Bond Reviews

I can't say enough about this book. A few years ago I read Caroline's book "drinking a love story" and found it hit very close to home and that we had many, many things in common. After spending 10 years sober and divorced, I decided it was time to commit to a dog. I THOUGHT I was getting just a dog. No, not me, extremist that I am. I got a 15 pound bundle of love and joy that I can barely leave to go to work. I am so happy to read that other people have shared this insanity. I have found myself like the author reduced to eliminating activities that don't include the dog. Caroline gives me hope that this situation will abait. The book is extremely well written, funny and thoughtful. I don't necessarily agree with some of the other reviewers that people who aren't crazy about their dogs will appreciate it. I suspect that many of those people who say "come on, it's just a dog" would never get this book. "A pack of two" is right up there on the list of books for dog lovers along with "dogs never lie about love".

This book is perfect for people who own -- and love -- their dogs, yet are stymied when their non-dog lover friends say, "Sure, Barkey is cute, but he is JUST A DOG."

Caroline Knapp has truly communicated the joys of "dog cohabitation" (as opposed to "dog ownership") in a way that even non-dog people can appreciate. Her largely anecdotal work will both resonate with those who have a dog, and will help to shade in mysterious and perplexing areas for those who don't -- and who wonder how people can get so darn attached to an animal.

And, perhaps best of all, Ms. Knapp avoids most of the preposterious dog-as-human-in-little-fur-coat anthromorphism that many writers of less talent and intelligence have used to convey that difficult to describe feeling of being engaged in a reciprocal love relationship with a dog.

As a writer myself, I am impressed -- and a little bit jealous of -- Ms. Knapp's use of language and phrasing to convey both complicated concepts and strong emotions. And, there are quite a few instances of humor in the book as well -- any dog owner who, as Ms. Knapp recounts, is convinced that a neighbor overhearing him or her speak to the dog would think "I'm a goon" will certainly empathize.

Again, the tone of this book is appropriate for both "dog people" and those indifferent to dogs alike. And, for those individuals (you all know who you are) who have fretted while dining out -- or, better yet, refused a dinner invitation altogether -- because of not wanting to leave Rover home alone, this book will speak to your soul.

Heartwarming story of the loving bond between a woman and her beloved pet dog. The consistency and strength of the bond is a true testimony to the value of unconditional love, the fact it lasts forever, and the potential for inherent pain. Saw myself in every page, and the loving bond I have shared with my pets. Most recently: the sharing of life and love with my Boston Terrier, Boomerang,,,, then the shattering pain of loss and grief. And finally, a spiritual resolution, loving acceptance and ultimate joy. Arlene Millman, author of BOOMERANG - A MIRACLE TRILOGYJ (The tale of a remarkable Boston Terrier).

I have the 'Mouse...Cookie', 'Moose...Muffin', and 'Pig...Pancake' books, and those are some of the most creative, amusing children's books I've ever read. My kids like them immensely too. Imagine my disappointment, then, after we read this installment in the series.

I have two main problems with this book. First, the chain of events don't seem to flow as naturally as the other books. For example, the mouse will go from putting a carrot on a snowman's nose to building a snow fort. There is no correlating reason why the mouse jumps from one activity to another in this book, unlike the original books. Events occur randomly rather than flowing like a domino chain, which severely hampers the flow.

Second, I personally found this book to be very predictable. The ending is EXACTLY like the beginning except in reverse. In contrast, for example, the moose wanted jam with the muffin in the beginning, which is obtained from the fridge. In the end, though, it's not the fridge that triggers the desire for jam...it's something else. So it's not merely the beginning in reverse. In this book, though, it is indeed the fridge (to borrow the analogy) that triggers the desire for the jam...and that's what makes the story predictable.

To summarize, this looks like a story where someone tried unsuccessfully to mimic Numeroff's style. Too bad Numeroff couldn't mimic herself better.

My boys love mouse a cookie, pig a pancake, and moose a muffin so we were excited to order this newest book. However, I don't think that the storyline of this book flows as well as the others do. The transition from one antic to another seems to be a bit of a stretch. The mouse is still as engaging and energetic as ever. The illustrations by Felcia Bond are wonderful. My children still really enjoy this book but they haven't asked to have it read to them repeatedly like they do for the other books. When my husband finished reading it to them, he just looked at me and said that this was "lame".

"If You Take A Mouse To The Movies" by Laura Numeroff, with Illustrations by Felicia Bond, A Laura Geringer Book, 2000.

This is an excellent continuation of the collaboration of Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond on children's books based upon fanciful "IF/THEN" statements. If you take a Mouse to the movies, then he will want popcorn; THEN, this results in his stringing the popcorn to decorate the Christmas Tree (which is the central theme of this beautiful book), and then, and so on. Each improbable "THEN" is the joy of this book. For example, the little Mouse is given just the right clothes for the wintry weather, including a cute red woolen cap, with holes for his large ears. Finally, after making snowmen, decorating a Christmas Tree, you will come full circle, and, after giving the Mouse another batch of popcorn, again, "...he'll want you to take him to the moves".

I enjoyed reading this book to my grandchildren. The younger boys (twins) were captivated by the richness of details in Felicia Bond's illustrations, while the older grandchildren (especially the girl) rolled their eyes and smiled at the "silliness" of each new IF/THEN situation ...for example, a Mouse making a "snowman" and (!) with snowy white mouse ears! The Christmas theme makes this an ideal gift for the impending holidays.

The biggest problem with "You Only Live Twice" is that with Sean Connery wanting badly out of his 007 contract, his performance here is insipid and uninspired. As a result the film suffers in ways that its predecessors did not. Saddled with a mediocre screenplay, this is the weakest entry of the Connery era. Though its production is certainly of an epic nature, it simply lacks the entertaining quality of previous efforts. Not all is a misfire in this film however. There are certainly some impressive action set pieces, the best being the autogyro/helicopter dogfight. The locations are certainly exotic as practically the entire film takes place in Japan, and production Designer Ken Adam's set for Blofeld's Volcano lair is arguably the most fantanstic in the entire series. Lord knows "Austin Powers" borrowed a lot from this movie, including the physical blueprint of everyone's favorite megalomaniac of the absurd, Dr. Evil. Unfortunately the DVD, though packed with a few goodies, is also a bit of a disappointment as it lacks the number of extras that lesser films like "Live And Let Die" and "The Man With The Golden Gun" don't. We expect more from these DVD's, and certainly from Sean Connery.

YOLT was supposed to be Sean Connery's last official Bond movie (after Lazenby's negative response, Connery came back for Diamonds are Forever), and the producers really decided to pack this one in full. The title song (by Nancy Sinatra) and John Barry score are some of the best in the franchise. The location (Japan) is exotic, and the sets are on a grand-scale level (an inactive volcano which can house a rocket ship, complete with monorail system). A top-notch writer was hired for the screenplay (Roald Dahl),and the script is loaded with exciting gun battles and action sequences. Also included in the movie are some beautiful new Bond girls and the promise of James Bond dying, marrying, becoming Japanese, and meeting Blofeld face to face. By all accounts, YOLT should have been one of the best and most memorable Bond films, providing Connery with a graceful exit from the series.

But somewhere along the line, YOLT fumbled and never regained its momentum. Yes the script is filled with action sequences, including a chopper battle in mid-air and a fight at the docks, but to accomdate these sequences the script goes into illogical territory. For example, early on in the film Bond goes to visit a contact named Henderson, only for Henderson to be killed. Bond sneaks back w/the killer, and just *happens* to find a safe in the wall. The alarm sounds, and he just *happens* to grab a set of documents which provide a negative and vital information. Aki, a competent Japanense agent, is killed towards the end of the film and quickly replaced by a new girl whos name isn't even mentioned (Kissy in the credits), all for the sake of sneaking one more Bond girl into the film. Also, Bond attempts to disguise himself as an astronaut and sneak aboard the rocket. What good would this have done? What did he think he could possibly accomplish in space? Connery's performance is also wooden. It doesn't have the charm of either his earlier performances or the humour of his later performance in Diamonds. I understand he was being hounded by the press at this time and desperately wanted to finish this film and quit, but he really should've been able to do a better job.

Complaints aside thou, YOLT still manages to entertain, moreso than most of the latter entries in the series. The script is illogical, but at least its fast-paced and rapid-fire all the way to the end. The sense of Bond political-incorrectness is rampant too, with lines like 'in japan, men come first, women come second.' These were the classic lines that made Bondmania, and YOLT also happens to represent the last of the films where Bondmania was truly part of the culture.

Final score? Rent YOLT. Buy YOLT. It's more mindless action than plot, but at least you get your moneys worth, and its both Connery and Japanese style all the way.

After four excellent Bond films comes Connery's 5th effort You Only Live Twice. Twice is possibly Connery's worst Bond film, yet it contains things previous OO7 films or Diamonds Are Forever lacked or had less of. YOLT has spectacular Oriental sets by Ken Adam, the most action of any Connery film (dock gunfight, space capsule hijack, car chase, helicopter battle, building fight, gunfight in Blofeld's crater), an ingenious idea for SPECTRE's headquarters (an inactive volcano crater), great costumes, the first appearance of SPECTRE No.1, Ernst Stavro Blofeld (played fairly well by Donald Pleasence), stunning cinematography, and an excellent pre-title (our hero faking his own death) However, this is not the best Connery pre-title it is edged out by two other pre-titles in Diamonds Are Forever and the best, Thunderball. Though Twice has some good things, it has some nagging faults, one of which is Connery's slightly wooden performance. The others are lack of good crisis situations, the script by Roald Dahl, and the killing of Aki. However, the worst thing is that Twice has so much potential with things like the Oriental setting, Sean Connery, Ernst Stavro Blofeld and SPECTRE, great girls, beautiful cinmatography and costumes, lots of good action, a good pre-title, and a bit weak yet original plot. But for some odd reason, Twice is considered by some to be the worst official Connery film, including myself.

After enjoying James Bond novels for the guilty pleasures they are, I finally have to put them to rest with Benson's latest 'novel'. I may pick up a Bond book one day, but it will not be a Benson.

Ian Fleming's novels are finally back in print in the USA, and I would encourage everyone reviewing here to pick them up and read them all. Fleming was very good at what he did. Bond was a perfect character to go to the movies, and he has endured as a character well past the Cold War.

Bond was resurrected for the page in the early 80s by spy novelist John Gardner, who churned out no less than 13 Bond novels in about 15 years. Some were good, some were awful. It became clear that Gardner was not very interested in the legacy or the character of Bond. His books seemed to be about a guy named Bond who was a secret agent.

Raymond Benson, super James Bond fan and indeed president of a fan club, was given the mantle to write these books. Not a novelist, Benson did good research and came up with good stories to work Bond and UK interests in.

Unfortunately, he is a bad writer. A non-writer. His books alternate between long descriptions of everything Benson learned on his fact-finding missions to the locales featured in the novel, and then he cuts over to action, bad dialogue, more description, and even went so far as to include some nauseating and embarrassing sex scenes. He cannot write a novel where all of these elements blend into a solid story with sharp plotting and clear characters.

Benson is obsessed with Fleming's Bond. However, he is not obsessed with attempting to write prose that even approaches John Gardner, let alone Fleming. The results are incredibly disappointing and downright silly at times. I don't know how well these have been selling, but it seems like the literary franchise of Bond has been destroyed. While each new Bond films takes in more than the last, Bond books just keep getting more upsetting.

I couldn't even finish this book. After resurrecting characters Fleming created and killed, Benson's plotting is very shoddy, skipping out on Bond for whole sections. The lack of anything approaching engaging prose made me put this, and Benson, down for good.

I gave him a chance. I endured most of 'the Union' trilogy, which is a sad attempt to resurrect SPECTRE. It doesn't have to be this bad. Glidrose needs a pro writer who can up the stock of Bond books.

Not recommended. Go and hunt down Fleming, who must be spinning several times in his grave.

Goodbye, Mr. Benson.

I read "Never Dream of Dying" in two short days. I couldn't put it down. More than the other "continuation" authors, Raymond Benson captures the spirit of Ian Fleming's James Bond. He doesn't write like Fleming, but somehow he nails Fleming's character. The plot here is a thrilling conclusion to the "Union trilogy" (which began in "High Time to Kill and continued in "Doubleshot") but you don't need to have read those two to enjoy this one. Le Gerant is a great villain, and "Never Dream of Dying" boasts some terrific locations in Cannes and Corsica. It would make a great film, if only EON Productions would wake up and pay attention.

As a long time 007 fan, I have just re-read all of Raymond Benson's Bond novels in the proper order and have some reflections on his entire series through "Never Dream of Dying." First of all, Benson is not Ian Fleming and readers should get past that expectation before beginning. He's not John Gardner, either (thank goodness!). That said, I believe Benson has come the closest to Ian Fleming of all the post-Fleming writers in that he has truly captured the essence of Bond's character and the universe in which 007 operates. It is a fantasy spy world, not based in reality, just as Fleming's was, but like Bond's creator, Benson keeps the main character very human. Benson's Bond makes mistakes, shows fear, feels pain, and is melancholy much of the time. At the same time, Benson has brought in many elements of the Bond film series (I have read an interview with him that states that he and the Ian Fleming Estate agreed that this would be the approach to take). Therefore, Benson's Bond is a mixture of the cinematic and literary Bonds, and for me, this works splendidly. I have seen some fans object to this or that but it seems to me that these fans are not getting past personal expectations. Bond is many things to many people. Benson, a long time Bond scholar and author of the excellent "James Bond Bedside Companion" knows his stuff. He has nailed the Bond character. Some have complained about his writing style. Benson is no Fleming, as stated earlier, but his style is succinct and easy to read. His books flow quickly and are highly entertaining. "ZERO MINUS TEN": Benson's first book has one of his best plots, but it suffers slightly from being a "first novel." His writing is at its weakest here, but that said, ZMT is a wonderful Bond story. It is very Fleming-esque with its Hong Kong location, characters like Guy Thackeray and T. Y. Woo and Li Xu Nan, and its descriptions of food, mahjong, and Triads. When reading ZMT, one is immediately aware that this is a harder-edged and darker Bond than perhaps what we are used to. For a first effort, it is very, very good. "THE FACTS OF DEATH": Benson's second book is more film-like, it feels like an EON Productions movie story. The plot is more "fantastic" in that it deals with a secret criminal organization called the Decada that is run by a crazy mastermind. The writing is improved,though, and in many ways this is a more entertaining book than ZMT. What is especially interesting is Benson's development of the "M" character and her relationship with Bond. "HIGH TIME TO KILL": My personal favorite of the bunch. This is a classic Bond novel in every sense of the word. The first half is fairly predictable cinematic-Bond stuff, except for a very Fleming-esque opening and 2nd chapter golf match. The second half, however, shows Benson hitting his stride and finding his own voice with a truly original departure from what is expected. As Bond and companions climb one of the highest peaks in the Himalayas, the action becomes more like an "Into Thin Air"-type story. It's authentic spy-stuff amidst an environment that is cruel and harsh. This is a thrilling, un-put-downable book. "DOUBLESHOT": Another departure from the norm, as Benson appears to be experimenting with the structure of a Bond novel with this one. The first chapter is the ending of the book told from the different perspectives of several characters. The rest of the story begins in the past and catches up to the ending, and by then we are hooked. In this story, Bond is not well, he is injured, he is not working at full capacity, and this is what is interesting. "Doubleshot" is the middle book of a loose trilogy (beginning with "High Time to Kill") and it is darker and more introspective than the others. Some fans apparently didn't get it, but in many ways, this is Benson's most courageous book. "NEVER DREAM OF DYING": Another great one, right up there with "High Time to Kill," in terms of glueing a reader to the page. It's an excellent plot, tying up the trilogy that Benson began in HTTK. In this book, one can see the blending of the cinematic and literary Bonds more than in any other entry-- a lot of the action is very movie-like, while the storyline and characterizations are more like the Fleming novels. The moods and settings are the best that Benson has done, and the love interest is perhaps his strongest. The real stroke of brilliance in the book is what the author has done with the character of Bond's father in law. A very engaging book. My five-star review is based on Benson's series as a whole. Each book may not be a 5-star book on its own, but I don't think any of them are less than 4. Benson has put his mark on the Bond literary series. Fans who don't like him tend to focus on one or two aspects of what he does-- his writing style, his dependence on the cinematic elements, whatever... I feel that they're not seeing the forest for the trees. In my humble opinion, Raymond Benson has brought new life to the series and I hope he continues the books a long, long time.

I consider myself a Larry Bond veteran. I started with his first book, 'Red Phoenix' many years ago, and absolutely loved it. His 2nd and 3rd novels were a re-hashing of his first story, sorta like 'Red Storm Rising' with different locations, but all were very well written, and each novel better than the previous. When 'The Enemy Within' came out, I half expected it to be yet another scenario of war like his other novels had been, but I was pleasantly surprised when it was not only different, but TOTALLY different. This is Bond's 1st true effort to reach the level of techno-thriller established by Tom Clancy. While not as complex as Clancy, Bond DOES hit paydirt quickly with this very well-written story of terrorism on OUR soil. The premise is actually almost too simple to be true, but it IS: What if Iran wanted to invade Iraq? What is to stop them from doing so? An intervention from the United States most likely. But what if America was busy dealing with something more important while this invasion took place? But WHAT could be so involving that we couldn't notice or even attempt to do something about a full-scale invasion by Iran? How 'bout dealing with terrorist on OUR home turf? Terrorists who aren't afraid of doing the unthinkable...even to a school-yard full of children. I tell ya this story made me think, 'What IF?' on more than one occasion. Our country has been spared (for the most part) terrorist activity unlike other parts of the world where it doesn't just happen, but its every day life. HOW would we really react? What would we DO? Would we really be taken off guard SO MUCH that this nightmarish scenario could actually happen? I actually think so. Larry Bond has given us a truly horrific story that borders on not 'what if' it happens, but closer to 'when' it happens... Not just a good story, but a GREAT story that is likely to stay with you long after you are finished. Kudos to Bond...let us all PRAY this scenario NEVER plays out in real life.

The Enemy Within is Bond's 4th book, co-written as always with Patrick Larkin, and as I have come to expect from Bond, it was outstanding! Unlike his previous books, this one deals primarily with international terrorism and counterterrorism operations. But what makes this novel stand out from the rest of the genre is that is that it shows how terrorism can be linked to conventional military operations. Its plot is as timely as any, in light of the increase of terrorist attacks on US citizens in recent years. The action is NONSTOP!!! The characters were conveyed well, and Bond takes into account not only the current political situations but also the capabilities and limitations of people and technology. All in all, well done Mr. Bond and Mr.Larkin!!!! Keep 'em coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Clancy has his hands full when anything comes out by Bond. The Enemy Within is just a great book to grab, buy and read! Un-down-putable! Its the only way to describe all of his books. If you are a reader and haven't read any books by Larry Bond. DO IT and see why!

I love to live inside characters. But I found them so paper thin in this book, I had a hard time reading it. The overall story is good, but all the encounters by the travelers are the same: They are met with mutual distrust, but are hugging each other within a few pages. I didn't read the series any further, but perhaps Goodkind finds his stride later on.

This is certainly not the best fantasy novel I've read but it was entertaining. The draw of the story is the romance between the 2 main charcters which for unusual circumstances can't be in love. There is little consistency or ryhme/reason to the magic, a so-so plot, and few truly likeable characters. What it does have though is the great romance, wonderful action descriptions when richard uses the sword, and a very fresh sexual massicistic relation. Its a long novel and I will not read the remainder of the series but I do not rue the reading.

I think this book and this serie is one of the best I've ever read.. 2nd favorite of mine. This book has much action and keeps you reading. But you need to have a strong stomach for it.
Deals with very mature scenes.. I read this book within a week I could not put it down.
I highly recomend it to any open minded fantasy or fetish readers.
This rocks!!!

This has lost the original Bond ways. For one thing, the book starts as a foul mouth convention and soon turns into bloody combat rather than real action scenes. Alot of it is more like adventure and has an odd plot: The Union is a criminal orginization that takes on jobs to rich. When England made the special airplane hull called Skin 17, the Union set out to get it. The microdot was put in a pacemaker to be sent to the buyers of the microdot but when the carrier's plane crashes in the Himalayas, Bond and a group of climbers head out to recover it. The climbers, though, are infested with undercover Union killers who plan to meet with another expedition so they can do the microdot business. Bond finds out and foils it but in the midst, gets hurt alot. This is even wierder than On Her Majesty's Secret Service!

Raymond Benson has done it again. His third original James Bond novel truly proves that he was a superb choice to succeed Ian Fleming and John Gardner. He has given both James Bond fans and the casual reader an exciting adventure story with all of the elements that one associates with James Bond.

The book has everything, as 007 is now up against a new adversary--the Union, a new terrorist organization as ruthless as the SPECTRE and SMERSH of old, but this time, they appear to be only interested in one thing--money. Thus, they can sell their services to the highest bidder and have apparently infiltrated the British Secret Service itself!

This time Bond is called upon to retrieve an item stolen by the Union which is critical to national security. Along the way, readers encounter the familiar characters who compose the British Secret Service family and are introduced to new ones, especially Dr. Hope Kendall, whose stunning good looks and other attributes are straight in the Flenming tradition. She is a fresh entry into the Bond harem!

Bond's main antagonist within the Union is cunning and ruthless. For the first time in many a Bond book, he engenders real feelings of hate from the reader.

The book moves quickly across the world, as readers are once again given the exotic locales expected in Bond's world. Benson does not disappoint, as the reader is taken on a lengthy mountain climbing expedition with Bond, a mission which leads up to an explosive climax.

Through it all , Raymond Benson has proven that he really has what it takes to fill Ian Fleming;s shoes. Benson has developed a style similiar to the way Fleming was able to sweep readers along with the narrative, enjoying the intricate details of the story itself without ever losing focus on James Bond. Benson here accomplishes nearly the same thing, but instead writes for a very modern audience. He appears very comfortable in Bond's world.

This book is highly recommended for anyone who has glimpsed into that world, and would like to visit it again. James Bond is back, and, with Raymond Benson, nobody does it better!

Often called Benson's best Bond book. I agreed until after reading The Man With The Red Tattoo. This is the first part of the Union Trilogy. Bond must track down a secret microdot containing military secrets and the trail will soon lead him, and a team of climbers, up one of the world's largest mountain peaks. An interesting change of pace, with the first half Bond does standard Bond stuff while the second half takes place entirely on a mountain. The Union is an interesting bunch of villains who will return in the next two books.

Like many others, I've been an avid reader of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series since the outrageously funny "One For The Money." However, the latest Plum caper, "Seven Up," continues the downward spiral of the series that started with "High Five." Stephanie's been doing the bounty-hunter thing for a while; you'd think by now she'd be, if not an expert, at least a little more competent. But no, she still bumbles and stumbles her way along. She's still destroying cars and chasing old people around too, devices that are REALLY getting old. And if I ever read one more description of Bob the golden retriever's bowel movements or one more insult-fest between Stephanie and Joyce Barnhart (finished with Lula zapping Joyce with her stun gun), it'll be too soon. And of course, we have the whole Stephanie/Morelli/Ranger thing going, which is also getting boring, because I predict that in the next book Stephanie will have her little fling with Ranger and then go trotting right back to Morelli in classic romance-novel form (Evanovich wrote for Silhouette for years before beginning Stephanie's adventures). I'll admit right now I will read number eight, because I'm an optimist at heart, but Evanovich needs to shake this series up in a major way--and soon.

Stephanie Plum, the "bounty hunter from hell" is back for her seventh book by Janet Evanovich. With all of her previous wacky, off-the-wall adventures, there is only one really important question left to answer in this novel: Will Stephanie blow up another car?

You'll have to read SEVEN UP to find out, but I will tell you this. She does finally do something with her hair. In this book, Stephanie is after Eddie DeChooch, an aging mobster who failed to appear at his court date for smuggling cigarettes. It's amazing how Stephanie can't seem to apprehend the depressed, next-to-blind senior citizen, but it wouldn't be a Stephanie Plum adventure if that weren't so.

All of the regular cohorts are back. The back-of-her-mind love triangle between the hunk-of-a-cop Joe Morelli and her hot professional partner-in-crime Ranger is blossoming quite nicely, and the cliffhanger at the end of this book will leave you speechless. Grandma Mazur is her same colorful, scene-stealing self, and we finally get to meet Stephanie's sister, Valerie. And does she ever make a great first appearance! Mooner and "the Dealer" are also back with more prominant roles, filling out a wonderful cast of characters.

As always, Evanovich writes a fast-flowing hilarious novel. Evanovich likes to throw you off guard every once in a while, whether it be with inept, bufoonish bad guys, a crazy funeral viewing a Stiva's, or even a small taste of mud wrestling. She is seemingly always on top of her game, and in touch with pop culture. Hey, for you professional wrestling fans out there, there is even a reference to the Rock. SEVEN UP will keep you guessing throughout, taking you on a wild ride. It is a very entertaining read.

In the seventh Stephanie Plum adventure, Stephanie goes after geriatric court dodger Eddie DeChooch. Despite the fact that DeChooch is so old he can hardly see, Stephanie still can't catch him. The plot thickens when loveable stoners, Dougie and Mooner, go missing and Stephanie seems to be the only one willing to find them. As if all that wasn't enough, Stephanie's family wants her to start planing her wedding to Morelli and she isn't even sure if they are engaged!

The Stephanie Plum series is wacky, fun, and entertaining and this installment is no different. The thing I love most about this series is that Stephanie is a totally incompetent bounty hunter with out being dumb and insulting to women. The characters are fun as well and Stephanie, Morelli, and Ranger's love triangle is addictive. If you are looking for something to brighten your mood then I highly recommend this series.

Raymond Benson is the worst when it comes to picking up where Ian Fleming and John Gardner left off. As a die hard Bond fan, it simply stuns me that he got the nod to become the official "Bond" scribe.

First of all, his writing style is for 5-year-olds. Second, he smacks readers over the head with too much sex. Fleming did not go into lurid details, neither did Gardner. As a result Benson throws the class and style of the previous books out the window.

In a horrible short 007 story Benson wrote for Playboy, he brings back Irma Bunt of Spectre. Terrible. The character was not his to mess with. It's almost as rediculous as brining Goldfinger back from the dead 40 years on.

I urge fans to give Benson a wide berth and to stick with the Fleming and Gardner books. The poor quality of his books just show that he is a fanboy with poor literary talent.

Bond would never settle for second best, why should you?

Having read both Zero Minus Ten and John Gardner's latest (in paperback) within weeks of each other, I can say that Raymond Benson has produced the better product, by far. James Bond is once again a living character, freed from the weary stereotypes with which Gardner enchained him. Gone, too, is the gratuitous, unbelievable and often silly sex scenes (Bond's a womanizer, but that doesn't mean that woman immediately take off their clothes when he walks in a room). The ZMT plot was engaging, with enough twists to keep one guessing, and the final sequence a real page-turner. I'm already looking forward to the next Bond novel. The only detraction I can offer is that Mr. Benson has written what would be a wonderful Bond movie, but a book should offer more -- specifically, Bond's inner thoughts. When Fleming's Bond was injured, we knew how it felt; when he faced fear or exhaustion, or stood on the brink of surrender and failure, we felt the same emotions. By contrast, when Bond survives a plane crash, all we are told is that he "hurt all over." In all, however, ZMT was a well-written, enjoyable thriller, and a welcome addition to the Bond library.

This book is Raymond Benson's gift to James Bond fans. Long time expert and James Bond scholar, Raymond Benson produces and exciting novel that has at it's heart a richly drawn character study of the real James Bond, as created and developed by Ian Fleming. James Bond lives and breathes again. The plot is first rate too, set mostly in Hong Kong just days before the British handover of the colony to the Chinese. Mr. Benson takes us from the elite of Hong Kong society to HK's steamy underbelly and fascinatingly depicts the triad and tong societies. Though Mr. Benson puts his own stamp on the series, this is a novel I feel Ian Fleming would have been proud of.

How can I trust these reviews if two of the featured reviewers here use almost the exact same sentences in their supposedly "independent" reviews?

Fredlybrand from Chapel Hill, NC and Dan Ross from Allen, Tx are apparently the same person.

What gives?

This book, Liars Poker, Den of Thieves and Barbarians at the Gate are the books that define Wall Street in the 1980's. This book was an outstanding coverage of the age of the junk bond raiders. Junk bonds were the favorite financial tool of corporate raiders everywhere. The junk bond was also used to finance many new businesses (Donald Trump,Atlantic City and MCI are the most memorable to me). This book also covers Michael the driving force behind Drexel Burnham and the King of the junk bond.

The book is focused on the rise and fall of Drexel and the associated personalities of the firm. The author does a very good job of illustrating the power Milken had within Drexel, how his office on the West Coast went from being a backwater to accounting for the bulk of the firms revenue, and how Milken's subsequent removal left Drexel crippled past the point of healing. I felt that the book does a good job of explaining the brilliance of Milken and the high-yield bond market that he created and nurtured, and the catch-22 that led to his criminalization.

At the end of the day I find these kind of books to be financial humor more than anything because 1) these guys worked their butts off (2) made tons of money and then (3) a lot of them lost their shirts, ran into difficulties or (3) ended up in jail. Yes, they are rich by the boat load but it isn't the way I want to make a living.

This book, "Barbarians at the Gate" by Burrough and Helvar, and "Den of Thieves" by Stewart fully depict the defining events of Wall Street in the 1980's. Of this triumvirate, Ms. Connie Bruck's book is the only one that is more read than reported (both "Barbarians" and "Thieves" were written by WSJ reporters), and it really delves into the personal lives and backgrounds of the major players at Drexel. In reading this text you are provided with a full description and understanding of Milken and the driving forces behind the firm, above all, you understand the trap he worked himself into through his own success and how he wound up victimized by the financial system that he worked within.

My version of the text is labeled on the front cover as, "The Book Wall Street Couldn't Stop," in reference to attempts to prevent its publishing. I believe that those persons that wanted to do so are now content with their failure, as the book does a good job of explaining the brilliance of Milken, the market that he created and nurtured, and the catch-22 that led to his criminilization. As someone who works in banking, it is awe-inspiring to read the descriptions of Milken's deal-making capabilities and strategies, and at the same point disappointing to see how he slipped from operating in shades of grey to areas of wanting morals. The author does a very good job of illustrating the power Milken had within Drexel, how his office on the West Coast went from being a backwater to accounting for the bulk of the firms revenue, and how Milken's subsequent removal left Drexel crippled past the point of healing. The inter-office dynamics that Ms. Bruck writes on are present everywhere, but it is difficult to imagine anywhere that they are seen in such extremes.

I highly recommend this book.