Calvin Dyson reviews NEVER DREAM OF DYING

Calvin Dyson is back with his review of Raymond Benson's Never Dream of Dying. Enjoy!

Calvin Dyson reviews DOUBLESHOT

With news of Raymond Benson's upcoming Felix Leiter novel, The Hook and the Eye, it seems like the right time to share Calvin Dyson's latest Benson Bond book review. This time, Doubleshot is in the gun barrel. Enjoy.

Calvin Dyson reviews HIGH TIME TO KILL

Calvin Dyson is back with a review of Raymond Benson's High Time To Kill. Once again we are in sync. This is also my favorite Benson novel and possibly my favorite continuation novel of them all. Enjoy.

GARDNER LIVES FOREVER

Here's a full page from the June 15, 1986, Muncie Star with a review of John Gardner's Nobody Lives Forever. This beautifully captures the world in which the book was released. The review even says that Pierce Brosnan will soon be making his first Bond film, The Living Daylights. Yep. And check out those movies! Like paging through my old Bond fanzines, I love seeing my favorite OO7 books and films frozen in time like this.

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Calvin Dyson reviews ZERO MINUS TEN

I enjoy Calvin Dyson's YouTube videos. I also enjoy Raymond Benson's James Bond books. So I'm happy to see Calvin beginning his reviews of Benson's Bonds! Enjoy the first installment, Zero Minus Ten.

NEVER SEND FLOWERS blooms at 30

It's another anniversary day. This time it's Never Send Flowers by John Gardner, released in the UK on July 15, 1993. To mark the occasion, here's a review from back in the day.

I've always liked Never Send Flowers. For me, it was a step up after The Man From Barbarossa and Death is Forever. I've always suspected Gardner was influenced by Silence of the Lambs and initially decided to write a James Bond horror novel. He seems to really be going for horror atmosphere. But he's not a horror writer, and after a few chapters he seems to give up on that approach and the book turns into a tale of James Bond in the world of make believe and the theatrical, culminating with a climax in EuroDisney. People poke fun at the idea of 007 at Disneyland. But I think the climax works and is in keeping with the theatrical theme. I also liked that the U.S. edition (released in May) went with black for their cover color this time.

If you want to give Never Send Flowers a try, you can buy the 2015 reprints at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

30 years of FOREVER

It was 30 years ago that John Gardner's 11th original James Bond novel Death Is Forever arrived in the U.S. bookstores. This was one of handful of titles that was released first in the United States. While not one of my favorite Gardner books, it was a thrill to have a new Bond every year and all the Gardner books remain special to me. 

Here's a review of the book from 30 years ago today. Is 007 forever? I think we know the answer to that!

The Indianapolis Star.

My own copy of Death Is Forever, purchased in 1992, has a sticker on the cover pitching it as a "Super Value!" I normally strip off any stickers to have a clean cover. However, when a sticker says something Bond specific, as this one does ("Bond is Back"), it stays. And this wasn't added later in a clearance sale. I bought all the Gardner books the instant they hit the bookstores and this sticker was there on day one. Would love to know the story behind it and how many books may have it.

You can buy the recent reprint editions of Death Is Forever at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

BOOK BOND REVIEW: With A Mind To Kill the memory of No Time To Die

Anthony Horowitz's third and final James Bond novel, With A Mind To Kill, is released today by Jonathan Cape in the UK. I've had the pleasure of reading it and I can report it's excellent! Horowitz mines one of the richest untapped veins of the literary James Bond; namely, what happened to 007 in Russia between the books You Only Live Twice and The Man With The Golden Gun. It's Horowitz's darkest Bond with a powerful climax that perfectly caps his time as the reigning continuation novelist and, possibly, this particular era of period Bond novels.

For a third time Horowitz proves he knows exactly what makes a great James Bond adventure. The book is packed with tension and moves like a rocket. Without going into major spoilers, the book delivers an epic action sequence set in London before moving onto Russia where much of the novel is set. Bond's mission is clear cut, the locations are atmospheric, and the stakes are sky high from page one. We also have a solid Bond Girl in Katya Leonova. And it certainly isn't hard to see Russia as the villain these days, which makes this book, set in 1965, feel (tragically) up to the minute.

If I have a criticism (and this wouldn't be a proper review without) it would be with the frequent callbacks to past Fleming books. While call backs to The Man With The Golden Gun are integral with the plot and expected, it's possible every book gets a nod in some form. This feels a bit calculated and while fans may like it, I thought it was a touch distracting. But that's a quibble.

So how does With A Mind To Kill stand against Horowitz's two other Bonds? I think most will agree With A Mind To Kill is his best and I wouldn't argue with that. However, it is a darker book, and I'm still very much suffering PTSD from the last James Bond film, No Time To Die, with its relentless bleakness, hopelessness, and humiliating death of 007. I really need some fun! So while With A Mind To Kill is superb and going dark has never troubled me in the past, at this moment in time I still rank Trigger Mortis at the top of my Horowitz list as it seems the lightest of his outings. But talk to me again in a year.

I've never been more happy to add a new Bond book to my bookshelf and continue the adventure. Thanks to the caring custodians at Ian Fleming Publications and the talented Anthony Horowitz, JAMES BOND LIVES!

You can purchase With A Mind To Kill at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. Special UK editions are also available from Waterstones and Goldsboro Books.

REVIEW: 'Forever and a Day' is both great and okay

Anthony Horowitz's second Bond novel, Forever and a Day, is released today in the UK by Jonathan Cape. (The U.S. edition will wait until November 6.) This time we see Bond's first mission as a double-oh agent in what amounts to a prequel to Casino Royale. I've had the great pleasure of reading the book, and I'm happy to report that it's a another strong Bond novel from Horowitz.

But I have to be honest in saying that while I thoroughly enjoyed Forever and a Day, I preferred Horowitz's Trigger Mortis. Every beat of that first book felt original to me, while every beat of this book felt familiar. It has familiar locations (South of France), familiar situations (a casino, a party, warehouses), familiar allies (CIA agent), and a familiar villain's plot (I'll keep this review spoiler free, but this one comes right out of a movie). Also, the original Fleming material, a story about a mad Russian who threatens to shell the casino at Monte Carlo, is related as a past event. It's a great story (or scene), and I'm surprised it wasn't integrated into the plot, as Horowitz did with the race car action in Trigger Mortis. And the idea that Bond "saved the casino" a year earlier undermines the whole idea of this being 007s first mission. Bond walks into the casino and he's greeted like Roger Moore!

The action also takes an unusually long time to kick in, but this is because Horowitz takes time to develop a strong Bond Girl in Sixteen. And once the action finally does kick in (around page 200), it is a relentless rush with a spectacular extended climax aboard the villain's luxury cruise ship. Again, no spoilers, but what Bond has to endure physically -- always a highlight of any Bond book -- is something we've never seen in any Bond adventure, and it's harrowing! This chapter alone makes Forever and a Day unforgettable and a classic among continuation novels.

So apart from my quibbles, I'm thrilled to have another beautifully written James Bond novel from the pen of Anthony Horowitz. I hope we get some more.

Purchase Forever and a Day from Amazon.co.uk.

Retro rockets fire! TRIGGER MORTIS paperback races into the U.S. today

The U.S. paperback edition of Anthony Horowitz's Trigger Mortis is released today in the U.S. by Harper. The cover art designed by Gregg Kulick and illustrated by Patrick Leger features a cool retro look, which is perfect for this Bond adventure set in 1957.

In Trigger Mortis, Horowitz places James Bond into the world of Formula One auto racing. This is a natural fit for 007, especially in these dangerous early days of the sport. This idea actually came from Ian Fleming. Trigger Mortis incorporates original material from an unpublished Fleming outline called, "Murder on Wheels". Bond then races into action in New York City.

Horowitz clearly has an instinct for Bond and he knows exactly which classic notes to play. Jeopardy Lane is a terrific Bond Girl. Villain Jason Sin is appropriately fiendish. The book has rockets toppling and American motels exploding. And having Bond endure a buried alive ordeal...why has it taken this long for a Bond author to dig up this excellent idea?

Ian Fleming Publication have been producing James Bond continuation novels from various authors for 35 years now. So Bond fans have a full buffet of 007 adventures that appeal to all tastes. With Trigger Mortis, we have a book that offers up a dish of classic Bond cooked to perfection. What more could anyone ask for, except maybe another book from Anthony Horowitz just like this one!

Purchase the new Trigger Mortis U.S. paperback at Amazon.com.

STEVE COLE'S NEW YOUNG BOND 'STRIKES' TODAY IN UK

Steve Cole's third Young Bond novel Strike Lightning is released today in the UK in paperback and as a limited hardcover.

Steve Cole's first two Young Bond novels were serviceable adventures with some good ideas. But Strike Lightning is a HUGE step up. In my opinion, this is far and away Steve's best Young Bond novel, and one that even challenges Charlie Higson's books. I'd even place it in my top ten best James Bond continuation novels.

What I like best about this adventure is it has a strong narrative flow and a great sense of the period (which was almost completely absent from Heads You Die). Also, this time Steve doesn't overpopulate the book with Bond's friends along for the ride. Here we only have a Bond ally (Perry Mandeville) and a Bond girl (Kitty Drift). Classic. In fact, this one truly nails all the aspects of a classic James Bond adventure, and continues the story of Young Bond very effectively. This feels like the book we've been waiting for.

Congrats to Steve Cole. His third strike is a HIT!

No sign yet of a U.S. eBook, but know that the UK editions are available via third party sellers on the U.S. Amazon.com.

'TRIGGER MORTIS' REVIEW: No experiments, Mr. Bond.

This review contains SPOILERS.

The last few official James Bond continuation novels have each in their own way been experiments. Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks attempted an out-and-out Ian Fleming imitation. Carte Blanche by Jeffery Deaver rebooted the literary Bond into the present day. Solo by William Boyd offered a moody meditation on an aging 007. These were all experiments I very much enjoyed (yes, even Devil May Care, haters). So what would be IFP's next experiment?

With Anthony Horowitz's Trigger Mortis, this time the experiment is to attempt no experiment at all. Instead, Horowitz delivers a straightforward, furiously entertaining James Bond adventure set comfortably within the world and rules of Ian Fleming's classic 007 (the novel is set in 1957 right after the events of Goldfinger). In doing this, Horowitz hits the bulls-eye and gives us a James Bond continuation novel that easily stands among the very best (if not the best).

Horowitz's choices are all conceived from and aimed at the gut. Placing James Bond into the world of formula 1 auto racing -- perfect! It's amazing that no other continuation novelist, or screenwriter for that matter, has thought of this idea. Bond and auto racing are a natural fit, especially in the dangerous early days of the sport. (This idea actually came from Ian Fleming as Trigger Mortis incorporates an unpublished Fleming outline, "Murder on Wheels"). The book jacket tells us Bond Girl Jeopardy Lane is "a girl like no other Bond has encountered." No, she isn't. No experiments! She's a classic Bond Girl very much like the others in the best possible way. Likewise, the villain, Jason Sin, is typically foreign and typically fiendish. The book has rockets toppling and American motels exploding. And having Bond endure a buried alive ordeal... Again, why has this idea taken so long to dig up?

Horowitz clearly has an instinct for Bond and he knows exactly which classic notes to play. Like Fleming, he seems to be writing a book to entertain himself -- a book meant to be taken on vacation. The chapters are short and tight and the action never becomes laborious with over description. Tension is maintained perfectly. And by the end of the book, when Bond is racing to stop the destruction of the Empire State Building aboard a speeding R-11 subway train, Horowitz is firing on all thrusters, perfectly capturing the essence of Fleming's Bond with passages such as:

Bond was filthy again. The wind had blasted him with years of accumulated dirt and soot. He could taste it in his mouth. It had penetrated his skin. The very clothes he was wearing had turned black. But he didn't care. He grinned and his white teeth flared in the darkness. This was the moment of reckoning.

Now, granted, the inclusion of Pussy Galore could be considered an experiment, or at least the attention-getting stunt of this book. But it's a stunt that works. This is the Pussy of the novel Goldfinger, not the film, so she is a black-haired "former" lesbian. And it's here that Horowitz has the opportunity to rework the Bond canon for the better. Pussy's sexual transformation at the hands of 007 in Goldfinger certainly seems ridiculous today. So in Trigger Mortis, Horowitz redeems the character–and Fleming–by having Pussy return to her natural lifestyle following her adventure with Bond. Yes, apparently 007 does not have a license to bestow heterosexuality. Pussy was just waiting for the right Bond Girl to come along.

Now, if one so chooses, everything I've said here in praise of Trigger Mortis could also be turned into a negative. The book doesn't experiment. It doesn't strive to give us a deeper understanding of James Bond. The plot is familiar and follows the familiar formula. But if this is a problem for anyone, they have only themselves to blame. Because IFP and their Bond authors have now provided a full buffet of James Bond adventures appealing to different tastes and imaginations. Fans can choose their own style, era, and approach. Trigger Mortis now rounds all that out with a main dish of classic Bond.

For me, this is exactly where I want to be and where I want to stay for a while. No more experiments. No more authors. You have me, Mr. Horowitz. Now take me around the world one more time.

Purchase Trigger Mortis U.S. edition.

Purchase Trigger Mortis UK edition.

Higson: TRIGGER MORTIS is "unapologetically Bond"

Former Young Bond author Charlie Higson had tweeted his opinion of Trigger Mortis, the new James Bond novel by Anthony Horowitz. He seems pretty darn ecstatic! His tweet below:

Trigger Mortis is set in 1957 just after the events of Goldfinger, and is based in part on unpublished Ian Fleming material. Locations include West Germany and the United States (Florida and New York), and the book also sees the return of Pussy Galore!

Trigger Mortis will be released on September 8, 2015 in both the U.S. and UK.

Pre-order Trigger Mortis UK edition.

Pre-order Trigger Mortis U.S. edition.

BOOK BOND REVIEW: Young Bond's license renewed

Young Bond illustrated by Kev Walker.

The hardest part about reviewing Steve Cole's first Young Bond novel, Shoot To Kill, is not comparing him to Charlie Higson. In fact, it's too hard. So this will be a review loaded with comparisons, and I will start by making a comparison of a comparison that will probably only be understood by Bond fanatics (but that's why you're here).

With this first book, Steve Cole is to Charlie Higson what John Gardner was to Ian Fleming. This is not a criticism! The John Gardner James Bond continuation novels were solid books that carried on the Bond literary tradition for a new generation. But one had to accept that you were no longer in the hands of the original master -- there's a certain Bondian flavor that's just no longer present -- and how you feel about that will have a lot of do with how much you enjoy Shoot To Kill.

Charlie Higson's five Young Bond novels were dark and layered and embraced by both kids and adults. They were also books about loss. They started with James losing his parents and ended with him losing his innocence and a fair chunk of his soul. The Higson books were about Bond becoming England's "blunt instrument" -- becoming Ian Fleming's James Bond. Cole's first book suggest that his series might be more about building the heroic and stoic 007 -- less Ian Fleming's hero than the James Bond of popular culture. Shoot To Kill is lighter and more straightforward than Higson. It's also a book that feels much less about the times in which it's set (more on this later). While there might not be enough thematic meat here for adults, this might serve the core young readership and the overall Young Bond franchise extremely well. Here's another comparison: If Higson gave us Harry Potter, Cole is giving us Alex Rider. Choose your mega-success.

The plot of Shoot To Kill is well handled and the opening chapter has a terrific Film Noir feel and a nice twist. Young Bond himself feels much like Higson's character, and the Young Bond Girl, Boudicca "Boody" Price, is very well drawn. Steve also does a nice job with the secondary Bond Girl/ally, Tori Wo, an LA journalist. The author offers up several nods to Fleming that hardcore fans will appreciate. The first chapter is titled "You Asked For It" (the title of the first American Casino Royale paperback), and at one point James passes himself off as the son of Hoagy Carmichael (Fleming's physical model for 007). One new contribution Steve makes to the Young Bond universe is that James gets his first handgun -- a custom made air-pistol christened "Queensmarch." I expect this will become the PPK of the continued series.

Bond Girl Boudicca "Boody" Price illustrated by Kev Walker.

Bond ally Tori Wo illustrated by Kev Walker.

(Minor spoilers ahead.)
Steve seems most comfortable with the UK locations, with terrific early action set in a Devon movie palace, nicely foreshadowing the Hollywood adventure to come. Steve even introduces a new Bond car: a Hillman Minx. The author obviously researched airships for Bond's Transatlantic crossing on the Allworld, although he does seem to drift a bit trying to find a way to inject action into the sequence, before finding a windstorm that does the trick nicely. But with the explosive cover art, one is just waiting for Bond to get back onboard the villain's sister ship, Zelda, and do what Bond, young or old, does best -- blow it up!

While Steve doesn't quite yet have the Higson touch when it comes to penning atmosphere, he is just as capable with the action scenes. However, Shoot To Kill feels a touch light on action overall, with maybe one too many "tours" of L.A. locations instead of discovering them on the run. The book deflates every time Bond is able to safely return to his hotel (also a problem with Gardner) and talk things over with the many friends and allies who share this adventure with him.

Hollywood is a location that is LONG overdue for a Bond visit, and it's exciting to finally have a Hollywood-set James Bond adventure. Maybe it's because I'm from L.A. and a bit of a Hollywood history buff (I made a point to drive past Bond's Hollywood hotel on release day), but I' feel like the author's handling of the Hollywood locations isn't as well researched or as realized as it could be. There are a few perplexing errors that are hard to get past, such as mentions of the San Diego and Hollywood Freeways, which didn't exist in 1934 (remember Roger Rabbit?). And after establishing LAs famous street cars, Steve has Bond reliant on taking cabs for rides that are in reality only a few blocks.

Bond villain Anton Kostler illustrated by Kev Walker.

Steve places villain Anton Kostler's compound in Beverly Hills -- which certainly conjures up visions of wealth and power -- but this somehow feels a bit too contemporary. The Hollywood Hills or even the arid and up-for-grabs expanse of the San Fernando Valley would have been more accurate to the period, especially as space is needed for a studio backlot and an airship. There are also times when it feels like Steve inadvertently lapses into writing a contemporary, or at least a '60s-set, James Bond novel. Not only are there the aforementioned freeways, but there are also "malls" and even an appearance of a Corvette! (The first Corvette rolled off the assembly line the same year of the first James Bond novel, 1953.) But, again, I doubt any of this will matter to the core readership, who might dig the mentions of Beverly Hills, malls, and a Corvette. (I'm also reviewing this from a proof, so it's possible these errors have been corrected in the final UK hardcover.)

On the plus side, when young Bond and his friends become caught up in a Hollywood Blvd. riot, it recalls The Day of the Locust, and paints a city bubbling with unrest and contradictions. This feels very nicely keyed into the period and here at last is the Young Bond book of my imagination. I also appreciated the astute choice of the Hollywood Plaza Hotel, and the mentions of landmarks such as the Chinese Theater, the HOLLYWOODLAND sign (as it read back then), and the Hollywood Forever cemetery.

Steve Cole is off to a very good start with Shoot To Kill. But like young James at his Hollywood party, he seems a bit star-struck on this first outing, and who can blame him. So like John Gardner in his first book, License Renewed, Steve stays within the formula and guidelines and concentrates on getting the character of James Bond correct, and in this he succeeds admirably. Now here's hoping Steve will write a Young Bond book that will challenge his new fans and himself. It took Gardner three books until he felt he could slip out from under Fleming's shadow and write his own James Bond novel, and he knocked it out of the park with Icebreaker.

I'm really looking forward to Steve Cole's next Young Bond novel, and I'm especially looking forward to reading his own Icebreaker when he's ready to take that step.

Young Bond in action in Shoot To Kill.

Purchase YOUNG BOND: SHOOT TO KILL by Steve Cole from Amazon.co.uk.

Thanks to Penguin Random House UK Children’s for the beautiful Kev Walker illustrations.

BOOK BOND REVIEW: SOLO is the thinking man's OO7

Let's start by talking about the James Bond movies.

Bond movies can be stupid. Gloriously, magnificently, stupid. This is not a criticism. Stupid can be fun. Stupid sells! But in recent years we've seen that Bond movies can also be smart. With the arrival of Daniel Craig, we now have Bond movies rooted as much in character as formula action. And it's amazing how well that has worked out. How many billions has Skyfall made so far?

The James Bond continuation novels, which have run concurrently with the films for most of Bond's post-Fleming existence, have always occupied a conservative middle ground tonally. They never got stupid. They also never got especially smart. They always aspired to offer solid spy stories rooted in reality, but also in a formula that would be familiar to fans of the original Fleming books (or what they chose to remember of them) and the latest Eon films. Overall, the Bond continuations have offered a steady flow of very satisfying, familiar, if maybe a bit unchallenging James Bond. But with Solo by William Boyd, this has now changed.

Solo is the right name for this book. Not because "OO7 goes solo" -- a nifty marketing slogan. It's because author William Boyd goes solo into the juggernaut that is "James Bond OO7" and fearlessly does his own thing. Not since the very first continuation novel, Colonel Sun, has there been a Bond book less concerned with the industry that is James Bond. Boyd simply tells a riveting story of espionage, geopolitics, and a British secret agent in 1969. But the ghost of Ian Fleming is right there by his side.

UK edition

Solo is smart, serious, and much more concerned with capturing atmosphere than action. In fact, Solo is largely action free. Those who think this isn't "Bond" need to re-read their Fleming. This is Bond at the core. The real Bond. The thinking man's Bond. You don't read this book for exploding trains. You read it to visit West Africa. You read it to get a lesson on geopolitics in a post colonial Britain. You read it for sex. But above all, you read this book to walk with a committed middle-aged bachelor in the 1960s with a fetish for the finer things in life and a damn dangerous job. It's like paging through an issue of Playboy from the '60s when it was a true male lifestyle magazine that mixed sex, politics, fashion and toys "for the discerning bachelor." Fun.

Solo is also a hugely moody and internal book; a book that brings us back inside James Bond. Turns out that's a pretty dark place. Because the James Bond of Solo is an extremely Dark character. But not in the obvious commercialized "darkness" of a Batman (or even Skyfall). Bond is simply a man who is resigned to living a solitary, voyeuristic, and dangerous existence which, like a cancer, is eating away at his soul and will kill him one sunny day. But Bond never openly thinks this himself. The Bond of Solo only worries about where his next shower and plate of scrambled eggs might come from.

And drink.

Because James Bond drinks in Solo. He drinks a lot in Solo. He drinks morning noon and night. He drinks alone. He drinks full bottles. And when faced with the prospect of a 24-hour stretch without a restaurant or ready pub, he buys and pockets a bottle of whisky just in case (and indeed drinks it). In fact, Bond thinks more about alcohol than his mission in this book. That's because the James Bond of Solo is an alcoholic. Again, not in the falling down obviousness of a Hollywood production. In fact, those who have read the book might be surprised at my declaration here. But the book quietly screams Bond's functional alcoholism as many of the Fleming books quietly scream it as well. But how can a guy as cool and in control as James Bond be a drunk? There you go again. Don't think "James Bond OO7" of the films or even recent books. Think Don Draper of Mad Men. Coolest guy in the world? Absolutely. Cold, tormented, war-damaged alcoholic? That too. And that's the real James Bond. The James Bond of Fleming and the James Bond of Solo...if you think about it.

U.S. edition

Okay, enough about The Man, what about the plot? Does Solo have a ripping good story? The answer is...somewhat.

(Spoilers ahead)
Solo challenges convention, both as a Bond novel and as a thriller. Boyd is not a thriller writer and he doesn't try to be. The book is not packed with twists, not a single chapter ends in a cliffhanger, and there is no countdown to Armageddon. You walk with OO7 in this book, you don't run with him. The plot peels away slowly (sometimes very slowly) and is resolved with an explanation, not a shoot-out. It's much more of a mystery than a thriller. You might even go as far to say Solo's mostly a character study. But none of this is criticism. Not to join the mob of Devil May Care bashers (I enjoyed the book myself), but while reading Solo I couldn't help but think that this was the mature Bond book from a seasoned writer that we all expected from Sebastian Faulks.

But this also means Solo doesn't have a central show-stopping moment -- no Casino Royale torture scene or Goldfinger buzz saw. That's how Fleming often overcame his own penchant for plots that sometimes meandered. And Boyd misses some easy opportunities to build suspense. A prime example is Bond's meeting with the mysterious Gen. Adeka. Shouldn't Boyd have taken his Heart of Darkness idea here all the way and had OO7 gripping a gun or knife in his pocket ready to complete his mission for M? Then the revelation of Adeka's condition would have had even greater impact. Instead, it's unclear what, if anything, Bond is intending to do other than actually interview the General. It's as if both Boyd and Bond have forgotten the mission completely. If I have a complaint about Solo, it's that Bond's plans are too often ad hoc.

But what Boyd does better than many of his fellow continuation authors is his handling of female characters and sex. Solo is a sexy, even erotic book. But it's also kinky and carnal. Bond's observations of the women of Solo are highly voyeuristic (literally in the case of Bryce), and Boyd takes his time building up lust for Blessing in both Bond and the reader. When it finally culminates, its not only sexy, but also a little alarming. It's a kill rather than a winking conquest and certainly not love. All that can come after is loss, which Boyd, like Fleming, heaps onto his secret agent.

Boyd also fearlessly upends the convention of the Bond villain. Bond's main antagonist in Solo is Kobus Breed (think Sharlto Copley), who's really more of a henchman. I kept waiting for the revelation of the main villain -- the Blofeld in the volcano pulling the strings. Boyd even hints at a master villain throughout. But in the end the villain in the volcano is just a collection of legally operating oil companies. The only lawbreakers are the blood-soaked Bond and Breed. The true villain is indifference to suffering and greed. The villain is the future. And the villain wins. For James Bond the only future is to be stalked by the past (literally), and the reality that he probably can't afford the new car he covets; a Jensen FF Mark I. The future for James Bond is greater darkness, greater loneliness, and more alcohol.

But if you hadn't caught on in the proceeding 232 pages, the ending of Solo is your final clue that what you just read was not a thriller or action book and certainly not an adventure of jolly old James Bond OO7. It was the next -- and maybe last -- chapter of Ian Fleming's dark man in silhouette. A man we have not heard from in a very long time.

Solo is available now in the UK from Jonathan Cape (Amazon.co.uk) and the U.S. from Harper (Amazon.com).

Look inside the 'CARTE BLANCHE' RED EDITION (video)

Some Bond fans and book collectors were somewhat disappointed with Waterstone's Special Edition of Jeffery Deaver's Carte Blanche, which was basically the regular hardcover in a box with a surprisingly steep price tag. Also disappointing was the price of £1000 for the beautiful Bentley Special Edition, which put it well out of reach for most fans.

I'm not sure if this had anything to do with Hodder & Stoughton's decision to release a third Special Edition of Carte Blanche several months after the book had come out in stores. But I am certainly glad they did, because the Carte Blanche Red Edition is definitely the book to get!

Not only is the Red Edition gorgeous -- it's basically the super pricey Bentley Edition with a red cover -- but it is also eminently affordable at £100. And at the moment it's discounted 35% on Amazon.co.uk, bringing the price down to £65 (with free shipping in the UK).

Instead of me writing about the book and explaining all the coolness within, I've shot a video which I think does the job just as well.

The Carte Blanche Red Edition is limited to 500 copies and can be purchased at Amazon.co.uk.

Thanks to Vickie Boff at Hodder and Stoughton.

THE BEST JAMES BOND NOVEL YOU'VE NEVER READ

“But James, you never told me. You mean your real biography? Isn’t that just what I always said that they should do? I mean those books of Ian’s were ridiculous. I never will be able to forgive him for the way he described me in that dreadful book of his.”
                                                                              - Honeychild Rider

(Contains minor spoilers)

U.S. hardcover

Think you've read all the James Bond continuation novels? There's one you might have missed. While most Bond fans are familiar with the continuation novels by Amis, Gardner, Benson, Higson, Faulks, and now Deaver, few are familiar with the one-shot continuation novel, James Bond: The Authorized Biography of 007, written by Ian Fleming biographer John Pearson in 1973.

An “authorized biography” you ask? Authorized by whom? James Bond? Incredibly, yes!

Maybe it was the success of such 1970s “nonfiction fiction” bestsellers like The Seven Per Cent Solution (which professed to reveal the “truth” about Sherlock Holmes’ cocaine addiction) and Clifford Irving’s bogus Howard Hughes biography (there are some amusing similarities) that inspired this most unusual approach to Bond. Or if you’d rather believe the premise of the book, it is the true story of the real James Bond, secret agent and colleague of Ian Fleming, who gave a one-time interview to John Pearson while on leave in Bermuda in 1973. Pearson’s straight-faced presentation of how he came to meet the real 007 is the first highlight of many in this excellent and very worthy James Bond novel. I mean biography. I mean…well, just read on.

According to Pearson, after he finished his biography of Fleming, he received a strange letter from an elderly woman — an acquaintance of Fleming’s from Switzerland — telling him that James Bond is, in fact, a real person. As evidence she includes a photograph of Fleming with an intense-looking, athletic young man who she claims is 007 himself. Unfortunately, the woman dies before Pearson can interview her. Intrigued, Pearson does some research and discovers the name of James Bond on the Eton registry and in the ranks of the Royal Navy. Could the letter be right? Confirmation of sorts then comes from a shadowy government official, who warns Pearson to stop his investigation immediately. When the author doesn’t, another branch of the British government requests an audience — the British Secret Service!

Behind the closed doors of Universal Exports, all is revealed to the nervous author. James Bond 007 is, indeed, a real person who is currently in Bermuda on permanent sick leave. Instead of continuing the cover-up (which is becoming increasing difficult with 007′s growing “fame”), SIS figures it will reveal the whole truth in an “authorized biography.” Just as Bond is handed his passport to exotic adventure in the “grey building overlooking Regents Park,” so is author Pearson dispatched on this most delicate mission — interview James Bond and write his life story.

Pearson’s first meeting with 007 in a Bermuda hotel room is riveting:

“So this was Bond, this figure in the shadows. Until this moment I had taken it for granted that I knew him, as one does with any familiar character in what one thought was fiction. I had been picturing him as some sort of superman. The reality was different. There was something guarded and withdrawn about him. I felt that I was seeing an intriguing, unfamiliar face half-hidden by an image I could not forget.

It was a strong face, certainly – the eyes pale-grey and very cold, the mouth wide and hard; he didn’t smile. In some was I was reminded of Fleming’s own description of the man. The famous scar ran down the left cheek like a fault in the terrain between the jaw-line and the corner of the eye. The dark hair, grey streaked now, still fell in the authentic comma over the forehead. But there was something the descriptions of James Bond had not prepared me for – the air of tension which surrounded him. He had the look of someone who had suffered and who was wary of the pain’s return. Even Sir William seemed to be treating him with care as he introduced us. We shook hands.”

UK hardcover

What follows is a terrific narrative that intercuts between Pearson’s adventures interviewing the sometimes uncooperative James Bond in Bermuda (in which Bond’s mysterious female companion is revealed to be none other than Honeychild Rider) and Pearson’s own retelling of Bond’s life story. Many of the events Pearson chronicles in this 317-page book read like James Bond short stories — and good ones at that! We get tales of Bond’s youth, his early missions, and even his wartime adventures, something fans have been clamoring for. Some of the stories have a bite that rivals Fleming. Bond’s mission to Stockholm to kill a former colleague is quite shocking, both in the events and the clean, clipped economy of the writing. Having mined movie ideas from many of the continuation novels by other authors, Eon Productions might be well advised to get their hands on Pearson. A villain who keeps his lair in an abandon zoo in Budapest? Not bad.

We also get looks at Bond’s failings and the periods between missions: James Bond forced to consider taking a job as a Harrods department store detective during a period of desperate unemployment; James Bond the social dropout living off his looks and wealthy women in island resort communities (Pearson reveals the events of The Hildebrand Rarity took place during one of Bond’s beachcomber periods). One of the strongest moments in the book is when Bond, during a period of suspension because of scandal, takes a seat at a Blades gambling table, not to best a villain or win over a woman, but in a last desperate attempt to make a living. All of Bond’s nerve and skills fail him. It’s as if the universe itself rejects a James Bond who is not 007.

Character-wise, Pearson presents a James Bond shaped by tragedy, starting with the death of his parents in the oft-mentioned climbing accident (the surprising details revealed here) and continuing on with several chapter-ending shockers. Pearson gets to the roots of Bond’s darkness, revealing a man who is subtly turned into a hired killer by a series of dubious mentors, ending with M. The book even explains how Bond got his famous scar (I won’t spoil it, but suffice it to say, James Bond’s face scar is a visible representation of a permanent scar within).

U.S. paperback

M himself gets a revisionist treatment in this book which may rub some Bond fans the wrong way. The chapter “The Truth About M” gets a bit bizarre and should maybe have been cut, but perhaps it worked in the 1970s as political commentary on the vices and corruptibility of aging authority figures. Ian Fleming is also a character in the story, a strange mirror image that Bond both admires and despises. It is Fleming who sends Commander Bond out on his first wartime mission (revealed to be a quite ill-advised mission at that), and it is Fleming who suggests the idea of the James Bond novels.

The premise of the book is strained a bit in the last third (abruptly sectioned off with its own heading titled “The Man and the Myth”) in which Bond recalls how the famous novels were a plot concocted by Fleming — and endorsed by M — to convince Bond’s enemies in SMERSH that 007 was a work of fiction. But wouldn’t the recounting of real events — such as the encounter at the Royale-les-Eaux — negate this? Also, the sudden appearance of the more fantastical characters of the Fleming novels don’t seem to belong in the same universe as the more realistic Pearson adventures.

Still, the “conspiracy” approach to the novels origins puts an interesting spin on things, and it’s amusing how Pearson explains that Moonraker was a pure work of fiction, concocted by Fleming and Bond to further confuse and frustrate the Russians. Also clever is how Pearson reveals that the reason James Bond is specifically targeted in From Russia With Love is to “out” the fictional character to the world. Ultimately, the Russians give up. Outing James Bond would only confirm their own many failings, so on the issue of 007, the Russians and the British reach a détente. The real James Bond must remain top secret.

UK paperback

It’s a delightful game Pearson gets to play in this book — using fiction, posing as nonfiction, to explain how famous works of fiction where, in fact, nonfiction. (Did you get all that?) The entire book is an exercise in misinformation, a twisting-and-turning spy experience for the reader. But maybe that’s why this book has been lost to time. Exactly WHAT this book is is a bit confusing for the casual reader. Again, it reminds one of The Seven Per Cent Solution, but that novel had the benefit of the tagline “The story is true. Only the facts have been made up.”

The book ends before Bond can recall the events of Colonel Sun (although the book is mentioned) as 007 is suddenly called back into active service. In the final chapter, Bill Tanner lays out the details of an Australian assignment involving Bond’s old nemesis Irma Bunt, setting up what would have been a terrific second Pearson novel. Unfortunately, this second novel never materialized; and Bond fans are left to wonder how James Bond handled “The Giant Rats of Crumper’s Dick.”

Publication history

James Bond: The Authorized Biography of 007 was not published under the traditional Jonathan Cape banner, but through Sidgwick & Jackson. The U.K. dust jacket is notable in that it uses the cinematic 007 logo on its first edition (Danjaq would later object to the use of the 007 logo on the U.K. paperback edition of John Gardner’s License Renewed, forcing a redesign).

William Morrow & Co, New York, published the first U.S. edition. The dust jacket features a James Bond silhouette that looks remarkably like Pierce Brosnan (and this in 1973?). There were apparently two 1985 hardcover reprints, one by Granada in the UK and the other by HarperCollins in the U.S., but I’ve yet to see these editions.

When it came time for a paperback, James Bond: The Authorized Biography of 007 was published in the UK as a part of Pan Books terrific still life series. In the U.S., the paperback publisher was Pyramid Books. In 1986 Grafton reprinted the book in the UK and Grove Press reprinted it in the U.S. Both covers were less than inspired and not in sync with the current Bond series, only adding to this book’s oddball outsider statutes.

The 2007 hardcover and 2008 paperback editions

James Bond: The Authorized Biography of 007 was most recently reprinted in hardcover in 2007 and paperback in 2008. These editions used the shortened UK title, James Bond The Authorized Biography, and have become fairly scarce in their own right. Now with the excitement of new adult continuation novels, as well as the release of the John Gardner classics, the book has once again slipped back under the radar. But just as author Pearson had to seek out the truth of his subject in 1973, so too must a Bond fan seek out Pearson’s discoveries in 2011.

It’s well worth the search.

BOOK BOND REVIEW: Deaver mixes a strong Bond cocktail with CARTE BLANCHE

The last James Bond novel was 2008's Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks. A celebration of the centenary of Ian Fleming's birth, Faulks elected to write the novel as a grand pastiche, imitating Ian Fleming's style and structure, and even going as far as placing on the title page that he was "writing as Ian Fleming." While this could be seen a tribute (and I thoroughly enjoyed the novel for what it was), one could not escape the feeling that Faulks treated the assignment as beneath him -- that James Bond was not worthy of being a true "Sebastian Faulks Novel".

Happily, this is NOT the case with Jeffery Deaver's Carte Blanche. Deaver, an international bestselling thriller author, has embraced the assignment full throttle and delivered a terrific James Bond novel that respects all the franchise elements (girls, guns, cars, locales), but is also very much "a Jeffrey Deaver novel." The mix works like a well shaken martini (sorry, couldn't resist). Deaver has not only created a book that, literally, moves James Bond into the 21st century (although it is not as radical a reboot as some expected), but he's also produced a thoroughly modern thriller that I think would sit comfortably among his other bestsellers even if the main character wasn't named James Bond.

Deaver's pacing is superb (I love the short chapters), his choice of locations are original and all new to the Bond universe (hard to believe it took Bond this long to make it to South Africa), and his action set-pieces have just the right Bondian flair without going overboard (the books have always managed this far better than the films). But what makes Carte Blanche so strong apart from the pacing and evocative prose, is Deaver's pantheon of fully developed supporting characters. His three Bond Girls are each unique, compelling and sexy without being clichés. Bond's dinner with Ophelia Maidenstone (great name) I found to be particularly enjoyable, with an edge of melancholy that recalls Fleming's Bond, who didn't always get the girl. Likewise, Bond's various partners in the intelligence agencies all have shading, complexities and subplots. And his main villain, Severan Hydt, is top notch and very much in the Bondian tradition of a bizarre obsessive. I've always felt the best Bond books (and films) are those in which 007 is increasingly immersed in the villain's world - a Heart of Darkness journey into danger, violence, and perverse revelations. This is very much the case in Carte Blanche.

My only complaint is that the Dubai section -- which features Bond's traditional ally Felix Leiter -- seems to miss somewhat. This despite the freshness of the location (another first for Bond) and some real tension whether Deaver is going to "reboot" Felix's tragic injuries. Deaver seems to overplay his hand here, mentioned the ticking clock threat so many times that it starts to become obvious that it will be anything except what he is saying. But this is the only time one of Deaver's famous twists didn't utterly surprise me. These twists, by the way, multiply exponentially as the book races toward it's climax, making this, this longest James Bond novel yet written, a real page-turner.

Conceptually, Carte Blanche reminds me most of the very first James Bond continuation novel, Colonel Sun, by Kingsley Amis. It's James Bond in the hands and voice of a major writer at the top of his game. But the plot reads most like a John Gardner Bond novel, with an emphasis on real-world spycraft and threats of double-cross. Crafting a reality-based spy novel while still delivering a James Bond adventure, with all it's formula conventions and expectations, is a not an easy thing to pull off. (Faulks stuck rigidly to the formula.)

With Carte Blanche, Jeffery Deaver has delivered what I feel is certainly one of the strongest James Bond continuation novels yet written. Yes, there will always be Fleming purists who will not accept any book by another author (just as there are movie fans who only accept Sean Connery in the role), and there is a contingent who bitterly resent an American taking over the Bond mantle (some cloak their prejudice behind snarky one-star reviews on Amazon). But for those of who are happy to read a new James Bond adventure from a top writer, Carte Blanche is a delight.

It's my hope that, like 007, "Jeffery Deaver Will Return."

NORTH AMERICA GETS 'CARTE BLANCHE'

The new James Bond novel, Carte Blanche by Jeffery Deaver, is released today from publisher Simon and Schuster in the U.S. and Canada. Already a Bestseller in the UK, the book finds 007 in action in Serbia, Dubai, England and South Africa.

Carte Blanche is available as a hardcover, audiobook, and for the Kindle, iBook and Nook.

Here's what some critics are saying:

"The most impressive feature of Carte Blanche is the ingenuity of the breathless, blood-thirsty plot."
—The Evening Standard (London)

"Deaver's enthusiasm for Bond comes through on every page and he puts the gift for plotting that has garnered him such massive popularity to superb use here. So Carte Blanche is excellent fun, a great read and Jeffery Deaver has breathed new life into an old favourite."
—Sunday Express (UK)

"Crucially, the novel proves itself worthy of the 007 logo on its spine by presenting us with one of the most bone-chillingly creepy bad guys in history."
—The Independent (UK)

"Deaver's Bond is quite recognisably Bond, but a new, streamlined incarnation for a new generation of global fears."
—The Guardian (UK)

"It's a tightrope walk, balancing the tradition with the requirements of contemporary life, and Deaver handles it with panache."
— author Olen Steinhauer

"His creator may be long gone, but James Bond (with his gadgets, women, and suave lines) lives on in the skillful hands of a suspense superstar."
— Malcolm Jones, Newsweek Magazine, 10 Must-Read Summer Books

Jeffery Daver will start a book tour this week. He has public events scheduled in Toronto, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, California, and North Carolina. Click for full schedule.

Carte Blanche is now available in the USA, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, France, Netherlands, Russia, Czech Republic, Israel, and Korea. It will be released in Spain on June 26; and in Poland on June 29.

CARTE BLANCHE getting strong reviews across the UK

Looks like Jeffery Deaver's Carte Blanche is getting very positive reviews across the UK. A sampling:

Scottish Daily Express - "Bond fans will enjoy Deaver’s slightly mischievous take on Ian Fleming. Deaver fans will enjoy the taut plotting and the action scenes and, by the way, it is going to make a great movie."

Evening Standard - "The most impressive feature of Carte Blanche is the ingenuity of the breathless, blood-thirsty plot. A master of misdirection, Deaver manufactures more surprises than anyone flogging an old warhorse can be expected to produce."

The Guardian - "Fans will approve of Jeffery Deaver's James Bond, who is both the daring spy of old and a product of the 21st century."

The Telegraph - "Ian Fleming purists who agonise over each new incarnation of Bond can shake a celebratory martini and light up a Morland’s if they dare."

The Independent - "Crucially, the novel proves itself worthy of the 007 logo on its spine by presenting us with one of the most bone-chillingly creepy bad guys in history."

The Express - "Deaver’s enthusiasm for Bond comes through on every page and he puts the gift for plotting that has garnered him such massive popularity to superb use here."

Carte Blanche is available now in the UK. It will be released in the U.S. on June 14.