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dzkhan's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
beer_matt's review against another edition
3.0
This was a Tesco impulse buy last week. I started it a week ago yesterday. I liked the classic 50's feel, it was similar it tone to the only other James Bond novel that I've read (Casino Royale), it fair rocketed along (pun alert.....)
I was really disappointed that the author put it a (I'm guessing) homage to the novel Goldfinger, this novel takes place directly after. Pussy Galore's attempted execution by being smothered in gold paint..... Horowitz!! No!! Two wrongs don't make a right!! I don't believe that anybody really believe the first time around...... I've would've given it 4-stars with that scene.
Other than that, I solid spy thriller.
I was really disappointed that the author put it a (I'm guessing) homage to the novel Goldfinger, this novel takes place directly after. Pussy Galore's attempted execution by being smothered in gold paint..... Horowitz!! No!! Two wrongs don't make a right!! I don't believe that anybody really believe the first time around...... I've would've given it 4-stars with that scene.
Other than that, I solid spy thriller.
tamara_danielle's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
andrew_j_r's review against another edition
4.0
This book pleasantly suprised me. I have been reading the Ian Flemming books, one every few months over the last couple of years, and am over half way through. There is a certain brutal brusqueness of style that this book captures rather well.
I am not usually a fan of authors trying to write in someone else's universe - take the appalling attempt to enter Douglas Adams HHGTTG universe in Eoin Colfers "And Another Thing..." so I think the only reason I tried this book was because I respect Horrowitz as a writer.
And he did a great job. The really felt like an authentic, period Bond novel - he got Bond right, he got the setting right, and this was as good as any of the Flemming book series (I have five left to read). In fact it has made me think, once I have finished the rest, that I might try the Sebastian Faulks cover version from a few years back.
I am not usually a fan of authors trying to write in someone else's universe - take the appalling attempt to enter Douglas Adams HHGTTG universe in Eoin Colfers "And Another Thing..." so I think the only reason I tried this book was because I respect Horrowitz as a writer.
And he did a great job. The really felt like an authentic, period Bond novel - he got Bond right, he got the setting right, and this was as good as any of the Flemming book series (I have five left to read). In fact it has made me think, once I have finished the rest, that I might try the Sebastian Faulks cover version from a few years back.
andrewspink's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
A fun thriller, written by Anthony Horowitz in the style of Iam Fleming. Sometimes that grates a bit, especially the rampant sexism, but the alternative of modernising it also would not have worked. At least Horowitz had a strong female character and confined the sexism to within Bond's mind.
An unexpected bonus was setting part of it in the Eifel - an area I k ow well. I'll be within a few kilometers of Badmunster Eifel later this year.
An unexpected bonus was setting part of it in the Eifel - an area I k ow well. I'll be within a few kilometers of Badmunster Eifel later this year.
jon288's review against another edition
3.0
Not bad as a continuation, but not at Fleming levels. There were some great bits; the cards of the villain, the burial alive, the racing. The first half was much better than the last though, and the climax wasn't particularly great.
esshgee's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyable James Bond story, very Fleming-like and old-school
kayteeem's review against another edition
Gave it three chapters. Does a very good job of being a 1960s Fleming novel. But I guess I'm more interested in an updated Bond, so this will go on the did-not-finish shelf.
duparker's review against another edition
4.0
This feels like a James bond novel, there is a 50s cool to it, with some pizzazz and a lack of gimmicks.
pewterwolf's review against another edition
4.0
Review Taken from The Pewter Wolf
Set after the events of Goldfinger, Bond is on his next mission. He is asked to go to the Grand Prix, driving on one of the most dangerous tracks in Europe, trying to stop the Russians from sabotaging the race. But when he sees an agent of SMERSH with a rich Korean - Jin Seung Sin - who people dub as Jason Sin (because they either can't pronounce his name or are too lazy to learn it), Bond's mission turns a turn that will see him racing against the clock because what started as a car race could actually be the biggest race of them all...
Like I said earlier, I haven't read Ian Fleming's books (only the movies - don't judge me), but I enjoyed myself listening to this. It had the essence of Bond from the books (I'm not sure if this would work if it was movie Bond) where he smokes too much, drinks too much and enjoys women (I am going to talk about this a little later). It was exciting, fun thriller, which made me remember that Anthony is good at writing thrillers.
Also, Anthony wrote a villain - Jin Seung Sin - that creeped the heck out of me, then made me feel sorry for because of his back story (how ironic that his backstory is reflected with the recent events happening in Syria and refugees in general) then back to "This guy is nuts and doesn't care who he hurts!". I, weirdly, found him a fascinating character.
There is some problems with this book. But I can't decide if they are big problems that would ruin the book for me or problems with Bond as a whole. With two of them, I have a feeling it's Bond that's the problem.
The first is David Oyelowo's reading of Trigger Mortis. Now, I liked it. I could tell the characters apart, David gave the characters depth. But I can understand some write-ups that I have read where they aren't not happy with the pacing of David's reading. At some point, he does reading very slowly and then, in high action scenes, his reading gets faster so the listener has to change how they listen to the story.
Another thing that true Bond fans might have issue is that Trigger Mortis does try once or twice to make Bond more human - a product of our time rather than a product of Ian Fleming's time. Bond has conversations with people about homosexuality (which at the time was illegal - Pussy Galore was a lesbian in Goldfinger but Bond "turned her" straight by the end of the book) and he is still racist at times. But then, there are moments Bond does act a tiny bit out of character. There is a moment when Bond, about to nearly kill someone, decide to let him live after the man pleads for his life, telling Bond about his family. Now, Bond is a killing mission - nothing matters but the mission - so showing mercy is hugely out of character for him.
But my main issue - which is a huge thing I have with James Bond in general - is the way he treats women. We see him treating women badly time and time again in both the books and in the movies. He enjoys the chase, sleeps with them and then discards them without a moment's thought. And in any form of adventure (movie, book, etc), do we see him decide to be safe and use a condom? Of course, this is Bond!
But in Trigger Mortis, we have three "Bond Girls" (I am trying not to use that term. It's a bit degrading, isn't it?). We have Pussy Galore from Goldfinger, who Bond "turned" straight. She came back with him because she was in danger in New York. But the thrill was gone and, after she was in danger, she ends things with Bond after a few chapters. He wanted her gone for a while but she ends it, basically calling him out on being a coward when it comes to relationships. But, barring this, what exactly was the point of her being in this story? Was her appearance a nod to fans of the book series or was it to show us that Bond is a bit of a sexist pig? Whatever it was, her appearance was lacking and it would have been nice if she was more involved in the story as a whole because of the location of where the book ends. I thought she was going to be in the whole story, not for a few chapters... And with the other two, Logan Fairfax and, the main "Bond girl", Jeopardy Lane, Bond uses them and then dismisses them once their use is over. Logan leaves after she teaches him how to drive a Grand Prix car and Jeopardy... ok, that's spoiler territory but you can guess.
Bond treats these women badly - actually, he treats all women badly - and yet, here we are, kinda celebrating it.
Sorry, that is a rant for a later date, me thinks.
But yes, Trigger Mortis. It was a love letter from a fan to the author and it was a lot of fun. I do hope Anthony Horowitz is asked to write another Bond novel.
Set after the events of Goldfinger, Bond is on his next mission. He is asked to go to the Grand Prix, driving on one of the most dangerous tracks in Europe, trying to stop the Russians from sabotaging the race. But when he sees an agent of SMERSH with a rich Korean - Jin Seung Sin - who people dub as Jason Sin (because they either can't pronounce his name or are too lazy to learn it), Bond's mission turns a turn that will see him racing against the clock because what started as a car race could actually be the biggest race of them all...
Like I said earlier, I haven't read Ian Fleming's books (only the movies - don't judge me), but I enjoyed myself listening to this. It had the essence of Bond from the books (I'm not sure if this would work if it was movie Bond) where he smokes too much, drinks too much and enjoys women (I am going to talk about this a little later). It was exciting, fun thriller, which made me remember that Anthony is good at writing thrillers.
Also, Anthony wrote a villain - Jin Seung Sin - that creeped the heck out of me, then made me feel sorry for because of his back story (how ironic that his backstory is reflected with the recent events happening in Syria and refugees in general) then back to "This guy is nuts and doesn't care who he hurts!". I, weirdly, found him a fascinating character.
There is some problems with this book. But I can't decide if they are big problems that would ruin the book for me or problems with Bond as a whole. With two of them, I have a feeling it's Bond that's the problem.
The first is David Oyelowo's reading of Trigger Mortis. Now, I liked it. I could tell the characters apart, David gave the characters depth. But I can understand some write-ups that I have read where they aren't not happy with the pacing of David's reading. At some point, he does reading very slowly and then, in high action scenes, his reading gets faster so the listener has to change how they listen to the story.
Another thing that true Bond fans might have issue is that Trigger Mortis does try once or twice to make Bond more human - a product of our time rather than a product of Ian Fleming's time. Bond has conversations with people about homosexuality (which at the time was illegal - Pussy Galore was a lesbian in Goldfinger but Bond "turned her" straight by the end of the book) and he is still racist at times. But then, there are moments Bond does act a tiny bit out of character. There is a moment when Bond, about to nearly kill someone, decide to let him live after the man pleads for his life, telling Bond about his family. Now, Bond is a killing mission - nothing matters but the mission - so showing mercy is hugely out of character for him.
But my main issue - which is a huge thing I have with James Bond in general - is the way he treats women. We see him treating women badly time and time again in both the books and in the movies. He enjoys the chase, sleeps with them and then discards them without a moment's thought. And in any form of adventure (movie, book, etc), do we see him decide to be safe and use a condom? Of course, this is Bond!
But in Trigger Mortis, we have three "Bond Girls" (I am trying not to use that term. It's a bit degrading, isn't it?). We have Pussy Galore from Goldfinger, who Bond "turned" straight. She came back with him because she was in danger in New York. But the thrill was gone and, after she was in danger, she ends things with Bond after a few chapters. He wanted her gone for a while but she ends it, basically calling him out on being a coward when it comes to relationships. But, barring this, what exactly was the point of her being in this story? Was her appearance a nod to fans of the book series or was it to show us that Bond is a bit of a sexist pig? Whatever it was, her appearance was lacking and it would have been nice if she was more involved in the story as a whole because of the location of where the book ends. I thought she was going to be in the whole story, not for a few chapters... And with the other two, Logan Fairfax and, the main "Bond girl", Jeopardy Lane, Bond uses them and then dismisses them once their use is over. Logan leaves after she teaches him how to drive a Grand Prix car and Jeopardy... ok, that's spoiler territory but you can guess.
Bond treats these women badly - actually, he treats all women badly - and yet, here we are, kinda celebrating it.
Sorry, that is a rant for a later date, me thinks.
But yes, Trigger Mortis. It was a love letter from a fan to the author and it was a lot of fun. I do hope Anthony Horowitz is asked to write another Bond novel.