My Impressions (So far) of the Gardner Novels

AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
Currently reading through Scorpius, nearing the end of it in fact. Just though that I would Post my Opinions about the ones I've read so far here.


License Renewed - A very good start for Gardner in my Opinion. The Scottish Castle Setting is very well done and the Villain of Anton Murick is a rather interesting one. His Scheme to blow up several Nuclear Power Stations around the World was quite gripping in it's Narrative. I give it 8/10

For Special Services - Again, another good Effort by Gardner. The Character of Ceder Leiter (Felix's Daughter) provided a bit of forbidden Romance throughout the Novel. The whole Premise of SPECTRE coming back under the new Leadership of Nena Blofeld (Blofelds Daughter) was one of Gardner's best Ideas throughout his Tenure as Bond Writer. Even though he Ret- conned an Aspect of Blofeld's Character by giving him a Daughter (Fleming described him as being Asexual in Thunderball) The Ending was a bit rushed, but other then that I give it a 9/10

Icebreaker - Easily one of Gardner's best entry's into the Bond Literary Cannon. Involves Bond joining a Group called 'Icebreaker' who are tasked with shutting down a Neo Nazi Organization based in Russia. The Novel is full of Double Crossing and Back Stabbing that will keep you in Suspense right into the very last few Pages. 10/10

Role Of Honor - The first of Gardner's Novels that were below Par with his previous Works. Bond has to fake leaving the Service so he can infiltrate his old Enemy SPECTRE and find stop a devious Plan to disarm the USA and leave it open for the USSR on a Plate. The current Leader of SPECTRE, Tamil Rahini is nowhere near as diabolical or interesting as Ernst Stavro Blofeld and Nena Blofeld who were given much better Narratives. The first 100 Pages or so basically revolve around Bond learning Programming Language for Computers and Software. Dull and very predictable. 5/10

Nobody Lives Forever - This Entry fairs much better then the previous, and it throws us into the Action within the very first Chapter. Bond learns that Tamil Rahini (Current Leader of SPECTRE) is dying after breaking his Spine whilst escaping out of the Blimp during the Climax of ROH. He has placed a Bounty on Bonds Head and will personally reward whoever manages to bring 007 in for a Decapitation by Guillotine. Gardner brings back the Plot Device (Which he will do quite a lot during the rest of his Novels) of Double Crossing. Much better then ROH and deserves the 8/10 I'm giving it.

No Deals, Mr Bond - This oddly Titled sixth Novel in the Gardner Line involves Bond tracking down the remaining Members of 'Operation Cream Cake' and bringing them to Safety. As someone has been killing them off in rather Gruesome Ways before cutting out the Tongues as a sort of 'Calling Card' Slightly on Par with IB and has Bond traveling from Ireland, to France and then finally to Hong Kong where Bond is pitted against four Spetsnaz Operatives on a small Island. Can be a little dull at Points (The Gallivanting through the Irish Countryside could have been left out) but this also deserves an 8/10

Scorpius - The seventh Gardner Novel has Bond investigating the Death of a Member of a Mysterious Group called 'The Meek Ones' who happens to be carrying Bonds Telephone Number on her Persons. M calls Bond down from Hereford for a Briefing, but before he even reaches London, Bond and his SAS Companion called 'Pearly' are attacked by several unknown Gunmen chasing them down Britain's Motorways and Roads. We learn that a Shadowy Individual 'Father Valentine' or his real Name 'Vladamir Scorpius' is the Leader of the 'Meek Ones' and Plans to cause Chaos throughout the World. A very fresh Story Idea for a Bond Novel, and very well done by Gardner. The Ending shows us how Bond hates the Idea of those Dying in Vein and we see the Vengeful Side of Bond, something that has not been presented to us since Fleming's YOLT. I'm giving this an 8/10.
1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
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Comments

  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    License Renewed. 8/10
    For Special Services. 9/10
    Icebreaker. 7/10
    Role of Honour. 8/10
    Nobody lives Forever. 8/10
    No Deals Mr Bond. 8/10
    Scorpius. 7/10
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Just completed Scorpius. A very good Read with a rather Emotional Ending :#
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Bond gives the villain a nasty death. -{ , Well it was deserved. :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Yeah, I re-read it several Times. I can imagine Dalton pulling off that Scene -{
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • JamesBondBlogJamesBondBlog USAPosts: 34MI6 Agent
    Nice summaries. I haven't read these in years, but the plots came right back to me with your post.
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Cheers -{ This will be updated once I've read the rest of his books
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Just purchased License To Kill, BrokenClaw, The Man from Barbarossa and Death Is Forever -{
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Out of interest AOS, are you getting them on kindle or actual books ?
    As I'm a big fan of downloading books. So I can read them anywhere
    even on my phone. :D
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Physical Books, cant stand them on Kindle :)) And there's nothing like having a Shelf full of Books in your Room -{
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    :)) I'm sure people were saying the same thing when they
    Changed from parchments and scrolls. :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    -{ -{ I suppose
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Win, Loose Or Die - Gardners eight Novel shakes things up a bit by having Bond return to Active Service in the Royal Navy. The Villain here is a Group called BAST who just seem like a Third Rate SPECTRE, and there Goal is to gain a large Amount of Ransom Money by taking Hostage the Leaders of the UK, USA and Soviet Union. The Story is rather dull and moves SO slowly that you will be Praying for the End of each Chapter. Skip this one and come back to it later. 4/10
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • Sir MilesSir Miles The Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 26,416Chief of Staff
    Win, Lose or Die has always been rated fairly highly by Bond literature fans - certainly regarded as a return to form for Gardner...I enjoyed it -{
    YNWA 97
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    I'm obviously in a Minority when it comes to Win, Loose Or Die. :)) For me it was rather dull. Been looking forward to reading Brokenclaw -{
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • Sir MilesSir Miles The Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 26,416Chief of Staff
    Brokenclaw ? Now that IS a poor book.... :(

    But you may like it as you seem to prefer the more 'movie-styled' Bond books -{
    YNWA 97
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    -{ Obviously with watching the Films first over the Years, then reading the Books I associate Fleming's Bond with his Film Counterpart more so then a lot of other Fans probably would.
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • Sir MilesSir Miles The Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 26,416Chief of Staff
    Oh I saw many of the films first too....but I do prefer a good book..FAR more detail -{
    YNWA 97
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Me too -{

    When reading the Novels, I envision Connery and sometimes Dalton.
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • Asp9mmAsp9mm Over the Hills and Far Away.Posts: 7,483MI6 Agent
    I liked Win, lose or Die, but I might be biased by the proliferation of the RN in the story. Bond back in uniform armed with a BHP. Music to my ears.
    ..................Asp9mmSIG-1-2.jpg...............
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    That was a good Part of the Novel, Bond revisiting his Roots was a nice Touch. My Problem with it was that the Pacing was a bit slow. Gardner's previous Bond Books all moved at a certain Pace (Role Of Honors first 100 Pages are an Exception to this) -{

    4/10 was probably a bit harsh though. I'll give it another read through, might prefer it on my second Visit.
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • Asp9mmAsp9mm Over the Hills and Far Away.Posts: 7,483MI6 Agent
    With Win, Lose and Die, it amazed me how rubbish Bond's tactics and perceptions were. I remember when he was in the villa and Gardner alluded to the quickness of Bond getting out of his sleeping bag with pistol ready. It always makes me laugh when I read that time frame given in seconds, even civilians could have gotten out and back into the sleeping bags at least twice while Bond was getting out once :))

    EDIT: Just found it. Thirty or forty seconds. Even an alert civvy should do it in at least FOUR seconds. What was he doing in there :s
    ..................Asp9mmSIG-1-2.jpg...............
  • David SchofieldDavid Schofield EnglandPosts: 1,528MI6 Agent
    You comfortable with Bond being sent upstairs in WLD, Aspy?

    Never had a problem with it myself - at least showed Gardner was trying to advance Bond's character - but I know many people felt it was a detrimental jettisoning of a well established (and comforting) trope.
  • Asp9mmAsp9mm Over the Hills and Far Away.Posts: 7,483MI6 Agent
    It was a sensible and realistic move. Senior officers don't stand still, SOE had a habit of promoting people through the ranks so they could have more freedom and authority, even if it meant putting 'real' career officers noses out of joint.
    ..................Asp9mmSIG-1-2.jpg...............
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Just got License To Kill, Brokenclaw, Man From Barbarossa and Death Is Forever through the Post -{
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    Hope you enjoy them!
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    License To Kill - Gardner's Tenth Addition into the Bond Literary Universe is a Novelization of the 16th Official Bond Outing. It pretty much follows the Film Scene to Scene, with a few differences here and there. Because Gardner's Novels take place within the same Continuity as the Fleming Originals, the Reader has to believe that Leiter gets attacked by a Shark for a second Time in a Chapter that is aptly Titled 'Lighting sometimes strikes twice' Sanchez is depicted the same Way here as he is in the Film, as a Menacing Crime Lord who will remove anyone who get's in his Way without any Remorse. This is just a straight up Novelisation of the Film and you can simply use the Scenes from it whilst reading through this. I'm giving this a 7/10
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    Agreed, it's one of his best.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    +1 a good effort from Gardner.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Yes, LTK moves at a much faster Pace over the previous Novel, Win, Loose Or Die -{
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Brokenclaw - Gardner's tenth Foray into the World of 007 involves Bond investigating a Man called 'Brokenclaw Lee' who is behind the kidnapping of several Nuclear Scientists. Bond goes from Canada to San Fransisco in an attempt to track him down and stop him before his Plans are realized. The Ending is rather brutal, involving a Native American Ritual. 7/10
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
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