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Nobody Lives for Ever
Just finished Gardner's fifth 007 novel. I was told before reading this that is was by far Gardner's best effort, but to be honest I found it lacking somewhat. It was an original work and for that he should be given credit, though I enjoyed For Special Services and Icebreaker more than this one. In a way I suppose this was along the same lines as Amis' Colonel Sun, though not as well thought out.
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Gardner didn't do any Bond novel called Shatterhand - that is merely Blofeld's cover name in the YOLT novel (as Dr Guntram Shatterhand). Scorpius or Brokenclaw perhaps?
This is the one where Bond is being pursued ?
Back in the day,I was a huge Gardner fan way before he took up his pen for 007. I particularly liked his Boysie Oakes novels ('The Liquidator', 'Madrigal' and 'Amber Nine' are well worth a read).
Given this, you can well imagine my excitement when 'Licence Renewed' was published in 1981. I thought the marriage between one of my favourite authors and the world's most famous spy was bound to result in literary nirvana.
Unfortunately, although he gave us a very creditable '80s reboot and, as previously mentioned, his first five were quite good. He never gave us the great Bond book of which he was so capable. I just don't think his heart was ever completely in it.
'The Secret Generations' trilogy is actually the example of John at his finest. It tells the history of the British secret services through the story of the Railton family and all three volumes are completely fantastic. His writing was up there with Le Carre, Greene and Deighton.He really showed his prowess with these books and his Herbie Kruger series. When it came to Bond, I don't think he ever gave it his best shot and ultimately his relationship with Bond soured.
In retrospect, I think Gildrose would have been better persuading the late, great Peter O'Donnell to take up the Bond continuity project. By 1980 the terrific Modesty Blaise series was winding down and like Fleming, O'Donnell was the master of the huge escapist plot. Unlike Fleming, he was also a great writer and had he been offered, and had he accepted, we would have had the most exciting combo possible!
That's the one.