For Special Services 1982

Discussion & Review Forum For James Bond Books Written By John Gardner (November 20, 1926 – August 3, 2007)
Post Reply
User avatar
Goldeneye
Site Admin
Posts: 1981
Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2007 5:58 pm

For Special Services 1982

Post by Goldeneye »

Image


007 IS BACK AGAIN, on secret loan to the U.S. government in this brand-new, ultra-Bond thriller. His partner? None other than the tough-minded and gorgeous Cedar, daughter of his old friend Felix Leiter. His enemy? The legendary SPECTRE - the Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion - a SPECTRE whose strength has grown in the new secret war waged in the gray corridors of political power.
Bond and Cedar make a potent team, as they must, for they face an unending series of terrifying situations - from a skyjacking, to a plunging Washington, D.C., elevator, to armies of killer ants, to confrontation on a speeding monorail. Inexorably they work their way to the remote and ultra-luxurious ranch of the ambitious Texas tycoon Markus Bismaquer, where Bond comes face-to-face - and more - with Bismaquer's young French wife, Nena, and has experiences of a different kind with the tycoon's sinister, skull-faced partner, Walter Luxor. Political scandal and intrigue, military murder and mayhem, follow Bond, yet some final nagging questions continue to elude him until the last great revelation: who is SPECTRE's new leader, who calls himself Blofeld? And what is the final aim of SPECTRE's secret Heavenly Wolf operation?
With Licence Renewed, John Gardner brought back James Bond, the world's most famous spy. Now, in For Special Services, Bond is here to stay, in a super-thriller filled with suspense, intrigue, humour and sprawling action that has made Agent 007 a delight to millions of readers throughout the world.
User avatar
Problem Eliminator
Lieutenant
Posts: 84
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 11:05 pm

Re: For Special Services 1982

Post by Problem Eliminator »

Reading this now, part of a haul of Bond novels I got from the 2nd hand book store. Have to say, I hope Bond doesnt bang Cedar. Itd feel way too weird with her being Leiter's daughter.
Last edited by Problem Eliminator on Thu Sep 25, 2014 5:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Kiwichris
Lieutenant-Commander
Posts: 286
Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2014 9:36 am
Favorite Bond Movie: GoldenEye, Licence to Kill, The Living Daylights, You Only Live Twice, The World is Not Enough, Casino Royale, For Your Eyes Only
Favorite Movies: Star Wars, V for Vendetta, Dredd, Kingsman: The Secret Service, Braveheart, Raimi Spider-Man Films, Man of Steel, Zulu, Indiana Jones, Road to Perdition, Enemy at the Gates
Location: New Zealand

Re: For Special Services 1982

Post by Kiwichris »

This book is probably Gardner's best. However it is still very much like his other books which are generic espionage/thrillers with a protagonist who just happens to be called James Bond.
"Dalton makes an effective Bond - lacking Sean Connery's grace and humor, and Roger Moore's suave self-mockery, but with a lean tension and a toughness that is possibly more contemporary" - Roger Ebert
Image
User avatar
Problem Eliminator
Lieutenant
Posts: 84
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 11:05 pm

Re: For Special Services 1982

Post by Problem Eliminator »

Im already noticing a lack of Fleming's flair for description of places, and his lengthy descriptions of food and drink.
User avatar
Problem Eliminator
Lieutenant
Posts: 84
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 11:05 pm

Re: For Special Services 1982

Post by Problem Eliminator »

Just finished this one. So many problems.

1. Bonds relationship with Cedar. Was completely unnecessary and distracting. How would the book turn out if they omitted her character and conceived another reason to put Bond on the villains trail? Not to mention the semi-incestuous feel of it. And Leiter is supposedly ok with this knowing how Bond is with women? Hes setting his daughter up to get heartbroken?

2. The big reveal about Blofeld. I saw it coming as soon as Bond began speculating which of the men was him. Even guessed the relationship between Blofeld 1 and 2. One has to ask: why the big charade? Whyd she tell him how to infiltrate the conference center? He didnt need to hear the plan to play his role. Also, how Blofeld died. How did the glass break? I believe we're told in the first scene at SPECTRE that the glass is very thick. Yet a small woman falling against it breaks it?

3. The whole evil plan is a mess. Why use Bond as the 4 star General? Why use ice cream instead of poisoning the water? Do people really eat ice cream that much? How many 4 star generals are Bonds age? Given the extremely limited number of 4 star generals wouldn't many people at NORAD know him by sight? Senior officers in the US dont carry guns on regular duty. Nor do they travel with escorts of APCs and detachments of soldiers for routine inspections. Gardner seems to know nothiw about the US military at all.

This book has more plot holes than Skyfall.
User avatar
Kiwichris
Lieutenant-Commander
Posts: 286
Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2014 9:36 am
Favorite Bond Movie: GoldenEye, Licence to Kill, The Living Daylights, You Only Live Twice, The World is Not Enough, Casino Royale, For Your Eyes Only
Favorite Movies: Star Wars, V for Vendetta, Dredd, Kingsman: The Secret Service, Braveheart, Raimi Spider-Man Films, Man of Steel, Zulu, Indiana Jones, Road to Perdition, Enemy at the Gates
Location: New Zealand

Re: For Special Services 1982

Post by Kiwichris »

Problem Eliminator wrote:1. Bonds relationship with Cedar. Was completely unnecessary and distracting.
I hear that! Totally agree, it contributes to half the book being absolute waffle.
Problem Eliminator wrote:3. The whole evil plan is a mess. Why use Bond as the 4 star General? Why use ice cream instead of poisoning the water? Do people really eat ice cream that much? How many 4 star generals are Bonds age?
Often stuff just literally doesn't adhere to logic:

Image
Last edited by Kiwichris on Sat Oct 04, 2014 6:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
"Dalton makes an effective Bond - lacking Sean Connery's grace and humor, and Roger Moore's suave self-mockery, but with a lean tension and a toughness that is possibly more contemporary" - Roger Ebert
Image
User avatar
Daltonite Toothpaste
Single O
Posts: 883
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 2:35 pm
Favorite Bond Movie: The Living Daylights, Licence To Kill, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, From Russia With Love, Tomorrow Never Dies & For Your Eyes Only.
Favorite Movies: American Mary, Deadlier Than The Male, Dracula, Saved, The Big Sleep, The French Connection, Under The Sand

Re: For Special Services 1982

Post by Daltonite Toothpaste »

I really liked FSS, it is not only my favourite Gardner, but my favourite of the continuation books and one of my favourite Bond books.
Image
User avatar
Kiwichris
Lieutenant-Commander
Posts: 286
Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2014 9:36 am
Favorite Bond Movie: GoldenEye, Licence to Kill, The Living Daylights, You Only Live Twice, The World is Not Enough, Casino Royale, For Your Eyes Only
Favorite Movies: Star Wars, V for Vendetta, Dredd, Kingsman: The Secret Service, Braveheart, Raimi Spider-Man Films, Man of Steel, Zulu, Indiana Jones, Road to Perdition, Enemy at the Gates
Location: New Zealand

Re: For Special Services 1982

Post by Kiwichris »

Daltonite Toothpaste wrote:I really liked FSS, it is not only my favourite Gardner, but my favourite of the continuation books and one of my favourite Bond books.
I agree in that I always thought this to be his best continuation, though the writers of The World is Not Enough did a better job with the plot line of setting up a bad guy only for the real villain to be his mistress scenario. So good in fact, that the Nolan brothers ripped it off for The Dark Knight Rises story. I think Gardner's novelisation of Licence to Kill is his best overall book however.
"Dalton makes an effective Bond - lacking Sean Connery's grace and humor, and Roger Moore's suave self-mockery, but with a lean tension and a toughness that is possibly more contemporary" - Roger Ebert
Image
Post Reply