Zero Minus Ten
(Hodder & Stoughton, Putnam; 1997)
"I
may upset a few Fleming devotees by suggesting that
Benson, while obviously lacking Fleming’s
sheer innovative vision, is by far a finer descriptive
writer. The smells and sound of Hong Kong seem to
seep out of these pages and the effect is both intoxicating
and, to some degree, educational. Benson isn’t
afraid, on occasion, to shower the reader in the
heady results of his research. Bond’s tackle
with Triad forces, over a seemingly in-depth Chinese
game called Mahjong, is vividly detailed. So much,
in fact, that Bond’s grasp of the game seems
unlikely, to say the least. This detailing returns
later in the book as Bond observes a Triad ritual,
and one can’t help feeling that the author,
too, must have sneaked into the inner sanctums of
this mysterious, ancient and all-powerful oriental
force… Benson shows a good deal of skill in
reconstructing this character… ZERO MINUS
TEN does succeed, and against enormous odds. Not
enough perhaps, to appease the anger of the Fleming
trainspotters, for they didn’t even accept
[Kingsley] Amis. Personally, however, I’d
feel no sense of irony in proudly filing this next
to my prized first edition of FROM RUSSIA, WITH
LOVE. Yes, it really is that good. Bond is back,
in hugely entertaining style..."
(Manchester Evening News, UK)
"Bond
novels have been written by several authors since
Fleming’s death, including Kingsley Amis,
but Raymond Benson is, for my money, one of the
best. His fast-paced action and stylish recreation
of 007 make his work a must for all Bond fans."
(Edinburgh Evening News, UK)
"A
Bond aficionado picks up the 007 mantle from John
Gardner and reverts to the style of Ian Fleming.
PC-ness goes out the window and it’s a more
ruthless Bond with bad habits..." (Peterborough
Evening Telegraph, UK)
"This
is a Bond who means business."
(Birmingham Evening Mail, UK)
"The
action is fast and deadly."
(Bolton Evening News, UK)
"...a
more than serviceable first thriller that could
give Ian Fleming’s ultracool hero yet another
new lease on life… Benson’s 007 is a chip
off the old block and, if not a gilt-edged Bond,
at least a double-A."
(Kirkus Reviews, USA)
"Addicts
of the genre will love it."
(The Times, UK)
"It’s
not easy keeping James Bond up to date while retaining
the mystique of the original Ian Fleming books,
but Raymond Benson does a good job in this latest
outing."
(Chicago Tribune, US)
"A
must-read for Bond fans, but it also has deliciously
detailed action that allows the reader to become
involved with the Chinese takeover of Hong Kong."
(Oregon Daily Emerald, US)
