Trigger Mortis
 First edition cover | |
| Author | Anthony Horowitz |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Joy Cohn |
| Series | James Bond |
| Genre | Spy fiction |
| Publisher | Orion Publishing |
Publication date | 8 September 2015 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | Print (hardcover, e-book, audio) |
| Pages | 320 pp (first edition, hardback) |
| ISBN | 978-1-4091-5913-1 |
Trigger Mortisis a 2015James Bond novelwritten byAnthony Horowitz,and commissioned by the estate of Bond's creatorIan Fleming,which was published on 8 September 2015.
Plot
[edit]The book is set in 1957 against the backdrop of theSpace Race,and begins two weeks after the events ofGoldfinger.The novel is the third in the current-era literary series to be set during the original timeline created by Fleming since 1968'sColonel Sun(followingDevil May CarebySebastian FaulksandSolobyWilliam Boyd) and sees the return ofBond girlPussy Galore,who made her debut inGoldfinger.
Background
[edit]Trigger Mortiswas announced in October 2014.[1]It containsMurder on Wheels,previously unpublished material written by Fleming for an unfilmed television series, which Horowitz used to write the opening chapter. The book title was revealed on 28 May 2015 to coincide with Fleming's 107th birthday.[2][3][4]
Critical reception
[edit]Sarah DitumfromThe Guardiannoted that Horowitz's previous experience with theAlex Riderseries had allowed him to "[slip] in almost seamlessly" into the "Fleming chapter", allowing him to deliver the "tersely precise prose that makes Bond so compelling" and supply "touches of Fleming’s cruel poetry". She felt that problems only arose when Horowitz "deviates from the model", especially withPussy Galore's substantial backstory and Bond's personality divergence from the previous books.[5]Barry ForshawofThe Independentdescribed the book as a "clever and enjoyablepastiche"which manages to" press many of the buttons that were the purview of [Fleming] ".[6]Writing forLondon Evening Standard,Nicholas Lezardtook delight in the "bonkers but hugely enjoyable" story, which has "everything in it we want from Bond [...]". Lezard complimented the villain's "plausible backstory" and Bond's escape scenes, which had him "appropriately, given his situation, gasping for breath".[7]Scott Murray fromThe Sydney Morning Heraldcompared Horowitz's writing style to Fleming, stating: "Mostly, he writes as if he were Fleming. [...]Trigger Mortisis a Bond novel no one else could have conceived and written except for Fleming in his prime. "He noticed that after the" gripping and tense "Grand Prix scenes, the book" hardly takes a breath or allows the reader the time or desire to look for misjudgments ", while only suffering from a few description errors with Bond's observations.[8]Simon Schama,writing for theFinancial Times,praised the "humdinger of a Bond story, so cunningly crafted and thrillingly paced that 007's creator would have been happy to have owned it", and described it as a "Loving Tribute" to Fleming.[9]
Felix SalmonfromThe New York Timesobserved that Horowitz's setting of Bond, notably with his personality, "isn't — could never be — the same Bond" as Fleming's original. He also noticed that the novel was bogged down with "dutiful" descriptions of technology and lack of research in certain parts of the prose, but nevertheless complimented the story's plot which "should be more than good enough for the fans."[10]On the other hand, Muriel Dobbin ofThe Washington Timespraised the technical detail in the daredevil car racing and space rocket scenes, noting that "Mr. Horowitz obviously did his technical homework". She particularly enjoyed the story's ending, writing: "[...] Bond shines. And so does his Bentley. It’s all great fun."[11]The Daily Telegraph'sJake Kerridge praised the "authentically Fleming-esque storyline" of the book, notably the SMERSH racing storyline, but felt that the book's formulaicBond girland villain ultimately proved underwhelming.[12]
Adaptations
[edit]In August 2015 it was announced that anaudiobookof the novel would be narrated by actorDavid Oyelowo.[13] TheBBC Radio 4drama seriesBook at Bedtimebroadcast a serialized reading byRupert Penry-Jonesin October and November 2015.[14]
References
[edit]- ^Singh, Anita (2 October 2014)."James Bond's secret mission: to save Stirling Moss".The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved6 November2015.
- ^"James Bond: Pussy Galore returns in new novel".BBC News.BBC. 28 May 2015.Retrieved28 May2015.
- ^Flood, Alison (28 May 2015)."New James Bond novel Trigger Mortis resurrects Pussy Galore".The Guardian.Guardian Media Group.Retrieved28 May2015.
- ^Furness, Hannah (28 May 2015)."Pussy Galore returns for new James Bond novelTrigger Mortis".The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved6 November2015.
- ^Ditum, Sarah (2 September 2015)."Trigger Mortis by Anthony Horowitz review – James Bond, but not as we know him".The Guardian.Archived fromthe originalon 13 June 2018.Retrieved1 August2018.
- ^Forshaw, Berry (20 August 2015)."Trigger Mortis by Anthony Horowitz, book review: So, what became of Pussy Galore?".The Independent.Archived fromthe originalon 13 April 2016.Retrieved1 August2018.
- ^Lezard, Nicholas (3 September 2015)."Trigger Mortis by Anthony Horowitz and Ian Fleming - review".London Evening Standard.Archived fromthe originalon 12 March 2017.Retrieved2 August2018.
- ^Murray, Scott (5 September 2015)."Trigger Mortis review: James Bond brought brilliantly back to life".The Sydney Morning Herald.Archived fromthe originalon 3 August 2018.Retrieved3 August2018.
- ^Schama, Simon (28 August 2015)."'Trigger Mortis: A James Bond Novel', by Anthony Horowitz ".Financial Times.Archived fromthe originalon 10 September 2017.Retrieved3 August2018.
- ^Salmon, Felix (4 September 2015)."'Trigger Mortis: A James Bond Novel,' by Anthony Horowitz ".The New York Times.Archived fromthe originalon 12 February 2018.Retrieved2 August2015.
- ^Dobbin, Muriel (5 November 2015)."Book Review: 'Trigger Mortis'".The Washington Times.Archived fromthe originalon 10 January 2016.Retrieved3 August2018.
- ^Kerridge, Jake (4 September 2015)."Trigger Mortis by Anthony Horowitz, review: 'an ingenious Bond'".The Daily Telegraph.Archived fromthe originalon 23 March 2017.Retrieved1 August2018.
- ^Johnston, Ian (13 August 2015)."David Oyelowo: 'I am the new James Bond' (in audiobooks at least)".The Independent.The Independent.Retrieved13 August2015.
- ^"Book at Bedtime".BBC Radio 4.Retrieved2 November2015.
