Action and thrills aplenty.

Solo – A James Bond Novel

William Boyd

Jonathan Cape

Random House

ISBN: 9780224097482

Description:

It’s 1969, and, having just celebrated his forty-fifth birthday, James Bond—British special agent 007—is summoned to headquarters to receive an unusual assignment. Zanzarim, a troubled West African nation, is being ravaged by a bitter civil war, and M directs Bond to quash the rebels threatening the established regime.

Bond’s arrival in Africa marks the start of a feverish mission to discover the forces behind this brutal war—and he soon realizes the situation is far from straightforward. Piece by piece, Bond uncovers the real cause of the violence in Zanzarim, revealing a twisting conspiracy that extends further than he ever imagined.

Moving from rebel battlefields in West Africa to the closed doors of intelligence offices in London and Washington, this novel is at once a gripping thriller, a tensely plotted story full of memorable characters and breathtaking twists, and a masterful study of power and how it is wielded—a brilliant addition to the James Bond canon.

My View:

This is a well written thriller with an intriguing narrative and plenty of action, politics, plot twists and turns. I think it is important to remember whilst reading this that Boyd’s voice is constrained by the existing patterns and templates of the previous James Bond novels – he is stylistically obligated to keep to the existing pathways and negotiates this quite well. It must be very difficult for a writer, even for such a talented one as Boyd to follow someone else’s schemata and stick to known traits, characterisations and plots.

Although this book is set in 1969 the politics of oil are just as relevant today and with a few changes to contemporary fashion and media this could be a book set in the now. I found this point very interesting; broadly speaking the world is still focussed on oil rights and power this resource generates as evident in this novel.

This novel is intriguing, exciting and fast paced. Bond is the classic hero – smart, attractive, resilient, is able to make quick decisions and is able to make the best out of the worst situations.   In this novel I feel he shows more of his humanness, his flaws – his reflections on his time as a commando in the Second World War, his reactions to the sadistic behaviours displayed by the opposition, his anger and subsequent reactions to one of the significant characters death… his protectiveness towards his housekeeper…all make Bond a better man. However there is one character trait that made me feel very uncomfortable – his overt sexuality, his attitude towards the women in this book are deplorable, Bond’s first impressions of the women he meets are as potential sexual partners –   but I realise this is just another “pattern” that Boyd is forced to work with, this overt sexuality is a Bond trademark, a pity Bond hasn’t been allowed to grow out of this. Oh well it must please the diehard fans but not me.

In all this is a great mystery/thriller.