9 replies to this topic

[Righty007]

I'm currently reading 'The Man with the Red Tattoo' for the first time. I just finished reading the chapter where Reiko dies. For those of you who have read this book, before you knew, did you think Reiko was going to die from the mosquito bite? I thought she was going to miraculously survive some way because I didn't think Raymond Benson would kill off a character like her. Reiko and Bond were supposed to go to Hawaii together at the end!

[Righty007]

Would anyone like to comment?

[ChandlerBing]

Yes, I'll comment. This book, while a terrific one, reminds me a great deal of the movie You Only Live Twice in many areas, including the fact that the first Bond girl he encounters dies 3/4 of the way through the story, after which he meets the one he ends up with. It's really sad that this was the last Bond we'll get, not knowing where and how our man James ends up. It's thinking like that that makes me want to curse the people currently in charge of things in the literary sense.

[zencat]

The Reiko death scene is powerful. I didn't expect her to die. Unlike some of the deaths in the Gardner books, this one wasn't "convenient" and I really felt it. It's one of the reasons I think TMWTRT is such a strong book. But I did miss her for the remainder of the story. The girl who took her place was no Reiko.

[Mourning Becomes Electra]

Agreed TMWTRT was a very good entry and it might be my favorite Benson but the death of Reiko hurt it. She was IMO Benson's best heroine, the most well rounded and interesting. What's worse is she's replaced by a teenage hooker (yeah yeah she's the best, yawn) who stomps her feet and acts like a brat and screws up the mission right and left. She was beyond annoying and why Bond didn't gag her, tie her up, and lock her in a closet until it was over is beyond me. And yes it's too similar to the movie YOLT in that respect except Kissy while boring wasn't actively annoying. Still when Reiko and Aki leave.... it's more than deflating.

[Double-0 Six]

Originally posted by Mourning Becomes Electra
She was IMO Benson's best heroine, the most well rounded and interesting.  What's worse is she's replaced by a teenage hooker who stomps her feet and acts like a brat and screws up the mission right and left.

My thoughts exactly, I was surprised when he killed her off. She was probably the best of Benson's Bond girls, if not one of the best in the series. Very disappointing.

[General Koskov]

When I was reading TMWTRT, after reading Reiko's death, I accidentaly read a phrase near the end which involved Bond and some girl. I mistook the girl to be Reiko, and was surprised to find out that she'd really died!


PS. I found the whole idea of dying from mosquito bites laughable because there are millions where I come from, and they don't carry any disease except for West Nile virus (which has a death toll of a few crows and a cat).

[James Boldman]

Originally posted by Righty007
I'm currently reading 'The Man with the Red Tattoo' for the first time. I just finished reading the chapter where Reiko dies. For those of you who have read this book, before you knew, did you think Reiko was going to die from the mosquito bite? I thought she was going to miraculously survive some way because I didn't think Raymond Benson would kill off a character like her. Reiko and Bond were supposed to go to Hawaii together at the end!

Yes I thought she was going to recover some how it came as a big shock when she died, very unexpected IMO.
It is a great read if anyone hasn't read it I suggest you read it. I read it in 3 days I was into so much. i'd give it a 4.5/5

[Righty007]

For those of you who have read this book, before you knew, did you think Reiko was going to die from the mosquito bite or did you think she was going to recover?

[Double-0 Six]

Originally posted by Righty007
For those of you who have read this book, before you knew, did you think Reiko was going to die from the mosquito bite or did you think she was going to recover?

I thought the rest of the book would be a sort of 'race against time' to find a cure for her. Probably would have been better if it had ...