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Young Bond - Anyone's Kid's reading them?

Commander_SkyfallCommander_Skyfall
edited June 2012 in Literary 007 Posts: 371
My son Jack is 9, he is an excellent reader for his age, the problem I have is that I cannot get him interested in reading for pleasure, nothing at all seems to spark his imagination, when required, for school, (or reading on screen instructions in an xBox game!) he will read what he has to and do it very well, but that's where it stops.

He's a big fan of the Bond movies and I wondered if any parents out there (or indeed younger members) had bought any of the Young Bond novels for their kids, and if so, how they'd got on with them?

They seem to get good reviews on line and Waterstones are selling them now for £6/7 ish so it may be worth buying the first one anyway to see how he gets on, hell, I'd probably read it myself.

Any thoughts/opinions welcome :)>-

Comments

  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,034
    I read them when I was younger, and they were extremely good. Captures the time period very well, and the character of Bond is in balance with what you'd expect a young Fleming Bond to be like. Higgins deserves a lot of credit, as he captures the tone of the Fleming books very well but modifies it for a younger demograph without removing....shall I say, the magic. So even older people would get some enjoyment out of them, I'd imagine.
  • VolanteVolante
    Posts: 774
    I read a few, they're surprisingly good. Wasn't expecting them to be so Bond-esque.
  • MrBondMrBond Station S
    Posts: 2,044
    I've read them for a couple of years ago, and it struck me how many similarities these books had with the Harry Potter books.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    The young Bond books are excellent. Own them all and have read them at least 3 times each. Maybe set aside some time for you and your son, where both of you read a chapter each to one another. Incentivise him with pocket money or an increase in pocket money or something. He'll soon come to appreciate the value of reading for pleasure as opposed to him finding it more of a chore.
  • Commander_SkyfallCommander_Skyfall
    Posts: 371
    Thanks for the feedback folks, I picked up Silverfin today and he is currently sitting reading, apparently the opening was quite gruesome which appears to have gone down well so fingers crossed, @doubleoego, yes I did think about some sort of incentive, will see how he gets on but it's looking good so far. I must admit, I quite fancy reading it myself once he's finished it.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    Please do. Silverfin is a great read. They all are. You won't be disappointed.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited June 2012 Posts: 13,350
    I'll add my praise in too. Young Bond is the best since Fleming. Higson knows how the write a good book - or five. They're all worth reading.
  • VirageVirage
    Posts: 1,856
    Love Them.
  • Arsenal02071Arsenal02071
    Posts: 162
    They are VERY good books, any of the 5 should do nicely.
  • Commander_SkyfallCommander_Skyfall
    Posts: 371
    I must admit, Jack was out playing and Silverfin was sitting on the kitchen table so I thought I'd read the first chapter and see what it was like, a hundred pages later I was totally engrossed, young James really makes me think of a young Connery, Higson really seems to have captured him perfectly.
  • HASEROTHASEROT has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---
    Posts: 4,399
    hopefully your boy continues to read them.. then maybe, as he gets older he'll discover the Fleming and Gardner novels...

    i wish i had something like a Young Bond book to read when i was growing up... what I had were the 'Goosebumps' books - which i still own and display, i have close to 35 of those books, and read every one of them :)
  • BentleyBentley
    Posts: 267
    Dear Commander,
    You will both love them!
    Charlie Higson is a fabulous writer and he's done a great job with the "Young Bond" franchise.
    As you've already discovered, they are extremely Flemingesque and are completely ageless in terms of their readership.
    I for one would love to see Charlie take Bond through his war years and cover the period up to "Casino Royale".
    Enjoy them all. Writing this has made me want to re-read them.
    Regards,
    Bentley.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,459
    I will get around to reading them, too. I also want to read the young Sherlock Holmes books, at least one.

    Thank for mentioning Alfie, folks: I think of that film first when I think of L. Gilbert. He is a good director, I think. And TSWLM is one of my very favorite Bond films.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    edited July 2012 Posts: 28,694
    How are the Young Sherlock novels set up/what's the background?
  • FLeiterFLeiter
    Posts: 315
    I had the opportunity to talk with Charlie Higson a few years ago at a book signing in Chicago-Raymond Benson was also there. Charlie said it was the Ian Fleming estate who had the idea of doing a young Bond series, as there was no 'Harry Potteresque' books for young boys(10-14). He said young Bond would learn some of the skills necessary for his later career-endurance, swimming under water, gun skills and driving a Bentley. All the books are fabulous and it's sad that more aren't coming. Charlie did say that at some point, movies would be made.
  • JJMCJJMC
    Posts: 16
    As a teenage member I have previously read them, found them very enjoyable, Higson is good with continuity and found it excellent and intriguing to read about a youthful Bond.
  • samainsysamainsy Suspended
    Posts: 199
    Well I'm 13 and read them but mostly Alex Rider aswell.
  • ohfilms1ohfilms1
    Posts: 112
    I own all of these books and reading them at the moment. Nothing to say but i like SilverFin
  • Bradford4Bradford4 Banned
    Posts: 152
    I do worry about the sexual content of these young reader novels. Can someone give an overview or warning if there is?
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    Nothing to worry about. Bond doesn't go around waving his wand at every girl he comes across. It's been a while since I read them but Bond is largely indifferent towards girls. He'd rather solve riddles with Pritpal and get stuck into the action going on. However, it's not until BRC where his feelings for girls really kick in, otherwise, it's mostly him having to deal with whatever female company just so happens to get caught up in his business. That Precious Stone chick was quite the irritating brat at first but she redeems herself.
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