Neither Peter O'Donnell's Modesty Blaise nor SM Stirling's Luz O'Malley is meant to be a female counterpart of Bond. However, Luz's second volume, Theater Of Spies, introduces a male supporting character who not only reminds us of Bond but who also turns out to have more in common with Fleming's character than we probably expect. For now, I say no more. I encourage blog readers to buy Theater Of Spies when it is published.
10 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
And I think you are hinting to readers we should reread some of Ian Fleming's James Bond stories till we can get Stirling's THEATER OF SPIES. A good idea, even tho I prefer Anderson's Dominic Flandry.
If you can ever find the illustrations online for the original Ace Books printing of A STONE IN HEAVEN, some of the drawings given us of Flandry would make good counterpoints for images of James Bond.
And I still hope somebody will be bold enough to try making filmed versions of some of the Flandry stories. Which means an actor will have to be CAREFULLY chosen capable of playing Flandry seriously and with respect.
Sean
"Cheine, James Cheine."
Sean: Yes, those illustrations were excellent, IMHO. I have that edition of STONE.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I will look up James Cheine, esp. if you think he would be good as Flandry.
I like the Ace Books illustrations for A STONE IN HEAVEN. I have both the smaller and the larger trade paperbacks of that story.
Sean
Cheine's a character in THEATER OF SPIES, btw, and introduces himself in exactly that way... 8-).
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Oops. I misunderstood you. NOW I get the Bondian allusion! (Smiles)
Sean
Sean,
One of the Bondian allusions.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Again, I can only regret how long I'll have to wait till THEATER OF SPIES is published! (Smiles)
Next, we might even get mysterious hints about a certain Great Detective and his amanuensis in THEATER. (Smiles)
Sean
I took a moment to consider a good casting for Flandry and Tom Hiddleston came to mind. He's a great actor, so I would not be worried about the portrayal, but he's not a perfect match physically - while he does have that long face and is, according to my wife at least :) - good-looking enough to portray that "too handsome biosculpt job", Flandry is only 3/4 caucasian. Then again, the biosculpt probably obscured that anyway.
Is it a coincidence that he has been considered for the next Bond actor?
Kaor, Johan!
I will look up Tom Hiddleston to see if he could fit into my conception of what Dominic Flandry looks like. And that would include the neatly trimmed mustache he favored.
I'm a bit puzzled by you saying Flandry was only three fourths Caucasian. I can't recall where in the stories you can find that. I do recall MIRKHEIM saying somewhere that an accident of genetic drift caused a lot of people even of mixed ancestry looking very Caucasian.
Sean
Kaor Sean, I’ll see if I can find the reference.
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