Licence Renewed
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Book Description
Official, original James Bond from a writer described by Len Deighton as a 'master storyteller'.
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Product Description
The first of John Gardner's novels featuring Ian Fleming's secret agent. Bond has been assigned to investigate one Dr. Anton Murik, a brilliant nuclear physicist who is thought to have been meeting with a terrorist known as Franco. Together, they plan to hijack six nuclear power plants around the world and start a global meltdown, unless Bond can stop them...
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A lot of credit is given to Ian Fleming, creator and original writer of the famed super-spy of literary and cinematic espionage, but not much retrospective praise is lauded upon John Gardner, who wrote more James Bond novels than Fleming did between 1981 and 1996, and is in this reader's opinion, a superior writer.
Penning a continuation 007 novel must be just as daunting as any mission the world's least secret agent tackles himself, but Gardner wasn't completely without experience when he was asked to write the second Bond continuation novel (after "Colonel Sun", by Kingsley Amis a.k.a Robert Markham in 1969). He was into middle-age and a had wealth of published and acclaimed novels in his own right, most notably the Moriarty books, a trilogy of novels composed from the perspective of Sherlock Holmes's formidable nemesis.
On a strictly aesthetic level, Gardner had a much more relaxed style of writing. His Bond novels are still brimming with action, but there is a richer vocabulary there, a greater understanding of how language works, and a reader can languorously unwind in the certainty that they are in the company of a master storyteller.
"Licence Renewed" brings James Bond firmly into the 80s, but as per Gardner's original vision, the character hasn't aged much - despite a few grey hairs, perhaps placing him in his early forties - but has lived through the seventies and is a subject of the sociological advancements of that tumultuous decade.
Bond is faced with a worthy adversary in the shape of Scottish laird Dr Anton Murik, and his love interest is Lavender Peacock, but I will not give too much away. Needless to say, it sees Bond in Scotland, away from the more exotic nirvana of, say, the Bahamas, and the action is mostly set at Murik's castle, a menacing tower of bleakness. It's a terrific start to Gardner's series, a fine novel in its own right, and a thoroughly entertaining read.
Penning a continuation 007 novel must be just as daunting as any mission the world's least secret agent tackles himself, but Gardner wasn't completely without experience when he was asked to write the second Bond continuation novel (after "Colonel Sun", by Kingsley Amis a.k.a Robert Markham in 1969). He was into middle-age and a had wealth of published and acclaimed novels in his own right, most notably the Moriarty books, a trilogy of novels composed from the perspective of Sherlock Holmes's formidable nemesis.
On a strictly aesthetic level, Gardner had a much more relaxed style of writing. His Bond novels are still brimming with action, but there is a richer vocabulary there, a greater understanding of how language works, and a reader can languorously unwind in the certainty that they are in the company of a master storyteller.
"Licence Renewed" brings James Bond firmly into the 80s, but as per Gardner's original vision, the character hasn't aged much - despite a few grey hairs, perhaps placing him in his early forties - but has lived through the seventies and is a subject of the sociological advancements of that tumultuous decade.
Bond is faced with a worthy adversary in the shape of Scottish laird Dr Anton Murik, and his love interest is Lavender Peacock, but I will not give too much away. Needless to say, it sees Bond in Scotland, away from the more exotic nirvana of, say, the Bahamas, and the action is mostly set at Murik's castle, a menacing tower of bleakness. It's a terrific start to Gardner's series, a fine novel in its own right, and a thoroughly entertaining read.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Orion's (Swordfish imprint) reissue of Gardner's 1st 5 continuation Bond novels is a great opportunity for fans who've only read Fleming (or maybe just Faulks or Deaver's Bonds) to delve further into the back catalogue. For those who don't know, after Fleming's death, the 60s saw Kingsley Amis excellent but poorly publicised Colonel Sun; the 70s had pulp author Christopher Wood's surprisingly good novelisations of 2 Roger Moore films and John Pearson's sometimes great/ sometimes awful James Bond: The Authorised Biography.
In 1981, Ian Fleming's estate decided Bond needed a big literary return. Gardner was a man with as fascinating a background as Fleming, including journalism and WW2 service. He'd started writing swinging 60s Bond parodies but moved towards LeCarre-esque Cold War thrillers, and he certainly took Bond seriously. If you think Faulks and Deaver were given big publicity, Gardner seemed to be everywhere: articles in The Times and photoshoots with guns and cars apparently paid off, as the book spent months atop Bestseller lists. Did it deserve it?
Story: 7/10. At risk of damning it with faint praise, it's solid: think Moonraker or the early parts of Diamonds Are Forever. The plot is strong and stands up well (governments held to ransom when terrorists capture Nuclear powerplants), the execution seems as terrifyingly plausible as Thunderball. The Saab 900 wins you over as a serious driver's car, with enough gadgets to make the battles interesting without giving Bond a get-out-of-jail-free. Bond's updating is pretty good: Gardner confessed later he never really cared for the character but he takes the trouble to get right the self discipline, love of particularity and old school manners.
There are problems though. He doesn't attempt Fleming's voice, and that hurts the longer descriptive passages that can become bogged down in minutiae rather than Fleming's gift for salient detail. The plain speak dialogue and dry humour of old are lost for broader characterisation and flippancy that hit the SIS staff especially badly. The less said about Q'ute the better and several elements are simply under powered: the drab opening, the love interest's a bit insipid, the villain a paler version of predecessors, and we spend too much time on Bond's comings and goings in the castle.
There's lot to like here (some great set pieces- the horse racing, car chase and fight on the plane- made it into the films) and the prose in the latter section in France is much better. Overall, a decent mission statement as Gardner finds his feet. There was much better to come!
In 1981, Ian Fleming's estate decided Bond needed a big literary return. Gardner was a man with as fascinating a background as Fleming, including journalism and WW2 service. He'd started writing swinging 60s Bond parodies but moved towards LeCarre-esque Cold War thrillers, and he certainly took Bond seriously. If you think Faulks and Deaver were given big publicity, Gardner seemed to be everywhere: articles in The Times and photoshoots with guns and cars apparently paid off, as the book spent months atop Bestseller lists. Did it deserve it?
Story: 7/10. At risk of damning it with faint praise, it's solid: think Moonraker or the early parts of Diamonds Are Forever. The plot is strong and stands up well (governments held to ransom when terrorists capture Nuclear powerplants), the execution seems as terrifyingly plausible as Thunderball. The Saab 900 wins you over as a serious driver's car, with enough gadgets to make the battles interesting without giving Bond a get-out-of-jail-free. Bond's updating is pretty good: Gardner confessed later he never really cared for the character but he takes the trouble to get right the self discipline, love of particularity and old school manners.
There are problems though. He doesn't attempt Fleming's voice, and that hurts the longer descriptive passages that can become bogged down in minutiae rather than Fleming's gift for salient detail. The plain speak dialogue and dry humour of old are lost for broader characterisation and flippancy that hit the SIS staff especially badly. The less said about Q'ute the better and several elements are simply under powered: the drab opening, the love interest's a bit insipid, the villain a paler version of predecessors, and we spend too much time on Bond's comings and goings in the castle.
There's lot to like here (some great set pieces- the horse racing, car chase and fight on the plane- made it into the films) and the prose in the latter section in France is much better. Overall, a decent mission statement as Gardner finds his feet. There was much better to come!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Gardner carries the mantal of Bond with aplomb and an obvious flair for spy fiction. The way Gardner writes allows th reader to engross themselves into the world of 007. He divulges more background information than Ian Fleming and the results mean a deeper, more involved read.
Licence Renewed finds Bond up against a highly intelligent nuclear phycisist and meglomaniac Anton Murik. Whilst averting the "China Syndrome", Bond free's the beautiful Lavender Peacok from the clutches of her Guardian. A book that takes you from london to Scotland with a small trip to Perpignon to boot. A thrilling read that will leave you in a cold bath after turning too many pages!
Licence Renewed finds Bond up against a highly intelligent nuclear phycisist and meglomaniac Anton Murik. Whilst averting the "China Syndrome", Bond free's the beautiful Lavender Peacok from the clutches of her Guardian. A book that takes you from london to Scotland with a small trip to Perpignon to boot. A thrilling read that will leave you in a cold bath after turning too many pages!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Lacking imagination
I bought this based on the reviews of other customers: All I can say is that Bondism is a shroud which obscures some readers objectivity. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Martin J. Peach
Better Bond By Far.
Given a mix of 20 Bond books to review, made up of part Fleming and part Gardner it is quite likely that without author credits you would pick John Gardner as the originator of the... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mr. A. Devitt
Bond Turbocharged For The '80s
With the exception of Kingsley Amis (Colonel Sun), the late great John Gardner is the best of the Bond continuation authors by a country mile. Read more
Published 7 months ago by David Craggs
A nice new edition of this 'classic' thriller
The first of John Gardner's `classic' series of James Bond novels that ran from 1981-1995, picks up Ian Fleming's character about twenty years after his last adventure getting the... Read more
Published 9 months ago by P. N. Hussey
James Bond Licence Renewed by James Gardner
First class Bond book. Fitting his skills against evill and saving the world from destruction,very similar to Ian flemings books.Excellent read on a winters night by the fire.
Published 12 months ago by finny
In the thick of it,
Bond is back and at his woman-having, gun toating, experiencing torture best. There is all the usual things you expect from Bond, including odd looking villain, pretty girl in... Read more
Published on 13 Mar 2010 by Ms. K. J. Eveson
Welcome Back Bond
Licence Renwed is the first Bond novel by John Gardner and it is nice to see Bond is back after a 13 year gap since Colonel Sun by Kingsley Amis. Read more
Published on 27 July 2004 by A. D. J. Williams
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