52 replies to this topic

[dajman_007]

I remember when Higson was announced and when it was announced he was doing young bond novels there was quite a debate over whether it would be worth anything or not. Well I can see that he's onto his third young Bond, so I imagine it's going quite succesfully. I havent read any of the higson novels and I was wondering if they're worth it. I mean is young Bond even comparable to 007?

[zencat]

Blood Fever is one of the best James Bond books...ever.

Nuff said.

[dajman_007]

Whoa. I wasn't expecting that. Why do you say that. I might have to put my progress with the Fleming works on hold...

[Qwerty]

If interesting, check out these two reviews by zencat and myself.

Young Bond Book 2: Blood Fever - Two REVIEWS from two generations of Bond fans

[Skudor]

Personally I can't stand the fact that these books have been written. But I will happily admit that I've never read them or come close to reading them. Perhaps, some day, I will come to accept the idea of 'Young Bond'.

[K1Bond007]

I remember when Higson was announced and when it was announced he was doing young bond novels there was quite a debate over whether it would be worth anything or not. Well I can see that he's onto his third young Bond, so I imagine it's going quite succesfully. I havent read any of the higson novels and I was wondering if they're worth it. I mean is young Bond even comparable to 007?

I admit I was not a fan of the idea of a Young Bond when it was first announced, however that said, Blood Fever is probably the best continuation novel and the closest to Fleming's writing that I've seen. SilverFin is pretty good too and still one of the best continuation novels (of course IMHO SilverFin suffers from having to establish too much in such a short book).

But yeah, the writing is very Flemingesque (not so much style, although it is present, but the type of story and events that happen during the adventure). I think Higson gets "it" to be honest. Other writers such as John Gardner, IMHO, did not.

[Bon-san]

Another big fan of the Young Bond books, here. I agree that Charlie Higson definitely 'gets it'. And while I would disagree that Blood Fever is the best continuation novel/closest to Fleming*, I very much appreciate that Higson's thrifty style conveys an impressive sense of atmosphere, character, and suspense. And there is an understated wit that resonates throughout his Young Bond work. Good stuff.


* see Kingsley Amis or Christopher Wood for my picks in that regard

[Byron]

I remember when Higson was announced and when it was announced he was doing young bond novels there was quite a debate over whether it would be worth anything or not. Well I can see that he's onto his third young Bond, so I imagine it's going quite succesfully. I havent read any of the higson novels and I was wondering if they're worth it. I mean is young Bond even comparable to 007?

I have read both of the Higson books and was not overly impressed although Blood Fever was the better effort. I really cannot understand the lavish praise these books are getting. They weren't horrible but i found them generic and predictable. I didn't feel that i was reading about Ian Fleming's James Bond.

It is a commendable effort bringing these books out. I will buy them for the sake of a read but they are not stand outs by any means.

[dajman_007]

Hm interesting... so I don't want any spoilers to be posted or anything (not necessarily fro my sake, but others) but I just don't see how the plots can be any good. Is there a page with a synopsis?

[Qwerty]

SilverFin: 'SilverFin sees a 13-year-old James Bond investigating mysterious goings-on in a remote Scottish castle where a wealthy American is conducting some very disturbing experiments.' - CBn story here

[box]

Blood Fever: 'Blood Fever sees young James Bond traveling to Sardinia during his school break where he becomes embroiled in a plot involving art theft, smuggling, pirates, and a secret criminal society known as "MM" (Higson

[dajman_007]

Thanks Qwerty. Ask and ye shall receive huh?

Edited by dajman_007, 08 October 2006 - 04:16 AM.

[Santa]

I too was unimpressed when I heard about the Young Bond books and wrote them off as not for me, CnB style, before I'd examined the evidence. I have to admit though that I really, really enjoyed them. I thought OK, this is not my Bond but it's still a good, different Bond, and then I realised that if I can accept both Sean and Roger as Bond (hugely different but still Bond), then I have no problem with Young Bond. As long as you don't go through them looking for constant comparisons with Fleming or the films and remember they're mostly aimed at a younger reader, you should be able to enjoy them for what they are, really fun and well-written adventure books.

[DLibrasnow]

I agree with zencat when he says that Blood Fever is one of the best of all Bond novels.

That's one reason why I am more excited about Young Bond 3 than I am about Casino Royale.

[sharpshooter]

I have always wanted to begin to read the series, starting with Silverfin. I have not got around to it. I WILL get around to it after hearing the universal praise of Bloodfever. Book 3, hopefully called The Deadlock Cypher - which is integral to the plot as are the other two titles, sounds promising also.

[Loomis]

Well, I'm a Bond fan, so I guess that makes me automatically a fan of Young Bond, just as it dictates that I buy THE MONEYPENNY DIARIES and look forward to CASINO ROYALE.

I wonder, though, how many people there are - the very young excluded, obviously - who are fans of Young Bond and nothing else Bond-related.

[DamnCoffee]

I am a young Bond fan but not as the older Bond

[Qwerty]

Thanks Qwerty. Ask and ye shall receive huh?

I highly recommend that you give the novels at least a try. Blood Fever is the better of the two, but SilverFin isn't that bad.

[David Schofield]

While I don't support some CBNer's slavish devotion to all things Higson (you know who you are, see above), and as one originally totally against the young Bond concept, the books are very good and worthwhile.

Which is far more than you can say about much of the continuation literary Bond.

[dajman_007]

Well thanks. I think you'd have to be stupid not to be convinced to go out and buy these books

[DLibrasnow]

Another big fan of the Young Bond books, here. I agree that Charlie Higson definitely 'gets it'. And while I would disagree that Blood Fever is the best continuation novel/closest to Fleming*...

* ... or Christopher Wood for my picks in that regard

Before I read Blood Fever I would probably have agreed with you that Christopher Wood was the best continuation novelist (and perhaps as a sraffer you can persuade the powers-that-be to give us a Wood subforum).

But in my eyes Higson is the best and I'm hoping that IFP asks him to extend the series past the currently planned five books.

[stromberg]

I too was unimpressed when I heard about the Young Bond books and wrote them off as not for me, CnB style, before I'd examined the evidence. I have to admit though that I really, really enjoyed them. I thought OK, this is not my Bond but it's still a good, different Bond, and then I realised that if I can accept both Sean and Roger as Bond (hugely different but still Bond), then I have no problem with Young Bond. As long as you don't go through them looking for constant comparisons with Fleming or the films and remember they're mostly aimed at a younger reader, you should be able to enjoy them for what they are, really fun and well-written adventure books.

Same here. Didn't like the concept of Young Bond at all when I first heard of it. To be frank, I plain hated it. But then again, I've always had an open mind and I gave Higson the chance to convince me for the better - which he did.

One of the key points that people tend to forget is, that most people around here aren't in the target demographic at all. AFAIK, we don't have that many 10-14 year old kids around here (even though it seems that the place is packed with them, at times), must of us are just the oldsters who are dissecting to death what is basically not aimed at us at all, the Waldorfs and Statlers who have seen it all before and always know better. It still is a childrens book, of course with James Bond being the hero. But most of the Bond fans on here read it with adult eyes and tend to judge it as an adult book.

Higson, of course, knew that this would happen, and he seems to have managed to please both the new, young crowd as well as us old nitpickers, for which I give him kudos.

[sharpshooter]

Today I bought both novels. I am starting SilverFin, and already this early it is very good going by the prologue. That fish hook was quite nasty to read.

[Double-O Eleven]

When I initially heard of the idea of "Young Bond" I was plain disgusted. The idea sounded moronic and lowest-common denominator.

However, I'm glad I gave them a chance, because I really enjoy them and they actually get closer to Fleming than the follow-up authors who wrote adult Bond novels. I strongly dislike Benson's books, and Higson seems fresh and charmingly retro in comparison, and they are stylistically much better.

[Qwerty]

Today I bought both novels. I am starting SilverFin, and already this early it is very good going by the prologue. That fish hook was quite nasty to read.

Be sure to add your review of it on the forums once you finish.

[sharpshooter]

Yes I plan to do that. I am under the impression that BloodFever is a more mature, overall better book but I will enjoy SilverFin. Cant wait to read BloodFever to experience a good "James Bond" novel.

Edited by sharpshooter, 12 October 2006 - 02:40 AM.

[deth]

I hate the idea of a little Bond running around solving crimes..... it stinks. I haven't read the books..... but I'm planning to, so I might change my mind

for those that have read them... do you think Higson would make a good author for an adult Bond when/if they bring that concept back?

[K1Bond007]

I hate the idea of a little Bond running around solving crimes..... it stinks. I haven't read the books..... but I'm planning to, so I might change my mind

for those that have read them... do you think Higson would make a good author for an adult Bond when/if they bring that concept back?

Everybody tends to hate the idea at first, but it's not really what you think. He doesn't go around solving crime and problems. His 'adventures' are more of circumstance and coincidence (very much like Fleming) in that he just happens to be there and thrown into the middle of something.

On the second part, absolutely. Higson would make a great adult Bond novelist if not the best - which I already think he is of the non-Fleming variety - these are barely children books. Blood Fever really pushed it. There's no less blood, action or innuendo than a typical Fleming, Gardner or Benson, IMHO.

[Double-Oh Agent]

I pretty much agree with K1Bond007. I hated the idea of a Young Bond concept and yearned for the return of an adult James Bond. However, I have to admit that SilverFin and Blood Fever are pretty good in their own right. Yes, they aren't as good as the adult 007 novels (no sex, no Bond killing anyone--but that's to be expected with the target audience), but they are entertaining nevertheless--certainly better than I originally thought they would be. The Young Bond series is worth reading if you're a Bond fan.

I also think Charlie Higson would make a good adult Bond author. He definitely seems to understand how to write a Bond novel and is able to capture the escapism of the 007 series as well as the weirdness of the villains, etc. It would be interesting to see what Higson could do with an adult Bond novel.

[dinovelvet]

Well I liked Silverfin, and did not like Blood Fever, so I guess I'm on the fence about this one. I will read no.3, but if I don't like that one, well that's probably it for me and Young Bond.

[darthbond]

I loved both and I own Silverfin. I am definatly reading #3 when it comes out. I find James Bond's early history a fasinating subject. I did read the whole dossier on the offical Casino Royale site, btw.

darthbond