The Man With the Red Tattoo: Raymond Benson - Hardcover

Benson, Raymond

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0399148841 ISBN 13: 9780399148842

Publisher: Putnam Pub Group, 2002

Synopsis

At the behest of the Prime Minister, James Bond is sent to investigate the mysterious ailment that claimed the life of a beautiful young woman aboard a flight from Tokyo to London and the lives of her entire family, except for one rebellious sister, a probe that leads 007 into a deadly conspiracy involving genetic research and the Yakuza. 35,000 first printing.

About this title

Review:

The Man With The Red Tatoo is the latest of Raymond Benson's continuation of Fleming's James Bond series. Bond is back in Japan investigating mysterious deaths and elbowing his way into trouble. Like all of Benson's series, and indeed the recent Bond films, it tones down the high-octane sexism and snobbery of the original a little, in the name of making Bond contemporary; it is not just in terms of the actors playing him that Bond is no longer quite the man he once was.

Benson is a more thoughtful writer than Fleming, which leads, on the one hand, to some over-extended clumps of exposition in which he explains the right-wing politics of Japanese organized crime or the life-cycle of genetically-engineered mosquitos, but on the other hand to real conviction in his villains' motivations. Fleming created florid villains who were memorable because mythic; Benson's are credible because he makes us understand them--it's doubtful a Fleming villain would ever have quoted Mishima. Similarly, where the deaths of Fleming's heroines were a routine gesture, the fate of one of the "Bond Girls" here is genuinely upsetting. Where Benson most effectively follows Fleming's lead is in action sequences--Bond tied in the path of a bullet train and Bond dancing his way to safety in a burning lava-field. --Roz Kaveney

Review:

Spectacular chases, gory killings and a spot of sado-masochism . . addicts of the genre will love it. (The Times)

Will have Bond fans cheering. (Publishers Weekly (Doubleshot))

Welcome back, Mr Bond. We've been waiting for you . . . Benson has gone back to Bondian basics in a fast-moving world of bedrooms, firm breasts, betting and bruises. (Independent on Sunday)

Terroism and biological weapons are at the hub at this new Bond novel...The Man with the Red Tattoo has everything yu would expect, such as high-tech gadgets, beautiful women and gripping action (Newbury Weekly News)

This is James Bond as tough and sexy as in his younger days, with Benson's stories reflecting the rejuvenated 007 of the Pierce Brosnan era. (Peterborough Evening Telegraph)

There are all the usual thrills and spills you would expect from a Bond adventure. ... Benson recreates the hustle and bustle of Tokyo superbly with just as much detail given to Japanese customs and traditions. (Nadeem Hanif. Doncaster Free Press)

About this edition

• Publisher: Putnam Pub Group
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0399148841
• ISBN 13: 9780399148842
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 1