38 replies to this topic

[[dark]]

(For the record, the book is not subtitled Guardian Angel in the U.S. It's just The Moneypenny Diaries).

What about inside the book, zen?

[zencat]

No 'Guardian Angel' anywhere.

[[dark]]

Interesting. This'd be the second time an American edition had a different name from its UK counterpart (after Cold).

[minder125]

No 'Guardian Angel' anywhere.

As someone who has the US copy and reviewed there is no mention anywhere of Guardian Angel, maybe they did want to get confused with the restart of the Destroyer series.

http://www.bookgasm....ypenny-diaries/

[Johnboy007]

Well , I was just at Barnes and Noble, too. This flew completely under my radar!

[TheREAL008]

How is the story? Worth getting?

[[dark]]

How is the story? Worth getting?

I find this series to be one of the most overlooked areas of the literary canon - and I can't quite figure out why.

It could be because James Bond is not at the centre of these stories, even though he - and many other 007 staples - often feature prominantly.

It could also be the unusual narrative structure (diary entries, complete with footnotes, interspersed with more conventional narrative), which results in a read that is possibly a little more cerebral than a straightforward 007 thriller.

Most likely, though, it's the seemingly murky target audience. While the marketing of these novels appears to be aimed at women, much of the novel's text is action-driven and would no doubt appeal to males.

However, one undeniable target reader, as with Charlie Higson's excellent Young Bond tales, is the James Bond fan. Like Higson, Samantha Weinberg makes certain her stories (the "real diaries" conceit, more fleshed out in the first book than the others, aside) dovetail exceptionally well with the content and tone of Ian Fleming's original books, particularly as they are set among the time of some of Fleming's best instalments: The Moneypenny Diaries: Guardian Angel takes place in the period between On Her Majesty's Secret Service and You Only Live Twice, while The Moneypenny Diaries: Secret Servant builds wonderfully on the events of The Man With The Golden Gun.

What's more, the The Moneypenny Diaries are easily among the most well-written of the continuation novels, making the series an essential read for 007 fans.

With the overdue publication of this series in the United States, hopefully The Moneypenny Diaries will find the audience it so richly deserves, if not among the general public, then at least among us fans.

[MarkA]

With the overdue publication of this series in the United States, hopefully The Moneypenny Diaries will find the audience it so richly deserves, if not among the general public, then at least among us fans.

I agree. I have now finished the final one and they are a superb trilogy. They really inhabit Fleming's world and appear part of it. I really think the whole literary Bond has improved by leap and bounds since the dark fanboy days of Benson's efforts

[Qwerty]

Just picked up my copy. Looks great!