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James Bond - Extended Series #50
On His Majesty’s Secret Service
BOND SAVE THE KING
Æthelstan of Wessex is England's worst nightmare. He's declared himself the rightful heir to the throne and plans to change the course of history. With his private army backing him, he might just succeed.
007 is England's last hope to thwart this deadly plan to turn the Coronation of King Charles III into a state funeral. If M can count on anyone to save the day, it's Bond... James Bond.
Charlie Higson, the author of the bestselling Young Bond series, returns to the world of James Bond for this blockbuster adventure of deception, where the future of the country hangs in the balance.
Æthelstan of Wessex is England's worst nightmare. He's declared himself the rightful heir to the throne and plans to change the course of history. With his private army backing him, he might just succeed.
007 is England's last hope to thwart this deadly plan to turn the Coronation of King Charles III into a state funeral. If M can count on anyone to save the day, it's Bond... James Bond.
Charlie Higson, the author of the bestselling Young Bond series, returns to the world of James Bond for this blockbuster adventure of deception, where the future of the country hangs in the balance.
161 pages, Hardcover
First published May 4, 2023
67 people are currently reading
371 people want to read
About the author
Charlie Higson
84 books1,507 followersHigson was educated at Sevenoaks School and at the University of East Anglia (where his brother has taught since 1986 and is now a professor of film studies) where he met Paul Whitehouse, David Cummings and Terry Edwards. Higson, Cummings and Edwards formed the band The Higsons of which Higson was the lead singer from 1980 to 1986. They released two singles on the Specials' 2-Tone label. Higson then became a plasterer before he turned to writing for Harry Enfield with Paul Whitehouse and performing comedy. He came to public attention as one of the main writers and performers of the BBC Two sketch show The Fast Show (1994-2000). He worked with Whitehouse on the radio comedy Down the Line and is to work with him again on a television project, designed to be a spoof of celebrity travel programmes.[1:]
He worked as producer, writer, director and occasional guest star on Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) from 2000 to 2001. Subsequent television work has included writing and starring in BBC Three's Fast Show spin-off sitcom Swiss Toni. He is currently starring in Tittybangbang series 3 on BBC Three and has appeared as a panellist on QI.
He published four novels through the early to mid 1990s which take a slightly dystopian look at everyday life and have a considerably more adult tone than his other work, with characters on the margins of society finding themselves spiraling out of control, leading him to be described by Time Out as 'The missing link between Dick Emery and Brett Easton Ellis' [2:]
In 2004, it was announced that Higson would pen a series of James Bond novels, aimed at younger readers and concentrating on the character's school-days at Eton. Higson was himself educated at Sevenoaks School where he was a contemporary of Jonathan Evans, current Director General of MI5. The first novel, SilverFin, was released on 3 March 2005 in the UK and on 27 April 2005 in the U.S. A second novel, Blood Fever, was released on 5 January 2006 in the UK and 1 June in the U.S. The third novel, Double or Die, was published on 4 January 2007 having had its title announced the day before. The next, Hurricane Gold, came out in hardcover in the UK in September 2007.[3:]In this year he also made a debut performance on the panel show QI. His final Young Bond novel, By Royal Command, was released in hardcover in the UK on the 3 September 2008.[4:]
Charlie has signed a deal to pen a new series of children's books for Puffin. According to the author, "They are going to be action adventures, but with a horror angle
He worked as producer, writer, director and occasional guest star on Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) from 2000 to 2001. Subsequent television work has included writing and starring in BBC Three's Fast Show spin-off sitcom Swiss Toni. He is currently starring in Tittybangbang series 3 on BBC Three and has appeared as a panellist on QI.
He published four novels through the early to mid 1990s which take a slightly dystopian look at everyday life and have a considerably more adult tone than his other work, with characters on the margins of society finding themselves spiraling out of control, leading him to be described by Time Out as 'The missing link between Dick Emery and Brett Easton Ellis' [2:]
In 2004, it was announced that Higson would pen a series of James Bond novels, aimed at younger readers and concentrating on the character's school-days at Eton. Higson was himself educated at Sevenoaks School where he was a contemporary of Jonathan Evans, current Director General of MI5. The first novel, SilverFin, was released on 3 March 2005 in the UK and on 27 April 2005 in the U.S. A second novel, Blood Fever, was released on 5 January 2006 in the UK and 1 June in the U.S. The third novel, Double or Die, was published on 4 January 2007 having had its title announced the day before. The next, Hurricane Gold, came out in hardcover in the UK in September 2007.[3:]In this year he also made a debut performance on the panel show QI. His final Young Bond novel, By Royal Command, was released in hardcover in the UK on the 3 September 2008.[4:]
Charlie has signed a deal to pen a new series of children's books for Puffin. According to the author, "They are going to be action adventures, but with a horror angle
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
May 5, 2023
With five excellent young adult novels, featuring a teenage James Bond, under his belt author Charlie Higson semmed like a good choice to pen a topical adult Bond book. On His Majesrty's Secret Servive is set around the coronation of King Charles III & 007 needs to prevent AEthelstan of Wessex from taking over the thrown. Reminds me a little of the plot from the comedy spy film Johnny English, but I digress!
Ian Fleming Publications approached Higson about this project in February, he wrote the book in March & it went to the printers in April.....& therein lies the problem. With a novel (even one as short as this) written at such speed there was little time for Higson to develop decent characters or a gripping plot.
I found this to be a story that passed the time & it was little more than James Bond by numbers. Perhaps if Charlie Higson writes another Bond adventure he'll be given more time to produce something as good as his Young Bond series. I certainly hope so.
Ian Fleming Publications approached Higson about this project in February, he wrote the book in March & it went to the printers in April.....& therein lies the problem. With a novel (even one as short as this) written at such speed there was little time for Higson to develop decent characters or a gripping plot.
I found this to be a story that passed the time & it was little more than James Bond by numbers. Perhaps if Charlie Higson writes another Bond adventure he'll be given more time to produce something as good as his Young Bond series. I certainly hope so.
May 14, 2023
Credit where it's due, Higson managed to write this at short notice to tie in with the coronation, and all profits go to the National Literacy Trust. Most of this short book is enjoyable, but let down by a weak villain and equally weak evil plan. Higson writes well, but lays on the politics a bit too thick and obvious. Could he write a decent full-length Bond adult novel? I'm not convinced he could set aside his own personal beliefs to really let the character breathe. Nice touches with references to very recent events, and a great in-joke about the King's being particular about his writing pen. 3.5*
May 10, 2023
Worse than No Time To Die. No character development, thin uninspired plot and far too preachy woke. A shame since the Young Bond series is awesome but this feels more like a first draft.
September 10, 2023
I read James Bond years ago but picked up this book on a whim. It was horrendous. I was curious afterwards and did some research and it did answer some questions, but a book written in such a short time can only answer some questions about the many flaws.
A description of a character as promoting Covid/ vaccines/ mask wearing, anti-immigration, anti-EU, anti-BBC, anti-MSM, anti-cultural Marxism, climate change denial all show how the author has let his political beliefs impact his writing and the story. I was half expecting it to be a farce of a book.
Bond has a moment of introspection about disliking a hired killer, and the author states that this could be due to some self-loathing because they both kill people.
'a ridiculously hench henchman has a six pack ridged like a Toblerone' and 'd!ck waving skyscraper' are genuine descriptions in the book, which really does set the tone for the book. The writing is so bad that a guy who had a twitter account posting pictures of excerpts of the book, took them down because he felt so bad for how people were mocking the writing.
Trying to finish this book was a trial and while I finished it I really wished that I had never picked it up in the first place as it really is a massive stain on the legacy of James Bond.
A description of a character as promoting Covid/ vaccines/ mask wearing, anti-immigration, anti-EU, anti-BBC, anti-MSM, anti-cultural Marxism, climate change denial all show how the author has let his political beliefs impact his writing and the story. I was half expecting it to be a farce of a book.
Bond has a moment of introspection about disliking a hired killer, and the author states that this could be due to some self-loathing because they both kill people.
'a ridiculously hench henchman has a six pack ridged like a Toblerone' and 'd!ck waving skyscraper' are genuine descriptions in the book, which really does set the tone for the book. The writing is so bad that a guy who had a twitter account posting pictures of excerpts of the book, took them down because he felt so bad for how people were mocking the writing.
Trying to finish this book was a trial and while I finished it I really wished that I had never picked it up in the first place as it really is a massive stain on the legacy of James Bond.
May 19, 2023
In 1953 a writer called Ian Fleming introduced A character called James Bond, so this year marks his 70th birthday. The 6th of May was the coronation of King Charles III, so what better to celebrate both with a single novel that is also a nice pun referring to one of Ian Fleming best 007 novels with a his instead of her in the title.
In this story a megalomaniac is hellbent on destroying the royal line with Charles III and having him regain the throne because he was somehow related to some ancient king in the 12th century.
Of course 007 is sent to stop this person whose support is mainly right wing extremists and mercenaries, and he has only so many days to solve this lunatic and his plans.
Some say that Fleming’s last novel was unpolished before he died, I find it a far better job than this Higson effort but recognize the time pressure he faced with this novel. And I applaud the content which was created in such a short time. I even enjoy the use of the word bitch used in 1953 and in this novel 70 years onwards, it is nice remembrance towards 007’s first and latest lady in a novel.
I was pleasantly surprised with the release of this albeit short novel and hope that the literary heirs have got Higson on their list for another Bond novel but give him this time a lot more time to create a story.
This book has received its place between the 007 novels in my collection, it is not the best one (which were the Fleming ones) and certainly not the worst (looking at you SOLO).
Happy birthday 007 and May you return soon from the pen of decent writer of the same or better quality than Charlie Higson, which would spoil us literary fans a lot.
Worth the time to read.
In this story a megalomaniac is hellbent on destroying the royal line with Charles III and having him regain the throne because he was somehow related to some ancient king in the 12th century.
Of course 007 is sent to stop this person whose support is mainly right wing extremists and mercenaries, and he has only so many days to solve this lunatic and his plans.
Some say that Fleming’s last novel was unpolished before he died, I find it a far better job than this Higson effort but recognize the time pressure he faced with this novel. And I applaud the content which was created in such a short time. I even enjoy the use of the word bitch used in 1953 and in this novel 70 years onwards, it is nice remembrance towards 007’s first and latest lady in a novel.
I was pleasantly surprised with the release of this albeit short novel and hope that the literary heirs have got Higson on their list for another Bond novel but give him this time a lot more time to create a story.
This book has received its place between the 007 novels in my collection, it is not the best one (which were the Fleming ones) and certainly not the worst (looking at you SOLO).
Happy birthday 007 and May you return soon from the pen of decent writer of the same or better quality than Charlie Higson, which would spoil us literary fans a lot.
Worth the time to read.
April 27, 2023
It is difficult reviewing a Bond book set in the present and comparing it with Ian Fleming’s work, and although this book is comparatively short, it is a Bond book at heart. It contains many references to recent events, some little more than a month old, but in no way are these out of place in the book, fitting well into the story. The villain exhibits just the right level of megalomania, and there are some nice links back to Fleming’s OHMSS. It would have been nice for the book to be longer, but getting the book written and published ahead of the King’s Coronation is itself an amazing feat. I would love to read a full length Charlie Higson Bond novel set in the same time period as Fleming’s, similar to the Anthony Horowitz Bond books, but for now I’ll be satisfied with what Mr Higson has given us here.
May 8, 2023
A total rush-job of a book that feels like it’s missing entire chapters. The action toward the end starts to get exciting but this needed at least another month or two of polish.
There’s a lot of filler at the beginning that reads like Wikipedia articles lifted verbatim and the writing. Has this annoying style. Where sentences begin and end. At random. There’s very little to recommend here, particularly to fans of the Bond books.
There’s a lot of filler at the beginning that reads like Wikipedia articles lifted verbatim and the writing. Has this annoying style. Where sentences begin and end. At random. There’s very little to recommend here, particularly to fans of the Bond books.
May 8, 2023
An enjoyable and timely Bond story. I haven't made it to Higson's young Bond stories yet, but this one is certainly making me get around to them sooner now. I really liked that it had all the great Bond elements, and in the moments when I thought it was going one way, twisted around just enough to make me feel foolish to doubt the author.
May 11, 2023
It took me a while to try Higson's Young Bond, because I dislike the idea of Bond having an adventurous childhood rather than an ordinary dull one, but when I did I admired his prose and his take on the character. I'm thrilled he got a crack at adult Bond at last, and he's obviously enjoyed it as well as delivering a smashing novella.
This was a Bond I recognised from Fleming, smoothly brought up to date and still believable (his clothes owed a little to Daniel Craig's portrayal, I thought), with some nice nods to canonical events as well as topical ones. There were times when Higson went off on a bit of a hobbyhorse, but a) so does Fleming and b) it was funny and I agreed with his views, so I didn't care.
Happy to accept this as part of Literary Bond canon. How do I explain the gap of 60 years in his life? Oh hush.
This was a Bond I recognised from Fleming, smoothly brought up to date and still believable (his clothes owed a little to Daniel Craig's portrayal, I thought), with some nice nods to canonical events as well as topical ones. There were times when Higson went off on a bit of a hobbyhorse, but a) so does Fleming and b) it was funny and I agreed with his views, so I didn't care.
Happy to accept this as part of Literary Bond canon. How do I explain the gap of 60 years in his life? Oh hush.
June 11, 2023
After watching an interview with the author on the ‘Bond Experience’ YouTube channel and having a Bondian way to celebrate the coronation, I was very excited to add this book to my collection, unfortunately it didn’t live up to expectations.
One fatal mistake IMO is Higson basing his entire story around the idea of a ‘Bond formula’ rather than coming up with something original and putting his own stamp on it. I genuinely believe his own voice and ideas would have made for a far more interesting story.
My criticism isn’t about Higson competing with Fleming but if you take any of the IF short stories, Octopussy, Living Daylights, Quantum, these are spectacular character pieces, brilliantly original, they do not follow a traditional Bond formula and they are all short stories as what was intended by Higson. What he has done by using the perceived typical plot of a Bond novel actually reads more like fan fiction or what someone who hasn’t read Fleming would think a Bond novel should be.
The voice and character of Bond comes across as mostly authentic but there are also some lines that made me cringe, and not in a fun Roger Moore way. I found myself re-reading them because I found them jarring and didn’t necessarily sound like something Bond would say.
Contemporary Bond - you can write contemporary Bond without shoehorning in words like Nutella and Toblerone, it’s set during the kings coronation, I know it’s modern, I don’t ever want to read the word Nutella in a Bond novel, no matter what year it’s set.
It’s a short read but I had to force myself to keep reading bit by bit, it was a chore, mostly down to the villain and his entourage. The female interest was IMO well written and the most engaging character next to Bond, there was also some surprising character choices towards the end with Bond that I liked, there was also a copy / homage of From Russia With Love towards the end which I didn’t like and made me roll my eyes.
The hardcover, navy blue book with gold writing was lovely but just with the story the shine quickly wore off, literally. I put it in an overnight bag between some clothing for one night and the gold lettering started to rub off and the cover itself is also marked… by clothes…
I appreciate the author wrote the book in a month and for charity but I don’t think that’s an excuse for the results, especially in this franchise and it’s a shame the Fleming foundation didn’t plan ahead of time rather than approaching the author so late in the day resulting in a largely missed opportunity.
I don’t see any reason to read this book when you could read Fleming or Faulks or many of the other Bond writers and it doesn’t encourage me to read other newer releases.
One fatal mistake IMO is Higson basing his entire story around the idea of a ‘Bond formula’ rather than coming up with something original and putting his own stamp on it. I genuinely believe his own voice and ideas would have made for a far more interesting story.
My criticism isn’t about Higson competing with Fleming but if you take any of the IF short stories, Octopussy, Living Daylights, Quantum, these are spectacular character pieces, brilliantly original, they do not follow a traditional Bond formula and they are all short stories as what was intended by Higson. What he has done by using the perceived typical plot of a Bond novel actually reads more like fan fiction or what someone who hasn’t read Fleming would think a Bond novel should be.
The voice and character of Bond comes across as mostly authentic but there are also some lines that made me cringe, and not in a fun Roger Moore way. I found myself re-reading them because I found them jarring and didn’t necessarily sound like something Bond would say.
Contemporary Bond - you can write contemporary Bond without shoehorning in words like Nutella and Toblerone, it’s set during the kings coronation, I know it’s modern, I don’t ever want to read the word Nutella in a Bond novel, no matter what year it’s set.
It’s a short read but I had to force myself to keep reading bit by bit, it was a chore, mostly down to the villain and his entourage. The female interest was IMO well written and the most engaging character next to Bond, there was also some surprising character choices towards the end with Bond that I liked, there was also a copy / homage of From Russia With Love towards the end which I didn’t like and made me roll my eyes.
The hardcover, navy blue book with gold writing was lovely but just with the story the shine quickly wore off, literally. I put it in an overnight bag between some clothing for one night and the gold lettering started to rub off and the cover itself is also marked… by clothes…
I appreciate the author wrote the book in a month and for charity but I don’t think that’s an excuse for the results, especially in this franchise and it’s a shame the Fleming foundation didn’t plan ahead of time rather than approaching the author so late in the day resulting in a largely missed opportunity.
I don’t see any reason to read this book when you could read Fleming or Faulks or many of the other Bond writers and it doesn’t encourage me to read other newer releases.
May 9, 2023
I’m normally quite wary of Bond novels that are set in contemporary times; the post-war jet age being as much a part of the charm as anything else. However, Higson’s muscular little novella has proved the exception to the rule. It’s still sufficiently Fleming’s Bond (introspective, a little maudlin, dangerous and alone) but freed from Fleming’s world and prose - Higson delivers a pulpy, vitriolic thriller; angry about the state of the world and unleashing a blunt instrument on it. The only real shame is the short-notice Higson had to write it in; judging by his Young Bonds, with a little more time and pages, we’d have got more twists, villainy and heroism out of him. Still, I hope this counts as an audition for further adventures, one he’s passed with flying colours.
November 10, 2023
Short story dragged out to short novel length with verbose prose and stock characters. And an overuse of sentence fragments. Which was frustrating. And had all the hallmarks of being written in a hurry.
I'd bought this because it came out on the day that it was set, but then publication was delayed, so it missed that novelty and relevance. And, actually, only 18 pages are on 4 May.
I'd bought this because it came out on the day that it was set, but then publication was delayed, so it missed that novelty and relevance. And, actually, only 18 pages are on 4 May.
September 6, 2023
Makes cynical moronic villains of every sort of current-thing sceptic, and then we find that the world is indeed manipulated by cynical current-thing promoters. Somebody wants to make their mind up.
Then throw in the absolutely hollow, atomised, friendless characters that foil the plot. What is the point of this?
Then throw in the absolutely hollow, atomised, friendless characters that foil the plot. What is the point of this?
August 3, 2024
This is a fine entry into the Bond continuation books.
Probably a solid 3 stars but I’m adding an extra star for the fact that this came as a total surprise, it was written in less than 3 months, it was timed to perfection with the coronation and has an obvious, but welcomed, title.
The overall story is essentially Johnny English. Bond stops a madman trying to steal the throne from Charles. However, there’s a bit more nuance, and less cheesy. There’s some solid political commentary that’s enough to make a villain out of anyone, with far-right BNP leanings and a nicely interwoven plot about the economy, political wars and modern woke society. It’s the perfect cocktail to comment on the pending coronation of the King and why a villain may attempt to seize an opportunity to attack England.
Higson’s Young Bond - first written 18 years ago - was a period piece. Set to be in the same timeline as Fleming’s 60s Bond. So here Higson does two things he’s never done before. Write adult Bond and write him in a contemporary setting. He does both really well.
Recommended?: given the audacious background to how this book came to exist, and how it’s turned out, I’d love to see Higson write more than a novella with an adult Bond with more time to plan and execute his story. On the basis of this fun story, he’d do a grand job.
——
Aug 2024:
I did a re-read of this of the newly released and slightly revised paperback edition. The revised beginning and ending simply extends to being specific about Westminster Abbey as the place of the coronation rehearsal and nothing more, so don’t get too excited by any sweeping updates as it’s not the case.
However, it was a fun read with some unique characters that filled the Fleming Bond template perfectly.
Probably a solid 3 stars but I’m adding an extra star for the fact that this came as a total surprise, it was written in less than 3 months, it was timed to perfection with the coronation and has an obvious, but welcomed, title.
The overall story is essentially Johnny English. Bond stops a madman trying to steal the throne from Charles. However, there’s a bit more nuance, and less cheesy. There’s some solid political commentary that’s enough to make a villain out of anyone, with far-right BNP leanings and a nicely interwoven plot about the economy, political wars and modern woke society. It’s the perfect cocktail to comment on the pending coronation of the King and why a villain may attempt to seize an opportunity to attack England.
Higson’s Young Bond - first written 18 years ago - was a period piece. Set to be in the same timeline as Fleming’s 60s Bond. So here Higson does two things he’s never done before. Write adult Bond and write him in a contemporary setting. He does both really well.
Recommended?: given the audacious background to how this book came to exist, and how it’s turned out, I’d love to see Higson write more than a novella with an adult Bond with more time to plan and execute his story. On the basis of this fun story, he’d do a grand job.
——
Aug 2024:
I did a re-read of this of the newly released and slightly revised paperback edition. The revised beginning and ending simply extends to being specific about Westminster Abbey as the place of the coronation rehearsal and nothing more, so don’t get too excited by any sweeping updates as it’s not the case.
However, it was a fun read with some unique characters that filled the Fleming Bond template perfectly.
August 28, 2023
Just finished the newest James Bond book "On HIs Majesty's Secret Service", which was thrown together as a promo for the recent coronation.
Can we just get back to what Bond readers actually want? How about a return to traditional Bond action and adventure and dropping the woke references? You can only mention the capitol riots so many times (along with some other soft ideologies).
As Ian Fleming said, "My opuscula do not aim at changing people or making them go out and do something. They are written for warm-blooded heterosexuals in railway trains, airplanes and beds."
I'm giving it a generous 2. I consider this to be the worst written James Bond book since "The Spy Who Loved Me".
Can we just get back to what Bond readers actually want? How about a return to traditional Bond action and adventure and dropping the woke references? You can only mention the capitol riots so many times (along with some other soft ideologies).
As Ian Fleming said, "My opuscula do not aim at changing people or making them go out and do something. They are written for warm-blooded heterosexuals in railway trains, airplanes and beds."
I'm giving it a generous 2. I consider this to be the worst written James Bond book since "The Spy Who Loved Me".
May 8, 2023
More a short story that got out of hand than a novella, but you've got to admire Higson whipping it up for charity in less than a month. There are some Bond plot cliches and the parodies of Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson are a bit on the nose, but on the whole it's cracking good fun.
May 6, 2023
This is very much an easy read. Higson's writing style is very zippy and meringue-y. Fluffy. The literary equivalent of a bubble-gum movie.
At 157 pages (on my ereader, but can vary on different settings and printed page) it's quick. More of a novella than a novel. I would have preferred a bit more depth to the book, especially as it ties in to Charles III's coronation, 60th anniversary of the publication of the novel On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and 70th anniversary of the first Bond publication, Casino Royale. I understand that Higson was given a ridiculous short deadline to write this book so not his fault. But a shame. 6/10
Scoring: 0 bad; 1-3 poor; 4-6 average; 7-9 good; 10 excellent.
At 157 pages (on my ereader, but can vary on different settings and printed page) it's quick. More of a novella than a novel. I would have preferred a bit more depth to the book, especially as it ties in to Charles III's coronation, 60th anniversary of the publication of the novel On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and 70th anniversary of the first Bond publication, Casino Royale. I understand that Higson was given a ridiculous short deadline to write this book so not his fault. But a shame. 6/10
Scoring: 0 bad; 1-3 poor; 4-6 average; 7-9 good; 10 excellent.
May 14, 2023
Fun and entertaining, if lacking the trickery of Horowitz's efforts, which I suppose I'd been getting used to. Very much in keeping with Fleming's Bond, but the modern updates (technology, an anti-'woke' villain etc) slot in nicely, and it was a pleasing way to spend an afternoon in Coronation week!
May 13, 2023
The ability to write and publish a novella - for that. is what this is - in such a short time has to be admired. It is an enjoyable read set (obviously) in the present with James Bond on a mission to prevent disaster at the coronation of HM Charles III.
The plot is a familiar template - rich, megalomaniac with radical ideas; tough, ruthless seemingly unbeatable henchman; secluded/protected enemy lair. Oh, and don't forget the girl who has her own strong and independent nature.
There are obvious compromises in such a rapid development and short story. Any Bond fan will have in their mind who and what Bond is; from books, films, or both. Consequently the lack of character development is not an issue for the main protagonist. It is a significant factor in the other characters. Aethelstan is a pastiche of all that is wrong with the nationalistic individuals from Nigel Farage to the extreme right wing groups. Lost in a world of the past. There's a group of 'cut outs' to support him - football thugs etc. The types one sees on the news that embarrass the feel of being English. The main henchman has a ready pedigree for violence (ex-military, mercenary). The girl, Ragnheidur - no background at all. Is she Icelandic security service? Is there such a thing? She s just there.
There are a number of typos and grammatical errors that seemed to have bypassed proofreading and they're pretty easy to spot - Marina becomes Mariana in the next paragraph and then back to Marina a paragraph later. Subject verb agreement misses a couple of times. That kind of thing.
Overall an enjoyable read and an achievement, given the time course. Nice to have Bond up to date for a change, rather than all the retro stuff.
The plot is a familiar template - rich, megalomaniac with radical ideas; tough, ruthless seemingly unbeatable henchman; secluded/protected enemy lair. Oh, and don't forget the girl who has her own strong and independent nature.
There are obvious compromises in such a rapid development and short story. Any Bond fan will have in their mind who and what Bond is; from books, films, or both. Consequently the lack of character development is not an issue for the main protagonist. It is a significant factor in the other characters. Aethelstan is a pastiche of all that is wrong with the nationalistic individuals from Nigel Farage to the extreme right wing groups. Lost in a world of the past. There's a group of 'cut outs' to support him - football thugs etc. The types one sees on the news that embarrass the feel of being English. The main henchman has a ready pedigree for violence (ex-military, mercenary). The girl, Ragnheidur - no background at all. Is she Icelandic security service? Is there such a thing? She s just there.
There are a number of typos and grammatical errors that seemed to have bypassed proofreading and they're pretty easy to spot - Marina becomes Mariana in the next paragraph and then back to Marina a paragraph later. Subject verb agreement misses a couple of times. That kind of thing.
Overall an enjoyable read and an achievement, given the time course. Nice to have Bond up to date for a change, rather than all the retro stuff.
May 6, 2023
I loved Higson's Young James Bond novels. But I don't think his young James Bond was really the person that would become Fleming's Bond - too caring, good-natured and sympathetic - and with good reason for these books.
I don't think anyone has quite managed to put Fleming's Bond into the present day. Certainly not Deaver or Raymond Benson. Perhaps this is as good as it gets - John Gardner's stories were very good, but certainly his Bond was far removed from Fleming's.
Bizarrely Daniel Craig's incarnation in the films was probably the closest. Maybe it's just easier cinematically, because you don't have to try and describe Bond's thoughts, which is where it falls down - when Fleming did, they revealed a deeply flawed and at times quite nasty person. So Fleming's Bond was really an anti-hero and modern writers try to write him as a Hero.
That said, Higson makes a good fist of this. He doesn't try too hard, doesn't get overly bogged down by it. (His Bond is neither quite Fleming's, nor a grown-up version of his own young James Bond, but does work okay). The plot is very Fleming, though -and the villain too probably (although he was also quite Gardner-esque and at times this reminded me of Licence Renewed). There's some good twists and its a much better read than anything by Benson, or the Bond books of Faulks, Boyd and Deaver.
Overly political. Bond was a blunt instrument who did what his majesty told him and would certainly fight a fascist, but some of the characters in here (Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson are among other thinly disguised modern entities) and the descriptions of 'woke-ness' would I think have been best avoided in a Bond book. But enjoyable hokum.
I don't think anyone has quite managed to put Fleming's Bond into the present day. Certainly not Deaver or Raymond Benson. Perhaps this is as good as it gets - John Gardner's stories were very good, but certainly his Bond was far removed from Fleming's.
Bizarrely Daniel Craig's incarnation in the films was probably the closest. Maybe it's just easier cinematically, because you don't have to try and describe Bond's thoughts, which is where it falls down - when Fleming did, they revealed a deeply flawed and at times quite nasty person. So Fleming's Bond was really an anti-hero and modern writers try to write him as a Hero.
That said, Higson makes a good fist of this. He doesn't try too hard, doesn't get overly bogged down by it. (His Bond is neither quite Fleming's, nor a grown-up version of his own young James Bond, but does work okay). The plot is very Fleming, though -and the villain too probably (although he was also quite Gardner-esque and at times this reminded me of Licence Renewed). There's some good twists and its a much better read than anything by Benson, or the Bond books of Faulks, Boyd and Deaver.
Overly political. Bond was a blunt instrument who did what his majesty told him and would certainly fight a fascist, but some of the characters in here (Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson are among other thinly disguised modern entities) and the descriptions of 'woke-ness' would I think have been best avoided in a Bond book. But enjoyable hokum.
May 6, 2023
As others have pointed out, this was a quickly put together novella for charity as opposed to a full length novel and as such it's hard to compare it fairly to the recent full blown Bond novels.
It was "ok". Bits I liked - don't think I've ever read a book that is so bang up to date with current events!!! The number of references to real life events will probably age this book pretty quickly but reading it now adds an extra something that you don't usually get in the Bond stories. The plot is kind of Bond by numbers, and that's fair enough in just 161 pages. And the villain and love interest were interestingly drawn aswell.
Things I liked less - the resolution was anticlimactic, and the author's need to pass comment on Wokeism, big business, immigration and right wing media, etc over and over again was a bit overkill. When we got the references to bus lanes and congestion charges, I groaned. It kinda felt the author was trying a bit "too hard".
I'm a big Bond fan and I've enjoyed all the continuation novels and this was an enjoyable way to pass the time but it wasn't great, special, engrossing or particularly well written (the author has done much better and so has basically every Bond author at some point).
It can be summed up best as "it was ok".
It was "ok". Bits I liked - don't think I've ever read a book that is so bang up to date with current events!!! The number of references to real life events will probably age this book pretty quickly but reading it now adds an extra something that you don't usually get in the Bond stories. The plot is kind of Bond by numbers, and that's fair enough in just 161 pages. And the villain and love interest were interestingly drawn aswell.
Things I liked less - the resolution was anticlimactic, and the author's need to pass comment on Wokeism, big business, immigration and right wing media, etc over and over again was a bit overkill. When we got the references to bus lanes and congestion charges, I groaned. It kinda felt the author was trying a bit "too hard".
I'm a big Bond fan and I've enjoyed all the continuation novels and this was an enjoyable way to pass the time but it wasn't great, special, engrossing or particularly well written (the author has done much better and so has basically every Bond author at some point).
It can be summed up best as "it was ok".
August 12, 2024
A jolly good read. Higson writes well.
December 21, 2024
4.5 stars.
September 11, 2023
Please don’t make this into a movie ruined 007 for me
May 7, 2023
A short but rattling good Bond story for the Coronation from master storyteller Charlie Higson. It gets extra brownie points for being commissioned in February and released in time for the big event, allowing for references to stuff that I’d swear I read in the papers only last week.
It’s Bond so not one to be overthought - but it holds its own and is suitably tense.
It’s Bond so not one to be overthought - but it holds its own and is suitably tense.
May 9, 2023
Headphones, testosterone, Toblerone. Somehow that was the best part of this book. I’m impressed he wrote it so quickly, but it wasn’t as good as the Young Bond books he wrote.
July 15, 2023
This isn't the worst Bond novel I've ever read (though it's so short I'm guessing it's more like a novella) but it's very far from good. The main problem is that it's pretty boring, it's short on action/spy craft and long on blandly written conversations. Secondly the plot is pretty lame and poorly written. There's your stereotypical Bond villain who wants to be King instead of Charles, though really he doesn't expect his plot to work and just wants to make money off the chaos he plans to cause, and Bond works his way into his circle with the most transparent scheme ever. By engineering an attack by allies against the villain's wife then saving the day because he just so happened to come along and he just so happened to be a "security expert". Third this book is basically a mouthpiece for the author's political opinions. In general I agree with the political ideas expressed, being a left-leaning guy with no love for Trump or the Jan. 6 clown show. That doesn't mean I want to read it ham-fistedly turned into a Bond book. To me Bond is escapism and this is exactly the type of stuff I like to escape from when I watch or read Bond. And like I said it's poorly done and just shoved down your throat so that even somebody like me who generally agrees with the author was annoyed by the preachiness of it. With these kinds of issues you're either preaching to the choir or to a brick wall... so don't bother.
October 4, 2023
Awful
I am an avid reader and lover of Fleming’s Bond. I have also enjoyed the many other interpretations of Bond by numerous writers selected to write Bond novels over the years. Bond is an escape for most, but not for this self absorbed writer who can not leave his personal politics out of this story. Most of us want less of the nauseating political drivel that permeates our rapidly declining culture, so reading is a joy we can embrace with the knowledge that not every character in fiction will be co-opted by the latest apparatchik for the political class. This is hot, steaming rubbish.
I am an avid reader and lover of Fleming’s Bond. I have also enjoyed the many other interpretations of Bond by numerous writers selected to write Bond novels over the years. Bond is an escape for most, but not for this self absorbed writer who can not leave his personal politics out of this story. Most of us want less of the nauseating political drivel that permeates our rapidly declining culture, so reading is a joy we can embrace with the knowledge that not every character in fiction will be co-opted by the latest apparatchik for the political class. This is hot, steaming rubbish.
May 20, 2023
Approved by the Fleming estate and with royalties going to the National Literacy Trust, this is a Bond novel written to commemorate the coronation. Charlie Higson is known for his YA series of young Bond books so you know the character is in safe hands.
The plot rattles along at a decent pace and there are some nice Flemingesque touches. There are also a few subtle nods to other books and films. However, there are some signs that this has been written in a bit of a hurry, a bit more polish here and there wouldn’t have come amiss.
Overall though a quick and entertaining read.
The plot rattles along at a decent pace and there are some nice Flemingesque touches. There are also a few subtle nods to other books and films. However, there are some signs that this has been written in a bit of a hurry, a bit more polish here and there wouldn’t have come amiss.
Overall though a quick and entertaining read.
June 21, 2023
I am sorry to say that I find the dialogues are cringey and Bond’s monologue is unimaginative, boring, pretentious and it makes him sound like a shallow person. I cannot wait to finish the book just to get over with it.
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