Solo: A James Bond Novel

by William Boyd

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*SPOILERS After struggling through “Devil May Care” I was hoping for a more enjoyable and well thought out James Bond book. “Solo” doesn’t disappoint. I had read it when it first came out and after Part I it was a struggle. It felt unBondian to me, but this was before I had read all of the Fleming books. Reading it now, it feels very much Bondian. Part I’s ending was reminiscent of the cliffhanger ending of “From Russia With Love” except you get to turn the page and continue the story! Part I could be a great short story all on it’s own, but it also serves as a great foundation for a revenge story that has Bond going ‘solo.’ We begin with a rare look at Bond reminiscing about his WWII days and the first time he faced death as a 17 year old boy (something that the Young Bond series ruins). He is thinking of this because he is celebrating his 45 birthday and feeling old. He runs into a beautiful woman and is invited to a party at her house, she is an actress. The party is canceled, but Bond shows up and breaks into her house and watches her shower and get around. It is interesting on its own, but pays off later. Bond is then sent to the made up country Zanzarim that is embroiled in a hot civil war over land that is fertile with oil reserves worth billions! He meets up with MI6’s ‘man’ in Zansarim, named Blessing Ogilvy-Grant, she is a beautiful woman. He sleeps with her and thins she is killed during a gunfight. He meets a General that refuses to meet anyone because he saves their butts in an important battle. As the war is ending he is found out as a spy by the evil Kobus Breed and he tries to shoot Bond in the groin, but Bond twists and takes the bullet in the thigh. Then Blessing-dun dun dun-who is still alive shoots him in the chest and they leave him for dead. Bond survives-obviously-and is given time to recuperate that he uses to go ‘solo’ and get his revenge. He, along with Felix Leiter and his nephew Brigg Leiter, uncover a drug smuggling operation, a case of swapped identity for land rights, and a murder in a great, thrilling, and exciting story. I was a little put off by the setting being a fictional country. I feel like Bond should take place in the ‘real’ world. I got over it, and that is just a small gripe. I really wish that William Boyd would’ve writtten another Bond adventure, I genuinely enjoyed this one; the story is great, the twists are fun without being convoluted or silly, the stakes are high, and it was MUCH more reminiscent of an Ian Fleming story than the billed ‘written as Ian Fleming’ work “Devil May Care” was. I will definitely be reading this one again. Have you read “Solo?” What are your thoughts? What did you like/dislike?