John Gardner (2)Besprekingen

A Masterpiece of Spy fiction.
Enthralling from first to last page with superb characterisation throughout especially 'Big Herbie Kruger'. The tension is palpable and mounts as you flick the page. There are more than enough surprises and twists along the way for my ageing brain to comprehend.
Absolute quality cannot wait for book three.

The first in the John Gardner era of James Bond continuation novels. With the double oh section in obsolete semi retirement, is once again called upon safe day. It’s an interesting premise and an unusual bond villain. Unfortunately get slightly wasted in this somewhat mediocre offering. It feels more like fanfiction rather than a legitimates character, art for bond and indeed Even an acceptance of a new version of James Bond. I think there might be some mileage in looking at this. If you’re interested in running the James Bond role-playing game just to give yourself some more ideas but otherwise unless you’re a completist this is something that if you miss it, it won’t matter.½

Mystery

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Icebreaker by John Garnder is the third James Bond novel the author wrote, and published in 1983. Mr. Gardner was an English novelist, known for his Bond Books, as well as books featuring Sherlock Holmes’ nemesis, Professor Moriarty.

James Bond, agent 007, finds himself in the unenviable position of blindly going on a mission with agents from the CIA, Mossad, and KGB, together dubbed “Icebreaker”. The mission is to investigate the National Socialist Action Army (NSAA), a Neo-Nazi organization, assassinating diplomats and hoarding weapons in Finland.

The head of the NSAA is Count Konrad von Glöda, a former SS officer who thinks is the new Hitler. The goal is to bring on a new wave of fascism around the world.

This book, I think, is the best Bond book by John Gardner (this is the third one, and the third I’ve read by him). The action is exciting, Bond joins a multi-national black-ops team and is called upon to stop a Neo-Nazi organization with plenty of resources to worry even the strongest governments.

I found the theme of the solitary Bond trying to be a team player to be an interesting exploration of the character. Of course, the team is a bunch of spies and telling the truth is a foreign concept to them whether they’d like to or not.

Icebreaker contains betrayals upon betrayals which keeps the narrative fresh and exciting. Even the current girlfriend, Paula Vacker, is not who she seems, over and over again.

You can feel Bond’s frustration as he’s being thrown into the field with no one to trust. Except, maybe, Eric Carlsson who trains him how to drive in the Arctic.

The torture scene was very well done and powerful, Ian Fleming would have approved. Unlike other Bond books, this one only has two locations, and not too exotic –no location which Fleming would have liked to vacation at.
Even though, I’d love to go to Lapland one of these days.

Mr. Gardner wrote a book with a plot that is more subtle than anything Ian Fleming ever did, and it works. I’m sure he never thought that this book, whose plot is the rise of fascism, is more relevant today than its original release date.

I was looking forward to this as I enjoy James Bond, however while it has plenty to offer to the normal Bond fan (nice flashbacks and tie-ins) I wasn't thrilled with James tossing it all to the wind and being an idiot by blowing his cover so early on and then continuing to be so. I guess I expect him to be a bit more savvy.

Great

Great

Great

Great

Great

Great

When I was a kid I read License Renewed by John Gardner. It was love at first read. I loved Gardner's Bond but over time I loved him less and less. I decided recently to go back and read the last few Gardner Bond books. I get why I stopped reading them. The book isn't horrible but it is decidedly average.

It is also a bad Roger Moore James Bond plot. I am going to have to reevaluate the whole read the missing Gardner books or at least space them out a lot. Going to have to find another authors Bond first and hope it washes the average out of my mouth. I would give this a 2.5 star.

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For Special Services by John Gardner is the second entry of the author into the James Bond literary universe. Mr. Gardner was an English novelist, known for his Bond Books, as well as books featuring Sherlock Holmes’ nemesis, Professor Moriarty.

James Bond, agent 007, teams up with CIA agent Cedar Leiter, daughter of Felix, to investigate a SPECTRE agent. Markus Bismaquer, an ice cream tycoon from Texas, is suspected to be involved with the criminal organization.

Bond realizes that his old enemy, Blofeld is back, even though he knows he killed him. Leiter and Bond discover a sinister plot to take over NORAD headquarters so SPECTRE can gain control of America’s military satellite network.

This was one of the more enjoyable James Bond books I read, and if I’m not mistaken several scenes, and themes were adapted into scenes in different movies. I really enjoy 80s Bond, and even though I read this book as a teenager, I enjoyed it much more as an adult.

The plot is preposterous, the villains are demonic, and the women are exotic. So… a James Bond novel, but less original. Seems like the author was more interested in pleasing the fans, than simply writing a good story. He brings back former allies and enemies, and an older Bond to align, I assume with an older Roger Moore starring in the 80s movies.

Despite all that, For Special Services by John Gardner works and the ridiculousness of it can be quickly forgiven. SPECTRE is a formidable enemy with resources to match governments, and the over-the-top plot is fun, however predictable.

I have only two major complaints. The first is that the demise of the new Blofeld was done prematurely. The character was one of my favorites and it would have been nice to have an arc before they kick the bucket. The second is the character of Cedar Leiter is a fun, yet unbelievable even in the Bond universe. A 20-year-old woman, acting her age, does not make a good CIA agent and the fact that her father, Felix, almost encourages her to have sex with his best English friend comes off very cringy, to say the least.

The strong plot in the first half of the book is very enjoyable but loses it in a bizarre second half. I enjoyed it very much even though the book never seems to be able to decide on its tone.

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Licensed Renewed by John Gardner is the first novel featuring the famous spy since Colonel Sun (1968). Mr. Gardner was an English novelist, known for his Bond Books, as well as books featuring Sherlock Holmes’ nemesis, Professor Moriarty.

The “00” section has been abolished, but M still keeps James Bond around as a troubleshooter. The agent is sent to investigate Dr. Anton Murik, a nuclear physicist who is thought to have been in contact with a terrorist named Franco.

Murik plans to hijack several nuclear plants around the world, using suicide squads supplied by Franco. Murik, thinking Bond is a mercenary, asks him to assassinate Franco after the nuclear meltdowns happen.

I read this book in high school, I believe, nevertheless decided to read it again as part of my efforts to read the James Bond books in order. I’m glad I did since I barely remembered anything at all about the story, and I believe I enjoyed it much more as an adult.

Licensed Renewed by John Gardner updates the Bond stories to the 1980s. The author accomplishes this task seamlessly, finds his own voice, and does not attempt to write it as Ian Fleming would have. Mr. Gardner also stayed away from the machismo 1950s fantasy that Fleming embraced.

Despite all the changes, this is the Bond fans know and love. The first half of the book is very enjoyable, it sets up the villain, MI5 staff, henchmen, female leads, and of course, 80s James Bond. The second half of the book, however, has so many plot holes it feels like an afterthought.

Nevertheless, it’s a solid story and certainly captures the essence of the James Bond universe and the characters. I didn’t realize that several Bond movies borrowed heavily from this book. The World Is Not Enough took the basic plot, A View to a Kill borrowed a whole racing scene, and some of Brad Whitaker (The Living Daylights) personality.

I’m looking forward to reading more of the books, I remember I enjoyed them much more even though, currently, I won’t be able to tell you what they’re about. This first entry is certainly a great way to start off the series.

I have just one thing to say about this book. Holmes would not have taken the deal regardless of the odds.

El siniestro Von Glöda quiere crear un nuevo Reich. Para evitarlo, Bond formará parte de un equipo que integrará los servicios de inteligencia americanos, rusos e israelíes. ¿Podrá Bond confiar en sus nuevos aliados?

another james bond novel - ok - not as full of the techno gadgets as usual - but ok

Quality writing from a master of the art.
The second book of the trilogy but works as a standalone story.
Brilliant characters throughout especially the introduction of a teenage 'Herbie Kruger' later to star in his own series of stories.
Clever descriptive imaginative intelligent totally engaging from first to last page. A spy story but with plenty of mystery and suspense totally absorbing. The only slight downside is due to this readers ageing memory which occasionally struggled to remember who's who with the amount of characters involved.
Completely recommended.

4/9/22

4/9/22

4/9/22

Not bad. Very close in style to the books by Ian Fleming. Reasonable story.

Long time James Bond fan. John Gardner does a good job with his continuation novels. Enjoyed this as features SPECTRE.

Many of the earlier James Bond movies were based on the novels of Ian Fleming. When Ian Fleming passed away, the torch was eventually passed to John Gardner to continue writing (it has passed two times since then as well).

When I read Ian Fleming’s books they almost felt like I was walking through the beginnings of one of the most famous fiction characters of our age. I would read a chapter and then just lie there for a while pondering and enjoying the aftereffects of the reading. For some reason, this book felt like a cheap knock-off. The version I read was just a cheap paperback!

In this book, Bond actually doesn’t save the world; in fact, he is just saving his own head. Someone has issued a challenge of the crime world – bring me Bond’s hand on a silver platter. Bind finds this out when he is beginning his vacation. Shortly thereafter, Moneypenny and his maid are kidnapped. Bond races around Europe to save the two damsels while accompanied by two more “hostages” (female of course!).

Came back to the series out of a misplaced sense of nostalgia. My bad.