tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538502828554372917.post4127351950067130853..comments2024-03-28T07:57:49.338+00:00Comments on Poul Anderson Appreciation: Former EnemiesKetlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08588156788583883454noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538502828554372917.post-51161486555352131292017-05-04T17:49:55.628+01:002017-05-04T17:49:55.628+01:00Kaor, Paul!
Actually, what I recall was how badly...Kaor, Paul!<br /><br />Actually, what I recall was how badly Bond fell apart after his wife was murdered. The assignment to Japan was not originally, I think, meant to have anything to do with killing Shatterhand/Blofeld. It was M giving Bond one last chance to prove he could still do good work. Bond, at that meeting with M, had planned to accept early retirement, because he was ashamed of having let down M and the Service. He was surprised at being given a real assignment.<br /><br />SeanSean M. Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13973738112230622557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538502828554372917.post-17801709616014032362017-05-04T17:06:54.727+01:002017-05-04T17:06:54.727+01:00Sean,
Yes, Tanaka tests Bond and applauds his resp...Sean,<br />Yes, Tanaka tests Bond and applauds his response. Bond proves that he is "elite" by accepting the assignment to kill Shatterhand/Blofeld.<br />Paul.paulshackley2017@gmail.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17704115766930975286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538502828554372917.post-81125428262351803222017-05-04T16:27:33.126+01:002017-05-04T16:27:33.126+01:00Kaor, Paul!
It's been a VERY long time since ...Kaor, Paul!<br /><br />It's been a VERY long time since I read YOU ONLY TWICE, but I can't help bu wonder if the Japanese intelligence chief, when harshly criticizing Great Britain, was testing how James Bond would react. Bond, after all, in his way, did care about Queen and country. And I think Tanaka was approving when Bond pushed back.<br /><br />I think the closest we see an analogous conversation between Aycharaych and Dominic Flandry is in Chapter IX of A KNIGHT OF GHOSTS AND SHADOWS. Aycharaych had been talking with Flandry and said near the end: "My friend,...you too play a satanic role. How many lives have you twisted or chopped short? How many will you? Would you protest me if the accidents of history had flung Empire rather than Roidhunate around my star? Or if you had been born into those humans who serve Merseia? Indeed, then you might have lived more whole of heart." The Terran responded: "Anger flared. "I know," Flandry snapped. "How often have I heard? Terra is old, tired, corrupt. Merseia is young, vigorous, pure. Thank you, to the extent that's true, I prefer my anomie, cynicism, and existential despair to counting my days in cadence and shouting hurrah--worse, sincerely meaning it, when Glorious Leader rides by."<br /><br />SeanSean M. Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13973738112230622557noreply@blogger.com