16 replies to this topic

[Jriv71]

In the process of re-reading Gardner, in order, for the first time in around ten years, so I remember nothing...

Just finished Icebreaker, thought it was the best among the first 3 Gardners. Loved all the double-triple-crosses. Didn't even trust M for a while. Gardner has just hit his stride with this one. From the first chapter, I was hooked, and I just thought it was a great story.

Anyway, I would love to hear some feedback, and I'll let you know when I'm done with Role of Honor. (If anybody gives a rat's ...)

[General Koskov]

I, too, think that Icebreaker uses the idea of triple agents and crosses to a very good effect. Gardner does a good job of making the reader want to like one of the double-crossers so that the reader is more disturbed and surprised when they cross Bond.

[zencat]

I love ICEBREAKER, one of my favorite Gardner books by far. Love the locations.

[Johnson Galore]

Fun book- would make a great film. But some of the elements have already appeared in the films.

[zencat]

Yes, a little thing called an Ice Palace.

[Jriv71]

Right from the start, it took off. For a brief while, I felt like I was reading Fleming. This was the first Gardner book where I couldn't wait to get to the end, to see who was playing who, it was a truly great ride. In retrospect, it made the Nena Blofeld/Cedar Leiter thing seem really silly, which I really wasn't crazy about anyway.

[Cesari]

In fact I quite like that book. I love the locations and the plot. I like the characters too. But I always the double-triple-crosse really boring!! The good is in fact the bad and the bad the good! But no it is not true, the good who is really a bad is in fact a good. And the bad who is really a good is in fact bad!!! stop it! stop it!!
It because too systematic! hide-bound!!
I don't like that way of working!
But the rest of the book is very good

[homerjbond]

I didn't read it, but I heard of a torture sequence involving Bond hanging naked...can anyone elaborate?

[Cesari]

Yes, Bond is naked, head down and feet up. He is put down a hole in the ice in the freezing water.
A very hard torture yes!

[zencat]

A perfect torture scene for an ice-bound Bond adventure.

[Agent 0011]

I acutally just reread icebreaker myself from a couple of years back. I had forgotten how much of a great book it was. I love the idea of Bond being admist a team but totally left to remain on his wits to see things through. The torture seen was good, rivaling Casino Royale, Colonel Sun, and Never dream of dying as one of the toughest for Bond to get through. Also shows one of the rare blounders of Bond by confiding in the wrong person. Overall....excellent novel

[kevrichardson]

Good Early Gardner Bond Novel . Enjoyed it a lot . Gardner finally had given Bond a great gun to use . The Heckler and Koch P7 was better than the Browning in Lisence Renewed .

[ChandlerBing]

I just re-read the book over the past few days. Interesting to say the least. How many times has Bond been shot anyway now? He just takes a licking and keeps on ticking, I suppose? For all of you who hate it when Bond makes mistakes, this book is not the one for you, that is for sure. I am not sure which Bond I should read next. I wasn't crazy about Role of Honor.

[DLibrasnow]

"Icebreaker" is my favorite John Gardner 007 book. I think it is the closest he ever came to writing like Ian Fleming. I am actually a little perturbed that they had an ice palace in DAD because I have always hoped this book would be filmed someday by EON.

[Kronsteen]

Sorry, I didn't enjoy Icebreaker much at all. I don't know why really, I just didn't find it interesting. The double-crosses what very good actually, but that was the only thing that I enjoyed...

[Cesari]

I don't know why but it seems everybody here appreciate double crosses in John Gardner's books.
I must say I find them un bearable. Everybody double-cross or triple-cross everybody. It looks like a comedy movie, but not a James Bond book.
And gardner uses that process in many books and each time i can find who double cross who. it is so systematic

[DLibrasnow]

I thought the Bond girl in "icebreaker" was one of the most appealing of the Gardner Bond books.