WITH A MIND TO KILL by Anthony Horowitz (May 2022)

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  • BirdlesonBirdleson Moderator
    edited December 2021 Posts: 2,161
    There are at least three continuation novels that mention Bond recuperating from the injuries he sustained in TMWTGG. CS being the first.
  • I suspect there might be a vague, playful mention of something to do with Colonel Sun. I say this only because I've read Horowitz rates the book. I think it'll be a something that'd make us ask "does that bit refer to Colonel Sun?"
  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    Posts: 4,053
    Do we know what time it will be announced?
  • Posts: 9,736
    MaxCasino wrote: »
    Do we know what time it will be announced?

    332 pm est…


    I am guessing but I am likely wrong
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited December 2021 Posts: 14,861
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861


    That’s quite an exciting synopsis :)
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,729
    So With a Mind to Kill it is. I guess it's influenced by Fleming's short story title 'From A View to A Kill'.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited December 2021 Posts: 14,861
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    So With a Mind to Kill it is. I guess it's influenced by Fleming's short story title 'From A View to A Kill'.

    Yes, I’m also guessing it’s a phrase used in a Fleming novel too. Can anyone find it? :D

    The setup sounds like he took the opening to TMWTGG and has given it an interesting spin. Is M really even dead I wonder?
  • goldenswissroyalegoldenswissroyale Switzerland
    Posts: 4,378
    Thanks for this post @mtm.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited December 2021 Posts: 17,729
    mtm wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    So With a Mind to Kill it is. I guess it's influenced by Fleming's short story title 'From A View to A Kill'.

    Yes, I’m also guessing it’s a phrase used in a Fleming novel too. Can anyone find it? :D

    The setup sounds like he took the opening to TMWTGG and has given it an interesting spin. Is M really even dead I wonder?

    Yes, I think it must be something like that. Horowitz mentioned the new title was like an existing Fleming title.

    The plot sounds a little strange to me. We've already had M nearly being assassinated by Bond at the start of TMWTGG so it seems odd they're going to try that trick again and seemingly have Bond succeed in killing M again. As @mtm says above though it could be a ruse or misinformation campaign by the British against the Soviets so that they'll fully trust Bond and he can fully infiltrate SMERSH. Kind of like what happens to KGB chief General Pushkin in the film version of The Living Daylights perhaps?
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    With a Mind to Kill opens with M’s funeral. One man is missing from the graveside: the traitor who pulled the trigger and who is now in custody, accused of M’s murder – James Bond.

    Behind the Iron Curtain, a group of former Smersh agents want to use the British spy in an operation that will change the balance of world power. Bond is smuggled into the lion’s den – but whose orders is he following, and will he obey them when the moment of truth arrives?

    In a mission where treachery is all around and one false move means death, Bond must grapple with the darkest questions about himself. But not even he knows what has happened to the man he used to be.


    http://www.ianfleming.com/new-horowitz-bond-title-and-cover-revealed/
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,459
    Do most of you enjoy Horowitz's Bond novels? Just curious.
  • Works for me!

    Now, what versions will be out there I wonder? The last Horowitz Bond had a signed Waterstones edition with extra Fleming in the back (with yellow paper edges), and there was also a nice limited edition Goldsboro signed version (with no Fleming, but numbered with blue paper edges). They did 750 of these.
    The regular edition had no Fleming and white paper edges.
  • Do most of you enjoy Horowitz's Bond novels? Just curious.

    They're a real treat for me.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited December 2021 Posts: 14,861
    Works for me!

    Now, what versions will be out there I wonder? The last Horowitz Bond had a signed Waterstones edition with extra Fleming in the back (with yellow paper edges), and there was also a nice limited edition Goldsboro signed version (with no Fleming, but numbered with blue paper edges). They did 750 of these.
    The regular edition had no Fleming and white paper edges.

    Waterstones are selling a signed one; must admit I nabbed one :)

    I think they're using the same font as Skyfall did for its logo; which is fair enough- it does look Bondy!
  • ImpertinentGoonImpertinentGoon Everybody needs a hobby.
    edited December 2021 Posts: 1,351
    Just from reading these blurbs, my assumption is they are faking M having been killed at the beginning of TMWTGG to infiltrate Bond into Russia for some mission and there he comes across the people who brainwashed him. But that is just conjecture. I am interested in this.

    Edit: I also like the title. I think the previous Fleming title Horowitz have as a clue is From a View to a Kill. I can’t make out what he meant by the title describing a previous Fleming plot.
  • BirdlesonBirdleson Moderator
    Posts: 2,161
    I assume it references Bond’s state of mind at the opening of TMWTGG.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited December 2021 Posts: 14,861
    Just from reading these blurbs, my assumption is they are faking M having been killed at the beginning of TMWTGG to infiltrate Bond into Russia for some mission and there he comes across the people who brainwashed him. But that is just conjecture. I am interested in this.

    Edit: I also like the title. I think the previous Fleming title Horowitz have as a clue is From a View to a Kill. I can’t make out what he meant by the title describing a previous Fleming plot.

    I guess it could also reference the opening of TMWTGG: Bond went into M's office with a mind to kill.

    Very good point about the attempted assassination from that actually being the murder of M this is about: yes I'm sure you're right. It actually seems to be a really obvious plot to do in hindsight and it kind of seems mad it hasn't been done before: well done of Mr Horowitz to spot it if that is the case!

    Quite funny that the last novel was promoted with '007 IS DEAD' and this one is being pushed with 'M IS DEAD' :D
  • edited December 2021 Posts: 988
    mtm wrote: »
    Waterstones are selling a signed one; must admit I nabbed one :)

    Good for you!

    I'll get one too.

    edit - I can't see it on the Waterstones site yet. Anyone got any links?

  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    mtm wrote: »
    Waterstones are selling a signed one; must admit I nabbed one :)

    Good for you!

    I'll get one too.

    edit - I can't see it on the Waterstones site yet. Anyone got any links?

    Here you go, it was in one of the tweets quoted above:
    https://t.co/bTU9MdcJXD?amp=1
  • Dragonpol wrote: »
    As @mtm says above though it could be a ruse or misinformation campaign by the British against the Soviets so that they'll fully trust Bond. Kind of like what happens to KGB chief General Pushkin in the film version of The Living Daylights perhaps?
    I'm pretty sure it's definitely what will happen: we already knew the plot was about Bond trying to infiltrate KGB and facing those who brainwashed him; to see MI6 turning a Soviet operation against those who masterminded it is logical.
  • ImpertinentGoonImpertinentGoon Everybody needs a hobby.
    Posts: 1,351
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    As @mtm says above though it could be a ruse or misinformation campaign by the British against the Soviets so that they'll fully trust Bond. Kind of like what happens to KGB chief General Pushkin in the film version of The Living Daylights perhaps?
    I'm pretty sure it's definitely what will happen: we already knew the plot was about Bond trying to infiltrate KGB and facing those who brainwashed him; to see MI6 turning a Soviet operation against those who masterminded it is logical.

    I’d have to re-read TMWTGG more thoroughly, but I recently skipped through the first chapters looking for a quote and I was struck with how nonchalantly M brushes aside Tanner‘s concerns. So it could play off of that quite well, if we find out M had anticipated there being an available play for him if Bond does actually turn out to be there to make an attempt on his life.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited December 2021 Posts: 14,861
    I like the idea that it'll feature Bond struggling mentally: after the death of his wife, amnesia and brainwashing he must be in quite the state!

    Presumably Bond will have to publicly escape from custody, that should be fun.
  • zebrafishzebrafish <°)))< in Octopussy's garden in the shade
    Posts: 4,311
    I wonder how many people will grab his latest book "A Line To Kill" thinking it is his Bond novel "With A Mind To Kill"...

    The cover is a bit of a disappointment, it looks like the SP teaser poster, so is the title.

    Apart from that, I really enjoy Horowitz' novels, both Bond and Sherlock Holmes. Have yet to try the the Agatha Christie ones.
  • mtm wrote: »
    Here you go, it was in one of the tweets quoted above:
    https://t.co/bTU9MdcJXD?amp=1

    Brilliant, thanks. It's on order :)

    It doesn't say if the Waterstones one has additional Fleming, like the last two had. Still, I've got a signed first edition Bond novel ordered, so that's me very happy today!

  • ImpertinentGoonImpertinentGoon Everybody needs a hobby.
    Posts: 1,351
    zebrafish wrote: »
    I wonder how many people will grab his latest book "A Line To Kill" thinking it is his Bond novel "With A Mind To Kill"...

    The cover is a bit of a disappointment, it looks like the SP teaser poster, so is the title.


    Apart from that, I really enjoy Horowitz' novels, both Bond and Sherlock Holmes. Have yet to try the the Agatha Christie ones.

    Does anyone else think the cover looks like a bird with something stuck in it's head? The bullet hole as an eye, the beak on the lower left side and then some object in the skull top right.
    I can't think of any bird imagery (apart from Birds of the West Indies), so it's probably just my eyes playing tricks. But I can't unsee it right now.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,009
    Not mad on the title, to be honest.

    The rest sounds great, though. And it makes me wonder if (as mentioned by others above) Horowitz intends for this to be an epilogue to TMWTGG and a way of retroactively redeeming that novel - essentially extending the story of Bond's brainwashing and subsequent mishaps and giving it the closure that Fleming never got the chance to do? If so, that's a monumental task - even bigger than what he was attempting to do with the previous novels.

    I wish him luck and I look forward to reading it.
  • Posts: 9,736
    Ok it really is the end of the world a Horowitz novel I am genuinely excited for!!!

    The cover is my background and I will pre order it post Christmas
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    Not mad on the title, to be honest.

    I know what you mean but I'm just happy to have titles that sound like Bond, even if they are slightly by-the-numbers. And this one does at least seem to have relevance to Bond struggling with his own mind.
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