Ian Fleming's James Bond 007 in High Time to Kill

Raymond Benson's Bond #3

by Raymond Benson

During a dinner party with an old friend, James Bond encounters a criminal organization called "The Union" that may be responsible for the theft of information vital to Britain's national security.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Espionage, Mystery, Adventure, Collections, Mystery Thriller

496 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1999

About the author

Raymond Benson is the author of approximately 40 titles. Among his works are the critically-acclaimed and New York Times best-selling serial THE BLACK STILETTO, and he was also the third--and first American--continuation author of the official James Bond 007 novels. His latest novels are HOTEL DESTINY--A GHOST NOIR, BLUES IN THE DARK, IN THE HUSH OF THE NIGHT and THE SECRETS ON CHICORY LANE.

Reviews

[Carson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Updated 8/4/2019

In anticipation of Bond 25, I am re-reading all Fleming Bond novels and now some of my favorite continuation novels. "High Time To Kill" was remembered as my favorite continuation novel.

I downed my review from 5 stars to 4 with a second reading, solely because there are moments that are a bit cheesy and non-Fleming Bond.

Benson is a master of his craft; he did the impossible (follow Fleming) and created a hybrid of the literary 007 and the film one. The comma of black hair, scar, cruel mouth, yet the Aston Martin we only see him drive in the films (save literary "Goldfinger") and the gadgets from Q Branch.

"High Time to Kill" features golf, a rival, multiple Bond girls (who frankly submit too easily and are not really written as characters of strength) and one of the greatest physical tests of James Bond: mountain climbing to 8,000 meters/ 30,000 feet. I've been in the mountains since my last reading/review, so I can say Bond's choice of Patagonia and Merrell brands rings true.

Roland Marquis is an interesting character; I kept picturing the mean lawyer on Boston Legal with blonde hair who was always antagonizing our heroes.

The plot has dire and important consequences for Britain. Our new M played by Dame Judi Dench is in full effect. The year is 1999 and yet we ignore the fact James Bond is 70+ years old; the ambiguity of his age is glorious. For Bond is timeless. And "High Time To Kill" is a FANTASTIC READ.

__________________________
With no offense to John Gardner, who wrote some worthy 007 entries, Raymond Benson's Bond stories, symmetry and descriptive captivation gets better with each chapter. Not only does this solitary rogue feel like Fleming's agent but he fully embraces his solace and demons as he hurls himself into danger and is restless when his life isn't on the line. This story was engaging from beginning to end, through twists and turns and up the mountain where the story climaxes. 5 stars.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, everything I have come to expect from Raymond Benson writing his version of Ian Fleming’s James Bond.

The third one I have read in quick success, and all have been excellent readable action thrillers. This one however has the third highest mountain in the world as a principal character and as a brooding backdrop and awesome location.

Often reads as more of a screenplay than a novel but this reflects the all consuming action crammed into the plot.

I liked especially the development of Bond’s attitude to women; some self-reflection but really nothing changes.

I also found the respect for Gurkha heritage and history very informative and heart-warming. A true reflection of their loyalty and service to this country.

Many books do not take one into Nepal either, therefore the time spent in this fascinating country and insight into it’s culture, customs and people was also a treat.

However, not since The Eiger Sanction have I read such an absorbing book set within the challenges of climbing a mountain. If that wasn’t difficult in itself - try doing that when someone is trying to kill you.

[Marcus Johnston · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is decent, fun spy story, but climbing mountains kinda limited what you've come to expect from Bond. It was enjoyable, but not amazing.

[Jonathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

...Bond sat on the wooden seat, enjoying the sense of well-used oak against his buttocks, as he evacuated his bowels into the porcelain splendour of the Armitage Shanks toilet bowl he had purchased from Blades club when they had carried out their last refurbishment in '76. He relished the thought of all of the characters who had once used the same seat, who had propped up the oak bar in the same establishment, where he had sipped many a fine Martini, made with Stolichnaya and the barest trace of Noilly Prat, served in a Reidel glass. He turned, and noted with approval that May, his aged housekeeper, had purchased the correct brand of Kleenex Double Velvet toilet paper for him to clean his buttocks with, laid out next to the monogrammed Ferguson's hand towel, woven from the finest Irish linen...

Apologies, the level of product placement isn't quite as bad as this, but it's pretty close. It seems Bond cannot open a door on this novel without noting the brand of lock 'with approval'. I did wonder if we might start to get details of his favourite corn plasters.

The plot revolves around that tired saw of a criminal organisation that is so mysterious it is known only by its name. And I am a bit worried that Bond relies on briefings in a 'visual library' apparently compiled and narrated by Alan Whicker. Although it seems to fit with the basic premise that Bond only goes on top secret missions to places where the local 5* hotel restaurant chef knows him by name. Perhaps Judith Chalmers is actually 'M'?

Still it all rattles along efficiently enough. Although sex in a survival bag in a blizzard at an altitude to require supplementary oxygen is just plain stupid.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best of the Benson-Bonds. At least so far. Three down and three to go. Half way there. (yeah, I'm not counting the adaptations). This opened like the other two Benson-Bonds: rather mediocre and almost cliché. It not that they're bad, there just wasn't much in their to make them feel original. But this one hit a nice point where everything shifted and went in an interesting direction. The second half was much more enjoyable and made me really want to jump input the next book in the series. This is what the best Fleming and Gardner-Bonds did. Hopefully the last three original Bonds by Benson will match the quality of the second half of this one.

(As a personal note: Has anyone else noticed that Donald Trump acts and talks like a stereotypical megalomanic villain in a James Bond film?)

[Renee Pawlish · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the old James Bond and I've somewhat enjoyed the other authors who continue the series. But personally, I think they should go back to writing about Bond in the 1960's. Some of the Bond mentality just doesn't fit today's age.
As far as Benson goes, High Time To Kill is a decent read, just not great. I felt the story lagged at times, but I did like aspects of the setting, putting Bond in a unique situation.

[John Yelverton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Of all the James Bond novels that I have read, this is the first one that didn't feel like a James Bond novel. It truly felt like any character could be inserted into the story and it still "work". Worse yet, the author goes out of his way to explain the dangers of mountain climbing and the precautions that must be made, and then proceeds to throw them out of the window for plot devices.

[David]

An interesting variant of the “usual” 007 story. Serious mountain climbing plays a significant role. The “Bond Girl” is still sexually available, but also independent and strong.

[Dustin Dye · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Bond ascends to new heights this time in Raymond Benson's High Time to Kill. Benson fills in the Bond formula with the most interesting elements we've seen since the Fleming era.

The bad guy in No Time to Kill is Roland Marquis, an old rival of Bond's from their schoolboy days at Eton. Marquis is Bond's doppelganger, and Bond admits they're cut from the same cloth. During the formulaic low-stakes confrontation between Bond and Marquis in the first act, Benson breaks with tradition and causes Bond to lose. Bond typically wins these confrontations as a show of his moral superiority and to foreshadow he will prevail in the end. To have Bond lose is disorienting and informs readers not to expect the usual. This is the best use of "this time it's personal" since GoldenEye. The lazier Bond books and movies involve a Bond girl (sometimes one we only just met) getting killed to give Bond the personal motive to carry on his mission. GoldenEye involved a villain who had personally betrayed Bond. This time we're presented with a thoroughly unlikable character, but Bond's motivation initially is, frankly, kind of petty. This is interesting and makes Bond more human. What elevates Benson's novels is playing up Bond's less-savory characteristics, while remaining true to the character.

Britain's motive in High Time to Die is also petty, and they put an unacceptable number of lives in danger to carry it out. A SPECTRE-esque organization known as the Union has stolen the formula for a chemical compound known as Skin 17. While Skin 17 has a military application, Britain's desire to retrieve it is politically motivated--to restore a semblance of glory to a nation well past its heyday. It is refreshing the stakes aren't the end of the world and seem more realistic.

The Union has clearly infiltrated SIS and Bond's mission. Benson uses red herrings to distract the reader and Bond, and for the first time since From Russia With Love we feel like Bond is in actual peril.

This leads to an extended set-piece involving climbing Mt. Kangchengjunga--the third-highest mountain in the world, and purportedly the most difficult to climb. Skin 17 was being smuggled on a passenger aboard a small aircraft that crashed into the mountain while fleeing to China. Benson's depiction of the climb is well-researched and becomes perhaps the most interesting plot of any Bond novel. It is a very good setting and premise for an action/suspense novel.

Of course Dr. No Time to Die Another Day has its share of eye-rolling moments typical of the Bond series. The Bond books (and movies) are sort of graded on a curve based on our expectations of a Bond story.

All in all, High Time to Kill is refreshing proof a series spanning several decades with dozens of books behind it can still feature an original plot and interesting new characters. Well done, Mr. Benson!

[Chip · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this one even as an Audible audiobook.

There are many problems I had with this book.

Bond acts like a psychopath throughout most of this. I know Fleming's Bond was sometimes cold but this Bond is almost robotic. His interactions with the women earlier on and some of the other characters in general just don't sound like things real people would say.

And I think Bond fucks every female character mentioned except M. There isn't even really any suspense/banter just "Hello James, you look manly, want to fuck?" Well, not that bad but close. He also seemed to be able to fuck inside a small sleeping bag on a Himalayan mountain top while they both needed oxygen breathers in. That seemed unlikely.

There is a long game of golf at the beginning and it is ridiculous. He drives a ball 230 yards and then Bond's rival drives his ball to hit Bond's on purpose. Tiger Woods couldn't do this on his best day let alone a pair of amateurs. It was just silly.

Another problem is that one of the characters is German. He has no background, no depth but it goes unremarked that he attacks Bond with "A Nazi dagger" as his being German in the 1990s apparently sufficiently explains his Nazism.

Also, a character being a double agent or a spy should be shocking. It should be a twist. But almost everyone on his twelve man climbing team, some of his base camp employees, his MI5 contacts and more are all vetted by MI5 but ALL were traitors and double crossers.

Then there were the product placements. That was painful. You'll start to notice it about half an hour in and then you're stuck for the rest of the book with phrases like: "Bond put on Boothroyd's OneSport Boots... His various ice tools, axes, ice screws, were made by Black Diamond, among the finest available. His snow pickets... were MRS Coyotes... He examined the points on his Grivel 2F Crampons... He carried Eidelweiss 9mm Stratoss ropes." Etc. Etc. Fleming was detailed in his descriptions to give a sense of setting; this author could have been writing for infomercials and it just goes on, and on, and on like that for almost the entire book.

Religion crops up my more than I expected in a Bond book. Lots of talk of respecting deities and trying to not anger gods. When someone has some bad luck after disrespecting an idol Bond calls it god(s) punishing them.

M is insane. She treats Bond like shit and says things like "Well he did save the world but I should really fire him for not spotting that someone he knew was a double agent for a highly secretive spy agency."

There's also another SPECTRE clone called something stupid. I just got SPECTRE2 stuck in my head. They're meant to be a mercenary group without any ideology yet people shout things like "You'll never stop SPECTRE2!" as they die. You can't really combine a purely mercenary organisation with kamikaze/suicidal missions as it makes no sense! They also infiltrate everywhere and have men everywhere with seemingly no difficulty.

Honestly, I didn't much like the plot, characters, setting, enemies, relationships, style of writing nor the dialogue. I was going to give this a 2/5 but in hindsight I think it's more like a 1. I've read a fair few of the non-Fleming Bond books and this one is particularly bad.

[Clem · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing my third of the six James Bond novels by Raymond Benson, I have to say that I’m sad that there won’t be more than six. I have thoroughly enjoyed each one of these books - they’re definitely better than the John Gardner ones, and I would venture on the edge of blasphemy and say they’re even better than the original Ian Fleming stories. Benson knows how to tell a crisp, clear story without being too technical, yet at the same time giving the reader a sense of thrill and adventure.

These books are essentially nothing like the movies. The movies show James Bond as a suave sophisticated bon vivant, that never seems to break a sweat - even if he’s sledding down a snow covered mountain in a cello case. The literary Bond is much more realistic - after he fights off some thugs, this Bond actually has to go to the hospital for cracked ribs and a bruised kidney. I doubt any lover of the movies would be disappointed, however, at least with Benson’s bond. Plus, there are still the familiar characters - Moneypenny, M (now a woman, just like the movies), Q, and Tanner. Had Benson created his own unique character other than James Bond along with a strong supporting cast, it still would have worked. The books are simply that good.

The one thing that is similar between the two Bond mediums is sex. Sex, sex, sex. It can be a bit much sometime. When Bond is getting ready to go on a mountaineering rescue mission about halfway through this story, the author quickly describes the team for us and casually tells us that the team consists of “…one female”. So you already know what’s going to happen. Then, when the noted female (she’s a ravenous blonde doctor) exposes her breasts towards Bond at one point (in the frigid below zero temperature) and later confesses to him that she became to doctor to “overcome her addiction to sex”, well, it’s a bit much, and you tend to roll your eyes.

Still, though, it’s an exciting ride. Without going into the plot, the majority of this story takes places on a rescue mission to the top of the “third largest mountain in the world” (I forget its name). So, there’s a lot of intense mountain climbing, bad guys that are really good, good guys that are really bad, a lot of mysterious shootings, not enough oxygen, and let’s not forget the oversexed doctor.

Benson has stated that this book was his favorite. I don’t know if I would rank it as my favorite of the three that I have read so far, but like his other two, he gets an “A” from me.

Nice work 007.

[Stuart Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

A British scientist has developed a thingy that will make airplanes go really fast and a new evil group called the Union want it. They get it and the British want it back so they send James Bond to find it. It ends up with a Chinese operative in Belgium, where Bond has some adventures, then the Chinese guy hightails it to Kathmandu. Where he gets plane crashed on the third highest mountain in the world, Kakarot. From there on James Bond joins the cast of "The Eiger Sanction".

Bond has to join a team to climb the third highest mountain in the world, and do it before the Russians, the Chinese, or the Belgians(?) get there. Also before the monsoon season hits. All while avoiding being killed by members of the Union who may or may not be in his party. He has a Gurkha buddy, a Kiwi hottie, and an old Eton rival.

This is a really strange Bond novel. We do get descriptions of his clothes and his equipment, very nice descriptions of his meals, some of which are really exotic, but mostly we get an education in mountain climbing. Which I found interesting but many may not. There are some Q gadgets and a car and Bond gets beat up and stabbed a decent amount of time. The Union is being set up as a recurring baddie but little else is shown about it. I was a bit annoyed at how easily people could be turned traitor. Obviously this is a setup so that the reader can never be sure who Bond can trust but some of them turn for practically no reason at all except plot convenience.

Bond spends much of the book irritated with his current squeeze, wondering why these women can't just have meaningless sex with him and go away without getting all emotional. He is also fixated on his old Eton classmate. Bond reacts to this Eton guy the way Captain Blackadder does to Lord Flashheart and for the same reasons. For a book with a linear plot involving climbing a mountain it was quite entertaining.

[Olivier L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A top secret government project is stolen right under their nose. One scientist is dead, and one is missing. The MI6 is going through a crisis, believing that one of their own is leaking information to a new threat, the Union.

In his third Bond novel, Benson introduces a new crime syndicate, the Union, who plans to steal a top secret project that only a few people know about. 007 is tasked to retrieve it and to do whatever it takes to do so. Following a trail, Bond travels to Belgium and to new heights when the Union's plane crashes on Kangchenjunga, the third tallest mountain in the world, in Nepal.

Benson style seems to improve every time he writes a new novel. He seems more comfortable with writing Bond and the universe around it. The characters are well developed, and the minute the vilain of the story is revealed, you already hate him, and you only want Bond to kill him. 

It is clear that a lot of research has been done for this book. The description of the whole ascent of the mountain is inspired by a real-life climber, making you feel like you are there with Bond. As always, Benson describes everything as much as possible, making some chapters seem a bit too long some times (and some intercourse scene could use less description). On the other hand, some days on the mountain are skipped altogether to speed up the story, but it feels like you missed something at times.

The end of the book, I won't reveal what happens, is done perfectly making you feel Bond's emotions and not letting wait for the next book to get some answers, as some authors would do.

[Ira Livingston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book from Benson’s Bond. This time there is corruption within the UK, and it’s infiltration by a new evil organization, The UNION, which gives us a glimpse of the old SPECTRE of Fleming.

The add into the fact that the mission ends up in the high peaks of the Himalayas, you can’t help but to hold your breath for Bond in the thin air of the elevations.

Fantastic to see that Bond is back, and with a vengeance.

Overall rating of book series:
1 - Casino Royale / On Her Majesty's Secret Service
2 - Goldfinger
3 - From Russia with Love
4 - Live and Let Die
5 - Diamonds are Forever / Dr. No
6 - Moonraker / For Special Services
7 - Scorpius / High Time to Kill
8 - Thunderball / License Renewed / The Facts of Death
9 - Colonel Sun
10 - You Only Live Twice
11 - James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me (Wood)
12 - Icebreaker / GoldenEye
13 - Zero Minus Ten
14 - For Your Eyes Only / Octopussy & The Living Daylights
15 - The Man with the Golden Gun / Tomorrow Never Dies
16 - The Spy Who Loved Me
17 - Nobody Lives Forever
18 - No Deals, Mr. Bond
19 - James Bond and Moonraker (Wood)
20 - The Man from Barbarossa
21 - Win, Lose or Die
22 - Role of Honor / Brokenclaw
23 - Death is Forever
24 - Licence to Kill / Never Send Flowers
25 - SeaFire / COLD

[Dave · Rating 1 out of 5]

After reading the reviews here, I was really excited to read Mr. Benson. I found “The Union Trilogy”, and dived right in, looking forward to the mountain climbing adventure. The book started well, but descended quickly into absolute tedium. No action, filler exposition, uninteresting characters, and amateurish writing, with exclamation points (!) used about every ninth sentence, whether dialogue, or not. I found the action described in such unexciting fashion, text repeated throughout the novel...and not character dialogue, but the actual author repeats himself. The final few chapters are filled with the most inane, cheesy, eye-rolling dialogue that left a foul taste in my mouth. I will never read this book again, and am no longer looking forward to reading Doubleshot and Never Dream of Dying, but will try them, just in case this book was an exception to the rule in Benson’s offerings. For me, and hopefully for you, this book is a Hard Pass.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great Bond novel from Benson. I think he certainly has the best win rate for me, as I don't think I've read one of his Bond books that was below par. They certainly give off the feel of a movie screenplay because Bond here is far more witty and the action is far more "Hollywood" than the previous authors before him.

Bond going to Nepal and climbing a mountain in rough terrain was a cool plot point, even with me wondering why they don't just fly a stealth helicopter to the crash site. The insider villain was pretty interesting, although I will say with the amount of people I had to remember and all the double and triple crossings in here, it was nearly as confusing as a Gardner book (which you don't want to be compared to). I could certainly reread this, since I read the first half a month ago and then finally picked it up to finish it these last 2 days.

[Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four novels into his tenure at the Bond scribe, Benson finally hits his stride and delivers a stream-lined and taught thriller obviously influenced by The Eiger Sanction. His handling of Bond's love encounters, however, is still clunky (as if a middle school kid who has just discovered his dad's stash of "adult magazines" decides to start writing sexual fan fiction) and there are a few groan worthy moments of film-styled one-liners (which work great on the Silver Screen, but fall flat on the page), and he has a villain quote the title of the book in the final act (really, dude?). But overall, this is a solid yarn that is compelling and page turning.

[Pete Szilagyi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just to be clear, this is 5 stars not because it's the Greatest Novel Ever Written, but because it gives you exactly what you want - a fun, riotous James Bond story, complete with a ridiculous plot and an even more ridiculous sex scene. Car chases, gun battles, a unique Bond story unlike any else, you definitely get what you paid for with this book. It was also refreshing to read a modern Bond novel not rampant with racism like the Fleming books, classic they may be.

High Time to Kill was a vastly entertaining read and I look forward to the second book of the trilogy.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining addition to the Bond series, contains many of the normal tropes you would expect from a Bond book, traitors, double crossing, high octane sporting activities, a series of attractive women to accompany Bond, and continues to shed light on Benson’s main villain - “the Union” throughout the series.

With the Union storyline, the books are best read in order, as there is a loose common thread through them all, but that said, can still read in isolation, as a light hearted espionage thriller.

[Tony Drummond · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a bit of a strange one. This has all the classic ingredients of a Bond novel but when you finish it, it doesn't feel like you have read a Bond story. I think it is because the second half of the book could be taken from any recent action spy thriller with our hero not standing out as Bond

Having said this, I thought that this was a great spy thriller with the focus on twists and turns rather than action. Benson seems to have toned down his need to give you a travelogue which is a positive.

[Richard Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid, back-to-basics Bond book from Benson. It has all the ingredients you need: a professional rivalry, a sweeping backdrop, betrayals, sexy intrigue and a gripping climax. What I like about this particular entry was how straightforward it is: once the story proper gets going, it's literally a race to the top of a mountain. It would work effectively as a murder mystery, except that the reader has a narrative advantage over Bond and knows who the baddie is from an early stage. Nice to get back on track with these.

[Benjamin Mooney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had several twists throughout, some predictable, some not so much. A couple towards the 3nd really caught me off guard. It was nice to see 007 in mountain climbing. I like how Union is shaping up as more than just a SPECTRE replacement. A good read for a hot summer afternoon, picturing the frigid air of the Himalayas.

[Fraser Merricks · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite of all the Raymond Benson Bond books. Not a typical Fleming or big screen portrayal but I liken this to The Spy who loved me. Something different and enjoyed Bensons writing throughout it all. Benson focused and successfully created a great adventure at the peak of a mountain. I recommend this to any Bond fan as a must.

[audreyindigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been reading all of the James Bond novels in chronological release order for awhile now. This is my third novel by Raymond Benson, and it’s certainly my favorite by him! Loved the storyline and tension in this one, it was often hard to put down the book during the mountain scenes! Easy five stars!

[Tom Tipton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A better written novel than the series’ two previous entries by Benson with a fairly interesting plot, characters and decent pacing.

Unfortunately we’re now introduced to yet ANOTHER super powerful, super evil villainous organization (following SMERSH, SPECTRE, and Cold Fall.).

This latest group, “The Union,” will occupy the next two books of the series as well. Fingers crossed.

[Arjun · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect fictional espionage book, I have ever read. Raymond Benson ties you to the plot, so well that it seems impossible to put the book down! It is the most exquisite integration of Cold Espionage, profound jealousy, assimilative plot and the ingenious stir of provocative women!

[Guy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A More Personal View Of Bond

An appealing look into Bond's head and heart. Benson exposes some of the inner soul of 007 in a more human light, but never removes the cold uncompromising essence of the character.

[Paul Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better post Fleming Bond novels, marred by inconsistent dialogue and over use of cliches.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it.

[Jeff Lacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A soundly crafted pursuit plot with significant texture. It was an enjoyable Bond book to read.