Licence Renewed: A James Bond thriller

Primera de las 14 novelas originales que John Gardner escribió entre 1981-1994, siguiendo la estela de Ian Fleming y protagonizadas por el agente secreto más popular de todos los tiempos. Si bien el estilo de Gardner no coincide exactamente con el de Fleming, supo actualizar al personaje y dejar un puñado de buenas historias, algunas de las cuales han influido en películas oficiales de la saga como "Panorama para matar", "Licencia para matar" y "Goldeneye". En "Licence: Renewed", Bond sale de su (casi) retiro para enfrentarse a un terrorista internacional que se ha unido a un siniestro científico nuclear para planear un atentado de consecuencias imprevisibles.

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Orion's 2012 reissue of Gardner's 14 continuation Bond novels & 2 novelisations is a great opportunity for fans who've only read Fleming (or maybe just Faulks or Deaver) to delve further. For those who don't know, after Fleming's death came Kingsley Amis' excellent Colonel Sun: A James Bond Adventure (1968); pulp author Christopher Wood's surprisingly good novelisations of 2 Roger Moore films and John Pearson's weird and wonderful James Bond: The Authorised Biography (1973).In 1981, Ian Fleming's estate decided Bond needed a big literary return. Gardner was a man with as fascinating a background as Fleming: theatre critic, stage magician and WW2 service as a Royal Marines officer specialising in explosives. He'd started writing swinging 60s Bond parodies but moved towards LeCarre-esque Cold War thrillers. If you think Faulks and Deaver were given big publicity, Gardner seemed to be everywhere: articles in The TLS and photoshoots with guns and cars apparently paid off, as the book spent months atop bestseller lists. Did it deserve it?Score: 8/10. It's solid: think Moonraker or Goldfinger for the 1980s, with Bond insinuating himself into the plans of UK based supervillain Anton Murik. The strong plot (governments held to ransom when terrorists capture Nuclear power plants) stands up well, the execution as terrifyingly plausible as Thunderball. The Saab 900 (replacing the Bentley Mark II Continental) wins you over as a serious driver's car, the gadgets making the battles interesting without being a get-out-of-jail-free. The OTT henchman, Ascot, MI5, plus books on disguise and pickpocketing are very Fleming.Bond's updating isn't bad: in Gardner's early books he still smokes (bespoke low tar Morelands), while the Dom Perignon '55, Rolex and Sea Island cotton shirt all ring true. Despite claims to the contrary, Bond is portrayed as older (maybe late 40s?) and wiser; less cold but more full of himself; more of a professional spy than a blunt instrument. Gardner confessed later he never really cared for the character but here he takes the trouble to get right the self discipline, breakfast routine, exercise regime, love of particularity and old school manners.Gardner's a compelling storyteller but he doesn't have Fleming's raconteur voice, so longer descriptive passages can become bogged down in minutiae rather than salient detail. The plain speak dialogue and dry humour of old are lost for broader characterisation and flippancy that hit the SIS staff especially. The less said about Q'ute the better, while the emphasis on realism puts a disconcerting end to the Double 0 Section and the Walther PPK. A few elements are simply under powered: the drab opening, the insipid love interest, a villain who's a paler version of predecessors, and we spend too much time on Bond's comings and goings in the castle.The set pieces are great: the horse racing, night time car chase & fight on the plane were mirrored in the films. Action scenes, technology and locations are obvious strengths of Gardner's, while the prose in the later section in France is much better. Overall a strong mission statement: not a Fleming pastiche but an entertaining page turner. For Special Services (James Bond 2) was even better!

A Very Well Written First James Bond Novel By John Gardner Licence Renewed Full Of Various Nods To The EON Productions Film Series & Of Course Back Then Run By The Man Himself Albert R. Cubby BroccoliI Enjoyed John Gardner's Run As The Successor To Ian Fleming & His 14 Novels Plus His 2 Movie Adaptaions Of Licence To Kill & Goldeneye These New Re- Issues Have Gave My Mind Focus In Recent Months Since The Sad Passing Of My Dear & Beloved Mum In March Earlier This Year As You Can Imagine I Have Really Been Through The Mill In Recent Months Thanks Again Amazon For A Speedy Delivery As Usual Kindest Of Regards & To Everyone At My Local Scottish Depot Please Stay Safe & Take Care To All Of You

Not since 1968 had their been a new James Bond book, and that was "Colonel Sun" written by Kingsley Amis under the moniker Richard Markham.Glidrose (the company that owns the rights to the Character James Bond) finally got round to seeking out authors to continue the series, one of the reasons being that it was a good way to hold onto the copyright of the character.John Gardner was chosen and this is the first book in the 'new' series of James Bond novels.You have to remember that this book was published in 1981 and just as Fleming's original novels reflected the life and times of the 1950's Gardner's books reflect the 1980's.The plot is a fairly straight forward one with the books villain Anton Murik threatening the World by planning to cause meltdowns in nuclear power plants around the globe.Whilst not as fanciful as some of Fleming's books this is a decent thriller.A word too on Orion Books Ltd's re-issues of these novels. I think they are particularly classy and when complete the set will love splendid upon the shelves of any James Bond fan.