Silverfin: A James Bond Adventure [Hardcover]

Grade 6-9–Meet Bond–James Bond–at 14, before he became the suave, lady-killing international spy. An orphan, he attends Eton and lives with his Aunt Charmian during school breaks. While the premise for this prequel sounds intriguing, it fails to deliver. Action, adventure, and mystery are not a part of the plot until the end. While visiting his dying Uncle Max in Scotland, James discovers that his enemy at Eton, George Hellebore, is visiting his father, Lord Randolph, who owns the castle in the same town. On the train to Scotland, James met Red Kelly and learned that Red's cousin Alphie is missing. Rumor has it he disappeared near Loch Silverfin, which is part of the Hellebore estate. It doesn't take long for James and Red to determine that Alphie's disappearance is connected to the castle. Red Kelly, Meatpacker, Wilder Lawless, and her horse, Martini, are interesting and quirky characters while James is positively dull. He is merely a part of the plot instead of a driving force. The book may appeal to serious Bond fans, but for students who are looking for mystery and adventure, Anthony Horowitz's "Alex Rider" books (Philomel) are a better choice.–Angela M. Boccuzzi-Reichert, Merton Williams Middle School, Hilton, NY

Gr. 5-8. The name's the same--Bond, James Bond. But the face is different. And no wonder: the late Ian Fleming's fabled superspy is only 14 years old in this newly launched, lavishly promoted, high-concept series. Higson struggles heroically to incorporate all Fleming's trademark ingredients. There's a ravishing heroine (who rides a horse named Martini); a larger-than-life villain (a wealthy American with large, flashing white teeth who is "mad, I tell you, mad"); and lots of melodramatic nonsense about eels and eugenics. The problem is that young Bond is a bit of a cipher, and the story takes forever to get going. Then once things heat up, they go on too long and, worse, too predictably. Part of the problem is endemic to all new series: the need to establish characters, background, etc. But one hopes that Higson will give more attention, in future volumes, to fresher plotting and fleshing out the character of his hero. Michael Cart
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Charlie Higson's Young Bond books get an A* GQ This is writing for children of the highest order Spectator --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

What does it take to become the greatest secret agent the world has ever known? In this thrilling prequel to the James Bond series, readers meet athirteen-year-old schoolboy whose inquisitive mind and determination set him on a path that will one day take him all over the world, in pursuit of the most dangerous criminals known to man. When we're first introduced to young James, he's just started boarding school at Eton in the 1930s. His first adventure is set in the Highlands of Scotland, where James spends a holiday at a remote castle. Mysterious things start to happen-someone has disappeared; then James discovers that the dark waters around the castle contain a sinister secret and he becomes aware that a very dangerous mind is at work. SilverFin is the story of Young Bond's first mission to thwart a deadly foe.

Charlie Higson is a well-known writer of screenplays and adult thriller novels. He's also a performer and co-creator of The Fast Show. He has written five mega-selling novels about Young Bond - Silverfin, Blood Fever, Double or Die, Hurricane Gold and By Royal Command, as well as Danger Society: The Young Bond Dossier and best-selling teen thrillers The Enemy and The Dead. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

This isn't the daring, suave, and skillful James Bond that blazes across movie screens every few years. This youthful Bond, still in high school, has insecurities, doesn't always get the girl, and isn't quite the best there is. But he is determined, resourceful, and brave as he discovers the strange machinations of Lord Randolph Halibor, the owner of the castle at Loch SilverFin. Delivering numerous accents, including upper-class British, as well as Scots, Midwestern American, and German, Nathaniel Parker proves his ability to transition from nationality to nationality, often in the same scene. Parker also executes Bond's voice with the precise amount of emotion every time, whether the lad is feeling brazen, fearful, lonely, or angry. L.E. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.