Nobody Lives Forever: James Bond (Original Series), Book 5

This is a post Ian Fleming James Bond novel. I was concerned about how the Series would fair after Fleming died and the series continued under other authors. This book was extremely similar to the works of the original author in style. It actually seemed to be ever so slightly more organized than the Fleming books. This was just as enjoyable as Thunderball, or On Her Majesty's Secret Service, or any of the other.

Enjoyable yarn, probably the best of the first five Bond books by Gardner. There is a healthy amount of suspense about who is mysteriously protecting Bond so they can bring him in. The finale is a gory, giddy tour de force by Bond. The only one of the five that really builds on the previous one, with Tamil Rahani back from the previous installment.

Vintage Bond blended pretty well into the 80s by Gardner. Nice mix of sultry and lethal babes who may or may not be allies. Kidnapped May and Moneypenny. Plenty of murderous goons stalking Bond for the huge reward for his head on a silver platter.Pretty decent plot but some weak points along the bloodied path. Not the best Gardner Bond but fun. A deadly giant bat was a bit much and the finale on Shark Island with a dangerous Bond enemy and lots of bodies and narrow escapes. And a room with a guillotine made just for James. How will he escape? Will he come to the rescue? How can Bond escape a roomful of armed killers? Well, it is Bond.Four PPKs for this one.

Overly contrived plot. Ridiculous characters. Throw in an old Austrian Nazis and a vampire bat and what have you got? Junk. Bad Bond. At times I wondered if Gardner is bored or just packing as much crap as he can in one book. Fleming would be livid that this crap exists

I like the books and the movies; some movies better than others. While reading this book, I can see the action. I can hear the conversation. I can see the expression of the faces. This is why books will always be better than movies to me and this author engaged me in the story such that I didn't want to put the book down.

A superb bond tale that will delight even the most modest fans of 007. The pages turn the pictures come and gone does what only bond does with his signature bond style. John returns to a storyboard the the first work of his bond novels and achieves high entertainment in doing so. Over the moon about this story! Recommend highly avoid at your peril.

I have read most of the Bond books. This was a great one. I hope this is what the movie Spectre is about this fall.Good action, believable and not like some of the unbelievable things in movies.Buy it and read it today.

Out of Gardner's James Bond novels, this is my favorite.

John Gardner captures the essence of the original Bond. Just the right mix of action and adventure. I would recommend this novel to any James Bond fan. Excellent read.

The basic plot in Nobody Lives Forever, like Gardner's No Deals Mr Bond, probably gives a more realistic account of the spy world than we are used to in the Bond novels and films. Like License to Kill and From Russia With Love there is an "it could actually happen" feel to it and similarly to the latter, it sees Bond being thrown into a devious game by his enemies to bring about his death as justice for the damage he has inflicted on them, particularly SPECTRE. The idea of Bond having his holiday interrupted by those who hate him the most is fresh and exciting, and there are tense moments as he is hunted across Europe in a game of cat and mouse.Once again there are allies of 007's who betray and ultimately nearly bring about his death. The turning of Quinn and Nannie were somewhat expected though, in fact Nannie's was inevitable. Where the novel is really let down is it's mid-section, when the two ladies Sukie and Nannie are dragged into Bond's situation as he is hunted down across the continent. In fact, the two of them were not even dragged into it, they appear happy to come along for the ride when Bond explains he needs to use them as hostages or leverage. While Nannie's involvement later turns out to be for different reasons, the idea of the two women being happy to accept this situation is nonsensical. The girls, as ever, are like putty in Bond's hands for the most part, but he does have to work a bit for Sukie's affections.Generally this mid-part of the book just drags a bit, with the chase becoming slightly monotonous. It is not helped by some cringey dialogue either, like "Nannie knows best" (where did Gardner get the names Sukie and Nannie from??). More intriuging are 007's heavily-concealed gadgets and a nasty, corrupt copper in Salzburg.Once again, Q (Major Boothroyd) is mentioned but never seen which is a dissapointment. Moneypenny on the other hand is taken hostage along with Bond's housekeeper May. In keeping with Bond's character, women are his weakness but what is so unbelievable is the lack of trauma inflicted on the two of them after being kidnapped by terrorists. They make escaping from their captors with Bond in a burning building seem like a walk in the park and a day or two later are sitting down happy having dinner as though they are just on another holiday.I also felt the SPECTRE saga was wearing a bit thin by this time and it would have been better to have Bond up against other enemies. However, it keeps up the slightly humorous theme of 007 just always being that fly in their ointment, one man hellbent on bringing the evil organisation to its knees.An easy-to-read spy thriller not without a few deficiencies.

Well within the characteristics expected of this writer. A good example of this type of spy thriller. The writer has a good grasp of Flemmings persona.

In an attempt to lure Bond to his death SPECTRE kidnap Miss Moneypenny.Gardner really has hit his stride by this the fifth book in his series of James Bond novels.His over reliance on SPECTRE and past Bond history (most notably Bond's dead Wife Tracey) sometimes hamper the books but I can understand Gardner's desire to make the books mere thrillers with a character called James Bond in them.It's a fun read and not too taxing.Ideal for a holiday.

Good read, light, amusing but predictable in places.