So... it's been quite a bit longer than the couple of weeks I'd planned for. I won't go into detail, because that's really not what this blog is for, but let's just say that real life got in the way. After losing my dad early last year, in particular, it was pretty difficult to care about things like updating my blog. Recently, however, I've been feeling that itch again, so I'm back to do a bit of scratching. Admittedly, this post is a bit of a cheat, as this book is only a few months old, and I'm reading it for the first time. To help me ease back into the habit, however, I figure it gets a pass. Plus, this'll keep everyone from having to wait years for me to re-read it to give it eligibility!
Charlie Higson, no stranger to the world of James Bond, was asked to write his first adult 007 novel to compliment the coronation of King Charles III, with the proceeds going to the National Literacy Trust. Bond is put on the tail of Aethelstan of Wessex, a wealthy eccentric who claims to be the true king of England, and aims to disrupt the coronation. Raising the stakes is the discovery of the dead body of 009, who had previously been sent on the same mission. Time is short, and Aethelstan is sure to be on high alert after discovering 009's infiltration of his organization. Bond must contend with a gaggle of wealthy lunatics who have bought into Aethelstan's cause, an army of mercenaries, and the enigmatic Ragnheidur, the requisite femme fatale of the novel.
The novel is definitely among the shortest Bonds-- Higson was given only three weeks to complete it-- and it feels a bit condensed, as Higson does his best to fit in as many of the expected scenarios as possible. It's still a rather scaled-down adventure compared to what we normally get, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Most of the characters are rather bland, and the main villain is a particular disappointment, which is surely a consequence of the novel's accelerated creation. Bond himself rings true, which is unsurprising, given Higson's prior experience with the character. (Albeit at a different stage of his life!) Ragnheidur is easily the most memorable supporting character, and I would welcome her presence in a subsequent Bond adventure, however unlikely that seems. The Budapest setting is quite nice, too, though we don't get to spend much time immersed in the local atmosphere before the story becomes barricaded within Aethelstan's castle for much of its length.
As the novel is set in the present day, we have to endure references to social media, and a heaping pile of political discourse. It would be pretty damn tough to avoid politics, given the story's subject matter, but it may be a bit much for some readers, whether or not you agree with the views expressed. I didn't find this detrimental, but if you think it might bother you, be warned! There was an occasional line that just sounded odd, or out of character-- hearing M refer to blogging just doesn't seem right, 2023 setting or not-- though I feel many such idiosyncrasies would likely have been eliminated if the novel had been given more time to gestate.
Notable quotes:
Bond didn't like the codewords and acronyms that were increasingly creeping into the MI6 vocabulary. He felt they were designed to soften the reality of what they did. D37. Looked harmless. But it was a desperate thing. An emergency flare. A shout for help. A dying scream for your mother. No content. Just a digital blip that communicates when an agent has important information but knows they won't be able to parachute out with it.
There was no acknowledgement that the English were outsiders, themselves... Why pick one small point in history? Why not try to put a Celt on the throne? Or go further back and put a Neanderthal there?
Bond hated fighting. If a fight started it meant all else had failed. It was a last resort. Fighting was painful and things got broken. If you did get into a fight, then you had to shut it down as fast as was humanly possible.
Working for the service had been the making of him but the ruin of him too. It had left him unfit to do anything else.
Despite the shortcomings enumerated above-- and I truly do believe that most of them were due to the book being completed so quickly-- OHMSS is an engaging, if quick, read. I enjoyed my brief time with it, and I find myself hoping that Higson gets the go-ahead to write a full-length novel of the adult Bond very soon! That's all for today, but I'll be back soon to dive back into the Gardner Bonds with For Special Services. I won't pretend to know exactly when, but it definitely won't be another 21 month wait!
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