Customer Reviews

Never Dream Of Dying

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

As a long time 007 fan, I have just re-read all of Raymond Benson's Bond novels in the proper order and have some reflections on his entire series through "Never Dream of Dying." First of all, Benson is not Ian Fleming and readers should get past that expectation before beginning. He's not John Gardner, either (thank goodness!). That said, I believe Benson has come the closest to Ian Fleming of all the post-Fleming writers in that he has truly captured the essence of Bond's character and the universe in which 007 operates. It is a fantasy spy world, not based in reality, just as Fleming's was, but like Bond's creator, Benson keeps the main character very human. Benson's Bond makes mistakes, shows fear, feels pain, and is melancholy much of the time. At the same time, Benson has brought in many elements of the Bond film series (I have read an interview with him that states that he and the Ian Fleming Estate agreed that this would be the approach to take). Therefore, Benson's Bond is a mixture of the cinematic and literary Bonds, and for me, this works splendidly. I have seen some fans object to this or that but it seems to me that these fans are not getting past personal expectations. Bond is many things to many people. Benson, a long time Bond scholar and author of the excellent "James Bond Bedside Companion" knows his stuff. He has nailed the Bond character. Some have complained about his writing style. Benson is no Fleming, as stated earlier, but his style is succinct and easy to read. His books flow quickly and are highly entertaining. "ZERO MINUS TEN": Benson's first book has one of his best plots, but it suffers slightly from being a "first novel." His writing is at its weakest here, but that said, ZMT is a wonderful Bond story. It is very Fleming-esque with its Hong Kong location, characters like Guy Thackeray and T. Y. Woo and Li Xu Nan, and its descriptions of food, mahjong, and Triads. When reading ZMT, one is immediately aware that this is a harder-edged and darker Bond than perhaps what we are used to. For a first effort, it is very, very good. "THE FACTS OF DEATH": Benson's second book is more film-like, it feels like an EON Productions movie story. The plot is more "fantastic" in that it deals with a secret criminal organization called the Decada that is run by a crazy mastermind. The writing is improved,though, and in many ways this is a more entertaining book than ZMT. What is especially interesting is Benson's development of the "M" character and her relationship with Bond. "HIGH TIME TO KILL": My personal favorite of the bunch. This is a classic Bond novel in every sense of the word. The first half is fairly predictable cinematic-Bond stuff, except for a very Fleming-esque opening and 2nd chapter golf match. The second half, however, shows Benson hitting his stride and finding his own voice with a truly original departure from what is expected. As Bond and companions climb one of the highest peaks in the Himalayas, the action becomes more like an "Into Thin Air"-type story. It's authentic spy-stuff amidst an environment that is cruel and harsh. This is a thrilling, un-put-downable book. "DOUBLESHOT": Another departure from the norm, as Benson appears to be experimenting with the structure of a Bond novel with this one. The first chapter is the ending of the book told from the different perspectives of several characters. The rest of the story begins in the past and catches up to the ending, and by then we are hooked. In this story, Bond is not well, he is injured, he is not working at full capacity, and this is what is interesting. "Doubleshot" is the middle book of a loose trilogy (beginning with "High Time to Kill") and it is darker and more introspective than the others. Some fans apparently didn't get it, but in many ways, this is Benson's most courageous book. "NEVER DREAM OF DYING": Another great one, right up there with "High Time to Kill," in terms of glueing a reader to the page. It's an excellent plot, tying up the trilogy that Benson began in HTTK. In this book, one can see the blending of the cinematic and literary Bonds more than in any other entry-- a lot of the action is very movie-like, while the storyline and characterizations are more like the Fleming novels. The moods and settings are the best that Benson has done, and the love interest is perhaps his strongest. The real stroke of brilliance in the book is what the author has done with the character of Bond's father in law. A very engaging book. My five-star review is based on Benson's series as a whole. Each book may not be a 5-star book on its own, but I don't think any of them are less than 4. Benson has put his mark on the Bond literary series. Fans who don't like him tend to focus on one or two aspects of what he does-- his writing style, his dependence on the cinematic elements, whatever... I feel that they're not seeing the forest for the trees. In my humble opinion, Raymond Benson has brought new life to the series and I hope he continues the books a long, long time.

Say what you will about Benson's novels, he always strives to bridge the literary links between Fleming's originals and his own Bond adventures. 007's latest outing brings Bond face to face with Le Gerant, the mysterious mastermind behind the Union -- the deadly crime cartel Bond has battled in the previous two novels.

Bond meets up with an old ally, Frenchman Rene Mathis who first appeared in Casino Royale, the Bond book that spawned the series. But perhaps more notably, Bond is reacquainted with his father-in-law, Marc-Ange Draco (On Her Majesty's Secret Service.) One of Fleming's most colorful and memorable characters, Draco's life since the death of Tracy -- Bond's murdered wife -- remained a mystery to readers, and I'm sure many of us wondered what became of his relationship with Bond in the subsequent years. Benson takes an enormous chance re-introducing a character of this stature, but somehow pulls it off.

Never Dream of Dying has Bond back as the dogged assassin, and thanks to Benson's decision to limit the plot to a few well exploited locales, we're given more than glimpse of the historical Corsica, and the lavish Cannes. Unlike the film makers, Fleming was always smart enough to realize that the setting was as much a part of his novels as any character. By the end of a Fleming novel, and now a Benson novel, we feel as though we've lived a bit of the locale instead of just gotten off the bus for a couple of snapshots.

My strongest recommendation for Never Dream of Dying comes not for it's tight plot, but for Benson's characterization of Bond, himself. He seems wiser, more hardened and, as a whole, more complete as a character. Cheers to you, Raymond, for continuing to take the job seriously, and for working so hard to get it right.

Well, Benson is known for his Bondian scholarship, and it shows in this book as in all his others. When he first came to the franchise I was impressed by his little 'Fleming' touches - detailed gambling scenes, precisely named gadgets and so on - but after a few books I'm getting a bit bored with it all.

I didn't think this was a bad book, just that it wasn't a great book either. Having hit on the Bond formula, Benson seems content to tread water, writing the same style (though thankfully not the same story) over and over again.

Is it time for another author to take over the franchise? I think I'd like to see each new Bond book written by a different author, each bringing something of his or her own style to the series. But would that destroy that magical 'Bondness' that we all love? I just don't know.

Raymond Benson has done something that no other Bond author has done. He has taken the literary James Bond into the film business. This was a bold move for Benson, seeing as some of the hardcore Bond fans might not like the idea. However, this bold move deserves the highest praise. It not only provides for a new realm that Bond has never been to. It also makes NEVER DREAM OF DYING a great read.

After a botched raid on a French film studio, James Bond is under pressure and having to deal with lots of red tape. However, an unusual breakthrough in the Union case puts Bond back to work. The mission will send him to France and Monaco where he will meet up with an assorted cast of characters. Some these characters are the lovely Tylnn Mingnonne, his long-time colleague Rene Mathis, and even his father-in-law Marc-Ange Draco. To add Draco in the storyline to close up gaps that Fleming left was another brave move on Benson's part. Yet, it worked out and was a pleasant and unpleasant part of the story. There are many elements to NEVER DREAM OF DYING which make it great. Buy the book to find out.

Raymond Benson took a chance with this fine book. It was well worth it though in my opinion. Benson has remained true to the original Bond of days of old. Most people seem to dislike this. This is merely because they are so used to the action-filled films, that they cannot appreciate Bond for the way he was created. To see Benson keep true with the Bond of Fleming's day earns him praise not only for this great book, but for being a great, bold and innovative author. NEVER DREAM OF DYING is a great book for many reasons. Bond's first outting into the film world makes NEVER DREAM OF DYING a book that you should buy.

In this new Bond adventure, Bond partners up with French Agent (I'm not sure) Mathis to take down the Union once and for all, an organization who stops at nothing just to make trouble, by taking down their blind, but dangerous boss, Le Gerant. This book, as I would say, is the sequel to Benson's books High Time To Kill and Doubleshot, and he's successfully ended this trilogy. From beginning to end, I couldn't stop reading this book. Benson may not write like Fleming or Gardner, but he writes an even better Bond. His books have more action and suspense. Although, this may be a little disappointing for Bond fans since the story is not as classic like Goldfinger and Dr. No, but anyone who likes something with action, love, and is in need for a book this summer should be looking into this book before they skip this. Overall, it's Benson at his best.

007 again faces The Union with its enigmatic boss Le Gerant, only now we're close enough to know that he's a blind man who doesn't need a cane to move around--he can sense where he is and what's around him. We've learned in earlier books that The Union is a descendent of the old Union Corse from the "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" days. Plus, the Union Corse's old boss--Marc Ange Draco--is still alive. Another thing Marc Ange was--for a few hours he was Bond's father in law by virtue of Bond's all too brief marriage to his daughter Teresa "Tracy" DiVienzo. The post-Fleming Bonds have all suffered from a time warp paradox--Fleming's Bond was a British naval veteran of World War II, which would make him about 75 by "real time". Previous books by both New Bond authors have almost ignored events of the Fleming epoch as a way of dodging that paradox. But one point of amusement in this book is the way Bond has bought the auctioned-off "Goldfinger" car--only to wish it still had all the cool gadgets it did when it was still in Q's charge.

Raymond Benson's latest Bond novel literally, has it all! "Never Dream of Dying" is a classic Bond novel in the tradition of "From Russia with Love". The adversaries Bond faces, the evil UNION, are the best group of Bond villians since SPECTRE. And the head of the UNION, Le Gerant, is the most evil, ingenious, and ruthless Bond villian since Blofeld.

While on the trail of Le Gerant, Bond meets beautiful movie star Tylyn Mignonne. James Bond has not had such a genuine romance since Tracy in OHMSS, and it is great to see Bond head-over-heels in love.

You need not be a Bond fan to enjoy this novel. Any John Grisham or Tom Clancy fan will be thrilled by this book as well.

And Bond film producers, if you are out there, this novel MUST be made into a film! It has all the classic elements of the early Bond films.

Raymond Benson is ruining the James Bond series. Each novel has gotten consistently worse. In this novel, Benson ruins the relationship between Bond and Draco, in a twist that should only be in movies. Which brings me to the point that Benson writes his novels like a movie. Although highly imaginative, not traditional Bond fare. He also constantly refers back to old Bond novels, as if he can't think of his own words for particular pieces of a novel. If anyone is planning to buy this, I urge you not to and instead buy a novel by Fleming from a used bookstore.

As a long time 007 fan, I have just re-read all of Raymond Benson's Bond novels in the proper order and have some reflections on his entire series through "Never Dream of Dying." First of all, Benson is not Ian Fleming and readers should get past that expectation before beginning. He's not John Gardner, either (thank goodness!). That said, I believe Benson has come the closest to Ian Fleming of all the post-Fleming writers in that he has truly captured the essence of Bond's character and the universe in which 007 operates. It is a fantasy spy world, not based in reality, just as Fleming's was, but like Bond's creator, Benson keeps the main character very human. Benson's Bond makes mistakes, shows fear, feels pain, and is melancholy much of the time. At the same time, Benson has brought in many elements of the Bond film series (I have read an interview with him that states that he and the Ian Fleming Estate agreed that this would be the approach to take). Therefore, Benson's Bond is a mixture of the cinematic and literary Bonds, and for me, this works splendidly. I have seen some fans object to this or that but it seems to me that these fans are not getting past personal expectations. Bond is many things to many people. Benson, a long time Bond scholar and author of the excellent "James Bond Bedside Companion" knows his stuff. He has nailed the Bond character. Some have complained about his writing style. Benson is no Fleming, as stated earlier, but his style is succinct and easy to read. His books flow quickly and are highly entertaining. "ZERO MINUS TEN": Benson's first book has one of his best plots, but it suffers slightly from being a "first novel." His writing is at its weakest here, but that said, ZMT is a wonderful Bond story. It is very Fleming-esque with its Hong Kong location, characters like Guy Thackeray and T. Y. Woo and Li Xu Nan, and its descriptions of food, mahjong, and Triads. When reading ZMT, one is immediately aware that this is a harder-edged and darker Bond than perhaps what we are used to. For a first effort, it is very, very good. "THE FACTS OF DEATH": Benson's second book is more film-like, it feels like an EON Productions movie story. The plot is more "fantastic" in that it deals with a secret criminal organization called the Decada that is run by a crazy mastermind. The writing is improved, though, and in many ways this is a more entertaining book than ZMT. What is especially interesting is Benson's development of the "M" character and her relationship with Bond. "HIGH TIME TO KILL": My personal favorite of the bunch. This is a classic Bond novel in every sense of the word. The first half is fairly predictable cinematic-Bond stuff, except for a very Fleming-esque opening and 2nd chapter golf match. The second half, however, shows Benson hitting his stride and finding his own voice with a truly original departure from what is expected. As Bond and companions climb one of the highest peaks in the Himalayas, the action becomes more like an "Into Thin Air"-type story. It's authentic spy-stuff amidst an environment that is cruel and harsh. This is a thrilling, un-put-downable book. "DOUBLESHOT": Another departure from the norm, as Benson appears to be experimenting with the structure of a Bond novel with this one. The first chapter is the ending of the book told from the different perspectives of several characters. The rest of the story begins in the past and catches up to the ending, and by then we are hooked. In this story, Bond is not well, he is injured, he is not working at full capacity, and this is what is interesting. "Doubleshot" is the middle book of a loose trilogy (beginning with "High Time to Kill") and it is darker and more introspective than the others. Some fans apparently didn't get it, but in many ways, this is Benson's most courageous book. "NEVER DREAM OF DYING": Another great one, right up there with "High Time to Kill," in terms of glueing a reader to the page. It's an excellent plot, tying up the trilogy that Benson began in HTTK. In this book, one can see the blending of the cinematic and literary Bonds more than in any other entry-- a lot of the action is very movie-like, while the storyline and characterizations are more like the Fleming novels. The moods and settings are the best that Benson has done, and the love interest is perhaps his strongest. The real stroke of brilliance in the book is what the author has done with the character of Bond's father in law. A very engaging book. My five-star review is based on Benson's series as a whole. Each book may not be a 5-star book on its own, but I don't think any of them are less than 4. Benson has put his mark on the Bond literary series. Fans who don't like him tend to focus on one or two aspects of what he does-- his writing style, his dependence on the cinematic elements, whatever... I feel that they're not seeing the forest for the trees. In my humble opinion, Raymond Benson has brought new life to the series and I hope he continues the books a long, long time.

The final part of Benson's Union trilogy fails to build on the previous work, "Doubleshot" (2000), and is another weak effort from him. I think the real problem lies in the fact that Benson just hasn't taken into account that the character of James Bond has moved on considerably from Fleming's original creation, and in order to keep pace with the cinematic version the novels need to have more action and excitement than ever before. John Gardner recognised this but tried to remain true to the literary Bond, not always successfully I'll admitt !!!, but Benson just doesn't seem to appreciate this. As a result he tends to write these limp thrillers that lack the pace of the movies, indeed the average pre-credit sequence of one of the films contains more excitement and spectacle than almost this entire novel. Also Benson has a terrible tendacy to treat Bond like a moron, taking far too long for 007 to put the pieces together in a plot that the average reader will have figured out after the first couple of chapters. The emphasis here is that Bond is an "intelligence" agent, not some "stupid policeman" (* as quoted by Dr No in the film !!!) and should NEVER be portrayed as such. Finally this novel has some surprising similarities to John Gardner's somewhat weak effort "Never Send Flowers" (1993), in that both involve the film industry in some respect and both end with a plot to blow up royalty !!! Sorry to say but at the price of hardback novels now this kind of effort just isn't worth it, so my advice to anyone considering buying this novel, wait for the paperback.