On His Majesty’s Secret Service

A good and entertaining read, written in the lead up to Charles' coronation. What I liked about this is the disdain Bond has for the villain and his henchmen, and I laughed at the political references exposing the far right the world over for the cosplaying buffoons they are.

Of course, while Higson lets the character briefly introspect, he stops short of exploring the self hatred and biting cynicism that so defines the classic literary Bond.

Even as his love interest might have double crossed him and asks him later if he ever indeed thought of her as a “bitch”, he lies “no, I'm in awe of you”, in a way the old Bond never would have.

Perhaps an older, wiser Bond went to therapy and worked out some of his issues?