31 replies to this topic

[Bond_Bishop]

I'm planning to read this so I have read 3 Benson novels (The two first are High Time to Kill and Never Dream of Dying) What is it about, I know that it takes place in Greece and the Bond girl is the villian and so. I would like to know what the real story is and what Gadgets Major Boothroyd gives Bond? You can spoil me, but not to much.

Edited by Bond_Bishop, 08 May 2004 - 11:14 AM.

[Johnboy007]

James Bond is sent to stop a possible war between Greece and Turkey. Bond saves the day in a manner that would please his math teacher. James Bond has a new Jaguar XK8, equipped with auto-pilo and remote controlled sentries.

[Qwerty]

A "scout" for the Jaguar is also included.

[Qwerty]

Bond goes to Greece to investigate some very oddly linked serial murders, all with a certain connection I won't say here. Some excellent globe-trotting I think, and a rather good plot.

Definitely recommended, one of Benson's best.

[Bond_Bishop]

[Qwerty]

[quote name='Bond_Bishop' date='8 May 2004 - 11:23']

[zencat]

It's a terrific book. One of Raymond's most cinematic, which is not surprising considering he's said he set out to write an "Eon style Bond film" with this book. We cover this book in PART II of my CBn interview with Raymond.

And the color changing car technology is real.

[Johnboy007]

Ford has a new Mustang convertible which has the ability to change colors.

[Loomis]

Out of print in the UK, annoyingly enough (along with "Doubleshot").

I wish Coronet would at least give us a three-in-one Benson omnibus, along the lines of the recent Gardner one (I write "at least", since I doubt they'll republish the complete works of Benson). But which Bensons should be included in such a collection?

[Johnboy007]

I would use the Union trilogy of Doubleshot, Never Dream of Dying, and The Man with the Red Tattoo

And the car is not totally unrealistic:

http://www.cardomain.../04mysticsaleen

[Qwerty]

Out of print in the UK, annoyingly enough (along with "Doubleshot").

I wish Coronet would at least give us a three-in-one Benson omnibus, along the lines of the recent Gardner one (I write "at least", since I doubt they'll republish the complete works of Benson). But which Bensons should be included in such a collection?

Yes, and then put Zero Minus Ten, High Time To Kill and The Facts Of Death in another collection, the three novelizations in another, and put a collection together of the short stories and memoirs!

[SeanValen00V]

I wish this Bond poster was actually for a real film.

http://007art.free.f...ctsofdeath1.htm
THE FACTS OF DEATH COMING FALL 2005.

[Qwerty]

I love that poster, it's my favorite of all the one's Tron has ever created. Assante would be very interesting as a villain.

[ChandlerBing]

What do Armand Assante and James Bond have in common? They both banged Barbera Carerra, although Assante got the steamier scene.

[Qwerty]

What do Armand Assante and James Bond have in common? They both banged Barbera Carerra, although Assante got the steamier scene.

Well I didn't know that! But he seems like he could've been an intriguin villain. I like to see some of the choices on these posters.

[ChandlerBing]

Go check out the movie I, The Jury, where Assante plays Micket Spillane's Mike Hammer. Let's just say that BC gets hammered.

[Qwerty]

Go check out the movie I, The Jury, where Assante plays Micket Spillane's Mike Hammer. Let's just say that BC gets hammered.

Whoa, and her scene in Never Say Never Again was pretty hot stuff for a PG Bond film.

[ChandlerBing]

You also get to see why he's called Armand Assante.

[Johnboy007]

Just thinking about this book again, and it just occured to me how cheesy the end is

/spoiler.gif

James Bond saves Turkey and Cyprus by solving a 6th grade math problem?

/gen_line.gif

[DLibrasnow]

I would use the Union trilogy of Doubleshot, Never Dream of Dying, and The Man with the Red Tattoo

And the car is not totally unrealistic:

http://www.cardomain.../04mysticsaleen

Isn't the Union Trilogy the books High Time To Kill, Doubleshot and Never Dream Of Dying though?

[Qwerty]

Just thinking about this book again, and it just occured to me how cheesy the end is

/spoiler.gif

James Bond saves Turkey and Cyprus by solving a 6th grade math problem?

/gen_line.gif

Yeah, but it's kind of a nice change from the sometimes redundant endings, yes?

[DLibrasnow]

Yikes, it's tough not highlighting spoiler marks, but I have practiced restraint.

[clinkeroo]

Isn't the Union Trilogy the books High Time To Kill, Doubleshot and Never Dream Of Dying though?

Yup, and for me, at least, they became worse with each book. I'm a dedicated defender of HTTK , but DS always struck me as a New Avengers episode without the sense of humour and a corny ending , and the only thing I liked about NDOD was the innovative torture sequence .

On thread, FOD is my least favourite Benson: very connect-the-dots plot, awkward prose, very much structured (dumbed down) to cater to the movie Bond audience, and Benson uses cheap literary tricks to conceal the identity of the killer. It was quite a letdown after ZMT .

[Jaws0178]

I've been looking through this 007 art site. Just by the poster, I'd watch "High Time to Kill"

[Qwerty]

I've been looking through this 007 art site. Just by the poster, I'd watch "High Time to Kill"

Those posters, while nice, don't tell awhole lot about each book other than perhaps what some characters would resemble IMO.

[DLibrasnow]

Still...they are pretty cool. I know I have seen some COLONEL SUN posters here on CBN, imaging what the rumored Dalton project from the early 1990s might have looked like.

[Qwerty]

Yes, cool indeed. My all time favorite on that site is for The Facts Of Death.

[Jaws0178]

That one is okay,Qwerty, but it just seems, I don't know, and here I am doing an impression of Elliott Carver when he was writing 007 and Wai Lin's obituaries, with the whole tapping fingers thing. I don't know how to explain it. You look at "High Time to Kill", and truth be told, I thought that the book was like "Goldeneye:Rogue Agent" for some reason. It appears (to me, at least) that Bond turned evil. I don't know why it seems that way, but there it is.

Todd

[Qwerty]

Fair enough though. I'll have to keep that in mind next time I read it.

[Loomis]

FOD is my least favourite Benson: very connect-the-dots plot, awkward prose, very much structured (dumbed down) to cater to the movie Bond audience, and Benson uses cheap literary tricks to conceal the identity of the killer.  It was quite a letdown after ZMT  .

I tried and failed to read "The Facts of Death". I thought it was abysmal, so bad as to make "High Time to Kill" look like "You Only Live Twice". I'm a big "Zero Minus Ten" fan, though.