CommanderBond.net

This thread is intended for reviews and ratings of Scorpius by members of the The Blades Library Book Club here. Be sure to add your review if you do vote in the poll!

The Blades Library Book Club will be reading Scorpius from: 15 August 2007 - 15 October 2007.

One of John Gardner's best Bond efforts, recommended. The story seems all too real, it gets better as it goes along, and the villain is memorable in a Dr. No kind of way. A well-structured blend of tough realism and more fantastical elements. Liked the fact that we learn Sean Connery is one of Bond's favourite actors, a cute way for John to reveal his own favourite Bond actor.

I've almost finnished reading Scorpius and it is certainly the best John Gardner Bond novel that I have read to date. The story involving suicide bombers is so relevant to today that its quite scary. If i had read this back in the 80's i don't think it would have resonated so well with me. But given all that is happening in the world these days this book is sadly very upto date. Gardner provides great insight into how people can be manipulated and convinced to do anything.

Anyway better finish the book so i can write a review....

Vladimir Scorpius sounded like a classic James Bond villain. Linked with religious cult leader Father Valentine (clever name), Gardner was capturing the zeitgeist in 1988. The corrupted TV evangelist was the villain du jour.

The book itself was a change in pace - sort of Moonraker mixed with Dr No. The mainly UK locations and pacing worked well for me. Gardner conjured a sense of atmosphere and mystery. The opening car chase from the SAS base was fantastic and the SAS character, Pearlman was the first successful supporting character in the Gardner books. Harriet Horner was a fun character. Things went downhill when the plot moves to Hilton Head Island - it is just too silly. Fun, but silly. The suicide bomber/financial meltdown threat feels tagged on. However, the downbeat ending is good. Scorpius as a character is built up well, given an interesting history but actually does nothing and has no real presence. No Bond villain should be identifiable by his bling! However, the book was a continuation of the development of Gardner's Bond. That characterization had really come into his own in the last few books: a special SIS operative who trains with SAS and SBS, drives a gorgeous Bentley Mulsanne Turbo, uses an ASP 9mm and interacts with M, Moneypenny, Tanner as well as Q'ute at HQ. The in-joke about Sean Connery being Bond's favourite actor is in the tradition of the Fleming knowing wink. All in all, there was a confidence about the writing that held sway.