Book Review: Solo: A James Bond Novel by William Boyd

Title: Solo: A James Bond Novel by William Boyd

Author: William Boyd
Genre: Action

Publisher: Harper

"It's 1969, and, having just celebrated his forty-fifth birthday, James Bond--British special agent 007--is summoned to headquarters to receive an unusual assignment. Zanzarim, a troubled West African nation, is being ravaged by a bitter civil war, and M directs Bond to quash the rebels threatening the established regime.

Bond's arrival in Africa marks the start of a feverish mission to discover the forces behind this brutal war--and he soon realizes the situation is far from straightforward. Piece by piece, Bond uncovers the real cause of the violence in Zanzarim, revealing a twisting conspiracy that extends further than he ever imagined.

Moving from rebel battlefields in West Africa to the closed doors of intelligence offices in London and Washington, this novel is at once a gripping thriller,a tensely plotted story full of memorable characters and breathtaking twists, and a masterful study of power and how it is wielded--a brilliant addition to the James Bond canon."

James Bond, the world's most famous secret agent (how ironic) returns in this latest novel, written this time by the Scottish author William Boyd. In this novel, Agent 007 travels to the war-torn African nation called Zanzarim, with the main task of putting an end to the bloody war by "eliminating" its leader, seen as an obstacle towards achieving this goal. However, the longer he stays in the country, the more he realizes that the situation isn't as simple as it seems, with the attention beginning to focus more on the real antagonist, a man named Jakobus Breed.

This novel contains several elements which you would expect in a typical James Bond film or novel--minus the now-iconic theme music, of course. Highly attractive women (there's two of them!), fancy cocktails ("shaken, not stirred"), fast cars, weapons, and of course, that famous intro line ("Bond, James Bond.")--it's all  here. What makes this particular novel different from previous works featuring James Bond, however, is the fact that the other side to the womanizing, chain-smoking James Bond character--the more human side, that is--is given a lot more exposure, and is done in a manner that is truly compelling. The descriptions of James Bond's surroundings in Africa is written with conviction (William Boyd lived for a time in Africa), allowing readers to relate with James Bond's feelings as he comes across scenes of poor and frail African children dying of starvation in a remote village caught in the middle of the war.

Some elements of the plot aren't exactly very revolutionary (you may have already come across similar scenarios in some other novels or movies), and some parts may seem to drag on. I also found the ending a bit too cinematic, as if I were reading a screenplay for a Hollywood blockbuster and not a 300-page novel. Given the success of several James Bond films, however, I wouldn't be surprised if William Boyd had written this book with the intention of having it eventually turned into a film in mind. 

Despite these slip-ups, the novel still makes for an absolute page-turner. It is wonderfully written with exciting twists and a climactic fight scene that will get your hearts racing. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this novel to anyone.

(Note: A BIG thank you to Fully Booked for my free copy of this novel! Visit their Facebook page for other exciting promos and contests)