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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great to have Benson's Bond back., August 9, 2010
This review is from: James Bond: Choice of Weapons: Three 007 Novels: The Facts of Death; Zero Minus Ten; The Man with the Red Tattoo (James Bond 007) (Paperback)
I am so pleased that Raymond Benson's Bond novels are being reprinted in this and the previous collection, "The Union Trilogy." It's also a treat to have his two short stories as an added bonus. For those of us who strongly feel that Benson was the best and most reverent Bond novelists to carry on Fleming's tradition, and who are still wincing with embarrassment over the limp and impoverished posturings of "Devil May Care," any chance to encourage others to revisit or discover the pleasures of Benson's sure-handed Bond novels is welcome. I especially like the claustrophobic and suspenseful action of The Facts of Death as a personal favorite of these three novels, but all three demonstrate Benson's attention to details whether it's exotic locales, cultural traditions or sophisticated weaponry. This collection is a must-have for all Bond completists, and I believe Benson's contributions to the Bond canon will not only withstand the test of time but with every passing year, will prove to be in a league all by themselves. Thank you to the publishers of this and the "Union Trilogy" reissues.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Le jamesbonderie, August 15, 2010
This review is from: James Bond: Choice of Weapons: Three 007 Novels: The Facts of Death; Zero Minus Ten; The Man with the Red Tattoo (James Bond 007) (Paperback)
After John Gardner's tenure as the official James Bond novelist came limping to an undistinguished end, the Ian Fleming estate asked Raymond Benson to revivify the literary 007 series. Rather like Timothy Dalton inheriting the film role from Roger Moore, the new guy was tasked with returning the "real" James Bond to us, which he did in sparkling -- if, at times, underappreciated -- fashion.
It's a real treat to have these three stand-alone Bond adventures gathered into one volume; they represent the first, second, and sixth (and final) entries in Benson's contribution to the saga. Comparisons among the post-Fleming 007 authors is a rather pointless task, but Benson consistently -- and accurately -- NAILED the Bond character and the fantasy universe he inhabited. These three novels read and feel like the real thing: it's not Ian Fleming, of course, but it IS James Bond.
The French have a word for it: le jamesbonderie. Strictly speaking, James Bond stories aren't spy or espionage fiction, they're heroic fantasy disguised as contemporary thrillers. These three novels give the reader the amazing villains, the delicious heroines, the high-stakes gaming, the fabulous meals and luxurious travel which are part and parcel of Fleming's fictional world. Le jamesbonderie. James Bond is sent to exotic locations as England's single combat warrior to foil the apocalyptic schemes of just-this-short-of-lunatic bad guys; we have a ringside seat. He (and we) meet interesting people: stalwart allies, beautiful girls, brutish henchmen, and femmes fatales. You know, le jamesbonderie!
Newcomers to the literary James Bond will find this a welcome introduction to a character slightly different than his screen incarnation. Old 007 hands will be pleased to add this volume to their collection.
Terrific stuff!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you are a fan of the James Bond series, this fantastic book is a great buy., August 12, 2011
This review is from: James Bond: Choice of Weapons: Three 007 Novels: The Facts of Death; Zero Minus Ten; The Man with the Red Tattoo (James Bond 007) (Paperback)
Having read all of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels, I did not find the other previous bond writers very compelling and I stopped reading James Bond novels. This all changed when I met the author of this giant volume and decided to invest some money, time and effort to read this text. This volume has three full length James Bond novels, Zero Minus Ten, The Facts of Death and The Man with the Red Tattoo. It also contains two short stories, Live at Five and Midsummer Night's Doom.
All of these novels and short stories were excellent. It is clear this author understands the Bond personality and 007's various interests and quirks. The first story, Zero Minus Ten has Bond in Hong Kong to investigate the takeover by China of that city. The second novel, Facts of Death pits Bond against a fanatical cult. The third book, The Man with the Red Tattoo has Bond dealing with a biological attack involving a variation of the West Nile virus. This is also the most action packed story.
The two short stories were also good reads, but I personally enjoyed the Midsummer Night's Doom the best. In this short story 007 solves a crime while at the famous Playboy mansion.
In conclusion, I personally loved reading these Bond novels so much that I intend to read more of Raymond Benson's books in the future. His writing is clear, concise and flows beautifully. In my opinion, other than Ian Fleming, who is the creator of the James Bond series, of all the other writers who also wrote James Bond novels, Benson is the best.
Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Predator Hunter: A Warrior's Memoir)
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