On His Majesty's Secret Service
A James Bond Adventure

With five excellent young adult novels, featuring a teenage James Bond, under his belt author Charlie Higson semmed like a good choice to pen a topical adult Bond book. On His Majesrty's Secret Servive is set around the coronation of King Charles III & 007 needs to prevent AEthelstan of Wessex from......more

Credit where it's due, Higson managed to write this at short notice to tie in with the coronation, and all profits go to the National Literacy Trust. Most of this short book is enjoyable, but let down by a weak villain and equally weak evil plan. Higson writes well, but lays on the politics a bit to......more

It is difficult reviewing a Bond book set in the present and comparing it with Ian Fleming’s work, and although this book is comparatively short, it is a Bond book at heart. It contains many references to recent events, some little more than a month old, but in no way are these out of place in the b......more

It took me a while to try Higson's Young Bond, because I dislike the idea of Bond having an adventurous childhood rather than an ordinary dull one, but when I did I admired his prose and his take on the character. I'm thrilled he got a crack at adult Bond at last, and he's obviously enjoyed it as we......more

I’m normally quite wary of Bond novels that are set in contemporary times; the post-war jet age being as much a part of the charm as anything else. However, Higson’s muscular little novella has proved the exception to the rule. It’s still sufficiently Fleming’s Bond (introspective, a little maudlin,......more