17 replies to this topic

[Messervy]

(I don't know if this really fits here; Mods please feel free to move this topic as you see fit)

In the past, I only read Fleming novels (several times) and never wanted to "betray" him by reading other authors. But recently, I re-read all the Fleming novels and then wanted to go on reading Colonel Sun. I highly enjoyed it. So that now I would like to read all the non-Fleming Bond novels.

But there are many, and I trust not all are good.
What would you recommend? All? Just some?

I'll welcome your opinions. Thanks

[Secret Treaties]

I'd recommend For Special Services, Role of Honor, Nobody Lives Forever, and The Man From Barbarossa.

[Bill]

As a fan, you owe it to yourself to read all of the continuation novels. While some are better than others, none are poor enough to not merit reading at least once (except maybe Devil May Care).

Read them in order--the Amis, Gardner and Benson books are all part of the same literary continuity. The film novelizations from Gardner and Benson are, too--for the most part. For example, Gardner even goes out of his way to ensure that Felix Leiter started Licence To Kill missing limbs and even, as implausible as it is, has him undergo the same fate twice. Now the likelihood of Bond meeting two men named Milton Krest in his life is not addressed. The Wood novelizations are also excellent, especially The Spy Who Loved Me where the Russians are portrayed far more as the enemy then they come across in the film--a lot of references to Fleming's From Russia With Love. Moonraker is also excellently written, but a little too hard to place into canon with the other books, given the second appearance of Drax, and if I remember correctly, his appearance is identical to the way Fleming described him then Michael Lonsdale!

As for the rest of the books, it is worth your time to track down John Pearson's Biography of 007. These and the Moneypenny Diaries are interesting in the theory that Bond is "real" is the position they take, which to be fair, is put forth by Fleming in You Only Live Twice. The rest of the continuation authors thankfully do not address that topic as it would create too many difficulties. As stated above, Devil May Care may be the worst of all the Bond novels, but you should still read it, but there is no rush.

The Young Bond books are also a lot of fun. Given that they fit nicely into Fleming continuity, they are well done and really flesh out Bond as a young man. While written for kids, they do not talk down to them, and while there is no sex, there is sill plenty to please an adult Bond fan. The latest novel, Carte Blanche, while rebooting the book series still maintains far more of a Bond feel then the CR and QOS reboots of the films. M is back to being Sir Miles Messervy, Felix is back to being a CIA agent, and Bond is still Bond--although a little more Sherlock Holmes then 007 as he apparently has a tremendous ability for deductive reasoning which heretofore was not present in the novels. Still, the book is a vast improvement over Devil May Care, and hopefully Deaver can continue.

As far as a list of best of the continuation novels, I would add Win, Lose or Die to the list from Secret Treaties (and be warned, while The Man From Barbarossa is good it is an experiment in exposition which is unlike any of the rest of the novels--and the last third of the book is spectacular). For Benson, The Facts of Death is excellent as a stand alone book, but you should really read all of them--as I think Never Dream of Dying is his best, as it is the third part of the Union trilogy, you should really read the first two. As for Higson, his best is Hurricane Gold, but they are all good.

Seriously, read all of them. Take your time and enjoy them.

[Messervy]

Wow! Impressive! Many thanks.
As a matter of fact, it is my secret wish to read them all... but being somewhat short on spare time (work and child to take care of) I was hoping someone might dissuade me and advise to read only 2 or 3!

[DLibrasnow]

Christopher Wood's "James Bond: The Spy Who Loved Me" is my favorite non-Fleming 007 novel. I think Wood did a great job capturing the Fleming style.

[OmarB]

All of them.

[David Schofield]

You've got to read them all, I guess.

Amis is fine (though a little over-rated), Pearson'll make you wish he'd written a "proper" continuation as well, Wood that he didn't get the gig in 1981 (he's the best of the lot by far), by mid-way through the Gardner's you'll probably wish you'd left it at the Fleming's, the Benson's will make you weep (or admit the existence of a benevalent God, Benson having got so lucky), Faulks'll have you hating the superior attitude of a literary elite, and Deaver.... well, I guess that depends on your age or which side of the Pond you live on. Higson'll amaze you at how he got away with it, and Wenberg'll have yiou wondering if she's not using the same Well of Unbelievable Good Fortune as Raymond Benson.

If you go in expecting to be disappointed you should be okay. That way, the real gems - Wood's Spy in particular, CS and LR - will stand out more. Alternatively, just read those three.

[Dustin]

I'm going to play the devil's advocate here and suggest you read whatever you fancy. But only as long as you really fancy it. Don't make it a chore. Give it an honest try and whatever doesn't agree with you may just not be for you. The continuations now offer such a range that chances are not everything will appeal to you, even within a specific author's oeuvre.

[Santa]

I´m in the ´they´re all crap but you´ve got to read them anyway´camp. Except maybe Carte Blanche. Ugh.

[Messervy]

Thanks again, all, for your very valuable advice.
Another question, then: should I read them in chronological order? Is there any continuity that should be respected? Or can I just pick them at random?

[Dustin]

The Gardners do have a continuity that comes into play every other book, sometimes picking up a character after four or more books and even changing that character's role in a subsequent entry. Benson tried to incorporate the entire run from Fleming, Amis and Gardner and even flirted with the films (but ignored Wood and the Gardner tie-ins). DMC is stand alone but brims over with Fleming memories, in a bad way, unfortunately. CB is supposed to be a restart but would have been better if it had picked up where Gardner left.

[Keir]

I'm listening to Gardner's 'For Special Services' and, halfway in, it's getting to be a slog. Bond is so stupid in it. He finds out the nefarious plot and sees that he and his assistant are trapped yet decides to stay as there is no concrete proof despite his own eyes and ears and everything else that's gone thorugh. Having the assistant Leiter's daughter just seems lazy writing, and is pointless; and would Bond really allow his closest friend's daughter in constant harm's way? There are moments when the writing is just strained, as in forced allusions to 'Gone With the Wind' or tedious, obligatory passages when Leiter complains about being rejected by Bond. Everything seems corny and far-fetched, from Bond's decision to simply drive up to the house of the man he knows has just tried to kill him to his need to drive his utterly conspicuous car.

[Messervy]

Well, it's been a while since I last visited this topic...

Just to update it a bit, I must let you know that I did read a few continuation novels: Colonel Sun, Trigger Mortis and Solo. I thoroughly enjoyed TM and Solo. Very well written, with great pace and interesting "bondian" plot.

I honestly didn't realise I missed reading James Bond adventures that much! It's such a thrill delving into Bond-verse. Once I started reading, I couldn't let go. I just love this world and that special atmosphere the authors managed to convey.

So with that in mind, I'm now off to read the whole Benson run...

[Odd Jobbies]

The only one i've read that came close to cutting the mustard was James Bond: The Authorized Biography of 007 by John Pearson.

 

The opening of Colonel Sun is superb, but it never lives up to beginning thereafter.

[AMC Hornet]

I say read them all, then you'll know which ones you'll enjoy re-reading as much as Fleming.

 

For me that's Pearson's JB:TAB; Wood's TSWLM; Gardner's LR, IB, NLF, Scp, WLoD & BC; Benson's ZMT & HTTK (aka ABWTD) and Horowitz's TM.

 

Also, do yourself a treat and read Mr. Gardner's 'Liquidator' series - if Fleming himself had wanted to poke fun at his own creation, he couldn't have done better.

[billy007]

Colonel Sun then Pearson's JB:TAB for Fleming's sweep. Pick and choose after these reads. I'm one of the few who really enjoyed Carte Blanche. Modernized but with homages to Fleming. Scar on right cheek,Chelsea flat, driving a Bentley, armed with a modern Walther PPS etc.

If you read Sherlock Holmes find Gardner's Moriarty series along with Horowitz's House of Silk

[sharpshooter]

Colonel Sun then Pearson's JB:TAB for Fleming's sweep.

Both of those are superb. I also think highly of Trigger Mortis.

[Messervy]

I still don't know whether I'm gonna read first Pearson's TAB or Benson's Union trilogy... But I sure am gonna treat myself to some Bond.