11 replies to this topic

[Righty007]

I recently started reading John Gardner's No Deals, Mr. Bond. I have put off reading it because I don't understand it. I believe I'm at Chapter 7. Can someone explain the plot of this novel to me?

[Jeff007]

I have never read it but I'm sure Zencat can come to the rescue.

[Righty007]

Originally posted by Jeff007
I have never read it but I'm sure Zencat can come to the rescue.

I talked to him and he said couldn't help me, because he hasn't read the book for awhile.

[Righty007]

Can someone explain this book to me?

[Roebuck]

Try the ever reliable 007Forever website. They have a synopsis of the book.

www.007forever.com

(Sorry if the link won't work. IT is not my strong suit.)

[zencat]

It's been so long sense I read it, I really don't remember the plot that well. Sorry. All I remember is Bond has to rescue three (or is it two?) female members of an old WWII spy operation before SMERSH gets to them. And, of course, one could be a traitor, yadda, yadda. Death Is Forever has almost exactly the same plot.

[General Koskov]

Some time ago, James Bond made possible the escape of five (?) British agents whose mission was to seduce various Soviet targets and get information. Then, in the present time, they are being murdered, one-by-one, and M. cannot have them put in a safe house because these girls' operation: CREAM CAKE was so top-secret and I believe it is now shunned by Whitehall, so M. does not want to remind them. So he unofficially sends Bond to save the girls, which Bond attempts. Colonel Smolin turns out to be a defector to Britain (and M. knows this, but can't tell Bond) and the real villian is General Chernov, who turned the tables on one of the agents, Heather Dare, and seduced her. Ebbie Heritage is the Bond girl in this one, by the way.

I hope that's understandable, if not, just post again.

[Righty007]

General Koskov and Roebuck, you guys have been very helpfull. I now understand the book better, thanks.

[zencat]

This is from Raymond Benson

[zencat]

Part two. Raymond's take on the book.

[Grubozaboyschikov]

In my humble opinion NDMB would have been one of the smoothest Gardner's novels but for one detail: the Murray business. It's too heavy. Gardner overdoes it. You start losing the thread of the plot when the girl disappears and Murray tells Bond some BS about lifting/having failed to lift Smolin and the girl. Every time I read this book, I feel quite sure I follow the plot until this very moment.

[Grubozaboyschikov]

One more point. The book has one or two loose ends. For instance, in Chapter 9, there's a vague mention of "the three key questions Heather had been instructed to ask Smolin". What are these questions? No information in the previous chapters!