Yeah, as I mentioned in my previous post, the premise of this novel would make for a great film - potentially a great way to introduce a new Bond. In fact, I kinda imagined a plot like this even before the details for this book came out! My thought was that if NTTD is a psuedo-adaptation of the YOLT novel, then Bond 26, while a reboot, could be a psuedo-adaptation of TMWTGG. Imagine starting a new Bond’s tenure with Bond walking into M’s office and attempting to kill him! The opening credits could depict Bond being cured of his brainwashing and then the rest of the film is Bond trying to rediscover who he is, and his loyalty to the Service and to Queen and Country, while tracking down the people who brainwashed him. So imagine my surprise when it turned out that Horowitz’s TMWTGG pretty much had the same plot!
And make no mistake - this is a true sequel to TMWTGG in a way that other post-TMWTGG continuation novels haven’t been. Most of those pick up some time later and basically have Bond going on another mission. This is the first time a continuation author is actually tackling the fallout from Bond being brainwashed by the Russians and almost killing M.
That was always my hope for No Time To Die and Bond 26. I’m disappointed that we never got it.
In fact, when discussing what Bond 25 could be, I had suggested that SPECTRE breaks Ernst Stavro Blofeld out of prison and Bond goes after him to catch him again, and at the end he manages to stop SPECTRE’s new plot only to then be captured by Irma Bunt (and possibly Blofeld) who then take him with them (as they regroup their organization and go on to brainwash him). Cue the credits and the possibilities for Bond 26.
I’m hugely excited about this book, and will be refraining from all spoilers. I have a handful of chapters left of Doubleshot (which is absolutely fantastic in concept and execution - tense stuff!) and should finish the remaining two Benson novels shortly after. After reading all of Gardner and soon all of Benson, my head is absolutely full to the brim with Bond. But as always, I’m ready for more.
Sharpshooter, let me just say: I LOVE seeing such enthusiasm for the continuation novels. Many of them are quite good, and even the subpar ones are still fun in the sense of being a new Bond adventure (particularly in light of our over-familiarity with the film series).
I too am looking forward immensely to WAMTK. Let’s keep these discussions alive.
Yeah, I honestly think of Bond the literary character as being a different (but related entity) to Bond the cinematic character, and I think all the continuation novels, to varying degrees, have done a decent job respecting the essence of Fleming’s original creation, while sometimes putting their own spin on it.
And its great to have these discussions about literary Bond! On other forums, its usually all about the films…
Wow! I’ve been away for a bit too long, and almost forgot the new novel was now available!
Loved his previous 2, so I’m really looking forward to enjoying this one…
I check on his tweets from time to time and he’s great there too. I like Carte Blanche, but after three solo authors in a row Horowitz brought stability and consistency to the literary brand which it needed.
Just read the first chapter of WAMTK and enjoying it thus far. I’ll share more thoughts once I’ve finished it. Will probably stay out of this thread in the meantime.
LOVED the extract! What an understated yet powerful beginning. As always it feels a little like Fleming writing from beyond the grave.
Without giving anything away, I’m curious to know how much of the, uh, information given here is possibly from Fleming’s own notes and diaries (which Horowitz has had full access to since he started working on these novels).
Mark O’Connell is himself a superb writer. A stunning review.
if anyone has yet to read his Catching Bullets, this too is a stunning, heart felt, and warm autobiographical study of his time-lined introduction to and fascination with the James Bond universe.
