Licence Renewed (Licence) [Hardcover]

John Gardner (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0224019414 | ISBN-13: 978-0224019415 | Publication Date: May 21, 1981 | Edition: First Edition

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...

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Gardner served with the Fleet Air Arm and Royal Marines before embarking on a long career as a thriller writer, including international bestsellers THE NOSTRADAMUS TRAITOR and THE GARDEN OF WEAPONS. In 1981 he was commissioned by the Ian Fleming Estate to revive James Bond in a brand new series of novels.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 270 pages
• Publisher: Jonathon Cape; First Edition edition (May 21, 1981)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0224019414
• ISBN-13: 978-0224019415
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,630,339 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Have No Fear John Gardner is Here!, September 13, 2000

By 

hille2000 "hille2000" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: License Renewed (Mass Market Paperback)

John Gardner's first James Bond novel is outstanding, a magnificent achievement!

He has completely revitalized Bond. The worldly agent that Ian Fleming created is back here to stay. Bond is an even more dangerous and brilliant on these page than he ever was! He puts his life on the line and lets it role!

The villain, Anton Murik Laird of Murcaldy, is an enduring version of the classic Fleming scoundrel. He is a worthy opponent, for the new daring do Bond.

Gardner definitely has something of substance to add to the Fleming library.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Start for Gardner's Bond, November 26, 2001

By 

jeu8478 "jeu8478" (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: License Renewed (Hardcover)

James Bond enters the eighties in "License Renewed", John Gardner's first Bond book. Although Gardner's novels have had a fair share of criticism, "License Renewed" is a good read and fairly exciting, as Bond goes up against a madman who also happens to be a nuclear physicist. Although not a perfect book (the requisite Bond girl is a little bland), it is a good one, and a wonderful way to pass the time while waiting for the next James Bond movie to come out.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars BOND RETURNS, GARDNER PAYS HOMAGE TO FLEMING, February 22, 2007

By 

Red Wings 11 Cups "Yzerfan" (Ohio, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: License Renewed (Paperback)

The literary James Bond (who is, by the way, VERY DIFFERENT than the celluloid Bond) had not made an appearance since 1968's 'Colonel Sun' (the only Bond title written by Kinsley Amis who took over for Ian Fleming's master spy). Fleming created Bond and wrote 14 novels (his last: 'Octopussy & The Living Daylights') was published in 1966.

Much had changed since 1968, and the 80's brought upon a cultural revolution of chemical excess and sexual conservatism. How would Bond fare now - how would he evolve and reappear in 1981?

I'm glad to report that 007 makes a very solid debut!

English author John Gardner was given the torch and he certainly showed that he could carry it, and then some. His writing style is very similar to Fleming's with his description of Bond's adversaries, character development and own cultural revelations (i.e. dress, food, etc.): subjects Fleming wrote about in earnest. Sure Bond doesn't party like he used to, but his relationships with women hadn't changed. Fleming's Bond was not the master conquestor that he is in the films, and he's not here either.

This is quite surprising as the film Bond was all about overblown and overproduced missions, gadgets and locations.

The story centers around nuclear holocaust, and the main antagonists are Dr. Anton Murik (a nuclear physicist), Caber (Murik's bodyguard), Mary Jane Mashkin (Anton's mistress), Franco (a hitman), and Lavender Peacock (who may or may not be on Bond's side).

The closest this Bond comes to the theatrical one, is in his love for cars and gadgets. This Bond is much more gadget-friendly than the 60's Bond.

I'm not too sure why this book gets ripped on here at Amazon, but Fleming was not a fast-paced writer and nor is Gardner. They both are more interested in solid character development and don't procure too many crazy stunts or situations which are plentiful in the movies.

There are many "can't put it down moments" in this one such as the passages where 007 wrestles Caber, Bond's stay in Murik's castle, the fashion show, and the plane ride near the end.

I found the book to be very enjoyable, and Gardner did a great job of taking Bond into the 80's while still maintaining continuity (grammatical and narrative) to the 60's novels by Fleming.

Welcome back 007...we missed you!!

Previous book in the series: COLONEL SUN - 1968.
Following book in the series: FOR SPECIAL SERVICES - 1982.