73 replies to this topic

[Blofeld's Cat]

Have just finished printing off all the pages and will get them bound shortly.

However, I took a peek at one of the later pages as it was coming out of the printer, and noticed a very familiar name on it.

Two, in fact.

[Xenobia]

I just wish I had gotten to Evan a lot sooner.

-- Xen

[RossMan]

I'm downloading Acrobat Reader as I type this, and MTTS will soon follow.

[Thunderbird]

Well done Evan, there are parts of the novel where one would swear one was reading the man himself. I like the opening paragraph, you have the Fleiming 'hook' down well, and there was similarity to the 'Fleming Sweep' throughout.

I know you have your own style and full marks to you for it, let's face it, many have tried to emulate the great man and badly-copied Fleming is worse than no Fleming at all. A Bond book however should be done in this style.

Being as I am such a purist that I have never read a single Bond-by-another-author except Colonel Sun, your book was a reassuring read, I must say. I found the references to the technology and the modern world a little hard to get used to (no criticism intended - as I said my Bond resides in the 50's and 60's) and what's this about quitting smoking?

Glad he succumbs to the weed at the end, I suppose Morland Specials would be too much to hope for, not that they exist nowadays anyway.

Well done again and good luck with the next one.

Have any members got an recommendations for me, as I am, a virgin in the bed of New Bond?

Cheers.

[Mister Asterix]

Thanks T-Bird. High praise indeed.

Originally posted by Thunderbird (edited)
...and what's this about quitting smoking?

James Bond is an expert at quitting smoking, having done it thousands of times. I mearly set my story during one of them. I felt it set a mood that fit what I wanted for the story. As to the brand of cigarettes, the choice was dictated by the location and had precedent (Goldfinger - Chapter 16).

Originally posted by Thunderbird (edited)
Have any members got an recommendations for me, as I am, a virgin in the bed of New Bond?

I think the concensus is that High Time To Kill is Benson's best and a good place to start as it is the first book of a trilogy. For Gardner Licence Renewed, while not his best, is a fine book and a excellent reintroduction to the character in the modern world. As which author to start with that's a topic of wide debate, Gardner is a writer of higher-skill, but Benson has a better understanding of Fleming's character; it is mostly a toss up on which one would enjoy more. I would suggest trying Benson first, if for no other reason than he is a much faster read.

[marktmurphy]

Thats a very fair assessment, Evan- certainly the most balanced I've read here. I would say go for Facts of Death or Nobody Lives Forever for the most movie-style books. Its a while since I've read them but they both seemed like fun at the time.

[Thunderbird]

Don't worry; I was half-joking about the smoking, I too am somewhat of an expert at intending to give up...and we know what the 'Road to Hell' is paved with, don't we?

One of the reasons I've been so reluctant to read anything new is the same reason why I was reluctant (with good reason as it turned out!) to go and watch The Phantom Menace, I'm sure you all understand what I mean.

Anyway I have heard elsewhere that High Time to Kill is the one to go for, so maybe I will.

So when's the second novel due out?

[Jim]

Originally posted by Blue Eyes
Hey Jim! I'm really looking forward to your work Any idea how soon 'soon' is? We talking days, months, *gasp* years?

"Soon" is turning into "very soon".

Still suitably vague - but it's coming...

[Mister Asterix]

Originally posted by Thunderbird
So when's the second novel due out?

Can't say. It took me 4 years to write the first one. Though the first year and a half were kicking around the idea and talking myself into writing it in the first place. The idea for the second book has already had its kicking-around time; I'd say it just needs one more big kick to get me started since the first chapter has somehow already managed to write itself in my head.

[Thunderbird]

I'll look forward to that then.

[marktmurphy]

If its the Phantom Menace you don't want- really: don't read High Time. There's a golf scene in it which hinges upon a single shot which has to be done in a special way. This shot has been set up previously, along with the fact Bond can't do it. When it comes down to the wire in the game, Benson tries to build up tension as Bond realises he has to use the special shot and... guess what. He does. How unexciting, unsurprising and unimaginative. Its up there with the guess-the-villain plot in ZeroMinusTen which Benson gives away right at the beginning by having Bond play 'A Tense Game' ™ of mah-jong with one of the suspects. Hmmm...who could it be?
Evan, however does this with his fencing match and proves it doesn't have to be with the main villain (although I haven't read the last chapter yet, so I hope I'm not made to look silly) and yet can still prove effective (ruling the guy out, and yet still important to the plot).

So don't touch HTTK. Or ZMT (although it is one of his least worst). Stick with MTTS.

[Thunderbird]

Thanks Mark,

So if you had to name a 'best' not-by-Fleming, what would it be?

[marktmurphy]

Its been along time since I read the Gardners...I think Nobody Lives Forever was pretty good; as was Win, Lose Or Die. And Licence Renewed. They're all about the same standard. Facts of Death isn't too bad either.
Sorry- bit hard to choose a best. If I were you, just read where the novel is set and choose accordingly.

[Thunderbird]

Thanks Mark, it's still a plunge I know I must take. Perhaps i should just write my own....

[Vodka Martino]

Originally posted by Thunderbird
Perhaps i should just write my own....


Hell, Thunderbird, that's what I'm doing. Although I'm tackling a script and not a novel. A screenplay is hard enough without trying to do anything as classy as MTTS. I've only read chapter one, but it reads like a Fleming.
As for non-Fleming Bonds, I have to say that I've always liked "For Special Services" and also "Icebreaker". "Licence Renewed" was good in that it brought Bond into the 80s ( a fate worse than death when you look back on THAT decade!), but Gardner began to find his feet with the character in subsequent books. My one problem with Gardner is that he turned 007 into too much of a snob. I can't remember which book it was, but at the end of a successful mission, an SAS soldier hands Bond a can of beer. Bond takes it reluctantly because he apparently detests the stuff. If anybody deserves a can of beer after saving the world, surely it must be Bond. Hell, I need one after mowing a lawn! I live in Australia, it gets hot here in summer.

As for the Bensons, I have them all, but I haven't read them yet for fear of my script being influenced by them in any way. Or worse still, finding an idea or scene in them that's better than what I have so far. I'm trying to be humble here.
I did read the first chapter of "Zero Minus Ten" and it appears to have been written with the view of it being filmed some day. It reads like a movie, not a book.

Good luck with your choices, Thunderbird, and I hope we haven't confused you too much.

Vodka Martino

[Thunderbird]

Not at all - it's all good advice.

[Dortmunder]

I just downloaded it. The cover is awesome, Mr.*! Looks very professional. I plan on reading it soon, and can't wait to do so.

[Mister Asterix]

Originally posted by Vodka Martino (edited)
...As for the Bensons, I have them all, but I haven't read them yet for fear of my script being influenced by them in any way. Or worse still, finding an idea or scene in them that's better than what I have so far. I'm trying to be humble here...

I wouldn't let that fear stop you from reading the Benson novels. It's far more likely that you'll write something thats similar to the novels you haven't read than being influenced by what you have read. At least that was my experience. With Mightier Than The Sword, since it took me so long to write, I kept running into my ideas being used elsewhere before I could get my novel completed. For instance, the character Oswald Rajz was originally named Oswald Jinx and then Halle Berry came along and took the name Jinx. Also there were no real fencing scenes (barring the one in Moonraker) in Bond as I plotted my novel but before I could get it complete both The Man With The Red Tattoo and Die Another Day are revealed to have sword fights. And it's not just Bond that I had problems with my ideas being used. When I watched Mission Impossible: 2 I was disappointed to see that it used the same car that I had (the Audi TT) and dealt with the Chimera virus while I had a character named Chimera. I kept the name and changed the car; I figured one similarity would be okay, but two would be too much. And I had written a scene very similar to one I later saw on the television show '24'. That I ended keeping with minor changes because it was too important to the plot and alternatives just were not as strong. Had I been writing an 'official' novel I think I would would have had to changed it more, but I don't think it would have worked as well.

On the other hand some influence is not bad. The structure of my novel was based on the structure of Goldfinger, You Only Live Twice, and The Spy Who Loved Me. And many of the structures of the scenes were influenced by Fleming, Gardner, and Benson. I had a couple of times were I had written a scene and didn't like the way it flowed so I would find a Fleming passage that would work and re-write my scene exactly copying Fleming's structure. I would then again completely re-write it; this time a new structure of my own but still allowing some Fleming influence. In at least my opinion the scene was always far superior to what I had started with and even superior to the Fleming clone struture. (Like Thunderbird said, 'badly-copied Fleming is worse than no Fleming at all.')

So what am I trying to say? Don't let influence scare you off. It's the stuff that you haven't read or seen that causes the most problems.

[Vodka Martino]

Dear Mr A,
Thanks very much for your enlightening post. I know what you mean about seeing your ideas in other things before you've had a chance to finish yours. For example, I had an idea in my screenplay where Bond is wounded by a knife and the doctor who patches him up secretly inserts a tracking device into the wound before stitching it closed. As the story progresses, Bond realises that the villain's henchmen are always one step ahead of him and he can't figure out why. Then one night about a year ago, I rented "The Art Of War", starring Wesley Snipes and what did I see? A TRACKING DEVICE INSERTED INTO A WOUND IN HIS NECK!
For a while I was upset. Then I began to take comfort in the fact that probably about 9 people have actually seen this film (it didn't exactly set the box-office on fire when it was released). In the end, I left that idea out until I can figure out a way to rework it, if possible.
I used to run a bookstore that sold film scripts and screenwriting software. The owner of the store once said to me; " If you see your ideas already done in another film, at least it tells you that you are on the right track and that your stuff is marketable. All you need to do is get up off your *ss and start writing."
As for structure, well...that's a whole other post and I'm craving a cigarette and some sleep.

Thanks again, Mr *, and well done with MTTS. I've only read chapter One, but it reads like a Fleming. It even has a 1950s feel to it.

Vodka M

[giwiens]

Enjoyed the novel. The action sequences were very nicely done. The intrigue that needs to be in a James Bond mission was there. My only complaint was a lack of world wide locations. It all took place in the US. I realize this may be due to a variety of reasons. Please remember that I loved the story and I do hope Mr. Astrix writes more.

garth

[urhash]

Great novel, I loved reading it all the way through. It was up to professional standards, in my opinion. I've read many Bond fan-fictions before that were boring **** full of contrived situations, but with "Mightier than the Sword", all the scenes that occured were vivid and meaningful.

I think a little more careful editing would have gone a long way though... it was a bit distracting to see so many missing words per chapter that made sentences seem incomplete or confusing. For me it disrupted the flow a little bit since everything else was of such superlative quality.

I also felt the use of the (very clever, btw) distributed computing program for hacking 128-bit servers somewhat overshadowed the actual plan of LeStylo's.

Anyways, congratulations on a fine piece of work! I really look forward to the next one... even if it will be another 4 year wait.

Dan

[Mister Asterix]

Originally posted by giwiens
Enjoyed the novel.  The action sequences were very nicely done.  The intrigue that needs to be in a James Bond mission was there.  My only complaint was a lack of world wide locations.  It all took place in the US.  I realize this may be due to a variety of reasons.  Please remember that I loved the story and I do hope Mr. Astrix writes more.

Garth, glad you like the book. I will say that the reason that all of my location are in the U.S. is, quite frankly, because I've really never been off the North American continent, and I wanted the locations to be true should the reader ever chance or happened to have chanced to visit one of the locations. I personally scouted all of the locations in the book except one. (Thanks to Ross for helping me with that location.) I even scouted the sandbar on Jekyll Island, walking to the location where that scene happens. If I ever start my second book, I have lined up an international scout or two so I can do some international locations accurately. Unfortunately, I don't have Benson's travel budget so I have to do with what I can.

Originally posted by urhash
Great novel, I loved reading it all the way through. It was up to professional standards, in my opinion. I've read many Bond fan-fictions before that were boring **** full of contrived situations, but with "Mightier than the Sword", all the scenes that occured were vivid and meaningful.

I think a little more careful editing would have gone a long way though... it was a bit distracting to see so many missing words per chapter that made sentences seem incomplete or confusing. For me it disrupted the flow a little bit since everything else was of such superlative quality.

I also felt the use of the (very clever, btw) distributed computing program for hacking 128-bit servers somewhat overshadowed the actual plan of LeStylo's.

Anyways, congratulations on a fine piece of work! I really look forward to the next one... even if it will be another 4 year wait.

Thanks Dan. The hacking outshadowing the villain's main plot was intentional, I wanted to show a contrast between bad guys and really bad guys. I'd explain it more but I don't want to ruin anything for people who haven't read it. As for the editing, that would be my fault. I didn't want to take the extra time to send the corrected version of the book back to my editor for a last look because I wanted to get it online before the Die Another Day novelisation came out. (And apparently rightly so. Having just read the novelisation there are a couple of scenes that are eerily similar to scenes in my book and I would have felt compelled to rewrite my scenes had my book come out after or had I known about the scenes.)

[Thunderbird]

So, when's the next one out, Evan?

[Mister Asterix]

Originally posted by Thunderbird
So, when's the next one out, Evan?

Keep kicking. It just might come out yet.

Seriously, I’ve only about a half of a chapter actually physically written of my next book which is very, very tentatively titled Blackcell, but around half of the plot is figured out. I’m kind of waiting until the plot gels before I really get into the writing. Plus I’ve had a second plot idea that has started to form that just might pass Blackcell for top priority.

[Thunderbird]

I will look forward to it.

Cheers,

TB

[terminus]

Have eventually got round to reading this - in the absence of all my books since they're in transit.

[terminus]

Onto Chapter 3 - my god, the LeStylo dude and his wife are total freaks. Not sure I quite understand the plot yet, but am sure it will get cleared up as we proceed.

[Mister Asterix]

Onto Chapter 3 - my god, the LeStylo dude and his wife are total freaks. Not sure I quite understand the plot yet, but am sure it will get cleared up as we proceed.

[mra]I hope your liking it so far.

A bit of info about what you

[terminus]

Yeah - am liking it so far. I'm actually gratefull my stuff hasn't turned up yet at some times because it means I'm reading great stuff like this !!!

[terminus]

Eventually finished the first third of the novel - still enjoying it, get the sensation that although this third has been quite slow, the second and final thirds will build up the momentum.

I liked the tip of the hat to Q'ute and the explanation as to where she had gone - might have been nice to explain why Boothroyd came out of retirement to take over again tho'.

I have a very firm image of Leta in my head - she played a role in the second season of Tru Calling and has been in a few other things.