13 replies to this topic

[Glenn]

Something that struck me quite early on with the Gardner novels (this is in the early/mid eighties) was the 'co-incidence' in the number of words in the titles as opposed to Flemings novels. This is what I mean:-

Licence Renewed - Casino Royale (2 words)
Icebreaker - Moonraker (1)
Role of Honour - Diamonds are Forever (3)
Nobody Lives For Ever - FRWL (4)
No Deals, Mr Bond - Dr No (this time the title with the name of a major character)
Scorpius - Goldfinger (1)
Win Lose or Die - FYEO (4)
Brokenclaw - Thunderball (1)

With the exception of For Special Services all of the titles are linked to each other. I often wondered (back then I had more time on my hands) if it was in Gardner's contract to be similar to Fleming or if it was all just co-incidence. Anybody any ideas?

[zencat]

That is very interesting, I hadn't noticed that. I would say it's just a coincidence, or maybe the original titles had an unconscious influence on Gardner and Glidrose.

[Mister Asterix]

Interesting. Here's the complete list (Yes, it is same number of books)
Casino Royale - Licence Renewed
2 words each
Live And Let Die - For Special Services
4 words for Fleming, 3 for Gardner. Win, Lose Or Die would be a better match for LALD
Moonraker - Icebreaker
1 word each. Both end with 'raker' sound
Diamonds Are Forever - Role Of Honour
3 words each. 'Big' word, small word, Big word pattern.
From Russia, With Love - Nobody Lives For Ever
4 words each. 'Lives' and 'Love' are similar. As are 'For' and 'From'
Doctor No - No Deals, Mr. Bond
2 words Fleming, 4 words Gardner. Unless you drop the Mr. Bond, as no Fleming title has Bond's name in it then Doctor No and No Deals are very similar
Goldfinger - Scorpius
1 word each. Each the villian's name.
For Your Eyes Only - Win, Lose Or Die
4 words each. 'Eyes' and 'Die' similar. 'For' and 'Or' similar.
Thunderball - Brokenclaw
1 compound word each.
The Spy Who Loved Me - The Man From Barbarossa
5 words Fleming, 4 Gardner
[color="#aa0000"]On Her Majesty

[freemo]

On a slightly irrelevent note, both 14th novels are sometimes mentioned as different titles, 'Octopussy and the Living Daylights' and 'Cold Fall'.

[zencat]

That's not irrelevant at all freemo. That's another amazing coincidence. Both Fleming and Gardner's 14th and last book had different titles in the US and UK.

In the UK: OCTOPUSSY & THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS / COLD.

In the US: OCTOPUSSY / COLD FALL.

[MDSmith]

Very interresting Glenn, maybe JG just thought it would add a nice touch or it happened by accident.

[Qwerty]

Interesting spot there, although I'd call it more of a coincidence, it's definitely one of those curiosities we've recently been speaking about in the Bond novels.

[Jim]

Is this the key to the DaVinci Code?

[brendan007]

I'd say its nothing more than a coincidence, and that you have way too much time on your hands

[Loomis]

That's not irrelevant at all freemo. That's another amazing coincidence. Both Fleming and Gardner's 14th and last book had different titles in the US and UK.

In the UK: OCTOPUSSY & THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS / COLD.

In the US: OCTOPUSSY / COLD FALL.

One thing that kinda bugs me ("kinda" because it doesn't really bug me at all, and I don't have even the slightest bit of interest in reading this novel, which I gather is terrible) is:

Were they really unable to think of a better title than "Cold"?

Or "Cold Fall" (which is an even worse title than "Cold")?

Good grief, if even the title smacks of "Can't be bothered, chum"....

[spynovelfan]

I think Cold is a pretty good title. Cold War and all that... I think it's roughly 93.6 million times better than 'Win, Lose or Die' and 'No Deals, Mr Bond', both of which make me cringe.

[Loomis]

I think Cold is a pretty good title. Cold War and all that... I think it's roughly 93.6 million times better than 'Win, Lose or Die' and 'No Deals, Mr Bond', both of which make me cringe.

I'm not about to defend "Win, Lose Or Die" or "No Deals, Mr Bond" (the titles or the novels), but "Cold" is a rotten title. Come on, you know it, I know it.

What would have been wrong with "Children of the Last Days"? Not a great title, I admit, but a darn sight better, more mysterious-sounding, and more interesting than "Cold" or "Cold Fall", and a heck of a lot more memorable.

[Qwerty]

I think Cold is a pretty good title. Cold War and all that... I think it's roughly 93.6 million times better than 'Win, Lose or Die' and 'No Deals, Mr Bond', both of which make me cringe.

I agree as well. The Gardner novels have some of the worse titles and Cold or it's version, Cold Fall are both pretty bad, but I favor them over such titles like the dreadful No Deals, Mr. Bond.

[Zing!]

I thought I was the only one who thought about such things! Guess that means I have too much time on my hands as well! I've always had a fascination with the Bond titles. Fleming had a knack for coming up with a great title - even for his short stories. Gardner (or, more correctly, his publishers) was rather hit or miss. I would also like to point out that Fleming's "The Spy Who Loved Me," and Gardner's "The Man From Barbarossa" can both be considered somewhat 'experimental' Bond novels that depart from the standard Bond formula rather drastically.