Brokenclaw

Rating:
Summary: Great!
Review: Brokenclaw is an excellent Bond novel, up there with Gardner's best (Icebreaker). "Brokenclaw" Lee is one of the better villians Gardner has created, and the ending is unbelieveably unique in pushing Bond to the limit. It really annoys me when people who don't understand the literary Bond pick up a book like this and cast it off as horrible because it doesn't correspond with the movies . . . . this is a great read if your really into Bond, it's Gardner at his best!

Rating:
Summary: A new low...
Review: I don't know, but I think that somewhere along the way the wheels came off of this particular Bond vehicle. Brokenclaw is a fast read, kinda fun, but in the end it is rather disappointing, and the ending itself is, in my opinion, pretty ridiculous. The villain--Brokenclaw Lee, a half Chinese,half Blackfoot Indian gangster who controls most of Chinatown in San Franciso--is intriguing, but by the end of the novel, after the ludicrous showdown between him and Bond, it seems a shame that we didn't get more about him or his plans. It feels like Gardner was going fine and then sort of jettisoned a number of elements and fine setups and instead rushed to end it nicely in the (usual) 300-page format. And when all is said and done, a lot of things are just pretty damn unbelievable, even for a Bond story. For instance, and perhaps most strikingly, is the relationship between Bond and "Chi-Chi" (a code name), his Chinese female partner on the case. Hardly knowing each other they seem to fall in love like that, and the finale involves Bond entering into a completely ridiculous one-on-one matchup with Brokenclaw all because he has to save Chi-Chi because he would do ANYTHING for her because "love stays." Um, is this the James Bond we know? Certainly Bond would save a damsel in distress, but here it seems rather cheesy, because the love and attachment is unconvinving at best. I mean, Bond beds down with gals on every case, so what made Chi-Chi so special? I don't know, and neither does Gardner seem to. It's frustrating. There really isn't a lot of action, but the book is never really boring either, and that's a good thing. Gardner sacrificed some more involving elements for the sake of a quick, smooth read. 'Tis a shame, because the story and the villain especially have potential. As a matter of fact, I am pretty disappointed with Brokenclaw, especially since the beginning and parts of the middle and even some nice details are wasted. We never get to learn too much about Brokenclaw's plans, they are mentioned and taken for granted. There is Ed Rushia, a good supporting character, and M has a bigger part than usual in it. I can't totally knock the book because I enjoyed many parts, but as a whole, Brokenclaw seems lazily slapped together toward the end, the romance just plain cheesy and trite. Maybe Gardner got bored or something, but he can do much better than this.

Rating:
Summary: best bond book yet
Review: maybe the best bond on print to date. wished they would make a movie of it. it keeps you clued to the page wondering whats going to happen next.. a must read... get if you can.

Rating:
Summary: Awsome! Best book EVER!
Review: This is such a great book and i love it i baught it have reading it when i rented the book at the libary. Now i have read it 3 times and i am reading a 4 time write now. I never get sick of it! Broken Claw should be a movie! You have to read this book it is the BEST!

Rating:
Summary: Brokenclaw brings Bond to the 90's with a bang!!!
Review: This one is good. VERY good! One of the best villians in a long time. Plot is a little twisted, but you don't notice two much. Final challenge is the best part of the book. Stunning!

Rating:
Summary: don't bother
Review: You might like James Bond, and you might even like James Bond books, but you still shouldn't bother reading this one. Gardner has written some pretty bad Bond books, but this is probably one of the worst. Almost laughable. Try Icebreaker or The Man From Barbarossa instead.