SeaFire (John Gardner's Bond, #14)

The author writes a good James Bond story and this is one of the best. Ian Fleming must be smiling down on him. We know Bond's lifestyle and this book will point out his vanity, letting us see that he is far from perfect.

This book is written as the last of the Bond series and it was a good endeavor. We are told his weak points, his strong points, that he does not have a heart of stone and can shed tears. Although there are other Bond stories, they will not move his life and career further on. 

"Brokenclaw" (John Gardner's Bond #10)

This story started with possibilities. But this Bond is not the Bond I know. He hides rather than confront. The story was readable with a predictable ending.

"Win, Lose or Die" (John Gardner's Bond, #8)

Where is James Bond? What have you done with him? This character sounds like a rookie not a seasoned operative. In his first conversation with "M", he is wimpy, a pale version of the real James Bond. The author uses sex scenes to capture the real Bond but makes a poor job of it. It is ill thought out with ridiculous dialogue. The story is a "B" movie with a lot of high school drama.

Character is the Very Life of Fiction

Character is the very life of fiction. Setting exists so that the character has someplace to stand. Plot exists so the character can discover what he is really like, forcing the character to choice and action. And theme exists only to make the character stand up and be somebody. 

JOHN GARDNER