This was the first John Gardner James Bond book that I read and it's still my overall favorite.
I picked up a copy when it was first published in 1983.
What a great year to be a Bond fan, that was the year of the 'Battle of the Bonds' and media interest and coverage of the Bond films was frenzied. Not only did we have two Bond films with Roger Moore appearing in
Octopussy but also Sean Connery in
Never Say Never Again but also this, the best (in my opinion) of Gardner's 007 novels.
It was for
Icebreaker that I put pen to paper and wrote Mr. Gadner to tell him just how much I had enjoyed the book. I even got a short note back from him thanking me.
Sure there are plenty of Gardner's trademark double crosses and triple crosses, but this was the novel that introduced them. What we did have was a fantastic title, great plot, interesting locations, tense moments and an appealing Bond girl.
It may not be my favorite 007 continuation novel (that goes to Wood's James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me with Higson's
Blood Fever running a close second) but it was all in all a great read.
That, combined with the two movies, gargantuan press coverage of the Bond series and a great documetary on the phenomenon to celebrate the series' 21st Anniversary (even included then President Ronald Reagan talking about James Bond) made 1983 a fantastic year to be a Bond fan.
