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emilyrosebooks's review against another edition
I wanted to get into it, but I just am not a James Bond person I think.
jbrito's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
tommychameleon's review against another edition
4.0
My favourite Gardner Bond. A fresh angle that sees Bond on the back foot throughout. Nice to see 007 being hunted instead of the hunter.
wellington299's review against another edition
2.0
Many of the earlier James Bond movies were based on the novels of Ian Fleming. When Ian Fleming passed away, the torch was eventually passed to John Gardner to continue writing (it has passed two times since then as well).
When I read Ian Fleming’s books they almost felt like I was walking through the beginnings of one of the most famous fiction characters of our age. I would read a chapter and then just lie there for a while pondering and enjoying the aftereffects of the reading. For some reason, this book felt like a cheap knock-off. The version I read was just a cheap paperback!
In this book, Bond actually doesn’t save the world; in fact, he is just saving his own head. Someone has issued a challenge of the crime world – bring me Bond’s hand on a silver platter. Bind finds this out when he is beginning his vacation. Shortly thereafter, Moneypenny and his maid are kidnapped. Bond races around Europe to save the two damsels while accompanied by two more “hostages” (female of course!).
When I read Ian Fleming’s books they almost felt like I was walking through the beginnings of one of the most famous fiction characters of our age. I would read a chapter and then just lie there for a while pondering and enjoying the aftereffects of the reading. For some reason, this book felt like a cheap knock-off. The version I read was just a cheap paperback!
In this book, Bond actually doesn’t save the world; in fact, he is just saving his own head. Someone has issued a challenge of the crime world – bring me Bond’s hand on a silver platter. Bind finds this out when he is beginning his vacation. Shortly thereafter, Moneypenny and his maid are kidnapped. Bond races around Europe to save the two damsels while accompanied by two more “hostages” (female of course!).
jmoore65655's review against another edition
3.0
This was my least favorite of the series so far. It just seemed a bit goofy to me. 3.5
whitejamaica's review
This book disgusts me. Not even the opening engaged me, like A Bond novel should before dissipate and degenerates into a pointless ordeal. Nobody Lives Forever started with an empty hand. There's no plot; Gardner literally just threw this novel out there to meet a deadline.
2/5 Stars
2/5 Stars
sirchutney's review
4.0
Nobody Lives for Ever, first published in 1986, was the fifth novel by John Gardner.
The story isn't all that complex.En route to retrieve housekeeper, May, from a health clinic, Bond receives some news. British Secret Service tells him that Tamil Rahani, the leader of SPECTRE, is dying. Why? Because Bond wounded him in their last encounter. There is a price on Bond's head. Bond should "trust no one". Mysterious!
Bond learns that May and Miss Moneypenny, who had been visiting his housekeeper, are missing. Bond finds himself dodging would-be assassins while searching for his friends. Assisting him is a young débutante and her capable, yet enigmatic, female bodyguard.
The price on Bond's head is a competition organised by Rahani and SPECTRE. Its known as 'The Head Hunt'. An open contest to capture or kill Bond so he can be decapitated. While Bond tries to rescue Moneypenny and May he has to dodge betrayal, murder, kidnapping by any number of organisations and individuals.
In this twisting tale, Bond is both violent and vicious. The plot is straightforward enough. No plans for world domination here, sharks with lazers, or atomic space weapons. Its simply about henchmen, goons and assassins out to kill Bond, and get a bounty for doing so. Along the action-packed way we get a few surprises, and of course some sticky situations to test 007's skills. The ending is climatic and explosive. Not a perfect novel by any means, but a strong Bond continuation novel nonetheless. It mixes vintage Fleming with 80s culture pretty well. I for one would be more than happy to read another of Gardner's Bond novels. Recommended for anyone who wants to kill a couple of hours in an entertaining and undemanding way.
The story isn't all that complex.
Bond learns that May and Miss Moneypenny, who had been visiting his housekeeper, are missing. Bond finds himself dodging would-be assassins while searching for his friends. Assisting him is a young débutante and her capable, yet enigmatic, female bodyguard.
The price on Bond's head is a competition organised by Rahani and SPECTRE. Its known as 'The Head Hunt'. An open contest to capture or kill Bond so he can be decapitated. While Bond tries to rescue Moneypenny and May he has to dodge betrayal, murder, kidnapping by any number of organisations and individuals.
In this twisting tale, Bond is both violent and vicious. The plot is straightforward enough. No plans for world domination here, sharks with lazers, or atomic space weapons. Its simply about henchmen, goons and assassins out to kill Bond, and get a bounty for doing so. Along the action-packed way we get a few surprises, and of course some sticky situations to test 007's skills. The ending is climatic and explosive. Not a perfect novel by any means, but a strong Bond continuation novel nonetheless. It mixes vintage Fleming with 80s culture pretty well. I for one would be more than happy to read another of Gardner's Bond novels. Recommended for anyone who wants to kill a couple of hours in an entertaining and undemanding way.
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