163 replies to this topic

[Peaceful]

Hey have noticed the Pearson bio is no longer listed in the calender event. Has it been pulled or something? please let me know

Ta
PFOD

[zencat]

I expect it's because the Amazon release date now says 2007. However, some other sites still say 2006. We'll see.

[Qwerty]

Hey have noticed the Pearson bio is no longer listed in the calender event. Has it been pulled or something? please let me know

Ta
PFOD

Based on what amazon.com is saying (which as zencat points out--still could be 2006 and not '07) I've pushed the book up until the 2007 release date.

[RazorBlade]

Given what I've read here, I want to read the book now. Offical or not.

[Qwerty]

Given what I've read here, I want to read the book now. Offical or not.

There are often various used copies on eBay.

[Mr Woodpigeon]

Never read this, though I may after reading some good reviews. Think I'd best read through all the Fleming books before hand though!

PS: This book reminds me of Phillip Jose Farmer's excellent Tarzan Lives. A great read that works well. Adds to the myth.

[freemo]

Spoliers abound, probably.

Got this two weeks ago. Really enjoyed it. Very clever, very well thought out. Well written too, feels real Fleming-esque.

I'm not sure if we really needed to know Bond's background, of if we're any richer for it, but I did find it all very engaging. Bond's origins, school days, time in Paris, under Maddox's wing, learning to gamble, etc, are well told (though Bond having an older brother doesn't feel right to me), and the "present day" scenes with Pearson interviewing a slightly older Bond are true to the character.

The first half is better than the "Man and the Myth" second half (actually, the book is much better whenever it stays away from the novels or the existance of them and sticks to original adventures and tales): The explaination for Fleming starting the books (to hide Bond in broad daylight) is as clever and well set-up as it could be (whether it would really work is another thing, but I'm willing to accept it), and it works okay for the first three books or so, (Moonrakerbeing "fictional", a notion I'd always scoffed at before reading this book, actually makes sense), but then it falls into this pattern of "the Dr. No mission" or "the Goldfinger assignment" or "the events that would be depicted by Fleming in On Her Majesty's Service", phrases that jarring took me out of the book and reminded me of what it really is.

Damn good though.

[Peaceful]

ATTENTION AUSTRALIA
For those unaware, the paperback of this book is available in this country if anyone is interested, have ordered mine to be collected in 10 days time from Angus and Robertson. Tried Borders but they said 7 to 8 weeks!
It's retailing at $35 alot for a paperback but cheaper than the hardback going for $69.95!
Now back to the DMC cover art

[MkB]

I'm not sure it's the right place for posting this, but I don't think it deserves a thread of its own

I just found at this online bookshop:
http://www.ilab.org/...urce=bookfinder
what is said to be an "advanced or proof copy of the 1st edition" of Pearson's book (quite expensive). I've no idea if this is truly important, but I hope it can be of interest to some Pearson fans.

London, Sidgwick & Jackson, 1973. ADVANCED or PROOF COPY of the FIRST EDITION in the scarce proof dustwrapper. Light blue printed paper covers, edges slightly dusty else fine. Oversize jacket is a little rubbed and marked, and is pushed and creased where unsupported. Printed in a lighter shade of purple than the published edition, with lettering more bronze than gilt. Inner flap with similar blurb to the first, but omits the text 'a fictional biography' and 'continued on back flap'! A very good copy of a scarce item of Bondiana. BMC No.1 p.4-13 'Fleming and Bond; Related Titles'.

GBP 125.00

[zencat]

Nice.

I've never really been hardcore about collecting proofs, although I do have all the Benson and Higson proofs.

[Qwerty]

I occasionally see a proof for this one on eBay, but the selling price always skyrockets (as usual for Bond proofs it seems) in the final minutes of the auction.

[Loomis]

Have wanted to read this book for years, and am now doing so thanks to the happy fact that it's finally back in print and in paperback.

With both the films and the books, we seem currently to be going through an era (about to be broken, of course, by DEVIL MAY CARE, although even then Faulks' effort will fit into the Fleming timeline rather than follow the adventures of 007 in the early 21st century) in which James Bond can for some reason be served up only in origin story form ("Read about Bond at school!", "See Bond being given his first mission by M, who grumbles that she knew it was too early to promote him!"), or, as I gather the MONEYPENNY DIARIES have it, with the explanation that Bond was real (which of course makes the events of the Fleming series fake!) and that there was a chap called Ian Fleming in the shadows who somehow manipulated the Bond puppet in print.

In which light, it would appear that what zencat calls "the least known James Bond continuation novel" has actually been extraordinarily influential. The first, or at any rate one of the first, instances of what I'd call Bond With A Twist™, JAMES BOND: THE AUTHORISED BIOGRAPHY feels remarkably fresh. Indeed, it could quite literally have been written today. I mean, everyone else who's professionally producing 007 fiction seems to be knocking out just this type of genuflecting-at-the-past stuff! And so well does the script of CASINO ROYALE and Craig's performance chime with Pearson's descriptions of a slightly unbalanced (even before Vesper), fiercely arrogant young Bond who's both attracted to the good life among the playgrounds of the rich and disgusted by its decadence, wearing his fine suits with more than a hint of disdain, that it's hard to believe that the makers of the last Eon film did not take plenty of inspiration from THE AUTHORISED BIOGRAPHY. Craig's Bond seems in many ways more Pearson's than Fleming's.

I'm only about halfway through, but the Bond of this book comes across as a colder, darker figure than I've encountered in any of his adventures. Indeed, he's a nasty piece of work, and vanity-ridden with it (and his first kill is a shockingly Stuntman Mike affair). In parts, THE AUTHORISED BIOGRAPHY feels like the sort of origin story that might have been penned by a Fleming with a Churchillian black dog gnawing away at him. These parts are, of course, pure delight for Fleming fans.

However, there's often the sense of Pearson trying to be a little too clever for his own (or, more importantly, for the book's) own good, the feeling of an overconcern for myth-busting (that's not bold, merely gratuitous and show-offy). Pearson both builds Bond up and tears him down. The 50-something semi-retired Bond is an unattractive character, and reading about his "faintly discoloured teeth" fair made me choke on my Benzedrine. Elsewhere, the child Bond is described in terms that would seem more appropriate to an account of the boy Gordon Brown (Pearson notes that at one point he was "immensely fat", or something). This is all very well, but.... do we need it? Or rather, do we want it? Personally, I don't.

And not that I've read that far yet, but I suspect that the bits where Fleming starts sticking his oar in as a character and Pearson begins to really mess with our heads about what was real and what wasn't.... I suspect that those sections will not necessarily be among the book's high spots.

spynovelfan has, I believe, called this the best of the continuation novels. I can see where he's coming from, chiefly because it'll give you a Closest-Thing-To-Fellming Fix™ like nothing else.... but, to me, it isn't even a novel so much as an episodic filling-in of some Flemmmmingian blanks, mixed with a DIE ANOTHER DAY-esque Bond's Greatest Hits™. Not, I suppose, that you could reasonably expect anything else from a book calling itself JAMES BOND: THE AUTHORISED BIOGRAPHY, but, still, it's undeniably missing something. Rich in anecdote and detail, it's undernourished in drama, and there's next to no narrative sweep. It's a treat for Fleming fans that'll really serve only to make 'em want to rush back to Fleming (to be fair, this is also true of many of the other continuation novels, and may well be true of DEVIL MAY CARE, excellent though I'm certain it is).

Ultimately, it's a concept, not a book. It feels as though Pearson is just dipping his toe in the water, uncertain as to whether or not it's really worth going through with, and calculating that, in the event of the sort of sneering reviews that I gather Amis received for COLONEL SUN, he can pull a few clever tricks to make it look as though it was all just a bit of a lark.

Which is a longwinded way of saying that I'd rather he'd written a "proper" Bond novel. He certainly had (has? Is he still with us?) the talent. Hopefully DEVIL MAY CARE delivers the sort of goods that THE AUTHORISED BIOGRAPHY merely teases us with.

There's plenty to quibble with, but also much to enjoy, and this book is certainly an essential purchase for Bond fans.

[sharpshooter]

I've been meaning to grab this. I'll do so soon, it sounds like a fascinating concept and well executed.

[godwulf]

I certainly hope that the fact that no one has posted in this thread in nearly two years doesn't indicate a lack of interest in Pearson's book.

I just finished it last night, and was greatly impressed throughout. Extremely well done, I believe. MOST highly recommended to any lover of the literary 007.

The one problem that I'm having now, however, as a result of my having read this wonderful book, is that I can't get Irma Bunt and the giant killer rats out of my head. Unusual for a biography to have a cliffhanger ending...let alone one that vivid. Any fan fiction out there entitled "The Giant Rat of Adelaide", or something? Help!

[zencat]

The Giant Rats of Crumper’s Dick

Would have been wonderful.

[spynovelfan]

I certainly hope that the fact that no one has posted in this thread in nearly two years doesn't indicate a lack of interest in Pearson's book.

I just finished it last night, and was greatly impressed throughout. Extremely well done, I believe. MOST highly recommended to any lover of the literary 007.

The one problem that I'm having now, however, as a result of my having read this wonderful book, is that I can't get Irma Bunt and the giant killer rats out of my head. Unusual for a biography to have a cliffhanger ending...let alone one that vivid. Any fan fiction out there entitled "The Giant Rat of Adelaide", or something? Help!

Not that I know of. It's a real shame Pearson never got asked to have another crack at Bond, I think - this one is superb, in my view.

[Trident]

I certainly hope that the fact that no one has posted in this thread in nearly two years doesn't indicate a lack of interest in Pearson's book.

I just finished it last night, and was greatly impressed throughout. Extremely well done, I believe. MOST highly recommended to any lover of the literary 007.

The one problem that I'm having now, however, as a result of my having read this wonderful book, is that I can't get Irma Bunt and the giant killer rats out of my head. Unusual for a biography to have a cliffhanger ending...let alone one that vivid. Any fan fiction out there entitled "The Giant Rat of Adelaide", or something? Help!

Pearson's book is easily one of the very best among continuations and I enjoyed it tremendously when reading it the first time, but I also did have my problems with some of the elements of it. The initial premise is quite a good one, James Bond was real, the books a disinformation, so on. I liked that idea and Fleming's own passages in YOLT seemed to fit flush with that concept. Seeing the older 'real' Bond, safely tucked away in some millionaire's resort also was a nice touch, even with the Connery nod that could easily have come across as too outlandish or persiflage. Instead it worked quite well, as did Bond's yellow teeth and confession to an early tendency to obesity.

What I had a problem with nonetheless was the overly episodic character. There is easily enough ideas, plots and material in that single one volume for a whole bunch of continuations, and I for one would have loved seeing those getting 'proper' novels of their own. A shame and a missed opportunity, in my book.

What also put me off at the end of the book was the sharp turn into parody terrain. With the laser sharks I think 'The Authorised Biography' really 'jumped the shark'. There are so many interesting ideas in this one, Bond in the hands of Honey, who's become a millionaire witch out to get herself a new toy; Bond kept from public eyes, not just for security's sake, but almost a bit to save HMG the embarrassment of this operative; Bond apparently suffering the impact of reality and his own legend; Bond hunting his past enemies and ghosts. All that great stuff, worth deeper exploration! That shark/giant rat business was a bit of an anti-climax, for me anyway.

Still, after reading 'The Authorised Biography' one can't help but wonder why ever Pearson didn't have a second go at Bond. A shame, really.

[Guy Haines]

I borrowed the Pearson book from my local library when it first appeared - I recall it had a deep purple cover with the title in red and gold. I bought the paperback edition a year or so later (I still have it), and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd not long ago read all the Fleming novels plus Kingsley Amis' "Colonel Sun", so the "biography" was welcome new material.

As long as you don't take seriously the idea of Bond as a real person it is a good read, and weaves in a bit about Fleming's life and career as well.

I imagine the author got the idea, mentioned in the biography, of the Bond novels being a "smokescreen" used by MI6 from the "Obit" chapter in the novel "You Only Live Twice". There, M refers to a highly fanciful series of books written around the life of Bond which, if they hadn't been so far fetched, would have led to the author's prosecution under the Official Secrets Act!

It is claimed that the Bond novels lacked humour, but, in the "Obit" chapter of YOLT, I think that Ian Fleming had a bit of a laugh at the expense of Bond, and himself.

As for Irma Bunt and the Australian mutant killer rats..... well, what a story that might have made! A job for 007..... or Skippy The Bush Kangaroo?

Edited by Guy Haines, 16 April 2010 - 05:10 PM.

[007Bond007]

Just finished this jem and felt it was a little rushed at the end but, nonetheless it was a brilliantly written continuation novel and one of my favourites.

Edited by 007Bond007, 04 January 2011 - 02:02 PM.

[Jeao007]

Just received a copy in the mail today. Can't wait to dive into it.

[JCRendle]

Just ordered a copy from Amazon (0.07p - nice). Look forward to giving it a read.

[billy007]

I have to do another 007 Sherlock Holmes comparison. Holmes' biography by Wm S. Baring-Gould was considered the bible until Micheal Harrison wrote "I, Sherlock Holmes" until someone writes a better bio on 007 (Sanctioned by IFP or not) go with Pearson's.
It is a good read,and holds up even over 30 years later.

[zencat]

Now out as an eBook. Cool cover.

http://www.thebookbo...aphy-ebook.html

[JCRendle]

My copy arrived in the post today. Will start reading during my break at work.

[billy007]

Raymond Benson's Short story "A Blast from the Past" reveals what happened to Irma Blunt and states that the reports of her operating in Australia turned out to be false

[trevanian]

I had only read GOLDEN GUN (and did not like it) before reading the Pearson, which I loved. I immediately got on a bus downtown to recycled books in San Jose and bought the entire series (well, not OCTOPUSSY) in pb for 15C apiece (this was the mid 70s) and blew through them in published order in about three weeks. So the Pearson not only stands as a great book for me, but it was the real juice that got me into the books (at a time when I was just in the process of getting fascinated by the films.)

 

Except for Amis (and maybe Sol Weinstein), I think Pearson is the only guy who got it down on paper in a sufficiently Fleming-esque fashion (well, I give C Wood credit for some passages in those SPY and MR novelizations - the part in the latter when Bond sees the girl floating in zero-gee and forgets for a moment about his nature and the world he lived in is pretty damned good.)

[Guy Haines]

Dusting off my copy of John Pearson's book, which I admit I haven't re-read in years - decades more likely - I turned to the chapter in which "Moonraker" is discussed. If you haven't read Pearson's book I won't spoil the surprise for you about Moonraker. However, the story is sketched out and it's clear that Pearson made a mistake in recalling it - here Bond discovers that Drax is a villain and is planning to demand a ransom from the British government, otherwise the Moonraker will be fired on London. Not true at all as anyone who has read the book will know.

His explanation of the Moonraker affair as part of the biography of Bond is, however, interesting!

[billy007]

I re read it every 11 Nov. 

Those who have read the book will understand why.

Edited by billy007, 28 August 2015 - 06:51 PM.

[Guy Haines]

Hi billy007,

I know exactly why, and it explains why, in the novel Moonraker, Bond is referrred to as looking "unEnglish"

[glidrose]

I understand why Pearson had to eliminate MR from Bond's true life story, tho' it always seemed a cop-out and one of the few parts of the book that I hated, or felt let-down by. That and the dumb idea of giving Bond an older brother.

However, Pearson could have found a more ingenious solution. Perhaps Drax was unknown to the public at large and his rocket was still in the planning stages and what Bond stopped was only a test firing equally unknown to the public.