James Bond: The Union Trilogy: Three 007 Novels: High Time to Kill, Doubleshot, Never Dream of Dying (James Bond 007) [Paperback]

Raymond Benson (Author)

Book Description

Series: James Bond 007 | Publication Date: October 2008

"Raymond Benson captures the spirit and pluck of Fleming's 007 in his high-flying spy thrillers."—Chicago Tribune

HIGH TIME TO KILL
This high octane adventure takes 007 from one of England's most exclusive golf clubs to the cosmopolitan city of Brussels, and finally to an expedition up the icy heights of the third tallest peak in the Himalayas.

DOUBLESHOT
The Union has vowed revenge on James Bond and has concocted an ingenious and complex scheme to destroy him. The only way Bond can hold onto his sanity is to embark on a mission that takes him from the seedy underbelly of London's Soho to the souks of Tangier; from a Union training camp in Morocco to the clutches of a deadly Spanish beauty.

NEVER DREAM OF DYING
In the third and final part of the trilogy, James Bond finally comes face to face with the Union's enigmatic leader. The journey eventually takes 007 to a thrilling underwater brush with mortality, a chase through the Corsican wilderness, and a surprise encounter with an old friend.

Plus, the short story "Blast from the Past," never collected in book form before!

Editorial Reviews

Review

It's clear that Benson is the best of the successors to Bond creator Fleming. Fans of Fleming's original novels can pick up a Benson adventure and feel right at home. (Booklist )

About the Author

Between 1996 and 2002, Raymond Benson assumed the mantel of writing the 007 novels. He wrote six Bond novels during that time and three film novelizations. His James Bond Bedside Companion was nominated for an Edgar award. Pegasus Books has brought Benson's Bond books back into print in two collections: James Bond: The Union Trilogy and James Bond: Choice of Weapons.

Product Details

• Paperback: 832 pages
• Publisher: Pegasus (October 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1605980072
• ISBN-13: 978-1605980072
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #302,057 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

As of January 2011, Raymond Benson is the author of twenty-four published books. These include six original JAMES BOND novels (now collected in the recent anthologies THE UNION TRILOGY and CHOICE OF WEAPONS), three 007 film novelizations, and the first two TOM CLANCY'S SPLINTER CELL novels (for the latter he used the pseudonym of "David Michaels"). With John Milius he penned HOMEFRONT: THE VOICE OF FREEDOM. He also wrote the novelizations of the popular videogames--METAL GEAR SOLID and METAL GEAR SOLID 2: SONS OF LIBERTY. Raymond writes his own original suspense books as well--stand alone thrillers such as TORMENT, ARTIFACT OF EVIL, SWEETIE'S DIAMONDS, FACE BLIND, and EVIL HOURS, or his two "Spike Berenger Rock 'n' Roll Hits" featuring a music industry detective--A HARD DAY'S DEATH and DARK SIDE OF THE MORGUE. Coming soon--Raymond's entry in the "Gabriel Hunt" adventures, HUNT THROUGH NAPOLEON'S WEB, and an original thriller, THE BLACK STILETTO. There's a lot more, so if you want the full story visit the author at his website... www.raymondbenson.com!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Three of the best James Bond continuation novels, October 12, 2008

By 

John Cox (Studio City, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: James Bond: The Union Trilogy: Three 007 Novels: High Time to Kill, Doubleshot, Never Dream of Dying (James Bond 007) (Paperback)

This year saw the release of new adult Bond novel, Devil May Care, by the celebrated novelist Sebastian Faulks, and the press frequently said it was the first James Bond novel since Ian Fleming. Not true. There have be over a dozen "continuation novels", including six books by Raymond Benson (author of the The James Bond Bedside Companion).

All of Benson's Bond novels are terrific 007 adventures (all set in present day), and he really hit his stride with these three books, which are loosely connected and form a "trilogy" within his series (similar to Fleming's "Blofeld Trilogy"). High Time To Kill is, IMO, one of the very best James Bond novels ever written, taking Bond to Tibet for a high altitude mountaineering adventure. Doubleshot is a bold and experimental Bond novel which finds Bond mentally impaired (due to injuries in the last book) to the point of fearing he may be going insane. Never Dream of Dying is a fantastic book with Raymond's best female character and relationship.

With Benson's Bond novels now all out of print, it's great to have these novels collected. For those who read Devil May Care and are craving more post Fleming 007, this is the book for you.

But what's most exciting about this release for me is that it includes the full and uncut version of "Blast From The Past," Benson's first James Bond short story. This story was only ever published in Playboy, and this full version has never before been published in English.

Here's hoping Benson's remaining Bond novels (and short stories) will be collected as well.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank Benson for the Daniel Craig Bond, October 17, 2008

By 

Mark P. Rodrigues (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: James Bond: The Union Trilogy: Three 007 Novels: High Time to Kill, Doubleshot, Never Dream of Dying (James Bond 007) (Paperback)

Raymond Benson brings us an updated 007 that offers more depth than the cardboard action figure seen in many of the movies. In The Union Trilogy, we find a James Bond with fears, vulnerabilities, depression and passions that allow us to care about the character himself, and not just about what he does next. Benson also delivers the familiar as well: Our favorite secret agent finds himself scaling new heights of intrigue (the Himalayan Mt. Kangch) and we get a double shot of bond girls.

The first of the three novels in the Trilogy, High Time to Kill, Benson cites as his personal favorite. That is a significant endorsement from Benson, the person most consider the leading Bond expert in the world (author of the The James Bond Bedside Companion). I personally enjoyed Benson's The Man With a Red Tattoo, a continuation of Fleming's You Only Live Twice story. Here again, The Union Trilogy delivers because it includes for the first time in English, the short story, Blast From the Past. Blast ties up ends left dangling in Twice.

The complexity we see portrayed on the screen by Daniel Craig's 007 owes much to the Benson Bond and the novels included with the Trilogy.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Bond Adventures, October 7, 2008

By 

John Cork (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: James Bond: The Union Trilogy: Three 007 Novels: High Time to Kill, Doubleshot, Never Dream of Dying (James Bond 007) (Paperback)

Raymond Benson tackled an assignment as tough as any James Bond has ever taken - continuing the literary legacy of 007. Fleming's shoes are hard to fill, and Mr. Benson does it with style in the Union Trilogy. More than the great adventures and twisting plots, Benson immerses the reader in details that set not just a time and place, but an attitude of the characters. What Fleming brought to Bond was a casual flair for identifying the world 007 travelled through. Benson captures this Fleming quality in his own voice, and never better than in these three adventures. These tales do not ape the master, but rather they are worthy successors, good spy adventures in their own right. Best to be read on a ship, plane or in a sleeper car traveling through Europe or Asia...or at least read while wishing one were there!