136 replies to this topic

[spynovelfan]

It really is total ****, isn't it? And I reckon Hatfield would have loved the idea of us Bond fans discussing TKZ as though it were some kind of lost gem, a brilliant 007 novel that Glidrose didn't have the guts to publish because of the shocking ending, or something like that.

Yes, it looks like it's just a fan fiction novel and, judging by the first chapter, a pretty horrendously written one, at that. (Not to say that makes it worthless - plenty of writers who can't write decent prose can have terrific ideas and plots and so on.) It's also only 65,000 words. A standard-size 350-page paperback is about 80,000, and these days that's the minimum for a thriller, pretty much. Different in Fleming's day, of course - they were much shorter then. But this is really two thirds of a thriller length. Standard thriller, not Clancy or Ludlum door-stoppers. I think Benson's would be about 80,000 words. I also recognise that para right up at the top about adrenal glands. Something similar to it is in a lot of thrillers, but I'm sure I've read that precise paragraph somewhere. Perhaps in one of the Gardners?

Anyway, I won't read it yet. I still haven't read JUST ANOTHER KILL or FROM DEATH'S DOOR or MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD, all of which start off much better than this does. Just because this guy managed to get hard copies printed and a cool-looking cover doesn't make him any more valid than the above-mentioned novels, and others like them on this site.

The story behind it is fascinating, though.

[Loomis]

("The Killing Zone" is) pretty horrendously written.... (Not to say that makes it worthless - plenty of writers who can't write decent prose can have terrific ideas and plots and so on.)

True, and it's a point that zencat makes: "I try and look past the dubious quality to see if there are interesting ideas there that hold together, and in that regard TKZ is pretty solid." I wonder, though, how much credit Hatfield actually deserves for those ideas.

[ebardo]

You can find a ilustrated and anotated version from the novel, in Spanish language translated by myself.

Eduardo.

http://usuarios.lyco...illing Zone.doc

[zencat]

You can find a ilustrated and anotated version from the novel, in Spanish language translated by myself.

Eduardo.

http://usuarios.lyco...illing Zone.doc

Very cool. Thank you for the link, ebardo. Great work.

Welcome to CBn.

[MookyJones]

Hi folks.

Here is the link to the Russian Bond site where you can download the english Microsoft Word file of Hatfield's Killing Zone:


Killing Zone

Here's the text for the site:

http://www.james-bon...php?storyid=132

Enjoy.

Edited by MookyJones, 13 May 2005 - 09:30 PM.

[zencat]

Fantastic. Thank you, MookyJones, and welcome to CBn.

Man, this story seems to have smoked out all the Killing Zone experts. Is it possible now another copy will appear?

[Qwerty]

Welcome to the CommanderBond.net Forums MookyJones.

[MookyJones]

I should probably also mention that about 7 years ago (before I knew what I was looking at) I saw a mass-market sized paperback with a Purple glossy cover of TKZ in a Barnes and Noble! About three years later when I began reading the novels and started searching for it, I couldn't find it any more. I remember the cover copy was identical to that on the white blood-splatered design. but it was clearly a different jacket design.

Has anyone else seen this purple Killing Zone paperback?

Mooky.

P.S. Thanks for the welcomes.

[zencat]

[quote name='MookyJones' date='13 May 2005 - 15:00']I should probably also mention that about 7 years ago (before I knew what I was looking at) I saw a mass-market sized paperback with a Purple glossy cover of TKZ in a Barnes and Noble!

[stromberg]

[quote name='zencat' date='14 May 2005 - 00:24'][quote name='MookyJones' date='13 May 2005 - 15:00']I should probably also mention that about 7 years ago (before I knew what I was looking at) I saw a mass-market sized paperback with a Purple glossy cover of TKZ in a Barnes and Noble!

[Qwerty]

Now that would be something to find!

[Hawkeye]

Calling Hatfield a journalist is like calling a crack dealer a pharmacist.

If you do an article on TKZ John, you should use this as a highlighted quote from the forums.

[Qwerty]

lol

[Gri007]

Is TKZ available to buy then. If so i must have it. And put it at the very end of my Bond novel collection. As i suppose it is meant to be the last ever Bond book.

[Righty007]

[quote name='Gri007' date='14 August 2005 - 04:32']Is TKZ available to buy then.

[Lazenby880]

*The Killing Zone being a piece of trash is an opinion.

Really? Having read it one had assumed that was an accepted fact.

Edited by Lazenby880, 14 August 2005 - 02:56 PM.

[Righty007]

*The Killing Zone being a piece of trash is an opinion.

Really? Having read it one had assumed that was an accepted fact.

I was just trying to be sensitive to the fans of this book.

[Lazenby880]

I was just trying to be sensitive to the fans of this book.

Of which I am sure there must be very many, besides Mr Hatfield himself of course.

Edited by Lazenby880, 14 August 2005 - 03:01 PM.

[Righty007]

I was just trying to be sensitive to the fans of this book.

Of which I am sure there must be very many, besides Mr Hatfield himself of course.

The four The Killing Zone fans (Mr. Hatfield, his mother, and the two friends he made copies for) have feelings too.

[TortillaFactory]

TKZ is definitely a piece of trash.

Listen, Hatfield, if you're out there - masculinity is a trait, not a body part.

For shame.

Go back to your crayons. Here's no place for you maids.

[Monsieur B]

You do realize that he is dead, eh? He had a drug addiction and hung himself in a motel room a little while after this book was written and 'published'. Poor bastard probably saw what a haggard piece of work it was... nah, that's a cruel thing to say.

[TortillaFactory]

Aw, now I feel bad for speaking ill of the dead!

No, wait, I don't.

[JimmyBond]

I should probably also mention that about 7 years ago (before I knew what I was looking at) I saw a mass-market sized paperback with a Purple glossy cover of TKZ in a Barnes and Noble! About three years later when I began reading the novels and started searching for it, I couldn't find it any more. I remember the cover copy was identical to that on the white blood-splatered design. but it was clearly a different jacket design.

Has anyone else seen this purple Killing Zone paperback?

Mooky.

P.S. Thanks for the welcomes.

Perhaps you saw a novel titled "The Killing Zone" and not necessarily this one in question? That's definately a possibility considering that's a very common title and I happen to know of a few books that share it.

In any event, I'm going to be checking out my half price book stores, you never know where it could pop up

[ACE]

I should probably also mention that about 7 years ago (before I knew what I was looking at) I saw a mass-market sized paperback with a Purple glossy cover of TKZ in a Barnes and Noble!

Has anyone else seen this purple Killing Zone paperback?

The book seen above was NOT the Jim Hatfield self-published Bond fan fiction piece.

There have been a number of books with the same title.

[stamper]

I agree that President George W. Bush is a cocaine, pot-smoking alcoholic party animal.
Just look at the way he speaks.

[doublenoughtspy]

I agree that President George W. Bush is a cocaine, pot-smoking alcoholic party animal.
Just look at the way he speaks.

Yes, the leaders of France have all been geniuses haven't they?

Oh, let's insult the leaders of other people's countries, Stamper - it's so fun!

And tiresome.

[JimmyBond]

But he's right. Bush is a moron (and I'm American, incidentally).

[Qwerty]

Back on topic.

[wattenscheid09]

I may have asked this before (yeah, I have), but could somebody point me to a good fan fiction Bond story set in the fifties?

[stamper]

Yes, the leaders of France have all been geniuses haven't they?

Oh, let's insult the leaders of other people's countries, Stamper - it's so fun!

And tiresome.

I also think the leaders of france aren't much better, but it's not the subject of this thread.