40 replies to this topic

[Qwerty]

Of the 14 novels by Fleming, (and 007 in New York)

The 1 novel by Amis,

The 16 novels by Gardner,

The 9 novels by Benson, (and the 3 short stories)

Which of all the ones you've read is your least favorite?

Mine is The Man From Barbarossa, I liked the plot at first, but I soon realized that one of the main ingredients that make up a Bond novel was not there, Action! There is very little of it in this novel, and the villain, which is also a key ingredient was very weak by any standards.

I was actually sad that I didn't enk=joy a Bond novel.

What is the least favorite in your collection?

[Qwerty]

Oh yes, (fool of an idiot I am), I forgot to include the Christopher Wood novelizations. Well, add those too.

[ChandlerBing]

The later Gardner novels do indeed suck. I actually liked most of Benson's work. Doubleshot was probably my least fave. Least of Fleming? Golden Gun was rather dumb.

[Loomis]

Originally posted by Qwerty

What is the least favorite in your collection?  

"High Time to Kill" by Raymond Benson. Hopeless writing style, infantile characterization, braindead plotting and such an inane use of silly gadgetry as to make the makers of MOONRAKER blush. A worthless, juvenile waste of paper and ink made more unpalatable by a raft of "clever", trainspotting Fleming in-jokes.

Had I been in charge at Glidrose (or Ian Fleming Publications, or whatever that outfit's calling itself these days), I'd have refused to publish it. Then again, perhaps Glidrose's standards were at a low point at the time. From "The Bond Files" by Andy Lane and Paul Simpson:

"The book is full of solecisms, errors, bad phraseology and clumsy lines, and gives the impression of not having been sub-edited at all. We can forgive Raymond Benson for not knowing that the UK has a Secretary of State and two Ministers of Defence, rather than a Minister for Defence, but someone at the publishers should have known better."

Yes, it's a James Bond novel. Whoop dee doo. Yes, there are some (to coin a couple of phrases) "cool ideas" and "interesting locations". So what? The book is terrible. Compared to this, Fleming is Shakespeare. Shoot, compared to HTTK, Benson's other novels seem of Graham Greene quality.

Awful, just awful.

[KMHPaladin]

I don't think it makes much sense to ask about someone's least favorite Bond book, overall. I've not read many of Benson's and Gardner's books outside of novelizations because I wasn't too impressed with the novelizations. To be frank, I'd put every non-Fleming book as a 'least favorite' before a Fleming book, and I think just about every fan out there would too. No matter how hard John Gardner, Raymond Benson, or anyone else so far has tried, they don't have the cachet of Ian Fleming. It'd be far more applicable to ask about least favorite novels by author.

[Tanger]

I have not yet read a Bond story that I have not like, but then I've only read 4 novels, a novelisation and 007 in New York. I really need to complete my set of Flemings as I don't really think you can call yourself a true Bond fan until you've read them all.

[Jim]

Never Dream of Dying is like being sprayed with hot excrement. It is a disaster of a book; shoddily written and catastrophically badly plotted.

"I don't like it".

Expunge it from the series and - uncannily - the Benson books improve. Really blew it here, though. Shambolic, artificial, smug in-referencing, thoughtless and bland - it is abominable.

[Blofeld's Cat]

Originally posted by Jim
Never Dream of Dying is like being sprayed with hot excrement.

Jim, you must obviously know the feeling.

The hot excrement has being sprayed by the proberbial (Brosnan) fans, thus leaving their mark on you.

[Cesari]

The man from Barbarossa is my least favorite Bond book.
The worst of Benson is much better than the best of Gardner

[DLibrasnow]

I really don't like Bensons novels because his writing style is so problematic . His use of redundancy is particularly troublesome. I think whoever edited his books really fell asleep on the job.

As an editor myself I find that really annoying and troublesome. I don't spend cah buying a novel that has been put together in such a shoddy fashion.

In response then I would say that the worst of Gardner is better than the best of Benson.

[Loomis]

Originally posted by DLibrasnow

I would say that the worst of Gardner is better than the best of Benson.  

Perhaps, perhaps not. I'd certainly say that the worst of Fleming is better than the best of Gardner and Benson!

Yep, I'm being a "purist".

[B007GLE]

While I would not have compared it to "being sprayed with Hot excrement" (at least until now I wouldn't have) I agree with Jim that "Never Dream Of Dying" is the worst of the entire lot. I much prefer Benson's other novels and feel he ended his run on a pretty good note with "The Man With the Red Tattoo".

Gardner's worst is either "Man From Barbarosa" or "Scorpius" which was a waste of a good title.

Fleming's worst? Maybe Golden Gun, but he didn't really get a chance to finsih it, so is that a fair criticism? Of the one's that precede that and presumably he wrote and re-wrote, Diamonds has the least appeal for me. But at least none of Fleming novels inspire "hot excrement" similes.

[Pussfeller]

I think that DAF was Fleming's worst, but it was better than any Gardner or Benson. Gardner's oeuvre was a wasteland on the whole, but his later books really stood out as stellar examples of *****. Benson is prosaic and dull, but at least he can tell a good story. I think that "High Time to Kill" was his worst.

Of course, any of them could outwrite P****s and W**e.

[jwheels]

My least favorite Fleming is DAF, for some reason, when I was reading it, it never kepted my attention. My least favorite Gardner, is The Man From Barbarossa. No action, and it didn't hold my interest. Only read 1 Benson, The Facts of Death, and I liked it.

[db5]

My least favourite is Casino Royale, I havent read all bond books and only Ian Flemming books, but I dont like it, the second half of the book I think is pretty boring and not at all interesting, its more like a love story than a spy novel.

[Cesari]

I respect the fact you don't like Casino Royale, db5.
But I love that book.
First it was the first James Bond book I read when I was ten years old and I was amazed.
I read it again many times and I still love it. And I love the love story!! Very well written! Very psychological! Very mature love story for me!

[Neil S. Bulk]

"The Man From Barbarosa" was clearly my least favorite Bond book. I could barely finish it.

"The Man with the Golden Gun" was also pretty bad, but at least it was short.

Anyone spotting a trend here?

Neil

[Blofeld's Cat]

Originally posted by Neil S. Bulk
"The Man From Barbarosa" was clearly my least favorite Bond book.  I could barely finish it.

"The Man with the Golden Gun" was also pretty bad, but at least it was short.

Anyone spotting a trend here?

Neil

Have you read The Man With The Red Tattoo yet, Neil?

[zencat]

I'd have to list The Man from Barbarossa as my least favorite Bond book. It has its mertis, but it just isn't my bag, baby.

[Blofeld's Cat]

As The Man From Barbarossa seems to be many people's choice as the weakest of Gardner's Bond novels I though I'd refresh older members memories and draw newer members to A Failed Experiment?: The Man From Barbarossa, an excellent article written by CBn member RossMan awhile ago. Well worth a read for a more possitive spin on this book.

[Bond111]

Well so far I have only made my way from Casino Royale to Thunderball, but I am slowly making my way through the series. If I had to choose my least favorite it would have to be Diamonds Are Forever. I started it once but couldn't finish it. It just didn't grab me the same way the other Flemings did. Eventually I picked it up again and I thought it was alright. It had several good points, but some parts just slowed the book down too much for me.

[Qwerty]

Yes, I agree with you Bond111, although considered to be the weakest of the early Fleming novels, there's something about this one that really grabs me. I like very much the opening of the book, with the introduction to Tiffany. Also, the first and last chapters, dealing with the scorpion, etc.. are very well written.

[Neil S. Bulk]

Originally posted by Blofeld's Cat

Have you read The Man With The Red Tattoo yet, Neil?

Yes, I have. That one broke the trend. It's the only Bond item that starts with "The Man" that I enjoy.

I also tried to read Diamonds Are Forever once and got bored. That was in 1996. It wasn't until 1999 that I picked it up again and plowed through it. I still don't like it that much. But after I made it through that book, I then went on to read all of the books, back to back.

Neil

[DLibrasnow]

"High Time to Kill" by Raymond Benson. Bensons writing style really gets on my nerves.

[Loomis]

Originally posted by DLibrasnow

"High Time to Kill" by Raymond Benson.  

Heh heh. Another point of agreement between us, Darren, joining:

- NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN is one of the best Bond movies ever;

- THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS is superb;

- THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH is the worst entry in the series,

etc.

[DLibrasnow]

Originally posted by Loomis


Heh heh. Another point of agreement between us, Darren, joining:

- NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN is one of the best Bond movies ever;

- THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS is superb;

- THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH is the worst entry in the series,

etc.

Yep

Yep

Yep

It's scary how much we agree on!

[Mjr. P.Townsend]

I'd say The Property Of A Lady is the worst Fleming story. I actually thought The Man From Barbarossa was ok. Scorpius was the worst by Gardner. My least favorite from Benson (excluding movie novelizations) was hard to choose. I'd probably say The Facts Of Death is my least favorite Benson outing.

[Brandon Steves]

I agree with qwerty on this, the man from barbarossa was just plain dull.

[TheSaint]

The Spy Who Loved Me-what was Fleming thinking? It's been awhile since
I've read the Gardners-will have to re-read them someday. The Benson books were average.

[Qwerty]

The Saint, you didn't like TSWLM? I've always thought it's very good for the mere reason that it is different, I believe there was an interesting thread around here that discussed the novel....