Customer Reviews

The Bond Files: The Unofficial Guide to the World's Secret Agent

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have over a thousand James Bond books on my shelf. But when I need a Bondian factoid, this is the only book I reach for (and is always the only one I ever need). What sets The Bond Files apart from ALL the other books about Bond is that it does not stop at just the Fleming novels and/or the official films. It has everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, including the continuation novels, videogames, James Bond Jr., role-playing games, the Daily Express comic strips, etc. etc. Sure, some errors creep in here and there, but that's forgivable considering the sheer volume of info here. And as far as the authors opinions clashing with my own...who cares!? I don't reach for this book for opinions, I reach for it for dates, plots, locations, character names; the facts.

My only wish is for a new updated edition. Not only have we had a new film since the last edition, but we've had several new novels and videogames, as well as reprints of the Daily Express comic strips that the authors hadn't access to in 2002. So, please, if you're out there Andy and Paul...bring us an updated edition of The Bond Files. This is THE manual for Bond fans.

Unfortunately I can not recommend this book. I used to welcome books about James Bond because they were far and few to be found in the world of publishing. This book falls into the plethora of recent publications about Ian Fleming's creation. Being part of that trend this book carries the stigma of glaring inaccuracies when it tackles Ian Fleming's written word. Many authors do not do their homework and the research into the actual words that Fleming put to paper. Fleming's sublime knowledge into the world of espionage, esoteric life styles and curiosity pieces is something analogous to the riddle of the Sphinx because in many instances the reader either misunderstands Fleming's prose or the reader just glosses over his words totally oblivious to the intent Fleming implied. Hell's belle's.

It's unclear why two people who clearly loathe James Bond would bother to write a book about the legendary spy. My only guess is that this book was commissioned by Vin Diesel to kill off James Bond and clear the way for more movies in the XXX series, the gen-X James Bond wannabe.

Andy Lane and Paul Simpson have almost nothing kind to say about any of the films. For example, the description of every film's credit sequence is in a section called "cringe-worthy title sequence." This is strange considering that the millions of Bond fans around the world love the title sequences, one of the most sacred components of the 007 formula. (Yet the authors praised the witless title sequence from the dull Never Say Never Again, which seemed straight from a television film).

Another section for each film is entitled "Mistakes Can Be Fatal," in which the authors try to be clever and witty by exposing errors, but instead only demonstrate they don't have a clue about logic and continuity. For example, they state that in GoldenEye it's illogical for a dam to be in the mountains (?!). Well, I live in the mountains, and there are a couple dams nearby.

Worse, the book provides little behind-the-scenes information; most of the information in the book can be gleaned from imdb.com or a DVD cover, or just watching the movie.

I feel sorry for anyone who reads this book. I pity even more the authors, who clearly wasted a lot of their time, which would have perhaps been better spent playing bocce ball or pitching a Remo Williams sequel.

There have been many excellent guides written about the James Bond phenomena and this is one of the best. Having used the Bond films and books in the classroom before I retired I wished I were back in action with this book. While much of the information is known, if you have read all the books and seen all the films as I have as well as books about Bond, it is a neatly written and a very comprehensive guide. It compares very well with the superior James Bond Bedside Companion by Raymond Benson and The Complete James Bond Movie Encyclopedia which is probably then best book on the Bond films ever put together. This one also covers comic strips, games, and other areas not touched outside of the James Bond Fan Club and is handy to carry. In the spirit of the original author I enjoyed reading through it on plane flights, one of the places Ian Fleming claimed his books were intended for.

What can I say? This is one of the best books ever written about James Bond. It tackles every single medium Bond has appeared in, from Ian Flemming's novels to the unwatchable series James Bond Jr. There's plenty of behind the scenes info and some best (No, I expect you to die) and worst (I'll buy you a delecatessen in stainless steel) lines. There's even a comprehensive list of flubs for each book and film. Overall, a must-buy for anyone who loves Bond.