Jeffrey Deaver on wanting to be James Bond

Tracy

I have to admit, this doesn't fill me with great confidence about Carte Blanche. Cute if a little bland about Deaver explaining the appeal of 007.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1388481/James-Bond-says-new-007-novelist-Jeffery-Deaver.html

Colonel Johns

Because of Bond, I made sure that my first car had a manual gearbox because I wanted to make 'racing changes', whatever those were, as he regularly did.

Ah, didn't we all?

Thanks for the link, Tracy.

Richard--W

Tracy wrote:

I have to admit, this doesn't fill me with great confidence about Carte Blanche. Cute if a little bland about Deaver explaining the appeal of 007.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1388481/James-Bond-says-new-007-novelist-Jeffery-Deaver.html

I relate to what he says, up to a point, about growing up with Bond books and films on one's mind. What do you find objectionable or disappointing in the article?

This part at the end sounds encouraging:

I can point to other influences too: a love of Black Sea caviar, Champagne, well-tailored though not extravagant clothing and a passion for travel and exploring other cultures (read Fleming’s Thrilling Cities, which is as entertaining as his novels). But Bond has been more than just an inspiration for activities and accessories in my life; like other fictional protagonists – Sam Spade, Horatio Hornblower, Sherlock Holmes – he moulded my philosophy, in much the same way that Harry Potter and Hermione Granger have, I’m sure, shaped the outlooks of young people today.

First, of course, he was a patriot. He’s a classic hero, willing to sacrifice himself for his country and its allies. This was a quality shared by both the movie Bonds and the protagonist of Fleming’s novels, but a reading of the books shows that the original character had other qualities as well, ones that are not so evident in the films.

For instance, Bond had a wry sense of humour and was a master of irony. He had a healthy scepticism and was willing to confront authority and question ill-advised decisions, no matter how high the origin. He ignored the doubts that occasionally plagued him and strode forward to do his duty. His distaste for intolerance and contempt for mindless adherence to conformity are clear throughout the books. He preferred to act on his own, rather than be part of a committee or team, and gladly took responsibility for the consequences.

In Moonraker, Bond reflects that it’s his ambition to spend all his money on the things that matter to him and to die with a bank balance of zero. And in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Bond learns that he might be descended from a family whose motto is ‘The World Is Not Enough’.

These hint at what I think is the ultimate lesson I’ve taken from Ian Fleming’s books: while master criminals or Russian assassins may not be plotting our demise, our time here is limited; accordingly we should, like James Bond, make very sure that every single moment counts and nothing that’s important to us escapes our grasp, whether it be the Rolex watch, the steering wheel of your speeding sports car… or, of course, the sultry woman who just might, or might not, be a spy.

... because it tells me he has insight and respect. It tells me Deaver has analyzed the character and personality of Bond correctly, his motivation and ideals, and is emulating Fleming rather than perverting his creation and reinventing the wheel.

Richard

Mr_Ice

That all sounds pretty good to me.
Seems like he gets it.