Brokenclaw

Vance continues to prove an excellent choice for voicing England’s ultimate spy with a license to kill. This adventure, the 10th in the Gardner series, finds bored Bond on holiday in California. It is there that 007 becomes aware of Fu-Chu Lee who also goes by the name Brokenclaw. Bond goes undercover to investigate the disappearance of five missing scientists, and the evidence points to Lee as the main suspect, but what Bond discovers of Lee’s plans goes way beyond kidnapping, to a possible catastrophe of global proportions. Vance is well acquainted with 007, having narrated more than 30 novels featuring the superspy. His characterization is spot-on. Bond comes across cool and collected, with just enough steel in his voice to let the listener know of the danger hiding just below the surface. Vance brings a variety of clear distinctive voices to the other characters and keeps the adventure moving at a steady pace. A Orion paperback. (Oct.)