 1979 Triad Panther British paperback edition | |
| Author | Christopher Wood |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Series | James Bond |
| Genre | Spy fiction |
| Publisher | Jonathan Cape,Triad Panther |
Publication date | 1979 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | Hardback,Paperback |
| Pages | 222 pp |
James Bond and Moonraker is anovelization byChristopher Wood of theJames Bond filmMoonraker. Its name was changed to avoid confusion withIan Fleming'snovel. It was released in1979.[1]
British Secret Service agentJames Bond, codename 007, must prevent SirHugo Drax's plan to murder the entire human race and then restart humanity from outer space.
The screenplay ofMoonraker differed so much fromIan Fleming'snovel thatEon Productions authorised the film'sscreenwriter,Christopher Wood to write a novelization based upon the film, as he had done forThe Spy Who Loved Me.
As with the first novelization, Wood had no input from, or communication withGlidrose Publications. Instead he worked directly withJonathan Cape publisherTom Maschler.[2]
Unlike Wood's first novelization, which showed a significant difference from the actual film, inJames Bond and Moonraker, Wood writes a virtually direct novelization of the screenplay.[1] The only noticeable differences between the novelization and the screenplay forMoonraker is that there is no mention of Dolly (Blanche Ravalec),Jaws (Richard Kiel)'s girlfriend, and his characterisation stays true to Wood's description as being amute. In addition, at the conclusion of the Venetian canal chase sequence, James Bond (Roger Moore)'s gondola does not sprout a flotation device and ascend toSt. Mark's Square as it does in the film.
Wood's second novelization was barely reviewed. Syndicated columnistBob Greene was scathing. He said the novelization was "dreary and schlocky and juvenile; it lacks all of the wonderful tension and personality of the original Fleming book. James Bond would be embarrassed to be in it. [...] In the meantime, shed a tear for Ian Fleming and James Bond. And don't, under any circumstances, buy theMoonraker you see in the stores today. Hold out for the real thing. If you can't find it in the attic, come over and I'll lend you mine."[3]
TheLos Angeles Times critic claimed that Ian Fleming "would have cringed at the writing to be found in this book."[4]
Despite this, Wood's novel became a bestseller,[5] remaining onThe Times bestseller list for some time.[6]
After the book's release, Eon Productions did not commission another Bond film novelization untilLicence to Kill ten years later in 1989.