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Title: Die Another Day by Raymond Benson ISBN: 0-425-18963-5 Publisher: Berkley Pub Group Pub. Date: 05 November, 2002 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4 (14 reviews)
Rating: 1
Summary: This is Moonraker, not original stuff.
Comment: Yes, I know they already made a film of "Moonraker" which had basically nothing to do with the book, so they're free to use plot elements. But it's almost shameless to use this many plot elements. A space weapon (only it's called "Icarus" instead of "Moonraker"), a "zero-to-hero" public persona for the villain (as well as his being honored by the Queen and not at all what he seems), the villain's blonde secretary who's a double (British S.S. and his secretary), a showdown at a club...I could go on and on. Why waste $$$ on this novelization when you could pick up Ian Fleming's original "Moonraker" at a library or used book store? It's much better, plus you get to see a "Bond Girl" who thinks he's stupid (at least at first, but then SHE dumps HIM). How rare is that!?
Rating: 5
Summary: Living to Die Another Day!!!
Comment: Raymond Benson returns with quite possibly some of his best writing ever! After the okay-good The Man With The Red Tattoo, he returns to write Die Another Day in a superb style of description, action and nonstop 007 adventure! Rumors are flying that he may be giving up his role as the 007 author, if it is true he leaves with a bang.
Die Another day begins with Bond in Korea to disrupt the evil Colonel Moon and his henchman Zao. They are purchasing diamonds and have a great deal of deadly machinery in his demilitarized zone. Bond infiltrates the zone to result in a explosion of diamond shrapnel scarring Zao's face and a deadly chase with Colonel Moon of hovercrafts over a minefield. Bond is captured by General Moon, (the colonel's father and is held responsible for his death. A year passes by with Bond in a tortured state being traded for freedom with Zao. M meets Bond and tells him of her dissapointment in him. Bond then searches for Zao down in Cuba and meets NSA agent Jinx. Bond discovers that Zao has been under gene therapy to alter his face in a clinic on a nearby island. Bond traces the island to a one Gustav Graves, an eccentric millionaire that owns diamonds and has a local ice palace in Iceland. Bond challenges Graves to fencing in the Blades Club, where Bond wins and meets the ultra-cool icy princess Miranda Frost, Graves personal assistant. Bond is equipped by Q and sent out to Iceland by M. While in Iceland Bond meets up with Jinx and discovers the Gustav Graves has created the ultrapowerful satellite Icarus, which canharness the Sun's power. He later confronts Graves where he makes a startling discovery that Miranda Frost(while earlier claiming to be a British agent) is now against Bond. A magnificent chase enthralls with Zao, Graves and Frost running Bond down. Jinx and Bond discover that Colonel Moon is in fact Gustav Graves the same person. Jinx and Bond find out that Graves is going to destroy his demilitarized zone with the Icarus in order for the takeover of all nearby countries to make Korea an unstoppable power. Bond kills Zao in the ice palace and rescues the stranded Jinx, where they aboard Graves plane to stop the crazy Korean. Jinx and Miranda Frost break out into a exciting thrilling fencing fight with Frost succumbing to the sword of Jinx. Bond and Graves battle on the now crashing plane, where Graves is killed by being pulled into the planes wing. Bond and Jinx escape via helicoptor aboard the plane. Meanwhile we are allowed to see thanks to the 3-D machine the ultimate fantasy of Moneypenny to love James Bond. Bond and Jinx safely land in a temple where the story ends.
Raymond Benson has truly written a masterpiece here. All bond fans will love the exciting tale of James Bond 007!
Rating: 4
Summary: A Different Perspective
Comment: It is hard to be objective when it comes to reviewing an audio book, as there are so many elements one can be sidetracked into reviewing. At the same time those elements have to be included in the review, but the most important part is always the audio itself.
The Unabridged Brilliance Audio Die Another Day Audio Book spans 4 casette tapes or 2 CDs and is approximately 6 hours in length. It is based upon Raymond Benson's 245 page novelisation of Die Another Day, which is taken from a screenplay by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade.
Sitting down and listening to the adventure that is Die Another Day is a vastly different experience from sitting down and watching the adventure unfurl onscreen, but this doesn't ever seem to detract from the audio book, nor does it detract from the novelisation. It isn't necessarily true that Raymond Benson's work is better then the film, but the novel, and in turn the audio book, does posses a unique quality; scenes that will never appear on the silver screen. It is obvious when listing to the story that particular scenes, for instance flash backs, just won't make it to an print of Die Another Day. The novelisation definitely feels closer to Benson's Tomorrow Never Dies then The World Is Not Enough due to its added scenes.
The novelisation is read by American Michael Page, and first uncertainties about an American accent reading a Bond novel were soon dispelled. This is largely due to Page's theatre background, most modern actors aiming for a neutral accent that Page easily finds. Furthermore, he brings in accents for particular characters, some of which he does repeat, but never in the same scene. Jinx and Miranda Frost have particularly different accents and Zao's voice is brilliantly delivered. Colonel Moon's voice is almost touch and go at times as it sometimes comes across as a satire Asian accent.
Despite his theatre background, some of Page's pronunciations may not hit directly home with the audience. For instance, his pronunciation of Omega tended towards 'a-mega'. Another pronunciation that 'felt' strange was that of Zao's name. To date it had always been sounded, in my head at least, as 'Zay-oh' rather Page's pronunciation is closer to 'Zah-oh'. Page's pronunciation is similar to that of the onscreen pronunciation, so any unfamiliarity will be seemingly dispensed after the films release.
An audio-book is definitely not for everyone, however, Brilliance Audio's Die Another Day Audio Book does 'work' and is very entertaining. Bond fans should definitely buy either a copy of the novelisation or a copy of the audio book, depending on their reading preferences.
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Title: The Man With the Red Tattoo by Raymond Benson ISBN: 0515135631 Publisher: Jove Pubns Pub. Date: 29 April, 2003 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Never Dream of Dying by Raymond Benson ISBN: 0515133078 Publisher: Jove Pubns Pub. Date: 30 April, 2002 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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Title: Doubleshot by Raymond Benson ISBN: 0515130613 Publisher: Jove Pubns Pub. Date: 05 June, 2001 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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Title: The World Is Not Enough: A Novel by Raymond Benson, Neil Purvis, Robert Wade ISBN: 042517350X Publisher: Boulevard (Mass Market) Pub. Date: October, 1999 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: The Facts of Death (James Bond Spy Series) by Raymond Benson ISBN: 0515125504 Publisher: Jove Pubns Pub. Date: August, 1999 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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