) are just not interesting.

I'd rate it a six/seven or so out of ten.

[Turn]

I wouldn't call it good. I thought it began pretty well but bogged down a lot, especially the section with Bond learning computers from Percy. Then it picks up and slacks again and bogs down and on and on. I thought the climax wasn

[Qwerty]

With people telling me the first four or so Gardners of the best leaves me wondering if I should even worry about the next several.

In my opinion Turn, Role Of Honour is the only thorn in these first five. The other four are rather good. If you're going in order, then Nobody Lives Forever is next, and I consider that is all time best.

Interesting review of it too, I can definitely see and agree with many of your points.

[ComplimentsOfSharky]

I just got 9 Gardners off of ebay. I think I'll start with the LTK novelization before I go to bed tonight. Then I'll read the rest in order.

[Qwerty]

Not too bad if you're going to read that one out of order, it really doesn't affect the others then. Definitely read the rest in order though.

[Buck]

I'm rereading Thunderball. Go for Live and Let Die. Fleming rules!!!

Buck

[Tanger]

In the space of a week I've read TMWTGG Titan book, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy and The Living Daylights, Licence Renewed and am currently half way through For Special Services.
Gave up on Colonel Sun, far too lacklustre for me. I've also got Chris Wood's TSWLM which I must get round to reading. Perhaps after I've finished Icebreaker, but I've also got Brokenclaw and Licence To Kill which I might be tempted to read first.

I really have taken to Gardner. His books are fantastic. Sure, there not as good as Fleming and share more in common with Tom Clancy in terms of tone and style but that's why I love them. They're refreshing, different.

[Qwerty]

I'm getting started on my favorite, Doctor No now.

[Turn]

In the space of a week I've read TMWTGG Titan book, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy and The Living Daylights, Licence Renewed and am currently half way through For Special Services.
Gave up on Colonel Sun, far too lacklustre for me. I've also got Chris Wood's TSWLM which I must get round to reading. Perhaps after I've finished Icebreaker, but I've also got Brokenclaw and Licence To Kill which I might be tempted to read first.

I really have taken to Gardner. His books are fantastic. Sure, there not as good as Fleming and share more in common with Tom Clancy in terms of tone and style but that's why I love them. They're refreshing, different.

All that in a week? Where do you get the time, Tanger?

[Qwerty]

In the space of a week I've read TMWTGG Titan book, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy and The Living Daylights, Licence Renewed and am currently half way through For Special Services.
Gave up on Colonel Sun, far too lacklustre for me. I've also got Chris Wood's TSWLM which I must get round to reading. Perhaps after I've finished Icebreaker, but I've also got Brokenclaw and Licence To Kill which I might be tempted to read first.

I really have taken to Gardner. His books are fantastic. Sure, there not as good as Fleming and share more in common with Tom Clancy in terms of tone and style but that's why I love them. They're refreshing, different.

All that in a week? Where do you get the time, Tanger?

Yeah, I don't think I've ever been able to accomplish reading on the scale in that time. Still,

I'd give Colonel Sun another chance, I found it a bit lacklaustre at first too, but IMO, it really improves.

[Tanger]

In the space of a week I've read TMWTGG Titan book, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy and The Living Daylights, Licence Renewed and am currently half way through For Special Services.
Gave up on Colonel Sun, far too lacklustre for me. I've also got Chris Wood's TSWLM which I must get round to reading. Perhaps after I've finished Icebreaker, but I've also got Brokenclaw and Licence To Kill which I might be tempted to read first.

I really have taken to Gardner. His books are fantastic. Sure, there not as good as Fleming and share more in common with Tom Clancy in terms of tone and style but that's why I love them. They're refreshing, different.

All that in a week? Where do you get the time, Tanger?

Well, I'm working in the evening's now from 6pm till Midnight and my job involves quite a lot of sitting around doing nothing from about 6-9, quite a lot of work between 9 and 10.30 then more virtually nothing till midnight. I have to find some way to fill the time where I'm doing nothing.

[Qwerty]

In the space of a week I've read TMWTGG Titan book, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy and The Living Daylights, Licence Renewed and am currently half way through For Special Services.
Gave up on Colonel Sun, far too lacklustre for me. I've also got Chris Wood's TSWLM which I must get round to reading. Perhaps after I've finished Icebreaker, but I've also got Brokenclaw and Licence To Kill which I might be tempted to read first.

I really have taken to Gardner. His books are fantastic. Sure, there not as good as Fleming and share more in common with Tom Clancy in terms of tone and style but that's why I love them. They're refreshing, different.

All that in a week? Where do you get the time, Tanger?

Well, I'm working in the evening's now from 6pm till Midnight and my job involves quite a lot of sitting around doing nothing from about 6-9, quite a lot of work between 9 and 10.30 then more virtually nothing till midnight. I have to find some way to fill the time where I'm doing nothing.

I must start bringing books along to work.

[Tanger]

Yeah it's a great way to kill time if you happen to be sitting around doing nothing or on your break.

I finished For Special Services last night. I read about 160 pages at work and then read the last 10 I had to go at home. I'll probably start Icebreaker tonight.

[Qwerty]

What did you think of For Special Services?

[Leviathan]

It's slow going, because of other things going on, but I'm most of the way through re-reading "The Man From Barbarossa."

[Turn]

In the space of a week I've read TMWTGG Titan book, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy and The Living Daylights, Licence Renewed and am currently half way through For Special Services.
Gave up on Colonel Sun, far too lacklustre for me. I've also got Chris Wood's TSWLM which I must get round to reading. Perhaps after I've finished Icebreaker, but I've also got Brokenclaw and Licence To Kill which I might be tempted to read first.

I really have taken to Gardner. His books are fantastic. Sure, there not as good as Fleming and share more in common with Tom Clancy in terms of tone and style but that's why I love them. They're refreshing, different.

All that in a week? Where do you get the time, Tanger?

Well, I'm working in the evening's now from 6pm till Midnight and my job involves quite a lot of sitting around doing nothing from about 6-9, quite a lot of work between 9 and 10.30 then more virtually nothing till midnight. I have to find some way to fill the time where I'm doing nothing.

Ah, I see. Must be nice on that end. I had a similar job when I was in college in a car rental agency. I remember blowing through Nobody Lives Forever in a weekend once there, and getting most of my school work done at that place.

I had similar time at my present job until recently. Now I read more at home.

[Tanger]

What did you think of For Special Services?

- Does that answer your question?

I loved it. A vast improvement over Licence Renewed which itself was a great read. I started Icebreaker tonight but wasn't able to get too far into it. I'm on about Chapter 5 and it's great so far. Probably not the classic that everyone says it is, but a fun read for sure!

[Qwerty]

What did you think of For Special Services?

- Does that answer your question?

I loved it. A vast improvement over Licence Renewed which itself was a great read. I started Icebreaker tonight but wasn't able to get too far into it. I'm on about Chapter 5 and it's great so far. Probably not the classic that everyone says it is, but a fun read for sure!

Nice Tanger. I completely agree, I love his first two books. Keep giving Icebreaker a chance.

[Turn]

I started Icebreaker tonight but wasn't able to get too far into it. I'm on about Chapter 5 and it's great so far. Probably not the classic that everyone says it is, but a fun read for sure!

I agree about Icebreaker not being the classic some claim. I read it this summer and found it very predictible in too many places. I thought Raymond Benson's review in the Bedside Companion was right on about it.

[Qwerty]

I don't think it's good enough to be called his best or in his top three. But it's in the better half of all his books combined.

[Qwerty]

Read SilverFin a bit ago. Was thinking about trying The Man From Barbarossa soon actually again.

[Marc-Ange]

Just Finished The Man with the Golden Gun. I am trying to find a copy of Colonel Sun as that is next.

[K1Bond007]

Just finished For Your Eyes Only (The Hildebrand Rarity) moving to The Spy Who Loved Me when I get a chance. I'm reading them in order except that I read the first two short stories in FYEO then read Thunderball then went back.

[Taboo]

I'm currently reading SilverFin.

[Qwerty]

Just Finished The Man with the Golden Gun.  I am trying to find a copy of Colonel Sun as that is next.

There are almost always a few copies under $3 on eBay and/or half.com.

[007Travis]

I will be starting Live and Let Die very soon.

[Bond111]

Currently going through Christopher Wood's The Spy Who Loved Me. I was expecting a fairly straightforward reading of the movie's plotline, but I've found myself pleasantly surprised. The book is a lot more gruesome (and closer to Fleming) than the movie. It's almost like a Roger Moore film meets Timothy Dalton.

[Blofeld's Cat]

I got way ahead of myself when I strated reading the series before the BLADES BOOK CLUB, so I'm holding off reading Thunderball until the CLUB catches up.

[Qwerty]

Currently going through Christopher Wood's The Spy Who Loved Me. I was expecting a fairly straightforward reading of the movie's plotline, but I've found myself pleasantly surprised. The book is a lot more gruesome (and closer to Fleming) than the movie. It's almost like a Roger Moore film meets Timothy Dalton.

Isn't it so nice to be on a new Bond novel after Colonel Sun? That book gets even better in the end IMO.

[Bond111]

Currently going through Christopher Wood's The Spy Who Loved Me. I was expecting a fairly straightforward reading of the movie's plotline, but I've found myself pleasantly surprised. The book is a lot more gruesome (and closer to Fleming) than the movie. It's almost like a Roger Moore film meets Timothy Dalton.

Isn't it so nice to be on a new Bond novel after Colonel Sun? That book gets even better in the end IMO.

Indeed it is.

One thing I've noticed is that (so far at least) the characters seem one-dimensional and cliched. Bond doesn't really say all that much in the first place and Anya is really just the same old Bond girl with nothing more than a 'Soviet edge' to her. Still, the book is a lot better than it could have been.