Young James Bond #1 Silverfin: A James Bond Adventure (Young Bond)

by Charlie Higson

Paperback, 2005

Status

Available

Call number

813

Publication

Puffin (2005), Edition: First Edition, 224 pages

Description

Juvenile Fiction. Juvenile Literature. Mystery. Suspense. HTML:What does it take to become the greatest secret agent the world has ever known? In this thrilling prequel to the adventures of James Bond, 007, readers meet a young boy whose inquisitive mind and determination set him on a path that will someday take him across the globe, in pursuit of the most dangerous criminals of all time. When we first meet young James, he�s just started boarding school at Eton in the 1930s, and from there, the action moves to the Highlands of Scotland, where Alfie Kelly, a local boy, has gone missing. James teams up with the boy�s cousin, Red, to investigate the mystery, and they soon discover that Alfie�s disappearance is linked to a madman and his sinister plot for global power. Acclaimed British author Charlie Higson has written a brilliantly crafted tale that reveals the unknown story of a boy who grew up to become one of the most iconic figures of our time. SilverFin is an edge-of-your-seat thriller that will mesmerize readers of all ages.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member callmecayce

I picked this up on a whim and in many ways, James is a similar type of character to Alex Rider. He's brave, but cautious and sometimes does things without thinking about the consequences. One of the things that made Silverfin interesting was that we're reading about what James Bond, the man we're

all familiar with as an adult, might have been like as a child. I thought it was fascinating, especially his experiences at Eton. But the more interesting parts of the book were when he was trying to suss out what Silverfin really was. The book was a quick read, a bit gross in places, but that's part of it's charm (both for me and reluctant male readers). If you like the Alex Rider series, give Silverfin a go. I'll definitely pick up the second book in the series.

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LibraryThing member verbafacio

This audiobook made a very long drive much more pleasant. Higson starts the Bond legend a few decades early, with Bond's time at Eton as a young teen. Die-hard Bond fans will find many sly references to Bond mythology, and even those unfamiliar with the franchise will find something to enjoy. The

book gets more over the top and predictable as it nears the end; Higson is much better at writing the day to day than he is a epic, dramatic moments. Still, an enjoyable read for those liking adventure or a good British school story.

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LibraryThing member wyvernfriend

This is an interesting but in some ways a very slight read. Although it was an interesting book in ways it somehow didn't satisfy and some of that may have been the slavish way it flattered any American character who appeared and made a some fun at the expense of British customs.

James goes to Eton

for the first time and finds himself being bullied. He learns a lot about his abilities and you learn how his character was created.

Not bad but it don't leave me with any real urge to read more in the series.

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LibraryThing member JohnD4

A boy went in to this property where and there is a sign that says, if you come in here you will be killed. The boy went in and started fishing, then he was never seen again. Then James Bond comes o visit his aunt and he hears about the missing boy and he trys to help him.
Great Book for kids who

like James Bond. This book is book #1 in the Young Bond sereies.

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LibraryThing member MSWallack

This is yet another book that is very difficult to review. For those not aware, Silverfin is the first "Young James Bond" novel. I was highly skeptical when I first heard about this book ("dread" is a word that accurately described my thoughts on the subject). While the book is not a masterpiece,

Higson does a good job of evoking Ian Fleming and seems to have a feel for the character of James Bond (or at least the character that grew into James Bond). Thankfully the book does not attempt to move Bond's formative years forward from the 1920s or 1930s. And, even more thankfully, though the book is written for a younger audience, it was not written for children. It has violence (rather brutal) and some disturbing themes. Higson does an excellent job of throwing small "nuggets" to the die-hard James Bond fans who read this book (how Bond came to acquire his first Aston-Martin at a very tender age, for example) while avoiding the pitfalls of many similar types of novels (for example, Higson thankfully resists the urge to have Bond battle a young Auric Goldfinger or Scaramanga; nor does he have Moneypenny show up). Instead, Higson has written a very good "boy's adventure tale" (to quote a line from an a-ha song; if you don't get the relevance, you're not a real Bond aficionado) that helps to begin to explain how James Bond grew into the bastard we know and love (note that Higson's Bond is going to grow up to be Ian Fleming's James Bond, not the superhero of the movies). I am particularly interested to see how younger viewers react to this book as well as how more casual Bond fans react. My biggest complaint? Higson's decision to refer to our hero as "James" instead of "Bond" may work well for the teenage audience, but was jarring to the more experienced Bond fan.

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LibraryThing member shell70

Takes you back to how James Bond became the James Bond. This story was slow to take off. However, when it did it was fast paced and gripping.
I really enjoyed it.

LibraryThing member aapike

Did you ever wonder how James Bond got his start or how he was as a kid? Well, then this series is definitely for you. Written for the young adult audience, this book is just as enjoyable for older readers as well. The young James is orphaned at a young age and grows up with his aunt as his main

care-taker. When Jame's aunt goes to take care of her sick brother, Jame's uncle, James is sent off to school- where he is thrust into a world of academics and school traditions. Here, James just tries to get by. On a break from school, James goes to stay with his uncle and aunt and finds himself caught up in the search for a local missing boy and the strange happenings going on behind the walls of a wealthy tycoon. An intriguing series about the young James Bond.

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LibraryThing member XRAY

This book has a nice fast pace. It is easy to read except for some chapters that could have been left out about driving sports cars. As soon as I came across these chapters I skipped them, and I wondered why they had not been edited out, they made no difference to the book. I can only presume that

they were to be true to James Bond by Ian Flemming. THis is a worthwhile read.

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LibraryThing member Rivetingreads

First title in the Young Bond series. Students who enjoy the Philip Muchamore Cherub series should move onto this series with pleasure.

LibraryThing member mandochild

Malcolm and I were on one of our book buying escapades and feeling slightly experimental (books are so much cheaper in England than Australia - until you start buying in bulk...). Malcolm pointed out the (then) new novel that introduced James Bond as a boy and I was instantly intrigued by the idea.

I've never been much of a James Bond fan, although I have no problem watching Sean Connery as a rule - it's all too gruesome for me. So I've never read any Ian Fleming. But when Malcolm pointed out Silverfin I knew he was interested, and I was in the mood to be impulsive and just "try it out." I didn't really expect to enjoy it that much but I thought that Malcolm would read it anyway, so the money wouldn't be wasted. That's how reckless we were with our book spending back then. Sigh.

As it happens, several years have passed and I am still the first of us to pick it up (I guess that now that we can't buy books so madly, we're finally having to catch up with our old purchases!). I have no way to compare it with the original Bond novels. But I don't care. It's a great book. For the first two thirds, apart from a few dark hints, it doesn't even seem like Bond to me. It's a fascinating, and not particularly fast-paced story, about a boy's first half at Eton. I enjoyed every minute of the development of James' character and his life at Eton. It has the same satisfying feeling that entering Hogwarts has - there is enough space devoted to "normal" life to really appreciate and enjoy it, unlike the tantalising glimpses one is afforded of some fictional universes. I felt I was able to walk around and get to know James' Eton without ever being bored.

I was also startled by the essential thread of "Britishness" that runs as a connector between the characters of Arthur Ransome, Enid Blyton and Ian Fleming / Charlie Higson. At points James might very well be a member of the Famous Five, setting up camp and trying to solve the mystery of the castle. At other times, he and his friends display the kind of practical know-how that typify the Swallows, Amazons and Death or Glories. James Bond could so easily be a grown up Julian with added toughness.

The more gruesome elements are left to the final third of the novel and the vivid and imaginative portrayal wouldn't disgrace a Bond movie. But by the time I reached this section I was hooked on the characters and had to continue. Interestingly, there were even moments that reminded me of John Marsden's Tomorrow series. James' combination of experience and inexperience is very reminiscent of Ellie and her companions. But I'm just glad that books were sufficiently cheap in England that I was tempted to feel reckless one day...

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LibraryThing member smg-lwalter

A page turning book that starts out slow, but pays to read to the end. Story that you will want to buy the next one the day you start reading it.

LibraryThing member smg-jcorbel

Very exciting and fun book to read, definately reccomend to read it.

LibraryThing member jmoncton

First in the Young James Bond series. Fast action and surprisingly well written!

LibraryThing member ginger.hewitt

This book stays checked out, so I had to put it on reserve for myself. Great adventure and I can see why the kids love it!

LibraryThing member funstm

James is an interesting character. I liked the camaraderie between him and his group of Eton friends. The whole Eton thing confuses me but it confuses James too so the explanations are straightforward. I love Charmian. Such an unconventional woman for the time but so strong and brave and resilient

and intelligent. James reminds me a lot of Alex Rider. Friendly but not really having many friends. Strong and resourceful but kind of quiet and shy. Kelly is funny. The plot is interesting, although pretty disturbing - but I like how James goes about everything - he just takes everything in his stride.

First time through I rated four stars but it's really more a 3.5. Either way, they're a really great action packed tale.

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