The best book about the Bond's universe?
#1
Posted 25 September 2006 - 10:24 AM
#2
Posted 25 September 2006 - 10:28 AM
#3
Posted 25 September 2006 - 06:47 PM
Unfortunately I lost my copy between house moves a few years ago. I was so gutted and haven't been able to replace it yet.
Same here, oddly enough. I think it's the best book about "the Bond universe", and sorely in need of updating.
I'm very curious as to Benson's opinions on the films since THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS. Understandably enough (well, when it comes to TOMORROW NEVER DIES, THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH and DIE ANOTHER DAY), I don't think he's ever aired them publicly.
#4
Posted 25 September 2006 - 07:13 PM
#5
Posted 25 September 2006 - 07:21 PM
#6
Posted 25 September 2006 - 07:28 PM
#7
Posted 26 September 2006 - 05:41 AM
#8
Posted 26 September 2006 - 05:46 AM
Just out of amusement...If Benson did a new version, what would he say about his own novels, and the films that he novelized??
#9
Posted 26 September 2006 - 05:48 AM
Just out of amusement...If Benson did a new version, what would he say about his own novels, and the films that he novelized??
I think the less said about that, the better
#10
Posted 26 September 2006 - 05:49 AM
http://www.amazon.co...k/dp/0752264982
Truly fantastic and great visuals.
#11
Posted 26 September 2006 - 05:52 AM
#12
Posted 26 September 2006 - 06:30 AM
I love that book, definitely one of my favourites. Unfortunately I lost my copy between house moves a few years ago. I was so gutted and haven't been able to replace it yet. It would indeed be wonderful if Mr Benson could update it.
There are currently 5 copies on eBay...
http://search.ebay.c.....de Companion"
#13
Posted 26 September 2006 - 07:03 AM
#14
Posted 26 September 2006 - 08:20 AM
Sure, its a fine idea, very well executed, and in the "literature-on-Bond" free time it was published was a very well come, and thought provoking, effort. And indeed Benson's genuine opinions on the post TLD films would be most worthwhile: if one could ensure total impartiality considering his own involvement with TDN, TWINE and DAD (via novelisations) and his use of the Brosnan-Bond character in his own novels.
Which leads us on to the real problem with a Third Edition of the book.
A perhaps less than diplomatic - or sensitive - or realistic - Benson basically leaves the reader with the fact he has a low opinion of Gardner's writing. Sort of "he's not Fleming" (honest, never realised) and that Gardner should have known Bond better/tried harder. Again, while these may be salient points, they tend to loose their impact when one considers the novels that followed Gardener, those written by Benson himself. A hindsight re-reading of Benson's Companion, in the light of what he himself followed it with, does not make the most comfortable or convincing of reading. And nor would I want to see a new edition re-written around the subject of Gardner, with Benson adding his thoughts based on the passing years: I am happy that what Benson wrote in the 1980s was what he genuinely believed about Gardner's writing and I am satisfied with the honesty of that.
That said, I would like to read Benson on LTK-CR, without any EON influence on him. And I'd pretty much kill to read Benson on his own novels and how they were sunk by IFP influence, compromised in what they set out to achieve, together with apalling editing, lousy marketing etc, if indeed that was the case.
#15
Posted 26 September 2006 - 04:07 PM
#16
Posted 27 September 2006 - 12:55 AM
I got The Bedside Companion for Christmas that year and spent the next couple months reading it. What I liked at the time was it really gave a nice overview of the novels as I hadn't read most of them at that point. By breaking things down by important quotes, passages and overviews of characters, it piqued my interest in the novels more than before.
I wasn't a huge fan of the film section as it seemed more abbreviated than the Rubin and Brosnan books as far as covering the individual films. Besides, he seemed to be pretty predicable as far as his choices for what was good (the first three) and bad (MR, TMWTGG), which was very reflective of the mind-set of a lot of fans at the time and I didn't need to be told yet again some of the films I liked weren't good.
#17
Posted 27 September 2006 - 01:10 AM
I also think James Bond The Legacy by John Cork and Bruce Scivally is excellent. Cork and Scivally are terrific writers and the book really benefits from being official.
I also love Alan Barnes and Marcus Hearn's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Again, very well written and researched and benefitting from being unofficial. The plot summary of TLD and decription of the GE PTS are worth the price of purchase alone. This only goes up to TWINE and could benefit from a new edition.
Martin Sterling and Gary Morecambe's Martinis Girls And Guns is also very good, well-written and researched. There are some nice points, observations and new information in this tome.
#18
Posted 27 September 2006 - 01:59 AM
I've managed to not lose mine yet - through 4 moves over the last 5 years (there was only supposed to be 1 move, but...)!
#19
Posted 28 September 2006 - 04:22 PM