Solo cover art

Solo

A James Bond Novel

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Solo

By: William Boyd
Narrated by: Dominic West
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It is 1969 and James Bond is about to go solo, recklessly motivated by revenge.

A seasoned veteran of the service, 007 is sent to single-handedly stop a civil war in the small West African nation of Zanzarim. Aided by a beautiful accomplice and hindered by the local militia, he undergoes a scarring experience which compels him to ignore M’s orders in pursuit of his own brand of justice. Bond’s renegade action leads him to Washington, D.C., where he discovers a web of geopolitical intrigue and witnesses fresh horrors.

Even if Bond succeeds in exacting his revenge, a man with two faces will come to stalk his every waking moment.

 Action & Adventure Espionage Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Spies & Politics Thriller & Suspense Suspense
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Critic Reviews

This is well-plotted, exciting stuff and Boyd has a great sense of time and place. His boozy, maturer, more fallible Bond is totally believable. Mission accomplished, Mr Boyd. (Natasha Harding)
Boyd was a smart choice for a Bond thriller. The action clips along. There are welcome literary flourishes and a dense plot. (Richard Fitzpatrick)
Written with aplomb, Boyd’s Bond novel is a terrific twisting thriller.
Anyone wishing this autumn to enjoy the Cold War with the assurance of a happy ending should seek out William Boyd’s new James Bond novel, Solo, in which 007 is dispatched to West Africa and the fictitious country of Zanzarim, where he finds himself in the midst of a civil war. (Stephen McGinty)
A fantastic read, which I ripped through in the time it would take to watch Skyfall, as it happens, and I found it significantly more enjoyable.
A terrific twisting thriller
William Boyd brings back the real Bond, triumphantly
A triumph. Bond is back
Works brilliantly well
Superb
All stars
Most relevant
Starts in an interesting setting.

Villians are either serotypical or forced in.

The message of 'geopolitics' is complicated is very forced and shoehorned in too late in the book.

Overall it feels like two shorter books pushed together.

Narration is good.

However, it at no point made me uncontrollably angry or indignant with the quality of the writing. That is good.

Shoehorning

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As usual a great plot, well written and riveting! I enjoyed it and I am sure you will. Bond is a much softer person in this African adventure - no gun!

Another sort of Bond?

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The story was good, but unfinished leaving an opening for a sequel! It was not advertised as the first part in a series

Didn’t finish the story

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I like the 21st century Bond. Strong plot set far from the usual geography of the originals, and no bloody casinos. Sex without the sexism. And narrated with clarity and without frills.

Almost classic Bond, well told

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