What order should you read the James Bond continuation novels in? | Ian Fleming's 007

[@trettfilms]

i’m exploring raymond bensons books a little more recently but he is very underrated as a bond author.

[@lc12591]

Great video, great picks! I also love the novelizations of the Spy Who Loved Me film, License to Kill and 3 of the 4 good Pierce movies! So excited for Horowitz's new novel next week!

[@aaronleverton4221]

Raymond Benson's Bedside Companion did me very well as a teen, exactly while John Gardner was giving me something to read once I'd run out of Fleming. Mr Gardner's efforts may have been defined by Katy Perry's Hot'n'Cold, but without his 007 efforts I wouldn't have discovered Boysie Oakes or have had a reason to read the Secret Families/Houses/Generations (well, Len Deighton gave them a good rap, so there's that and I'd just finished reading Game, Set Match thanks to my Grandfather). Bought Carte Blanche in transit in Changi during a stupid one-day intercontinental return and finished it before I was back where I'd started. Much enjoyed, kind of disappointed there was no follow-up. Devil May Care really did nail the classic Bond in his period feel, the exotic location, the exotic villain with an exotic plan. Well, the location would have been exotic in the '60s. Rather the problem with updating Bond, where can you go that's still largely unknown and exotic? Raymond Benson started Zero Minus Ten in the Outback and having grown up there, it didn't feel at all real and it was the first time Bond had been to Australia, a land that in the '50s would have been, in a very real sense, almost completely unknown to a UK audience. Despite it all, John Gardner created Beatrice da Costa, an absolute firecracker of an agent who was easily Bond's complement and who even the cinematic Bond could totally have fallen for. Some you win, some you lose. And some die.

[@wizard73282]

I read Forever And A Day before Casino Royale and the other Fleming books. I would say it was a great way to warm up to reading the originals. Thanks for the recommendations and quick review on these books, they are on my list now.

[@johnrigs6540]

Excellent video with some terrific on target picks! I agree with many of your choices here. Colonel Sun - Forever and a day - Trigger Mortis - With A Mind To Kill are definitely far and away the best James Bond books written outside of Fleming himself and undoubtedly the best books to read once you finish the original novels. Like you, I also personally really enjoy The Raymond Benson Books. Especially That Union Trilogy - more than any other continuation books These three in particular would all really make terrific movies! I am also a fan of the first few Young Bond books! Not quite as Classic James Bond Film -like as Horowitz’s Alex Rider Series, but still written very much in that classic Fleming style. It is very easy to see The Young Bond portrayed in Higgins books growing into Ian Flemings 007 and I’m sure that was not easy to pull off! But he did it beautifully! Devil May Cry and Solo were just ok for me,though -not bad but not really memorable either. The Gardner books were a mixed bag too, but some were movie like fun- Icebreaker, For Special Services and Role of Honor were probably my favorites of those. It’s sad to realize that Horowitz is done but I hope whoever they select next will sign on for an extended run where they can weave a bit of continuity instead of different authors just doing one and done.

[@ethantoise4073]

Solo set up Kobus Breed to become the next blofeld, and Carte Blanche set up Steel Cartridge to become the new Spectre and hinted at bond's parents being spies to be explored in future novels. they just weren't well received enough to continue. And its funny you call it devil may cry, ha ha

[@MrSuperphil]

Great video. Really informative.

[@michaelpoplawski2998]

Great recommendations. I have read most of these, but years ago. I need to go back and read them again.

[@richardloganpowelliii4850]

STAY CHEWNED. Great video!

[@alexlamas6324]

Thanks! If I continue with the continuation novels this will be my guide.

[@williamleisher1173]

Great video !! Looking forward to reading these !

[@voldemortjones1054]

Great List! The Higson Young Bond books are so much better than they have any right to be. Each installment improves upon the prior imo. I just finished all nine and am looking forward to cracking open Forever and a Day!

[@mikethekid1980]

Love it!

[@alexlamas6324]

Dude! Blast From the Past spoiler alert! 😲