Seafire

Rating:
Summary: Did John Gardner write Bond novels on autopilot?
Review: I don't get it. For a while, the only books by John Gardner I had ever read were his James Bond novels. I knew he was a spy novelist for years so I finally picked up a different book of his (Confessor) and I loved it. I also realized how DIFFERENTLY he wrote when he wrote non-Bond novels. I don't think he put one half of the effort into some Bond novels that he did into other, non-Bond books. His style and writing is exactly the same in all of the Bond novels with the exception of COLD FALL, which reads like Gardner loosening up and writing more freely (probably since he knew it was his last Bond.) SEAFIRE could have been great, but once again Gardner does a shoddy job of bringing together potentially interesting story elements. The villain is the next Hitler (um, didn't Bond fight the next Hitler in ICEBREAKER?) who has something to do with destroying the Caribbean with an oil spill while inventing a new way to control oil spills (I still don't know what the Fourth Reich and oil spills have to do with each other.) Bond proposes to Flicka von Grusse (and we all KNOW she will die for that.) However, I give Gardner credit for changing the Bond world with his OWN series, and not keeping everything static like all of the movies. He has M on the verge of replacement, Bond being promoted, a new committee watching the other committees. John Gardner wrote some good Bond books (Death is Forever, No Deals, Mr. Bond, Icebreaker) but there are times when he seems to rush them or just not care about Bond or the books themselves. Seafire, quite often, feels like one of those times.

Rating:
Summary: GARDNER ISN'T EVEN CLOSE TO IAN FLEMING
Review: I havent read any of gardner's books. but from what i hear leming rules all bond novels. I say stick with fleming forget gardner. Benson's allright.

Rating:
Summary: This is a very Good Book!
Review: I thought this was one of the best Bond books I have read in a while! It is a little boring at the beginning for about two chapters, but it gets a lot better after that. I could not stop reading it at the end, because it is so EXCITING! Other people say John Gardner doesn't write very good books, but a disagree. This book is very good, and I recommend it to people that like action packed James Bond novels!

Rating:
Summary: ANOTHER GREAT TITLE FROM GARDNER
Review: John Gardner comes through with another great title and another poorly written novel. He is very consistent however! His novel still reads like a movie script and his ability to enthrall the reader still remains lacking. One highlight: this paperback has a great cover! I think it is time that these entries get put to Sea.

Rating:
Summary: Elaborate plotting...seductions,killings,double crosses
Review: Seafire by john gardner is a very intense and good book beacuase it is exciting, suspenseful, and realistic.It is exciting because it is full of high speed chases, gun fights, and fist fights. The action and mystery of uncovering a conspiracy is what makes it so suspenseful. it is realistic because everything, all the cities and countries are real.The plot involves one Maxwell Tarn, a billionaire, and his wife, who are missing. Sir Maxwell, who disappeared while under surveillance, is known as a selfmade billionaire to the public, but to the brittish inteeligence hes known as the most notorious arms dealer around the world. Bond,Flicka, and the Double-0 section of the SAS must find out what really happened to Tarn and do something about him.

Rating:
Summary: One of Gardner's weaker novels, but still a good read.
Review: The story was a little weak because it had Bond fighting a Nazi plot which is something every suspense novelist has their hero do at one time or another. This novel is worth reading however because of Bond's marrige proposal to Fredricka Von Gruse and it's emotional ending. It's a good showing of Bond's human side.

Rating:
Summary: One of Gardner's weaker novels, but still a good read.
Review: The story was a little weak because it had Bond fighting a Nazi plot which is something every suspense novelist has their hero do at one time or another. This novel is worth reading however because of Bond's marrige proposal to Fredricka Von Gruse and it's emotional ending. It's a good showing of Bond's human side.

Rating:
Summary: GREAT BOOK
Review: This is a good 007 book. It reads a little slow then it picks up and is quick to read.

Rating:
Summary: Tied down
Review: This was the first John Gardner 007 book that I read. I really enjoy James Bond stories and movies as well. However, in the books and movies that I have seen, James Bond was more of a ladies man and was free from commitment. In this book, James is pretty much tied down and very much in love with one woman. This was something that I did not particuarly agree with, coming to know James Bond as a bachelor is how I would much rather keep it. Neverheless, I did enjoy reading this book and getting into the story.

Rating:
Summary: Tied down
Review: What is up with this book? Did John Gardner just get tired of writing it and decide to slap together that last two thirds of it. Here we have the 'rise' of the 4th Reich (again) and a zillionaire whacko (again) who wants to take over the world (again.) I am still trying to figure out how oil spills are connected with world domination, but that's just me. John Gardner was clearly getting sick of Bond with this book, and he would only have one more to go. Thank goodness, though it only gets worse with new Bond author Raymond Benson, whose books are so cartoonish and amateurish they make the James Bond Jr. cartoon seem like vintage Fleming.