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Both John Gardner and Peter Janson-Smith feel it's one of the strongest in the series. I won't go that far, but I do think it is a good story, and certainly a valid experiment for the series. Fleming himself experimented with style and structure several times; FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE, which I believe is the best of the Fleming Bonds, was completely different in structure and a departure from his usual formula.

The story concerns a terrorist outfit - The Scales of Justice - which is operating in Russia. The SoJ has kidnapped one Joe Penderek from his New Jersey home, followed by an announcement that they have caught Josif Vorontsov, a key player in the massacre of thousands of Russian Jews at Babi Yar in World War II.

They demand that the Russian government put Vorontsov on trial for war crimes. But Moscow and the Mossad claim that the SoJ have the wrong man. The real Vorontsov is masquerading as Markus Liebermann in Florida! To complicate matters further, Liebermann is kidnapped a few days later by an unknown group. James Bond is sent to Russia by M with an agent of the Mossad, Pete Latkowitz, to help KGB agent Boris Stepakov investigate the Scales of Justice. The plot thickens when the SoJ begins to assassinate key KGB personnel in retaliation for the government's refusal to accept Pederek as Vorontsov.

Through fancy manoeuvring, Bond and Latkowitz, along with beautiful Nina Bibikova (daughter of Michael Brooks and Emerald Lacy - two infamous British moles), infiltrate The Scales of Justice posing as a film team recruited by a British SoJ member in order to document Vorontsov's “trial”. Slowly the true story unfolds as Bond learns that The Scales of Justice doesn't exist - it is all a sham created by General Yevgeny Yuskovitch in a complex ploy to discredit Glasnost, aid the Iraqis in the Gulf War, politically embarrass France and Britain, and destroy America in a nuclear strike. Bond manages to impersonate an aide close to Yuskovitch, and avert disaster.

In today's political climate, the plot is especially interesting. There are certainly still some Communist hardliners in Russia today, and the possibility of them regaining power is quite credible. The Gulf War tie-in was also timely, because the book appeared just a few months after the war's end.

It was during the run-up before the Gulf War when I wrote the plot. And I remember thinking that Saddam Hussein just might have something on the west - why else would he be so brash? I was writing it during the run-up and finished it off at the end of the thing. And it was out the same year, so people always were asking me, "When exactly did you write this?"

The plot also seemed inspired by the “Ivan the Terrible” case, which Gardner confirmed.

I believe what some readers may have objected to with this story was that the book was slower-going than usual. It seemed to be meticulously paced so the complex plot could be digested thoroughly. There isn't much action until the final battle at the “Lost Horizon” headquarters of the Scales of Justice. There isn't a good main heroine - Nina Bibikova turns out to be the enemy, leaving only Stephanie Adore, who really only has a small supporting role. General Yuskovich, like several of Gardner's villains, only appears toward the end of the story and does not have a chance to make much of an impression.

The final fifth of the book is unusual and exciting in that Bond masquerades as a Russian officer after everyone believes he is dead (including M - the scene in which M learns of Bond's supposed death is quite dramatic and one of the best moments in any of Gardner's Bonds). Astute readers can see through Bond's masquerade, but it is still quite effective. There are some colourful supporting characters, such as Bory Stepakov, a KGB agent, and Pete Natkowitz, from the Mossad. And it's ironic that at the end of the novel, James Bond is awarded the Order of Lenin. THE MAN FROM BARBAROSSA deserves a second reading.

Beginning as far back as NO DEALS, MR. BOND, the novels became much more serious in tone - there is little humour and the violence has increased. Whether or not this is a good or bad thing is a question of taste.

The story concerns the break-up of a group of spies, known as Cabal, originally stationed in the former East Germany. The British Secret Service and the CIA are concerned that the members are disappearing, one by one, and the two field liaisons with MI6 have been murdered. James Bond is sent to locate and round up the remaining Cabal members. Reluctantly, he joins forces with a rookie CIA agent named Easy St. John, and together they become the two field liaison replacements.

It soon becomes clear that someone is assassinating each member of Cabal, and wants the blood of Bond and Easy as well. The villain is Wolfgang Weisen, formerly a deputy with the old HVA (East Germany's Intelligence outfit). Weisen is wiping out Cabal for personal revenge, but his real plot concerns a terrorist act upon major political figures when they ride the first train through the Eurotunnel.

Bond and Easy link up with the remaining Cabal members Praxi Simeon, Harry Spraker, August Wimper, and “Bruin” - until one of them is revealed as a traitor. In a final showdown at the Eurotunnel, Bond manages to avert worldwide disaster with sheer initiative and a lot of luck.

There are a number of good things to say about DEATH IS FOREVER. Bond is at his toughest, most ruthless, and most dangerous. He plays this one very hard indeed. The way he dispatches a couple of hoodlums on a train is quite memorable. It's interesting to note that he is offered a knighthood again at the end of the book (which he once again refuses).

The heroine, Easy, is also memorable; although it is difficult to believe that Bond would fall for her so quickly. (It was almost predictable that she would be killed at the end, simply because Bond said, “I love you” to her).

All the members of Cabal are interesting, especially Harry Spraker and Praxi Simeon. The villain, Wolfgang Weisen, also known as the “Poison Dwarf”, comes off as a little too comical for my tastes. I could almost imagine Truman Capote in the role - but he is at the very least quite colourful and unique. (John Gardner has used the “Poison Dwarf” moniker before, for Paul Cordova - a Mafia hitman - in NOBODY LIVES FOREVER and in one of the Boysie Oakes books long ago.) But the real star of the book is Venice.

I adore Venice, and I'm toying with doing another novel set there.

There is a major “first” for a Bond novel in DEATH IS FOREVER. Bond practices safe sex.

The British publisher was dead set against it being in a Bond book, and it's precisely where it should be! Kids read these things! We're in the middle of the black plague, for god's sake! We've got to have it. Nobody batted an eyelid at Putnam. I hope they got the message at Hodder, because I'm going to continue it. There are 11,000 people in this country who have AIDS and don't know how they got it! It's very frightening!

John Gardner is so dedicated to promoting safe sex in the Bond books that he has intimated that beginning with NEVER SEND FLOWERS, James Bond will actually have and keep a permanent lady in the rest of the books. He may even get married again, but the author won't say for sure...

One of the more grisly scenes involves an assassination attempt on Bond and Easy in their hotel room.