16 replies to this topic

[deth]

just finished reading it...

....... yes....... it's not the typical smash-em up Bond.......... but it's still very much Bond......

.........I think there is a good amount of tension, even if the middle of the book does tend to drag a bit...........


......... all in all, a VERY good Bond....... (for once a Bond by Gardner that doesn't dissintrigrate into an action movie script!)

[Johnboy007]

hehe, I did a paper on this book for English class this year, and did very well on it(I'm not sure my English teacher knew this was THE James Bond).

It's ok, I thought it was kinding beating a dead horse with the Nazi trial, we had Nazis in Icebreaker.

[deth]

well, yes......... that's true.


I'm surprised more ppl don't like it tho....

[Qwerty]

It's my least favorite of all the James Bond novels and short stories, but I'll be rereading it again soon to see if my view will change.

It's just average, no such thing as 'bad Bond.'

[Cesari]

I re-read all the james Bond books last year, from CR to TMWTRT.
I find TMFB as my least favorite James Bond book.
And they are many John Gardner books I don't appreciate.
But I found this one was the most boring of all.

[Qwerty]

It's an interesting book and Gardner's favorite as his official webpage points out, but I think the main problem I have with it is that it lacks so much action.

[Grubozaboyschikov]

Funny, but Fleming's CR doesn't have much of action either:) Nor TMWTGG does.
And what about that long golf scene in GF!

When it comes to TMFB, I tend to defend Gardner.
It's my very first Bond book by him. And I find it quite a spy novel, and a most daring one. Along with ICEBREAKER, they both meet Fleming's words about impossible and improbable plots (I can't remember the whole line now). Just to think about it: JAMES BOND works together, or, to be precise, under the KGB! In Russia. Cool.

[Qwerty]

Oh, I completely agree Grubozaboyschikov, but Casino Royale does have that card scene which I consider to be the action of the book, as with the golf scene in Goldfinger.

Don't get me wrong, I do like this book. I just like all the other Bond books better. It has an interesting plot, I just think it doesn't flow well enough or grip the reader as well as others, but that's just my opinion.

[deth]

I think it does a very good ob of showing the other side of Bond's job...

[brendan007]

It's just average, no such thing as 'bad Bond.'

I held that opinion too, then i read this crappy novel

[Qwerty]

LOL!! I do admit, it was the toughest to get through, but I'm hoping I'll like it more on this 3rd reading or so of it.

[zencat]

There is a fantastic article on TMFBB HERE.

I've read this book twice and while I appreciate it, I just can't get into it. Maybe I'll try again. The above article helps me understand what Gardner was going for in this book. What's interesting is Gardner calls this his favorite Bond book because it's the most like his other work.

[Kronsteen]

I did also enjoy TMFB very much. Not the typical Bond story, as you said, but still very intruiging and well-written.

One of Gardners better ones actually...

[Qwerty]

Just got my Large Print copy delivered.

[Bond_Bishop]

I've heard Stockholm in Sweden is in it ! What happens there?

[Blofeld's Cat]

As opposed to that other Stockholm?

[Bond_Bishop]

LOL. Can someone tell me what happens there