Before this excitement is over, James has a date with some killer eels. A local Laird, in his ominous castle nearby, is conducting horrific scientific experiments that prove he is very mad indeed and a threat to society who must be defeated. It is, however, when James is in Scotland for the rest of book, at the remote home of his Aunt Charmian and Uncle Max, that his first great adventure, and mystery to solve, truly takes shape. But young James is not without a backbone of his own, and he soon begins to win small victories against those who choose to bully him. The alien world of this infamous public school is a new world for him and he makes enemies immediately. Since the death of his parents in a climbing accident, James had previously been educated at home by his aunt. Fortunately, Higson is a genuine Bond aficionado who has remained true to the style of Ian Fleming’s creation, and his legend, to create an authentic story featuring a teenage Bond that should not disappoint other equally appreciative fans.Īfter a supremely scary opening sequence featuring some terrifying mutated eels and a gruesome death, Bond’s early days at Eton in the 30’s as a thirteen-year-old are the focus for the first third of the book. So Silverfin, the first in a series of Charlie Higson’s fully authorised prequels to the most famous of all British Secret Service agents, has mightily big boots to fill. His name is synonymous with intrigue and adventure, action and old-fashioned derring-do.

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Silverfin book review