Me especially China being face of Communism today. This will go back Bond to his roots being an enemy of Communism. Die another Day tried to do it but failed for focusing on over the top action rather than story.
I would’ve loved to see an adaptation set at some point after Skyfall for some extra emotional weight on Bond’s part (say if Bond is still not quite over the death of the previous M, thus making him that much more determined not to lose another M on his watch), but who knows? With a good script and the right casting, it could definitely work. On another note, while it’s unclear exactly which actors from the Daniel Craig continuity will be carried over after No Time To Die (if any, and if any future James Bond films are ever made at this point), putting Ralph Fiennes’ M in a Colonel Sun adaptation could certainly be interesting if handled well. We’ve seen so far that he can put up a fight and has a relatively stronger tendency to get directly involved in the action (especially compared to the pre-Judi Dench Ms), which could easily make for a lot of tense action scenes and dialogue in between the kidnapping and Bond finally arriving to save the day.
As a Chinese, I would like to see as the novel is a hard to see western viewpoint of China during the time between the separation of Sino-Soviet relationship and the start of Sino-American relationship. But I am worried that it's probably either going to be too leaning to sinophobia or trying too hard to please them that it's cringy and awkward.
I can't imagine anyone making a big budget film without going after the Chinese market. Even having Sun as a rogue Colonel would cause problems because that suggests China can have rogue Colonels. If you made him North Korean it might work. A rogue North Korean who is stirring something up between the Chinese and the Russians. Adriana might have to be Chinese though.
Fun Fact: This story was adapted into a newspaper comic strip by the Daily Express in England in the late 1960's. The strip does a good job of streamlining the book so it is easier to follow. Plus it does stand out for being a more grounded story that the original stories that ran in the Daily Express comics.
Kingsley Amis was a better writer than Fleming--but not a better writer of thrillers or James Bond. I found it a bit slow paced in comparison with Fleming's books, But definitely a knowledgeable and more complex story than most of the continuations. It's a good job.
Colonel Sun and Solo are the best continuation novels for me. Gardner's are mad but they are a must read, Benson's are similarly oddball, which for me makes them readable. After Benson I'd say most of the continuation books are worth a read.
* One of the things that I thought was an interesting anomaly in this novel, was that "005" turns up. This novel tells us that his full name and number is "Stuart Thomas 005", and that he's "Welsh", born and raised in "Wales". The only other thing they tell us about him, is that he was promoted to a desk job due to some sort of problem with one or both of his eyes(they're not very clear what that problem was, other than that he now wears glasses). * Stuart Thomas was promoted to the position of "Head of Station G"(the M.I.6 station house in "Greece"). Also, in the "Colonel Sun" James Bond graphic novel, they show us what Stuart Thomas looks like. The graphic novel is the only source material that shows us what he looks like. The Colonel Sun novel and graphic novel is quite literally the only James Bond story that 005 ever appears in, or is ever mentioned. Just a side note in the annals of Bond lore. "No longer just an anonymous star on the wall of M.I.6 memorial."
I'll tell you a funny coincidence. I was half-watching Spectre the other night on TV and then went to bed to finish Colonel Sun and found myself reading the same lines from that torture sequence as are in Spectre. I was pretty shocked as I'd heard nothing about them using this material anywhere. They do credit the estate of Kingsley Amis in the end credits but this was very much below the radar.
Here in Brazil, the title of the book was translated as “007 against Beijing - The Return of James Bond”, Since the story takes place in Greece and the Villain is Korean.
Colonel Sun is the best Bond continuation novel for me, the closest we'll get to Fleming. All the others though most enjoyable, we'll all have to except the fact nothing will ever top Fleming's work.
Its a risky thing to ask one writer to pick up where another left off. You can do that in TV or comic books, but its harder to do it credibly in plays or novels. A famous example is Scarlett, the sequel to Gone With The Wind. I wonder if Scarlett is even in print today.
I read "The James Bond Dossier" several years ago. The main thing I remember from it is Amis' being adamant that Sean Connery was completely wrong for the role of 007. It was mainly because he couldn't see Connery pretending to be an English baronet in some then-future adaptation of "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". Of course, things turned out a bit different from what he'd thought.
I read two Bond novels as a boy, as my grandfather had them on his bookshelf. The first was this (ironically with Sean Connery and Kissy on the cover) and I liked it. The other was Moonraker and I thought so boring that I couldn't finish it.
I too love this book, but I love a lot of the continuation novels but this one to me, maybe because it came so closely on the heells of Fleming actually feels like Fleming to me. It's brutal and that torture scene is equal to that in Casino Royale. Only recently found your chanell and going through your videos....Great joib, Agent.
Only discovered your wonderful videos a few weeks ago and am still catching up. I didn't know there WAS a Global James Bond Day! Moving forward, it will not go uncelebrated by me.
I think the "think" Flemming had was that he wrote Bond as an autobiography. It's full of mundane details and thoughts only Bond can know. And Bond was a stand-in for Flemming, so it stands true that Flemmings thoughts turn into Bond's thoughts. Everyone else is writing about a character.
First, I love the original cover art. It's like something by Salvador Dali. It has been a while since I read it, I remember the setting being described very vividly - Amis had recently been on holiday to the Aegean sea, so it makes sense that he'd be able to draw upon recent experiences. And it's definitely a very Bondian locale, the sort of place that allowed the reader to escape rain-battered Britain, even if only in their heads - of course, the travelogue aspect was a key component of the Fleming books. I think this book is often looked upon highly compared to the other continuation novels, probably because Kingsley Amis is a highly respected author, easily more respected in the literature world than Ian Fleming was. It's interesting that Purvis & Wade have made attempts to use elements of this book in the film series, I think they're the ones pushing for it - one gets the impression that the Broccolis like keeping the continuation novels at arm's length. I don't know if there's ever been an official line from EON about it, but allegedly Cubby Broccoli made it policy to never adapt any continuation novel, preferring to pay screenwriters to concoct original stories than spending lots of money buying the rights to the CNs, and Babs & Mike are of the same persuasion. I say "allegedly" because all the info I can find seems to all be hearsay on forums. 9:30 Yeah, hang onto that feeling. When you get to Gardner, you'll definitely be going "Well, Bond wouldn't really do that, would he?" For instance, 'Licence Renewed' begins with Bond returning from his weekend cottage in the countryside, and 'Win, Lose or Die' sees Bond apparently best buds with Thatcher and George Bush, not to mention Bond's obsession with Jazz in the Gardner books.
I should really have mentioned the cover art because I completely agree, it's so lovely. Very different from all what came before as well! Interesting what you say re EON's anti-continuation-novel policy. I like to think it's because they want to try and stay as close to Fleming as possible and emulate him themselves rather than adapt someone elses attempt at emulating Fleming. But in reality it is probably down to money as you say!! I have Licence Renewed ready to go! Think I will begin it this weekend. I can see Moore's Bond being buds with Thatcher. Particularly after she was so thrilled with his advances (via Max the parrot) in FYEO!
Toby Hart The Gardner ones are definitely very hit and miss. I liked ‘Icebreaker’ and ‘Nobody Lives For Ever’. Meanwhile, ‘Scorpius’ was so shit it made me cross that I wasted my time reading it. Most of the others are perfunctory - solid spy thrillers but certainly nothing to rave about. It definitely doesn’t help to read them one after the other (like I did) because it only becomes obvious how copy/paste Gardner could be sometimes. But I liked Faulks, Boyd and Horowitz. I think setting them in the 50s and 60s works better - Gardner writing Bond in the 80s/90s feels a bit off sometimes, it just accentuates how it isn’t Fleming. Haven’t read Benson or Deaver yet, so I can’t comment on their efforts to write Bond in present times.
@@BenCol yes, perfunctory is an apt word for them. They just lack the verve and nerve of the Fleming novels. Also, one of Flemings great talents, which gets overlooked, was in naming his novels. The titles were evocative, clever and relevant to the plot. Gardner's titles feel incredibly lazy. Icebreaker, for example, doesn't have anywhere near the same mystique as Moonraker. Live and let die is really sharp. You only live twice, the poignant line from a Fleming haiku is superb. At least Faulks made an effort with Devil May Care - it sounds like a Fleming title.
Like colonel Sun think it's sad the next book "per fine ounce"was never published as gildrose didn't think it was good enough would still like to read it
I do like this novel [particularly with Bill Tanner getting a larger role]. It helps that it was written close to Fleming's final novels and in the same time period rather than trying to imintate the time period/style many years later. An interesting thing is that John Gardner and Raymond Benson novels are in the same continuity as Flemings novels despite not sharing the same style a bit like TNG etc to TOS for the star trek franchise, while the later 'one shot' novels either link to Flemings canon only [other than Jeffery Deaver's novel which is a complete 'sherlock esq' update and stand alone] much like the Kelvin films.
Lol! Very true. The 90's cartoon series wasn't related to it, although there are similarities. That aside, the book is almost like a Famous Five story but with Bond's nephew. It was a rather desperate attempt by the Bond publishers to develop a new franchise aimed at younger readers. Much like Young Bond, decades later. Unlike that, this series ended after one novel.
@@BenCol In a word, no. Pretty rubbish. Without James Bond Jr, it would just be a Scooby Doo style kids foil nasty bad guys scheme, at the big house. It certainly is more Famous Five than Bond, with lower stakes. I think it was Glidrose reacting to Fleming's death as they did with Colonel Sun. Just release something!
David James Ah, shame. I remember reading somewhere that many people thought it was written by Fleming’s friend Roald Dahl under a pseudonym, though that has since been debunked. Either way, I remember the Young Bond series that Charlie Higson wrote in the mid-to-late 00s being very popular - many of my friends at school read them and enjoyed them - so there was potential in the idea. I didn’t read them myself though, by the time I got into Bond I was old enough for the real thing and went straight into ‘Casino Royale’, so I can’t comment on their quality.
@@BenCol Yeah, it's def not a Dahl story! Dahl of course did get some Bond in with his adaptation/original material for the film of You Only Live Twice, and I think it's get forgotten that he wrote the script for Fleming's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Yeah, I've never read the Young Bond novels. They were well praised, but I don't know how effective they are, seeing as they're aimed at children. John Pearson's James Bond- The Authorised Biography, that Calvin's covering next, has some interesting details about Bond's youth, that I doubt would be in the Young Bond novels!
I have never managed to make it all the way through Colonel Sun. I am a big fan of the Fleming novels, and I read through them all about once a year, but I just can't get into Colonel Sun for some reason. I even tried the audiobook, but I just found my mind wandering while I was listening to it.
I read it 40 years ago too. Unlike many of the Fleming books, I remember parts of this one. I always thought it was better, in the sense that there was more care and thought behind it than Fleming usually contributed.
About time you are finally reviewing the other Bond Novels (Proper continuations of the story not by Ian Fleming) :) Have been waiting for you to do these for ages :P If you need a list here it is: (Its in my favorite reading order not chronological or publication date) Forever and a Day - Anthony Horowitz Trigger Mortis - Anthony Horowitz Colonel Sun - "Robert Markham" Devil May Care - Sebastian Faulks Solo - William Boyd Licence Renewed - John Gardner For Special Services - John Gardner Icebreaker - John Gardner
Role of Honour - John Gardner
Nobody Lives for Ever - John Gardner No Deals, Mr. Bond - John Gardner Scorpius - John Gardner
Win, Lose or Die - John Gardner
Licence to Kill (novelization) - John Gardner
Brokenclaw - John Gardner
The Man from Barbarossa - John Gardner
Death Is Forever - John Gardner
Never Send Flowers - John Gardner SeaFire - John Gardner
COLD - John Gardner
GoldenEye (novelization) - John Gardner Tomorrow Never Dies (novelization) - Raymond Benson James Bond: Choice of Weapons (which collects these: Zero Minus Ten The Facts of Death "Midsummer Night's Doom" (short story) "Live at Five" (short story) The Man with the Red Tattoo) - Raymond Benson
The World Is Not Enough (novelization) - Raymond Benson James Bond: The Union Trilogy (which collects these: "Blast From the Past"(short story) High Time to Kill DoubleShot Never Dream of Dying) - Raymond Benson
Die Another Day (novelization) - Raymond Benson Carte Blanche - Jeffery Deaver Great content ;)
I 1st read this in the early 70s. I liked it, but there was something missing. Something that, as you said, was uniquely Fleming. Something I've heard called "the Fleming Sweep." There parts that seemed to drag for me. Have to reread it as it has been a long time since I've last read it. Note: Kingsley Amis was a friend of Ian Fleming. PS: Having read Pearson's authorized biography I suspect there will be some points about it that you & I will strongly agree on.
I read Colonel Sun when I was a teenager and whilst the book begins and end with a bang the middle was incredibly boring and convoluted, so it's surprising to hear you like it so much. As for the films, I knew about Spectre borrowing the torture scene but I didn't know they lifted the dialogue as well. One thing I'm surprised you didn't mention was Silva in Skyfall who seemed very much like Colonel Sun and I always thought Silva should've called Bond 'James' given their history.
There actually was a copyright issue with the name "Colonel Sun" that stopped Eon from using the name and instead they named their villain Colonel Tan-Sun Moon, a not so subtle reference to the novel. What baffles me is that the copyright issue did not came from Kingsley Aims, the author and creator of the character, or Jonathan Cape, the publishing firm that published the novel, but from the Ian Fleming estate which holds the rights to all literary Bond publications it seems, and thusly also the rights to the character of Col. Sun. Since this novel was not among the deal made by Saltzman and Broccoli with Fleming, these elements are not also owned by Danjaq, so Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson could not use the character in their film. What makes this even more confusing, for me at least, from a legal perspective is that they could use dialogue lifted from the book with the permission by Aims's estate. Which, for me, begs the question: Why does the Fleming estate hold the rights to the name Col. Sun but not to the dialogue used in the novel?
I wonder if because it was just dialogue and not as noticeable unless you were a die hard fan the Fleming estate let it pass. Maybe the 'thanks' to the estate instead of crediting the book was also a legal necessity.
Pleased you're covering these novels. I read it quite a few decades ago and when Skyfall came out I thought... arghh! I thought I was the only person who had read it. And yes, I agree with a previous poster. I really thought at the time that Moon in Die Another Day was a rework of Sun.
@@davidjames579 To be honest, I love the minutiae. For Your Eyes Only borrowed ideas from the novels Live and Let Die and Risico. They only thing in The Spy Who Loved Me from the book was Jaws' teeth. There are probably a good few scenes still to be played out! I just love that it seems the producers still seem to be mining the canon even now that they are out of actual story lines. You Only Live Twice, for example, has a few that could be re-purposed.
@@AnOwlCalledSage I imagine there's a flow-chart at EON HQ of unused ideas from the novels. And writers of Bond films are shown this, and asked can you fit any of this in? It is nice that they do that though. Wanting it to be seen, whereas other producers just discard un-used stuff. Incidentally, EON were just as caring with ideas for Bond films: the Elephant Hunt from Octopussy was originally going to be in The Man With The Golden Gun, and the Acrostar acrobatics from the beginning of Octopussy originally would have been the chase around The Amazon in Moonraker. The fight scene in that film with Char and Bond where they smash over glass was originally supposed to be in The Cairo Museum Of Antiquities in The Spy Who Loved Me, but with Shandor. The rooftop chase in Quantum was to have been in London in OHMSS and was partially filmed. The tube train derailment from Skyfall was also to have been the climax of the un-used chase in OHMSS. If you look at the finished film, there's a headline on the MI6 agent trailing Bond's newspaper reporting this, as he watches 007 arrive in Switzerland.
Literary Bond already /has/ continued without Fleming. Whether they /should/ is another matter. Authors all have different styles so future books won't be the same obviously.
A lot of literary types in the mid-20th century had communist leanings. That's not to say they agreed with what the Soviets or Chinese were doing because I am sure they saw a lot of communism going wrong. But people like Amis were of the opinion that the cold war was silly and the Soviets were not really the enemy. This is hardly a controversial point of view, although it is not something people expressed openly. But, post Stalin/Kruschev, you could imagine Amis telling Fleming that he could lay off on the anti-Soviet thing a bit. That is the direction that Amis follows with Colonel Sun, and we also start to see that in the Bond films of the late 70s and early 80s. Also: I am almost certain Ariadne is based on a real person. I don't mean a famous person, I just mean someone Amis knew. Also Also: My copy of the book has a sinister looking Chinese dude wearing an army uniform and mirrored shades on the front, and it just says Robert Markham. I think it is an original edition from the 1960s - my grandfather bought it. None of that Salvador Dali nonsense.
The torture sequence in Spectre is terrible. I think they added the Colonel sun dialogue to pep up the script. Casino Royale: Le cheiffre is torturing Bond in a last ditch attempt to save his own life. Le Chiffre is constantly on edge throughout. The rope is a relatable implement and the dialogue between Bond and Le Chiffre is excellent in a scene full of tension. Bond is saved but only just. Spectre: Blofeld is torturing Bond for no real reason with a SciFi type gadget. Blofeld looks bored throughout. Dr Swan [also board] saves the day with a gadget and the scene is tensionless.
I hadn't actually consider this before but you're 100% right. The torture scene in Spectre has no intention beyond just, Blofeld doesn't like Bond so he's causing him harm. In Casino Royale there's so much more going on. Vesper, unseen, screaming in the next room vs Dr Swan sat comfortably next to Blofeld is another element that I'd cite for why the CR scene is much better!
@@calvindyson There's also something far more visceral about the rope torture than that comical contraption from Spectre. It didn't fit well within the reality of the Craig films.
@@TheSmart-CasualGamer I think if they had time to plan [as the script was being re-written during production] they should have just had the climax there and captured Blofeld at the base-it would greatly improve the pacing of the film if nothing else.
I think it helped that I went straight into this one literally the day after i finished TMWTGG and was quite let down by that one so I was ready for a return to form which is what I found with Colonel Sun. Would recommend a revisit. I'm looking forward to revisiting some of the Fleming originals myself at some point in the future.
Good review, I can't wait until you get the books by, Sebastian Faulks, William Boyd and Anthony Horrowitz - they're all written in the style of Fleming. The other books by John Gardner and co are not.
Trigger Mortis, Horowitz's first book, contains original material by Fleming. Namely an unpublished short story he originally wrote as one of the episodes of the planned Bond TV series.
I have only read a few Gardner Bonds. I feel Gardner makes Bond more like a detective than a Super Spy. Reading Fleming is the best, but it’s like reading Shakespeare. It takes a few pages to get my mind in 1950’s Cold War Mode.
Yo Calvin, check out Solo by William Boyd. I remember reading it several years ago when I was around 14 and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Oh also, reviewing the Young Bond book series would be fun too
To whom, etc.: if you want to read a Kingsley Amis novel, go for "Lucky Jim." A really savage satire of British academia, that I can honestly claim is about the funniest thing I've ever read.
Will there be any videos about the film novelisations of The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, Licence to Kill, GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough or Die Another Day?
Nice review, I read all the Fleming’s in the early/mid 70s, but it wasn’t till my umpteenth reread earlier this year that I got around to Colonel Sun. Quite enjoyed it.
I'd certainly recommend giving it another try. I think there's a lot to enjoy in this one. I'd go so far as to take it over some of the lesser Fleming works too.
Roger's Bond would be very amused by the accolades I think and would accept them for a fun night out. Craig's Bond would probably give any award the heel of his shoe
I read that book years ago... From what I remember, that book contains more details than the Fleming's books. Colonel Sun appeared late in the book, the author didn't apply the K.I.S.S. principle so dear to Fleming... I would take a lot more Bond's books written by the same author.
@@denisarbour6698 Ahhhhhh! I thought maybe it was the three girls, one dies, one's bad, one's good and Bond ends up with/Villain has a disfigurement/ailment/henchman has a quirky form of dispatch type things.
I have tried and tried to read this book after devouring Ian Fleming but this novel is awful. If Amis doesn’t write better than this then I don’t understand his staus as a writer. I’ve read hundreds of fiction books and only Z grade Stephen King comes close to this.
You should review the 007 novels of James Gardner there really great. I wonder why they never adapt them into a film..They really should do that. Maybe in the future with a new actor perhaps? Who knows
I've never read any of the books so this guide was enlightening. I have Licence Renewed here but it doesnt seem to be all that interesting. When you said Greek I thought of the Melina Havelock character in For Your Eyes Only, where Bond is sympathetic to the Russians, and Topol wants then dead because they killed his brother, or something...
Kingsley Amis following Fleming was like George Lazenby following Sean Connery all the elements of what we liked were there but lacking the X factor sums it up. Worth a read though.
it always perplexed me how a bond that had all of his adventures before he got married would know about a marriage that hasn't happened yet, connery's bond would not have known about tracy because it hadn't happened yet. just because the movie was produced after lazenby had left doesn't mean it happened after OHMSS.
boredreiver Yeah, that was definitely one of the stronger Gardner titles - another one with a solid torture scene. ‘Nobody Lives For Ever’ is my favourite of his.
I had a surreal experience on my drive home from work today, maybe not as surreal as your recent Pierce Brosnan experience but let me share it with you anyway! I am 99% sure Daniel Craig gave way to me in his Bentley at a roundabout near Milton Keynes, slightly surreal! Saw his face briefly and recognised him, so looked back to see the personalised number plate with his initials, which gave me even more reason to believe it was definitely him! 😱 Until I get proof it wasn't him I will believe it was 😜
Glad you enjoyed this one Calvin. I haven't read it for a bit, but I liked it. Just as a side-step: Is anyone else concerned that we still don't know who's doing the theme song to No Time To Die?
I’m not, the song and its artist will probably be one of the last things to be announced - the song will be released close to the film’s release so it’ll be playing on the radio before and while the film’s in cinemas to build hype and draw attention. We’ll probably find out in March I suspect, February at the earliest. I suppose it is a bit odd that we haven’t had any rumours - early to mid 2015 was full of rumours that maybe Sam Smith was doing it, or it might be Radiohead. But quite frankly I’m growing tired of ‘No Time to Die’ rumours, so I’m not upset that people aren’t speculating as to who’s singing the song - or maybe they are and I’m just not in the loop.
@@BenCol Thanks for your thoughts, mate. Welcome as ever. I dunno, I'm just little surprised. I'm sure normally there's lots of rumours, and then we find out, well in advance. Don't know if anyone remembers, but I'm sure that's been the case before. It's just with us knowing all the cast and crew it seems strange that we still don't know who the singer will be. Not even speculation. Same with the first trailer not dropping yet.
David James Ah, well I’ve only been a Bond fan since 2010 so I’m basing my thoughts on the precedent set by ‘Skyfall’ and ‘Writing’s on the Wall’, both of which were released only a few weeks before their respective films. If that’s not how it was before then I wouldn’t know about it (before 2010 I couldn’t have cared less about Bond - I very much went from 0 to 100 in a matter of weeks). Still, I’m not worried, though I’m an optimist by nature so take my opinion for what it’s worth.
@@BenCol Yeah, with the release, I think you're right that's it's shortly before the film to act as promotion, but I'm fairly certain the announcement of who comes earlier. It's just got me scratching my head as to who.
You're "half-way!?" Aren't there 15 Gardner novels alone? I think you're more roughly 1/3 of the way... especially since most Gardner and Benson novels are *significantly* longer than any book Fleming ever wrote.
I kinda wish Kingsley Amis had made the main villian instead be the one that was ultimately responsible in brainwashing Bond to kill M in the previous novel. I think it would have made more sense for the main villian to personally have it out for 007 and M. Calvin, what do you think of that idea?
That would have been FANTASTIC! I would have loved that. And it would have made more sense of that whole brainwashing plot from TMWTGG which was just dropped.
To explain, Reinhart is the overarching antagonist of my Bond continuation novels. He serves as a major antagonist via Bond's hallucinations and nightmares about him in both For Queen and Country and Nanobugs, and the main antagonist of Never Mind Dying, in which he masterminds SMERSH's plans to brainwash world leaders, Hauntings of the Past, in which he tries to brainwash enemy agents into destroying the western world with staged nuclear "accidents" (basically Orlov's plan from Octopussy), and Crimsonfall, where he plans a bio attack on Moscow in revenge for his dismissal from SMERSH, and intends to use genetic manipulation to create an army to take over the world with. Reinhart's influence also seeps deeper still, as it was confirmed to be Reinhart who brainwashed Bond in TMWTGG. Bare in mind these stories take place in between Golden Gun and Colonel Sun.
Calvin: "Short of the villains desecrating Tracy's grave..."
[No Time To Die starts urgently scribbling notes.]
Who would want to see Colonel Sun adapted into a proper movie?
Me especially China being face of Communism today. This will go back Bond to his roots being an enemy of Communism. Die another Day tried to do it but failed for focusing on over the top action rather than story.
I would’ve loved to see an adaptation set at some point after Skyfall for some extra emotional weight on Bond’s part (say if Bond is still not quite over the death of the previous M, thus making him that much more determined not to lose another M on his watch), but who knows? With a good script and the right casting, it could definitely work.
On another note, while it’s unclear exactly which actors from the Daniel Craig continuity will be carried over after No Time To Die (if any, and if any future James Bond films are ever made at this point), putting Ralph Fiennes’ M in a Colonel Sun adaptation could certainly be interesting if handled well. We’ve seen so far that he can put up a fight and has a relatively stronger tendency to get directly involved in the action (especially compared to the pre-Judi Dench Ms), which could easily make for a lot of tense action scenes and dialogue in between the kidnapping and Bond finally arriving to save the day.
I would.
As a Chinese, I would like to see as the novel is a hard to see western viewpoint of China during the time between the separation of Sino-Soviet relationship and the start of Sino-American relationship. But I am worried that it's probably either going to be too leaning to sinophobia or trying too hard to please them that it's cringy and awkward.
I can't imagine anyone making a big budget film without going after the Chinese market. Even having Sun as a rogue Colonel would cause problems because that suggests China can have rogue Colonels. If you made him North Korean it might work. A rogue North Korean who is stirring something up between the Chinese and the Russians. Adriana might have to be Chinese though.
Fun Fact: This story was adapted into a newspaper comic strip by the Daily Express in England in the late 1960's. The strip does a good job of streamlining the book so it is easier to follow. Plus it does stand out for being a more grounded story that the original stories that ran in the Daily Express comics.
Kingsley Amis was a better writer than Fleming--but not a better writer of thrillers or James Bond. I found it a bit slow paced in comparison with Fleming's books, But definitely a knowledgeable and more complex story than most of the continuations. It's a good job.
Colonel Sun and Solo are the best continuation novels for me. Gardner's are mad but they are a must read, Benson's are similarly oddball, which for me makes them readable. After Benson I'd say most of the continuation books are worth a read.
* One of the things that I thought was an interesting anomaly in this novel, was that "005" turns up. This novel tells us that his full name and number is "Stuart Thomas 005", and that he's "Welsh", born and raised in "Wales". The only other thing they tell us about him, is that he was promoted to a desk job due to some sort of problem with one or both of his eyes(they're not very clear what that problem was, other than that he now wears glasses).
* Stuart Thomas was promoted to the position of "Head of Station G"(the M.I.6 station house in "Greece"). Also, in the "Colonel Sun" James Bond graphic novel, they show us what Stuart Thomas looks like. The graphic novel is the only source material that shows us what he looks like. The Colonel Sun novel and graphic novel is quite literally the only James Bond story that 005 ever appears in, or is ever mentioned. Just a side note in the annals of Bond lore. "No longer just an anonymous star on the wall of M.I.6 memorial."
I'll tell you a funny coincidence. I was half-watching Spectre the other night on TV and then went to bed to finish Colonel Sun and found myself reading the same lines from that torture sequence as are in Spectre. I was pretty shocked as I'd heard nothing about them using this material anywhere. They do credit the estate of Kingsley Amis in the end credits but this was very much below the radar.
Here in Brazil, the title of the book was translated as “007 against Beijing - The Return of James Bond”, Since the story takes place in Greece and the Villain is Korean.
Colonel Sun is the best Bond continuation novel for me, the closest we'll get to Fleming. All the others though most enjoyable, we'll all have to except the fact nothing will ever top Fleming's work.
I enjoyed this one quite a bit! I loved Amis putting M into the plot.
Its a risky thing to ask one writer to pick up where another left off. You can do that in TV or comic books, but its harder to do it credibly in plays or novels.
A famous example is Scarlett, the sequel to Gone With The Wind. I wonder if Scarlett is even in print today.
I read "The James Bond Dossier" several years ago. The main thing I remember from it is Amis' being adamant that Sean Connery was completely wrong for the role of 007. It was mainly because he couldn't see Connery pretending to be an English baronet in some then-future adaptation of "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". Of course, things turned out a bit different from what he'd thought.
I read two Bond novels as a boy, as my grandfather had them on his bookshelf. The first was this (ironically with Sean Connery and Kissy on the cover) and I liked it. The other was Moonraker and I thought so boring that I couldn't finish it.
I too love this book, but I love a lot of the continuation novels but this one to me, maybe because it came so closely on the heells of Fleming actually feels like Fleming to me. It's brutal and that torture scene is equal to that in Casino Royale. Only recently found your chanell and going through your videos....Great joib, Agent.
Only discovered your wonderful videos a few weeks ago and am still catching up. I didn't know there WAS a Global James Bond Day! Moving forward, it will not go uncelebrated by me.
Appreciate every time 007 Nightfire game soundtrack plays in the background.
9:15 you used the nightfire background music. What a legend you are Calvin Dyson!
I think the "think" Flemming had was that he wrote Bond as an autobiography. It's full of mundane details and thoughts only Bond can know. And Bond was a stand-in for Flemming, so it stands true that Flemmings thoughts turn into Bond's thoughts. Everyone else is writing about a character.
First, I love the original cover art. It's like something by Salvador Dali.
It has been a while since I read it, I remember the setting being described very vividly - Amis had recently been on holiday to the Aegean sea, so it makes sense that he'd be able to draw upon recent experiences. And it's definitely a very Bondian locale, the sort of place that allowed the reader to escape rain-battered Britain, even if only in their heads - of course, the travelogue aspect was a key component of the Fleming books.
I think this book is often looked upon highly compared to the other continuation novels, probably because Kingsley Amis is a highly respected author, easily more respected in the literature world than Ian Fleming was. It's interesting that Purvis & Wade have made attempts to use elements of this book in the film series, I think they're the ones pushing for it - one gets the impression that the Broccolis like keeping the continuation novels at arm's length. I don't know if there's ever been an official line from EON about it, but allegedly Cubby Broccoli made it policy to never adapt any continuation novel, preferring to pay screenwriters to concoct original stories than spending lots of money buying the rights to the CNs, and Babs & Mike are of the same persuasion. I say "allegedly" because all the info I can find seems to all be hearsay on forums.
9:30 Yeah, hang onto that feeling. When you get to Gardner, you'll definitely be going "Well, Bond wouldn't really do that, would he?" For instance, 'Licence Renewed' begins with Bond returning from his weekend cottage in the countryside, and 'Win, Lose or Die' sees Bond apparently best buds with Thatcher and George Bush, not to mention Bond's obsession with Jazz in the Gardner books.
I should really have mentioned the cover art because I completely agree, it's so lovely. Very different from all what came before as well!
Interesting what you say re EON's anti-continuation-novel policy. I like to think it's because they want to try and stay as close to Fleming as possible and emulate him themselves rather than adapt someone elses attempt at emulating Fleming. But in reality it is probably down to money as you say!!
I have Licence Renewed ready to go! Think I will begin it this weekend. I can see Moore's Bond being buds with Thatcher. Particularly after she was so thrilled with his advances (via Max the parrot) in FYEO!
Calvin Dyson Reviews Bond Hope you enjoy! ‘Licence Renewed’ is pretty good.
Colonel Son is my second favorite non Fleming Bond novel.
Devil May Care by Faulks is my other favourite.
The Gardener novels are pretty awful.
Toby Hart The Gardner ones are definitely very hit and miss. I liked ‘Icebreaker’ and ‘Nobody Lives For Ever’. Meanwhile, ‘Scorpius’ was so shit it made me cross that I wasted my time reading it. Most of the others are perfunctory - solid spy thrillers but certainly nothing to rave about. It definitely doesn’t help to read them one after the other (like I did) because it only becomes obvious how copy/paste Gardner could be sometimes.
But I liked Faulks, Boyd and Horowitz. I think setting them in the 50s and 60s works better - Gardner writing Bond in the 80s/90s feels a bit off sometimes, it just accentuates how it isn’t Fleming. Haven’t read Benson or Deaver yet, so I can’t comment on their efforts to write Bond in present times.
@@BenCol yes, perfunctory is an apt word for them. They just lack the verve and nerve of the Fleming novels.
Also, one of Flemings great talents, which gets overlooked, was in naming his novels. The titles were evocative, clever and relevant to the plot.
Gardner's titles feel incredibly lazy.
Icebreaker, for example, doesn't have anywhere near the same mystique as Moonraker.
Live and let die is really sharp.
You only live twice, the poignant line from a Fleming haiku is superb.
At least Faulks made an effort with Devil May Care - it sounds like a Fleming title.
Like colonel Sun think it's sad the next book "per fine ounce"was never published as gildrose didn't think it was good enough would still like to read it
I do like this novel [particularly with Bill Tanner getting a larger role]. It helps that it was written close to Fleming's final novels and in the same time period rather than trying to imintate the time period/style many years later.
An interesting thing is that John Gardner and Raymond Benson novels are in the same continuity as Flemings novels despite not sharing the same style a bit like TNG etc to TOS for the star trek franchise, while the later 'one shot' novels either link to Flemings canon only [other than Jeffery Deaver's novel which is a complete 'sherlock esq' update and stand alone] much like the Kelvin films.
Yeah, Gardner's tried to reflect that Bond was now middle-aged and somewhat different to his younger years in Fleming's stories.
Pretty interesting stuff, nice one Mr.Dyson.
Thanks very much! Seek the book out if you haven't already read it.
Colonel Sun was not the first Bond continuation novel. That would be 1967's "The Adventures of James Bond Junior 003 1/2" by R.D. Mascott.
Lol! Very true. The 90's cartoon series wasn't related to it, although there are similarities. That aside, the book is almost like a Famous Five story but with Bond's nephew. It was a rather desperate attempt by the Bond publishers to develop a new franchise aimed at younger readers. Much like Young Bond, decades later. Unlike that, this series ended after one novel.
Is it any good?
@@BenCol In a word, no. Pretty rubbish. Without James Bond Jr, it would just be a Scooby Doo style kids foil nasty bad guys scheme, at the big house. It certainly is more Famous Five than Bond, with lower stakes.
I think it was Glidrose reacting to Fleming's death as they did with Colonel Sun. Just release something!
David James Ah, shame. I remember reading somewhere that many people thought it was written by Fleming’s friend Roald Dahl under a pseudonym, though that has since been debunked. Either way, I remember the Young Bond series that Charlie Higson wrote in the mid-to-late 00s being very popular - many of my friends at school read them and enjoyed them - so there was potential in the idea. I didn’t read them myself though, by the time I got into Bond I was old enough for the real thing and went straight into ‘Casino Royale’, so I can’t comment on their quality.
@@BenCol Yeah, it's def not a Dahl story! Dahl of course did get some Bond in with his adaptation/original material for the film of You Only Live Twice, and I think it's get forgotten that he wrote the script for Fleming's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Yeah, I've never read the Young Bond novels. They were well praised, but I don't know how effective they are, seeing as they're aimed at children. John Pearson's James Bond- The Authorised Biography, that Calvin's covering next, has some interesting details about Bond's youth, that I doubt would be in the Young Bond novels!
I have never managed to make it all the way through Colonel Sun. I am a big fan of the Fleming novels, and I read through them all about once a year, but I just can't get into Colonel Sun for some reason.
I even tried the audiobook, but I just found my mind wandering while I was listening to it.
Thank you very much for your perceptive review of a book I read 40 years ago!
Thank YOU very much for watching and commenting :D
I read it 40 years ago too. Unlike many of the Fleming books, I remember parts of this one. I always thought it was better, in the sense that there was more care and thought behind it than Fleming usually contributed.
About time you are finally reviewing the other Bond Novels (Proper continuations of the story not by Ian Fleming) :) Have been waiting for you to do these for ages :P
If you need a list here it is: (Its in my favorite reading order not chronological or publication date)
Forever and a Day - Anthony Horowitz
Trigger Mortis - Anthony Horowitz
Colonel Sun - "Robert Markham"
Devil May Care - Sebastian Faulks
Solo - William Boyd
Licence Renewed - John Gardner
For Special Services - John Gardner
Icebreaker - John Gardner
Role of Honour - John Gardner
Nobody Lives for Ever
- John Gardner
No Deals, Mr. Bond - John Gardner
Scorpius - John Gardner
Win, Lose or Die - John Gardner
Licence to Kill (novelization) - John Gardner
Brokenclaw - John Gardner
The Man from Barbarossa - John Gardner
Death Is Forever - John Gardner
Never Send Flowers - John Gardner
SeaFire - John Gardner
COLD - John Gardner
GoldenEye (novelization) - John Gardner
Tomorrow Never Dies (novelization) - Raymond Benson
James Bond: Choice of Weapons (which collects these:
Zero Minus Ten
The Facts of Death
"Midsummer Night's Doom" (short story)
"Live at Five" (short story)
The Man with the Red Tattoo) - Raymond Benson
The World Is Not Enough (novelization) - Raymond Benson
James Bond: The Union Trilogy (which collects these:
"Blast From the Past"(short story)
High Time to Kill
DoubleShot
Never Dream of Dying) - Raymond Benson
Die Another Day (novelization)
- Raymond Benson
Carte Blanche - Jeffery Deaver
Great content ;)
I 1st read this in the early 70s. I liked it, but there was something missing. Something that, as you said, was uniquely Fleming. Something I've heard called "the Fleming Sweep." There parts that seemed to drag for me. Have to reread it as it has been a long time since I've last read it. Note: Kingsley Amis was a friend of Ian Fleming.
PS: Having read Pearson's authorized biography I suspect there will be some points about it that you & I will strongly agree on.
I read Colonel Sun when I was a teenager and whilst the book begins and end with a bang the middle was incredibly boring and convoluted, so it's surprising to hear you like it so much. As for the films, I knew about Spectre borrowing the torture scene but I didn't know they lifted the dialogue as well. One thing I'm surprised you didn't mention was Silva in Skyfall who seemed very much like Colonel Sun and I always thought Silva should've called Bond 'James' given their history.
Also TND w/Kauffman and Stamper. As Carver says, Bond'll be brutally tortured yet kept alive as long as possible.
The fleming touch you rightly allude to I would describe as his voice eminating from a smoke filled room, in the early hours brandy in hand...
Read this in the 70's. Must find it and read it again as it was the first Bond book I read!!! Have read plenty of Fleming since!!!!
There actually was a copyright issue with the name "Colonel Sun" that stopped Eon from using the name and instead they named their villain Colonel Tan-Sun Moon, a not so subtle reference to the novel. What baffles me is that the copyright issue did not came from Kingsley Aims, the author and creator of the character, or Jonathan Cape, the publishing firm that published the novel, but from the Ian Fleming estate which holds the rights to all literary Bond publications it seems, and thusly also the rights to the character of Col. Sun. Since this novel was not among the deal made by Saltzman and Broccoli with Fleming, these elements are not also owned by Danjaq, so Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson could not use the character in their film. What makes this even more confusing, for me at least, from a legal perspective is that they could use dialogue lifted from the book with the permission by Aims's estate. Which, for me, begs the question: Why does the Fleming estate hold the rights to the name Col. Sun but not to the dialogue used in the novel?
I wonder if because it was just dialogue and not as noticeable unless you were a die hard fan the Fleming estate let it pass. Maybe the 'thanks' to the estate instead of crediting the book was also a legal necessity.
I definitely love how the Bond theme comes together into this version while in the background. 11:24
Nice review Calvin. I've still too finish reading the Fleming novels but this review has really got me excited to get onto Colonel Sun.
rewatching this in 2022 and hearing the 'decimate tracy's grave' line is INTERESTING
Been waiting for you to cover this one!
Pleased you're covering these novels. I read it quite a few decades ago and when Skyfall came out I thought... arghh! I thought I was the only person who had read it. And yes, I agree with a previous poster. I really thought at the time that Moon in Die Another Day was a rework of Sun.
Die Another Day curiously also uses bits of the Moonraker novel. Although GoldenEye does a bit as well.
@@davidjames579 To be honest, I love the minutiae. For Your Eyes Only borrowed ideas from the novels Live and Let Die and Risico. They only thing in The Spy Who Loved Me from the book was Jaws' teeth. There are probably a good few scenes still to be played out! I just love that it seems the producers still seem to be mining the canon even now that they are out of actual story lines. You Only Live Twice, for example, has a few that could be re-purposed.
@@AnOwlCalledSage I imagine there's a flow-chart at EON HQ of unused ideas from the novels. And writers of Bond films are shown this, and asked can you fit any of this in?
It is nice that they do that though. Wanting it to be seen, whereas other producers just discard un-used stuff.
Incidentally, EON were just as caring with ideas for Bond films: the Elephant Hunt from Octopussy was originally going to be in The Man With The Golden Gun, and the Acrostar acrobatics from the beginning of Octopussy originally would have been the chase around The Amazon in Moonraker. The fight scene in that film with Char and Bond where they smash over glass was originally supposed to be in The Cairo Museum Of Antiquities in The Spy Who Loved Me, but with Shandor.
The rooftop chase in Quantum was to have been in London in OHMSS and was partially filmed. The tube train derailment from Skyfall was also to have been the climax of the un-used chase in OHMSS. If you look at the finished film, there's a headline on the MI6 agent trailing Bond's newspaper reporting this, as he watches 007 arrive in Switzerland.
Really enjoyed this novel and your review - thank you!
Literary Bond already /has/ continued without Fleming. Whether they /should/ is another matter. Authors all have different styles so future books won't be the same obviously.
glad to see you doing these books [having read a lot of them I can't wait to hear your thoughts]. Keep up the great work
Thanks, James and thanks for the great comments! I didn't know that about Geoffrey Jenkins... Very interesting!
A lot of literary types in the mid-20th century had communist leanings. That's not to say they agreed with what the Soviets or Chinese were doing because I am sure they saw a lot of communism going wrong. But people like Amis were of the opinion that the cold war was silly and the Soviets were not really the enemy. This is hardly a controversial point of view, although it is not something people expressed openly. But, post Stalin/Kruschev, you could imagine Amis telling Fleming that he could lay off on the anti-Soviet thing a bit. That is the direction that Amis follows with Colonel Sun, and we also start to see that in the Bond films of the late 70s and early 80s.
Also: I am almost certain Ariadne is based on a real person. I don't mean a famous person, I just mean someone Amis knew.
Also Also: My copy of the book has a sinister looking Chinese dude wearing an army uniform and mirrored shades on the front, and it just says Robert Markham. I think it is an original edition from the 1960s - my grandfather bought it. None of that Salvador Dali nonsense.
I have read many James Bond books by other authors. Some better than others. I will say that colonel sun was the most Fleming like of all of them.
I believe Amis and Fleming were friends, so there was a similarity in character and likes.
100% agreed with your opinion
The next continuation book was supposed to be 'Per fine ounce' Geoffery Jenkins but it was rejected because it wasn't considered up to par.
Enjoyed that, must reread it soon.
The torture sequence in Spectre is terrible. I think they added the Colonel sun dialogue to pep up the script.
Casino Royale: Le cheiffre is torturing Bond in a last ditch attempt to save his own life. Le Chiffre is constantly on edge throughout. The rope is a relatable implement and the dialogue between Bond and Le Chiffre is excellent in a scene full of tension. Bond is saved but only just.
Spectre: Blofeld is torturing Bond for no real reason with a SciFi type gadget. Blofeld looks bored throughout. Dr Swan [also board] saves the day with a gadget and the scene is tensionless.
I loved the visual joke(?) of Le cheiffre literally being at the end of his rope.
I hadn't actually consider this before but you're 100% right. The torture scene in Spectre has no intention beyond just, Blofeld doesn't like Bond so he's causing him harm. In Casino Royale there's so much more going on. Vesper, unseen, screaming in the next room vs Dr Swan sat comfortably next to Blofeld is another element that I'd cite for why the CR scene is much better!
@@calvindyson There's also something far more visceral about the rope torture than that comical contraption from Spectre. It didn't fit well within the reality of the Craig films.
The whole scene at the crater base in Spectre (Other than when it explodes) is full of problems.
@@TheSmart-CasualGamer I think if they had time to plan [as the script was being re-written during production] they should have just had the climax there and captured Blofeld at the base-it would greatly improve the pacing of the film if nothing else.
Nice review! Looking forward to the reviews of the John Gardner and Raymond Benson 007 books
1:32 Yes, we shall.
Probably the best post Fleming novel by far...
Colonel Sun, Won't you come, and wash away the rain?
RIP Chris Cornell
Great song, great band and great singer.
@@davidjames579 Amen to that.
@@SolarDragon007 It was nice to have Blackhole Sun playing in my head as I walked to work this morning, after reading the comments over breakfast.
I have only read Colonel Sun once, but it didn;t click with me. I'm probably due to re-read the Bond literary cannon sometime.
I think it helped that I went straight into this one literally the day after i finished TMWTGG and was quite let down by that one so I was ready for a return to form which is what I found with Colonel Sun. Would recommend a revisit. I'm looking forward to revisiting some of the Fleming originals myself at some point in the future.
🌤😌R.I.P. Mr. Fleming🙏👼
Glad you loved the book!
Good review, I can't wait until you get the books by, Sebastian Faulks, William Boyd and Anthony Horrowitz - they're all written in the style of Fleming. The other books by John Gardner and co are not.
Trigger Mortis, Horowitz's first book, contains original material by Fleming. Namely an unpublished short story he originally wrote as one of the episodes of the planned Bond TV series.
I have only read a few Gardner Bonds. I feel Gardner makes Bond more like a detective than a Super Spy. Reading Fleming is the best, but it’s like reading Shakespeare. It takes a few pages to get my mind in 1950’s Cold War Mode.
Horowitz is really good. Benson is good too. I see Bond as Pierce Brosman. In Benson’s books.
@@geadkins966 I think it's interesting that Horowitz has written two spy franchises: Bond and Alex Rider
For me, even the best continuation novels fall short and belong on the shelf underneath the Fleming shelf 😉
Yo Calvin, check out Solo by William Boyd. I remember reading it several years ago when I was around 14 and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Oh also, reviewing the Young Bond book series would be fun too
Yes solo is great too my wife read the book and she lived it it was her first bond book
To whom, etc.: if you want to read a Kingsley Amis novel, go for "Lucky Jim." A really savage satire of British academia, that I can honestly claim is about the funniest thing I've ever read.
Did you notice that in OHMSS Bond is from Scotland and Amis takes the opportunity here to make him English again?
Will there be any videos about the film novelisations of The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, Licence to Kill, GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough or Die Another Day?
Nice review, I read all the Fleming’s in the early/mid 70s, but it wasn’t till my umpteenth reread earlier this year that I got around to Colonel Sun. Quite enjoyed it.
What's with the cool Salvador Dali cover? Still in print?
I really struggle to get into this one. Have only ever got 1/4 through. I might need to try it just once more.
I'd certainly recommend giving it another try. I think there's a lot to enjoy in this one. I'd go so far as to take it over some of the lesser Fleming works too.
I wonder if Roger Moore accepted that Order of Lenin he got at the end of AVTAK if Flemings' Bond turned something similar down.
Roger's Bond would be very amused by the accolades I think and would accept them for a fun night out. Craig's Bond would probably give any award the heel of his shoe
That's why I love Craig.
Have a think if the music works after a couple of minutes. Great review - useful
I think ''Per Fine Ounce'' was supposed to be the follow up to this
I read that book years ago... From what I remember, that book contains more details than the Fleming's books. Colonel Sun appeared late in the book, the author didn't apply the K.I.S.S. principle so dear to Fleming... I would take a lot more Bond's books written by the same author.
What's the K.I.S.S principle?
@@davidjames579 The K.I.S.S. principle is Keep It Simple Stupid.
@@denisarbour6698 Ahhhhhh! I thought maybe it was the three girls, one dies, one's bad, one's good and Bond ends up with/Villain has a disfigurement/ailment/henchman has a quirky form of dispatch type things.
Interesting, I've heard bad things about this novel, maybe I might give it a shot
I have tried and tried to read this book after devouring Ian Fleming but this novel is awful. If Amis doesn’t write better than this then I don’t understand his staus as a writer. I’ve read hundreds of fiction books and only Z grade Stephen King comes close to this.
You should review the 007 novels of James Gardner there really great. I wonder why they never adapt them into a film..They really should do that. Maybe in the future with a new actor perhaps? Who knows
I've already started the first Gardner book! Going to be reading every official Bond publication :D
Eon only have the rights to Flemings material based on the original deal back in the early 60's.
I've never read any of the books so this guide was enlightening. I have Licence Renewed here but it doesnt seem to be all that interesting. When you said Greek I thought of the Melina Havelock character in For Your Eyes Only, where Bond is sympathetic to the Russians, and Topol wants then dead because they killed his brother, or something...
Kingsley Amis following Fleming was like George Lazenby following Sean Connery all the elements of what we liked were there but lacking the X factor sums it up. Worth a read though.
"Even more nefarious goals than just Communism."
Are there any?
Cool video I am a James bond fan I want to get in to the bond books
it always perplexed me how a bond that had all of his adventures before he got married would know about a marriage that hasn't happened yet, connery's bond would not have known about tracy because it hadn't happened yet. just because the movie was produced after lazenby had left doesn't mean it happened after OHMSS.
What're you taking about?
And what does that have to do with the novel ‘Colonel Sun’?
@@BenCol nothing
@@SolarDragon007 i am talking about a plot point that has nothing to do with the book discussed.
Are you going to read the John Gardner books? They really good.
I am indeed! Can't wait to get onto those!
boredreiver Yeah, that was definitely one of the stronger Gardner titles - another one with a solid torture scene. ‘Nobody Lives For Ever’ is my favourite of his.
BenCol yeah i like that one also.
The one downvote is Colonel Sun.
Colonel Sun sounds like something they serve at the Panda Express in the mall food court. I never liked the continuation novels. They tried too hard.
No one:
Absolutely No one:
Calvin: *B E T T E R T H A N M A N W I T H T H E G O L D E N G U N*
I had a surreal experience on my drive home from work today, maybe not as surreal as your recent Pierce Brosnan experience but let me share it with you anyway!
I am 99% sure Daniel Craig gave way to me in his Bentley at a roundabout near Milton Keynes, slightly surreal! Saw his face briefly and recognised him, so looked back to see the personalised number plate with his initials, which gave me even more reason to believe it was definitely him! 😱
Until I get proof it wasn't him I will believe it was 😜
Good thing he was in a good mood. Sounds like he coulda given you a Goldfinger style double blowout
@@sethdavis459 he looked pretty serious lol. Went into BP petrol station, to fill up his gas guzzler I suppose 🤣
Bond In Milton Keynes? There's a story no Bond author has attempted. Yet.
Glad you enjoyed this one Calvin. I haven't read it for a bit, but I liked it.
Just as a side-step: Is anyone else concerned that we still don't know who's doing the theme song to No Time To Die?
I’m not, the song and its artist will probably be one of the last things to be announced - the song will be released close to the film’s release so it’ll be playing on the radio before and while the film’s in cinemas to build hype and draw attention. We’ll probably find out in March I suspect, February at the earliest.
I suppose it is a bit odd that we haven’t had any rumours - early to mid 2015 was full of rumours that maybe Sam Smith was doing it, or it might be Radiohead. But quite frankly I’m growing tired of ‘No Time to Die’ rumours, so I’m not upset that people aren’t speculating as to who’s singing the song - or maybe they are and I’m just not in the loop.
@@BenCol Thanks for your thoughts, mate. Welcome as ever. I dunno, I'm just little surprised. I'm sure normally there's lots of rumours, and then we find out, well in advance. Don't know if anyone remembers, but I'm sure that's been the case before. It's just with us knowing all the cast and crew it seems strange that we still don't know who the singer will be. Not even speculation.
Same with the first trailer not dropping yet.
David James Ah, well I’ve only been a Bond fan since 2010 so I’m basing my thoughts on the precedent set by ‘Skyfall’ and ‘Writing’s on the Wall’, both of which were released only a few weeks before their respective films. If that’s not how it was before then I wouldn’t know about it (before 2010 I couldn’t have cared less about Bond - I very much went from 0 to 100 in a matter of weeks). Still, I’m not worried, though I’m an optimist by nature so take my opinion for what it’s worth.
@@BenCol Yeah, with the release, I think you're right that's it's shortly before the film to act as promotion, but I'm fairly certain the announcement of who comes earlier.
It's just got me scratching my head as to who.
You're "half-way!?"
Aren't there 15 Gardner novels alone? I think you're more roughly 1/3 of the way... especially since most Gardner and Benson novels are *significantly* longer than any book Fleming ever wrote.
From this point forward, Calvin has 31 novels to go. So, you’re absolutely right about him only being 1/3 done.
I kinda wish Kingsley Amis had made the main villian instead be the one that was ultimately responsible in brainwashing Bond to kill M in the previous novel. I think it would have made more sense for the main villian to personally have it out for 007 and M. Calvin, what do you think of that idea?
That would have been FANTASTIC! I would have loved that. And it would have made more sense of that whole brainwashing plot from TMWTGG which was just dropped.
"I kinda wish Kingsley Amis had made the main villian"
I don't get WHO Kingsley Amis should have made the main villian.
@@str.77 "Colonel Boris" to be exact. He's mentioned in the very first chapter of TMWTGG novel.
@@naughtydog1617 You sure about that? Doctor Ludwig von Reinhart would've been much more suitable.
To explain, Reinhart is the overarching antagonist of my Bond continuation novels. He serves as a major antagonist via Bond's hallucinations and nightmares about him in both For Queen and Country and Nanobugs, and the main antagonist of Never Mind Dying, in which he masterminds SMERSH's plans to brainwash world leaders, Hauntings of the Past, in which he tries to brainwash enemy agents into destroying the western world with staged nuclear "accidents" (basically Orlov's plan from Octopussy), and Crimsonfall, where he plans a bio attack on Moscow in revenge for his dismissal from SMERSH, and intends to use genetic manipulation to create an army to take over the world with.
Reinhart's influence also seeps deeper still, as it was confirmed to be Reinhart who brainwashed Bond in TMWTGG. Bare in mind these stories take place in between Golden Gun and Colonel Sun.