36 replies to this topic

[Athena007]

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[dajman_007]

I guess I knew it was going to end sometime. I just wish he would have written a few more. I only have DS and NDOD to read of his, and those will be done in a month. Then nothing from Benson. I hope someone will pick up the series that can engage people to literary bond as Benson did to me.

[Qwerty]

It was only a matter of time, I think I knew this before when he said he'd be taking a 'break'.

[Tarl_Cabot]

Good. He sucks.

[Dr Niles Crane]

There is a god!

[thuffner]

I wonder how it's determined who will write Bond next...?

Sad to see him go. I enjoyed High Time To Kill...

[Qwerty]

I do hope we see someone new soon, and I like Benson's work quite a bit.

[Icephoenix]

Benson was fantastic, his books were what got me hooked on the literary Bond. I think it's pathetic that he get's sent hate mail, he did nothing wrong! He's just a fan as we are, who had the chance to write some damn good books! Good luck with future projects Raymond!

[Qwerty]

I can understand that he won't be liked by all, but I don't really think hate mail is needed. Not very helpful at all.

[brendan007]

Didnt he write six original novels??
Reading TMWTRT you could tell he was out of ideas, its for the best he ended when he did. I'm also glad they didnt let him delve too deep into Bond psyche. Bringing up the parents would have gone way to far.

[deth]

Didnt he write six original novels??
Reading TMWTRT you could tell he was out of ideas, its for the best he ended when he did. I'm also glad they didnt let him delve too deep into Bond psyche. Bringing up the parents would have gone way to far.

why would that have gone too far?


it's always fun to read something different about Bond once in a while....

[Qwerty]

I thought Benson did a stunning job at the novels, HTTK and TFOD are now firmly two of my favorites from him.

Although I like the ideas of changing things around with the character of Bond and his surroundings, I don't think the additon of information of Bond's parents would be needed, but who knows.

[dajman_007]

Is there anything "official" about who might write Bond next?

[Qwerty]

I don't believe at the moment, dajman_007.

It seems like Ian Fleming Publications are and have been focusing their attention on the Fleming reprints, now that they are almost done with the last two coming out soon, I hope we see some news about a new James Bond writer.

[zencat]

Nice to hear Raymond finally talk candidly about his time as the Bond author. I think he was the best continuation author, period.

[Loomis]

I think he was the best continuation author, period.

I'd say he was the worst - as a writer, he's inferior to John Gardner, and he's not remotely in the Kingsley Amis league (neither is Gardner). Still, his books have their moments - I particularly like "Zero Minus Ten" and "The Man With the Red Tattoo".

[Double-Oh-Zero]

I particularly like "Zero Minus Ten" and "The Man With the Red Tattoo".

Kind of ironic that the ones you like were his first and last novels, innit?

Anyway, I enjoyed his work. Not as much as Fleming, of course, but Doubleshot and TMWTRT were pretty good reads. Not particularly overjoyed or depressed to see him go.

[Loomis]

A question for Athena: how do we know that IFP has only "temporarily" stopped the series?

[B007GLE]

If they replace Benson with a good writer this will be a good thing. My concern is that they will not contiue the novels at all. We had one ayear from 1981 to 2002 but there wasa long strecth before that with none.

I hope that we see another Bond novel before the Bond 21 novelization if there is such a novelization.

[Triton]

The disappointing success of the Raymond Bension continuation novels has always been a mystery to me. Especially when you consider the continued success and interest in James Bond and the success of each film at the cinema, the films on DVD and video tape, and the video and computer games.

We cannot blame Benson for not being Ian Fleming, since I cannot think of any author on the latest bestsellers list who has Fleming's command of the English language. Just compare the quality of writing of Clive Cussler and Tom Clancy to Ian Fleming.

It must somehow rest with Hodder & Stoughton in the UK and G.P. Putnam & Sons in the United States.

It appears that Penguin is having more success with the recent re-release of the Fleming novels.

I don't understand why Bond's parents are such a taboo subject as far as Ian Fleming Publications is concerned, unless discussion of their deaths reminds readers that their death occurred in the mid-1930's, making it difficult for continuation authors to write Bond stories and novels set in the present-day.

[Loomis]

Given that Benson was allowed to use Bond's son (in "Blast From the Past"), and turn a Fleming-created good guy into a bad guy ("Never Dream of Dying"), I fail to see why The Powers That Be felt he shouldn't be permitted to write about Bond's parents. (Consider also that Gardner created daughters for Felix Leiter and the supposedly asexual [in Fleming] Blofeld in "For Special Services", and had 007 have a bit of how's-your-father with both.)

[Qwerty]

The dissapointing success can be the credit of the horrible marketing. Absolutely horrible. I remember DoubleShot got some info online etc...but NDOD and TMWTRT came out with practically no public knowledge at all.

[MrDraco]

hey did any one notice a bit of sarcasism or anger behind what he said, it kinda sounded like he was bit pissed off...well i can understand... thats a bummer wounder if they'll replace him?

[Qwerty]

Well I would be pissed off as well if I receieved as much hate mail as it sounds he did.

I do hope we see a new writer very soon. I'm aching for a new Bond novel.

[Athena007]

A question for Athena: how do we know that IFP has only "temporarily" stopped the series?

I would hope it's only temp, I've heard nothing of permanency. I'll look into it more

[Loomis]

Cheers, Athena.

[clinkeroo]

One thing: It does sound as if he walked away, rather than being pushed. Maybe he did just become fed up with Glidrose's (or whatever's) guidelines and walked at the end of the contract. I guess we'll never know though.

Second thing: Raymond was a very valuable, and assessable, member of the Bond community before he became wrapped up in the novels. He was a major contributor on the newsgroup, and always was the one to break news, and let us Bondphiles in on what was going on in the minds of Glidrose and Eon. I miss that. He even continued to post over there before some of the psychos started in on the hate mail. I would hope, that as time goes by, he would be willing, or allowed, to rejoin the Bond fan community at large.

I wouldn't put him up there with Amis. But, as a Bond author, there wasn't even a contest between Gardner and Benson in MHO. Gardner resented Fleming and the character of Bond from the beginning, and he wrote like it. Grammatically correct and beautifully written boredom, is still boring. At least Benson knew the characters, and was generally faithful to those characters (Marc-Ange aside).

Certainly, writers like Amis, who was a master, and loved Fleming's work for what it was, were, and are, hard to find. Hopefully, the IFP does take the time, and invests the money and marketing, to find a modern-day equivalent. Their track record of less-than-brilliant moves leaves me doubtful, though.

[Loomis]

Benson's passion will be missed. It'll be hard to find an author with the same love of Bond and knowledge of the character in all his incarnations (well, no, it would be easy for IFP, actually - I know of a couple of people here they could approach , but they probably won't ).

Seriously, Benson's enthusiasm was and is to be admired. To my mind, though, he was sorely in need of three things:

- A decent editor;

- More creative freedom;

- More time to hone and polish his books (why release them at the rate of one a year? Why not one every two or three years, like the MGM/Eon films? Why did IFP feel the need to churn 'em out like sausages?).

As for Gardner, well, I wouldn't call him boring. But you're right, clinkeroo: Benson was clearly the better Bond author. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Gardner satisfies my cravings for solid, well-written thrillers, while Benson tickles the Bond nut in me.

[clinkeroo]

- A decent editor;

- More creative freedom;

- More time to hone and polish his books (why release them at the rate of one a year? Why not one every two or three years, like the MGM/Eon films? Why did IFP feel the need to churn 'em out like sausages?).

I agree strongly with all three points.

I still like High Time To Kill, though.

[The Silver Beast]

I think it's terrible that Benson recieved hate mail and threats. Some fans take all of this WAY too seriously.

I loved Benson's books and I really hope they choose a new author soon.

Edited by The Silver Beast, 22 February 2004 - 11:14 PM.