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Modesty Blaise #1
Modesty Blaise
In her first adventure for British Intelligence Modesty Blaise with her loyal lieutenant, Willie Garvin, must foil a multi-million pound diamond heist. They travel from London to the South of France, across the Mediterranean to Cairo before battling, against impossible odds, a private army of professional killers.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1965
57 people are currently reading
2899 people want to read
About the author
Peter O'Donnell
371 books115 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Peter O'Donnell also wrote as Madeleine Brent.
http://www.cs.umu.se/~kenth/modesty.html
is an excellent resource on this author.
To help keep the novels and the adventure strip collections separate, here's some info about the Modesty Blaise works.
In 1963, O'Donnell began his 38-year run as writer of the Modesty Blaise adventure story strip, which appeared six days a week in English and Scottish newspapers. He retired the strip in 2001.
Each strip story took 18-20 weeks to complete. Several publishers over the years have attempted to collect these stories in large softcovers. Titan Publishing is currently in the process of bringing them all out in large-format softcover, with 2-3 stories in each books. These are called "graphic novels" in the Goodreads title.
Meanwhile, during those 38 years, O'Donnell also wrote 13 books about Modesty Blaise: 11 novels and 2 short story/novella collections. These stories are not related to the strip stories; they are not novelizations of strip stories. They are entirely new, though the characters and "lives" are the same. These have been labeled "series #0".
There is a large article on Peter O'Donnell on Wikipedia, with a complete bibliography.
Peter O'Donnell also wrote as Madeleine Brent.
http://www.cs.umu.se/~kenth/modesty.html
is an excellent resource on this author.
To help keep the novels and the adventure strip collections separate, here's some info about the Modesty Blaise works.
In 1963, O'Donnell began his 38-year run as writer of the Modesty Blaise adventure story strip, which appeared six days a week in English and Scottish newspapers. He retired the strip in 2001.
Each strip story took 18-20 weeks to complete. Several publishers over the years have attempted to collect these stories in large softcovers. Titan Publishing is currently in the process of bringing them all out in large-format softcover, with 2-3 stories in each books. These are called "graphic novels" in the Goodreads title.
Meanwhile, during those 38 years, O'Donnell also wrote 13 books about Modesty Blaise: 11 novels and 2 short story/novella collections. These stories are not related to the strip stories; they are not novelizations of strip stories. They are entirely new, though the characters and "lives" are the same. These have been labeled "series #0".
There is a large article on Peter O'Donnell on Wikipedia, with a complete bibliography.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews
October 26, 2015
Vincent Vega's bathroom book from Pulp Fiction. Talk about artwork to die for...
July 16, 2024
"Tempered in the fires of a refugee camp and trained in the killing arts, she has been a force to reckon with, when as a teenager she took control of a premier criminal organization. Lured out of retirement by a sultan's ransom in diamonds, an international murder-for-hire gang, and her own personal code of honor, she finds herself working with the 'good guys.' Sexy . . . seductive . . . deadly . . . Her name is MODESTY BLAISE." -- the rear cover blurb, lacking only in a musical stinger
Does the Modesty Blaise name carry any weight in the 21st century? For at least the past two or more generations she is possibly best known as the title character of the book carted around by the hitman, memorably portrayed by John Travolta, during the quieter moments in Pulp Fiction. Probably not a big coincidence, then, that this graphic novel was issued at the conclusion of 1994 - months after the debut of the aforementioned critically-acclaimed and commercially successful movie - by DC Comics. I jumped into it thinking it reasonably might fall prey to clunky dialogue and simplistic narratives that sometimes marred the 'older' graphic novels, but color me pleasantly surprised by the results. Blaise and her sidekick Willie Garvin are cool, confident, and competent characters who set out on a clandestine international espionage mission at the request of the British government, and the story stays smart and plays fair with the reading audience. Possibly most refreshingly - because it's a tired old trope by this point - was that the expected moment of a character being revealed as a turncoat simply never materialized, as had usually happened in Alistair MacLean's novels. The heroic and villainous players in this storyline were often depicted as both shrewd AND dangerous, so a nice sense of suspense was sustained throughout the plot. While she's already done some indelible work as Wonder Woman on the big screen, I would love to see actress Gal Gadot take a turn as Ms Blaise.
Does the Modesty Blaise name carry any weight in the 21st century? For at least the past two or more generations she is possibly best known as the title character of the book carted around by the hitman, memorably portrayed by John Travolta, during the quieter moments in Pulp Fiction. Probably not a big coincidence, then, that this graphic novel was issued at the conclusion of 1994 - months after the debut of the aforementioned critically-acclaimed and commercially successful movie - by DC Comics. I jumped into it thinking it reasonably might fall prey to clunky dialogue and simplistic narratives that sometimes marred the 'older' graphic novels, but color me pleasantly surprised by the results. Blaise and her sidekick Willie Garvin are cool, confident, and competent characters who set out on a clandestine international espionage mission at the request of the British government, and the story stays smart and plays fair with the reading audience. Possibly most refreshingly - because it's a tired old trope by this point - was that the expected moment of a character being revealed as a turncoat simply never materialized, as had usually happened in Alistair MacLean's novels. The heroic and villainous players in this storyline were often depicted as both shrewd AND dangerous, so a nice sense of suspense was sustained throughout the plot. While she's already done some indelible work as Wonder Woman on the big screen, I would love to see actress Gal Gadot take a turn as Ms Blaise.
May 19, 2016
Note, May 19, 2016: I just edited this review to correct one misspelled word.
British author Peter O'Donnell created the iconic character of Modesty Blaise in 1963 as the heroine of an action adventure comic strip. He didn't do the art work for the strip (that was done by four successive artists altogether), but he was responsible for the storylines and printed matter during the whole 38-year run, continuing until 2001. (These original strips are currently being reprinted as a series of graphic novels.) It quickly proved popular enough that 20th-Century Fox enlisted him to write a screenplay for a spin-off movie, which he did. However, he approached the character and the project seriously; and the filmmakers decided that they wanted to produce a parody of the James Bond films instead. So, they brought in another writer to rework his screenplay, and ended up only keeping one sentence of it. Surprisingly, though, they asked O'Donnell, not his replacement, to do the novelization. He did --but he used his screenplay as the basis. That became the book I'm reviewing here, which was published in 1965 and sparked a long-running series of novels and stories, all with original plots distinct from those of the comic strips. (Meanwhile, the movie, with its caricature of Modesty in the main role, hit the screens in 1966, but failed to spark any fan enthusiasm comparable to what the books and comics generated.)
O"Donnell's Modesty is a fascinating, complex and layered character, with an unusual back-story that's provided in its basics at the beginning of this book, but fleshed out more as the tale unfolds. Born about 1939 --she doesn't know exactly when, nor what her real name and nationality is-- she was orphaned as a small child in the chaos and atrocities of World War II, and wandered alone through the Balkans and Middle East, sometimes living in refugee or DP camps. Exposed to a lot of danger and brutality, she survived against all odds because she learned to defend herself and to develop a tough, pragmatic mentality. As a tween, she was mentored by another refugee, a former university professor (whom she protected, rather than the other way around) who taught her a great deal; intelligent and gifted with a good memory, she's well-educated as a result. Winding up in Tangier at 17, she soon succeeded to the leadership of a criminal gang, and built it into a substantial international organization, the Network, that engaged in art and jewel thefts, currency manipulations, smuggling, and intelligence brokering. She did NOT, however, engage in drug or sex trafficking (and sometimes provided the authorities with tips that enabled them to bust drug operations); her criminal activities violated the law, but never her own personal moral code and sense of honor. (It was during her Network days that she forged her abiding friendship with Willie Garvin, a skilled knife-fighter whose life had pretty much hit bottom until she saw his potential and recruited him; he would become her lieutenant and faithful sidekick.) Having amassed her goal of half a million pounds sterling by the time she was about 25, she turned the Network over to its regional bosses and she and Willie (also wealthy by that time) retired to a quiet life in England.
The book opens about a year later, when she's bored and restive, increasingly aware that she's psychologically geared to find fulfillment and purpose in high-risk physical action, and doesn't feel really alive when she's vegetating without it. At this point, she's approached by Sir Gerald Tarrant, head of British Intelligence (who did business with her, through Willie, when she was brokering items of information that interested the British government). As partial payment to a Middle Eastern sheik for an oil concession, Britain is shipping ten million pounds worth of diamonds from South Africa to Beirut --and there are rumors that the secrecy of the shipment has been compromised, and that someone may be out to steal it. Being aware of Modesty's unique wide knowledge of, and contacts in, the international underworld, Tarrant would like her to check this out for him. First, though, she'll have another priority on the agenda --rescuing Willie (also bored and restive) from the South American prison where he's awaiting execution, having been a mercenary on the losing side in a civil war.
O'Donnell is a master of characterization; not just Modesty and Willie, but all of the secondary characters here too, are wonderfully wrought, full-orbed and realistic. The plotting is taut and well-paced, with no unnecessary filler, and there's a real sense of danger and challenge. It's clear that the author has a very good working knowledge of traditional Arab culture, which adds texture here. Unlike Ian Fleming, he doesn't go in for far-fetched gadgetry, but he does endow his heroine and hero with some believable gadgets and an ability to secrete them on their person. He writes action scenes that are clear, vivid and gripping; and he sets his action in the context of a moral framework --recognizable good is pitted here against genuine evil, and O'Donnell makes us root wholeheartedly for the former and despise the latter. Modesty herself is no plaster saint; I didn't approve of everything she's done in her life, or every aspect of her lifestyle now. But I could understand her motivations, and didn't have any trouble liking and respecting her as a heroine --she has a lot of very real virtues, is a born leader and as valiant a fighter as ever lived, cares about others and treats them decently, and respects innocent life (and will spare adversaries' lives at times when some people in her shoes probably wouldn't).
At one point, O'Donnell makes use of a double coincidence in his plotting, which some critics might fault him for. (But that personally didn't bother me much; I ascribed it to the action of providence.) And while he drops the names of various firearms models to lend verisimilitude to his narrative, he makes a couple of bloopers in his treatment of guns. Also, he describes technical processes at places in the narrative in more detail than I would (I have a low tolerance for that kind of thing), but he usually has a good reason to, and does it with reasonable clarity; some fans will actually regard this as a strength of the writing.
There's a high body count here, but the violence is handled quickly and cleanly; while some of the villains are sadists, O"Donnell isn't. There's some bad language, and a certain amount of religious profanity, which was the strongest negative for me in that area (there's no obscenity). While there's no explicit sex, it's made clear that unmarried sex took place a few times, and there's a clear prospect of more. Willie isn't a bad human being, nor a misogynist, but it would be fair to say that he doesn't get the idea that sex isn't a recreational pastime; Modesty is a young woman with normal needs, but psychological baggage that makes her ultra-wary of commitment in a loving relationship, and that combination can have the consequences we might expect. (Their relationship with each other, though, is perfectly chaste and Platonic, which I appreciated --they genuinely do love each other, and would die for each other, but as true friends, not as erotic partners.) These aspects weren't deal-breakers, though; I took them as realistic aspects of who these characters are, which O'Donnell depicts for that reason. (A writer needs the courage to let his characters be imperfect humans, since that's the only kind of humans who inhabit the imperfect world!) I took the sexist attitudes of one character in the same light --I didn't think O'Donnell was sharing in or justifying them, just realistically depicting the way many males in 1965 thought (and still do).
A final point should be made about the series. In this book, it's noted in passing that Modesty has been raped twice in her life. As it stands, that's just a reflection of the tragic fact that women in our world often do face a lot of sexual violence; and she isn't defined by the experience, and doesn't have a victim mentality that allows it to permanently scar her life, which is positive modeling. But I'm told by other readers that in the other books (though not the comics) Modesty tends to be raped quite frequently. To me, that's a disturbing amount of sexual violence for one character to have to undergo; and it does seem like a morbid overuse of the motif. But that said, I'm still invested enough in this heroine and her future adventures to continue reading the series!
British author Peter O'Donnell created the iconic character of Modesty Blaise in 1963 as the heroine of an action adventure comic strip. He didn't do the art work for the strip (that was done by four successive artists altogether), but he was responsible for the storylines and printed matter during the whole 38-year run, continuing until 2001. (These original strips are currently being reprinted as a series of graphic novels.) It quickly proved popular enough that 20th-Century Fox enlisted him to write a screenplay for a spin-off movie, which he did. However, he approached the character and the project seriously; and the filmmakers decided that they wanted to produce a parody of the James Bond films instead. So, they brought in another writer to rework his screenplay, and ended up only keeping one sentence of it. Surprisingly, though, they asked O'Donnell, not his replacement, to do the novelization. He did --but he used his screenplay as the basis. That became the book I'm reviewing here, which was published in 1965 and sparked a long-running series of novels and stories, all with original plots distinct from those of the comic strips. (Meanwhile, the movie, with its caricature of Modesty in the main role, hit the screens in 1966, but failed to spark any fan enthusiasm comparable to what the books and comics generated.)
O"Donnell's Modesty is a fascinating, complex and layered character, with an unusual back-story that's provided in its basics at the beginning of this book, but fleshed out more as the tale unfolds. Born about 1939 --she doesn't know exactly when, nor what her real name and nationality is-- she was orphaned as a small child in the chaos and atrocities of World War II, and wandered alone through the Balkans and Middle East, sometimes living in refugee or DP camps. Exposed to a lot of danger and brutality, she survived against all odds because she learned to defend herself and to develop a tough, pragmatic mentality. As a tween, she was mentored by another refugee, a former university professor (whom she protected, rather than the other way around) who taught her a great deal; intelligent and gifted with a good memory, she's well-educated as a result. Winding up in Tangier at 17, she soon succeeded to the leadership of a criminal gang, and built it into a substantial international organization, the Network, that engaged in art and jewel thefts, currency manipulations, smuggling, and intelligence brokering. She did NOT, however, engage in drug or sex trafficking (and sometimes provided the authorities with tips that enabled them to bust drug operations); her criminal activities violated the law, but never her own personal moral code and sense of honor. (It was during her Network days that she forged her abiding friendship with Willie Garvin, a skilled knife-fighter whose life had pretty much hit bottom until she saw his potential and recruited him; he would become her lieutenant and faithful sidekick.) Having amassed her goal of half a million pounds sterling by the time she was about 25, she turned the Network over to its regional bosses and she and Willie (also wealthy by that time) retired to a quiet life in England.
The book opens about a year later, when she's bored and restive, increasingly aware that she's psychologically geared to find fulfillment and purpose in high-risk physical action, and doesn't feel really alive when she's vegetating without it. At this point, she's approached by Sir Gerald Tarrant, head of British Intelligence (who did business with her, through Willie, when she was brokering items of information that interested the British government). As partial payment to a Middle Eastern sheik for an oil concession, Britain is shipping ten million pounds worth of diamonds from South Africa to Beirut --and there are rumors that the secrecy of the shipment has been compromised, and that someone may be out to steal it. Being aware of Modesty's unique wide knowledge of, and contacts in, the international underworld, Tarrant would like her to check this out for him. First, though, she'll have another priority on the agenda --rescuing Willie (also bored and restive) from the South American prison where he's awaiting execution, having been a mercenary on the losing side in a civil war.
O'Donnell is a master of characterization; not just Modesty and Willie, but all of the secondary characters here too, are wonderfully wrought, full-orbed and realistic. The plotting is taut and well-paced, with no unnecessary filler, and there's a real sense of danger and challenge. It's clear that the author has a very good working knowledge of traditional Arab culture, which adds texture here. Unlike Ian Fleming, he doesn't go in for far-fetched gadgetry, but he does endow his heroine and hero with some believable gadgets and an ability to secrete them on their person. He writes action scenes that are clear, vivid and gripping; and he sets his action in the context of a moral framework --recognizable good is pitted here against genuine evil, and O'Donnell makes us root wholeheartedly for the former and despise the latter. Modesty herself is no plaster saint; I didn't approve of everything she's done in her life, or every aspect of her lifestyle now. But I could understand her motivations, and didn't have any trouble liking and respecting her as a heroine --she has a lot of very real virtues, is a born leader and as valiant a fighter as ever lived, cares about others and treats them decently, and respects innocent life (and will spare adversaries' lives at times when some people in her shoes probably wouldn't).
At one point, O'Donnell makes use of a double coincidence in his plotting, which some critics might fault him for. (But that personally didn't bother me much; I ascribed it to the action of providence.) And while he drops the names of various firearms models to lend verisimilitude to his narrative, he makes a couple of bloopers in his treatment of guns. Also, he describes technical processes at places in the narrative in more detail than I would (I have a low tolerance for that kind of thing), but he usually has a good reason to, and does it with reasonable clarity; some fans will actually regard this as a strength of the writing.
There's a high body count here, but the violence is handled quickly and cleanly; while some of the villains are sadists, O"Donnell isn't. There's some bad language, and a certain amount of religious profanity, which was the strongest negative for me in that area (there's no obscenity). While there's no explicit sex, it's made clear that unmarried sex took place a few times, and there's a clear prospect of more. Willie isn't a bad human being, nor a misogynist, but it would be fair to say that he doesn't get the idea that sex isn't a recreational pastime; Modesty is a young woman with normal needs, but psychological baggage that makes her ultra-wary of commitment in a loving relationship, and that combination can have the consequences we might expect. (Their relationship with each other, though, is perfectly chaste and Platonic, which I appreciated --they genuinely do love each other, and would die for each other, but as true friends, not as erotic partners.) These aspects weren't deal-breakers, though; I took them as realistic aspects of who these characters are, which O'Donnell depicts for that reason. (A writer needs the courage to let his characters be imperfect humans, since that's the only kind of humans who inhabit the imperfect world!) I took the sexist attitudes of one character in the same light --I didn't think O'Donnell was sharing in or justifying them, just realistically depicting the way many males in 1965 thought (and still do).
A final point should be made about the series. In this book, it's noted in passing that Modesty has been raped twice in her life. As it stands, that's just a reflection of the tragic fact that women in our world often do face a lot of sexual violence; and she isn't defined by the experience, and doesn't have a victim mentality that allows it to permanently scar her life, which is positive modeling. But I'm told by other readers that in the other books (though not the comics) Modesty tends to be raped quite frequently. To me, that's a disturbing amount of sexual violence for one character to have to undergo; and it does seem like a morbid overuse of the motif. But that said, I'm still invested enough in this heroine and her future adventures to continue reading the series!
April 11, 2023
I only came to read this trade paperback, because a buddy recommended the book. He is a very big 1960s secret agent fan which I am as well) and told me I would not be disappointed. I loved the artwork by Dick Giordano who is not just a DC comics artist but was Managing Editor/Vice President for almost 10 years. The pencil line work is extremely clean, the shadowing is gritty, even dirty when it needs to be, especially in flashbacks giving a smoky effect. The action is really good when it gets going (necessary in a visual medium), but I don’t feel it’s compelling. The story is very similar to a James Bond story. It starts strong, gets muddled in the middle, and clarifies in the end with extra exposition (as if it didn't have enough of that already). There are some amazing scenes which develop the character as a strong female, but then she cries in the end. It seemed as if the writer wanted to write a uniquely strong female character but was worried that she might not be accepted by the culture, at large. I have mixed feelings about that. Middle of the road, but interesting read. Not a waste of time, but I could have used more background on Modesty Blaise.
Read
June 28, 2012I wondered how I managed to miss these when I was a teenager and absolutely starved for active female protagonists whose entire reason for being wasn't marriage. When I hit the scene where Modesty has guilt-free sex with an artist friend, I thought, bingo, now I know why our local librarian didn't buy it.
It was published in 1965, and the inspiration was probably a female James Bond. (It shows in the details about weapons, and what she's wearing in any given scene.) There is far less wince-making stereotyping and casual racism than many novels of the time, and there is some interesting stuff about how people with severe PTSD deal with finding a meaning for life when survival mode is no longer necessary.
The pacing is fast, the villains extremely unpleasant, and there is a lot of violence. On the plus side, vivid settings and the attention to detail is extended to minor characters as well as major.
I find Modesty a little too perfect to be interesting in herself, but Willie Garvin, her partner, is compellingly complex, and I love the way their platonic relationship is handled.
It was published in 1965, and the inspiration was probably a female James Bond. (It shows in the details about weapons, and what she's wearing in any given scene.) There is far less wince-making stereotyping and casual racism than many novels of the time, and there is some interesting stuff about how people with severe PTSD deal with finding a meaning for life when survival mode is no longer necessary.
The pacing is fast, the villains extremely unpleasant, and there is a lot of violence. On the plus side, vivid settings and the attention to detail is extended to minor characters as well as major.
I find Modesty a little too perfect to be interesting in herself, but Willie Garvin, her partner, is compellingly complex, and I love the way their platonic relationship is handled.
April 17, 2018
Stvarno sam želela da mi se ovo više dopadne. Oh well. O'Donel fino piše i zapravo je preneo Modesti i Vilija u tekstualni oblik onako kako ih se sećam iz stripa, ali falilo mi je tu mesa. Radnja k'o radnja za špijunski roman, malo sam se iskreno i smorila dok opisuju svaki puškomitraljez koji koriste i u detalje svaku junačku borbu prsa u prsa, ali to je taj žanrovski fazon i nije tu moglo bogzna šta novo da bude. Ali živa sam se smorila od svih muškaraca koji seku vene za Modesti i ona koja nekako nije imala svoju ličnost, više smo bili u glavi onog Tananta, Trenanta, eto koliko je bitan lik ime mu zaboravih. Nemam utisak da sam "upoznala" Modesti, ali to je valjda i deo te njene misterije. Whatevs. I onaj debilan kraj kako joj spušta ruku na dojku. Puuuhlease. Totalno nepotrebno i malo degradira Blejzovu kao lika nakon cele one spike kako je ona "strong woman who doesn't need a man". *cue to Destiny's Child - Independent Woman*
Enivej, kontam da bi mi se ovo više dopalo da sam pročitala kao mlađa u periodu kad sam bila opsednuta Larom Kroft i ostalim tough ženskim likovima. Tako da dajem trojku, treba i to zaslužiti.
Enivej, kontam da bi mi se ovo više dopalo da sam pročitala kao mlađa u periodu kad sam bila opsednuta Larom Kroft i ostalim tough ženskim likovima. Tako da dajem trojku, treba i to zaslužiti.
February 14, 2024
One of those dreadfully terrible and simultaneously terribly dreadful novels that one just can't have enough of. You know, it's a bit like passing a scene of somedreadful catastophe, maybe a car crash or something equally tragic and not being able to take one's eyes off it. Being scared of what you could see looking a bit too closely and still riveted. This is the pulp fiction equivalent of that.
This could have been written by a maniak or a robot or a dictionary gone rogue or all of the above ganging up on unsuspecting humans. (I think this book bit me at some point, LOL!)
Q: Beautifully articulated, Fraser. You have delightful vowels. (c)
This could have been written by a maniak or a robot or a dictionary gone rogue or all of the above ganging up on unsuspecting humans. (I think this book bit me at some point, LOL!)
Q: Beautifully articulated, Fraser. You have delightful vowels. (c)
October 25, 2022
Agent Modesty Blaise and her sidekick (Willie) get involved in some plot that involves lots of fights and guns. Evidently, according to the Goodreads plot spiel it involves foiling a diamond heist. I must have missed that!
I was looking forward to this. I was expecting James Bond meets The Avengers (the John Steed Avengers that is). About all it did was further confirm for me what an underrated writer Ian Fleming is, because this pretty much fails on every level in its attempt to emulate Bond. The writer here includes some of the Fleming tropes, such as descriptions of food and the detailed technical jargon of the guns used, but the writer completely fails to achieve the main thing that I like about Ian Fleming – his creation of a sense of place and time. I also found the characters to be flat and of no interest whatsoever, and the plot – for what it is – is lost in an awkwardly constructed style which feels like scenes have been written separately, tossed up into the air, and stitched back together any old how.
About the only thing of interest were the action scenes involving the very sexiful, if rather uninteresting and personality-challenged Modesty Blaise. As for her little Willie? What a non-entity of a character. His dialogue, including his constantly referring to Modesty as his ‘Princess,’ is cringing.
I may have enjoyed this more as a teenage boy. Or maybe when I was 11 or 12. It reads what it is. An attempt to write a prose novel based on a two-dimensional (in every way) comic strip. Perhaps it improves with later books. It would have too! It couldn’t get much worse.
[After a quick perusal of the original strips, they look far more interesting].
I was looking forward to this. I was expecting James Bond meets The Avengers (the John Steed Avengers that is). About all it did was further confirm for me what an underrated writer Ian Fleming is, because this pretty much fails on every level in its attempt to emulate Bond. The writer here includes some of the Fleming tropes, such as descriptions of food and the detailed technical jargon of the guns used, but the writer completely fails to achieve the main thing that I like about Ian Fleming – his creation of a sense of place and time. I also found the characters to be flat and of no interest whatsoever, and the plot – for what it is – is lost in an awkwardly constructed style which feels like scenes have been written separately, tossed up into the air, and stitched back together any old how.
About the only thing of interest were the action scenes involving the very sexiful, if rather uninteresting and personality-challenged Modesty Blaise. As for her little Willie? What a non-entity of a character. His dialogue, including his constantly referring to Modesty as his ‘Princess,’ is cringing.
I may have enjoyed this more as a teenage boy. Or maybe when I was 11 or 12. It reads what it is. An attempt to write a prose novel based on a two-dimensional (in every way) comic strip. Perhaps it improves with later books. It would have too! It couldn’t get much worse.
[After a quick perusal of the original strips, they look far more interesting].
May 20, 2020
Not strip reprints! Not prose! Yes, it's Modesty Blaise in an original graphic novel!
I admire Peter O’Donnell’s ability to write for seemingly any medium with equal facility. I don't think there have been any Modesty audio dramas, but I certainly wouldn't put it past him.
With plenty of space to play with, O’Donnell takes the time to reintroduce his cast. Those who haven't read The Gabriel Setup, the first volume of Titan’s strip reprints, will appreciate the chance to get to know Modesty, Willie, Weng, Sir Gerald, and even Gabriel. The plot involves the attempted theft of a fortune in diamonds, and is serviceable enough, but fairly standard Modesty fare. What keeps me coming back to this series are the characters and the action sequences. As long as the plot isn't too corny, I’m good.
While this was a fun book, I still think that Modesty Blaise is best experienced as a newspaper strip. I like Dick Giordano’s art just fine, but he’s certainly done better work. And the coloring is, I’m sorry to say, pretty poor, even by pre-digital standards. Look at pages 76 and 77, for instance. Modesty is literally the only character with normal skin tones. Yes, some of the characters are Arabian, but surely not Willie or Sir Gerald? It was possibly done with the intent of making Modesty the focus of attention, but it just looks more like sloppiness than anything else.
Best presentation or not, this was undeniably fun. As with all things Modesty Blaise, it is recommended!
I admire Peter O’Donnell’s ability to write for seemingly any medium with equal facility. I don't think there have been any Modesty audio dramas, but I certainly wouldn't put it past him.
With plenty of space to play with, O’Donnell takes the time to reintroduce his cast. Those who haven't read The Gabriel Setup, the first volume of Titan’s strip reprints, will appreciate the chance to get to know Modesty, Willie, Weng, Sir Gerald, and even Gabriel. The plot involves the attempted theft of a fortune in diamonds, and is serviceable enough, but fairly standard Modesty fare. What keeps me coming back to this series are the characters and the action sequences. As long as the plot isn't too corny, I’m good.
While this was a fun book, I still think that Modesty Blaise is best experienced as a newspaper strip. I like Dick Giordano’s art just fine, but he’s certainly done better work. And the coloring is, I’m sorry to say, pretty poor, even by pre-digital standards. Look at pages 76 and 77, for instance. Modesty is literally the only character with normal skin tones. Yes, some of the characters are Arabian, but surely not Willie or Sir Gerald? It was possibly done with the intent of making Modesty the focus of attention, but it just looks more like sloppiness than anything else.
Best presentation or not, this was undeniably fun. As with all things Modesty Blaise, it is recommended!
January 6, 2009
I read most of the Modesty Blaise series in the late 1970's and early 1980's, though these books were first released in Great Britain and the Caribbean in the mid-1960's. They were the first kick-butt heroine novels I'd ever read, and I loved them all. I still have the books on my keeper shelves, though the pages are brown.
The points-of-view shifts among characters mid-paragraph drive me nuts today, but Modesty Blaise is still the coolest, most memorable action heroine of all time.
This series is a must read!
The points-of-view shifts among characters mid-paragraph drive me nuts today, but Modesty Blaise is still the coolest, most memorable action heroine of all time.
This series is a must read!
May 29, 2020
"...she's unique ...You know why. You can take a girl from University or the typing pool; if she's got the right potential you can put her through Intelligence and combat training, and produce a damn good agent. But you won't produce a Modesty Blaise. It took a rare potential and twenty-odd years of hard conditioning to do that ... all her life, for as far back as she can remember."
Peter O'Donnell, Modesty Blaise
It was a lesson for me of, literally, not judging a book by its cover!
I had discovered Peter O'Donnell after I had read through the available books he wrote under the pseudonym of Madeline Brent. I was able to locate the first of the series "Modesty Blaise" through my local library network. I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Then I saw the book (1965 edition) and smiled. I thought I would be reading a light-hearted or campy spy story. It's definitely not!
This is a real spy thriller that establishes Modesty Blaise as a reformed master thief who has disbanded the criminal network she headed, and is now being tasked by British Intelligence (unnamed) as an independent contractor.
Think of "To Catch a Thief" (without the humor) mixed up with "Mission Impossible".
Peter O'Donnell, Modesty Blaise
It was a lesson for me of, literally, not judging a book by its cover!
I had discovered Peter O'Donnell after I had read through the available books he wrote under the pseudonym of Madeline Brent. I was able to locate the first of the series "Modesty Blaise" through my local library network. I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Then I saw the book (1965 edition) and smiled. I thought I would be reading a light-hearted or campy spy story. It's definitely not!
This is a real spy thriller that establishes Modesty Blaise as a reformed master thief who has disbanded the criminal network she headed, and is now being tasked by British Intelligence (unnamed) as an independent contractor.
Think of "To Catch a Thief" (without the humor) mixed up with "Mission Impossible".
September 28, 2015
I've read two other books in this series but finally managed to snag a copy of the first book. It's an entertaining series. Modesty Blaise was an war-orphan who moved about and eventually, relying on strength of character and other factors, ended up running The Network, a successful 'crime' organization that operated in Europe and other locations. In this story, she has been retired and is living in London, when the secret service asks her to come out retirement to help them stop a major robbery and prevent an international incident. She accepts and brining along her friend and partner, Willie Garvin, begins an adventure that will take her through the mediterranean, Egypt and other locations as she tracks down Gabriel and his gang who want to rob a ship of millions in diamonds. It's kind of James Bondish, Doc Savage, but with a heroine who is confident, successful and talented. Lots of fun and a good entertaining adventure.
March 18, 2019
Kako biste vi zamišljali da izgleda strip, ali da vam ga neko prepriča, od reči do reči? Upravo ovako.
October 21, 2016
Four stars for a rollicking good adventure. Forget reality, climb into the swinging sixties when Emma Peel wore catsuits and Bond was the debonair face of spydom. Modesty and her faithful sidekick Willie are the impossible icons--crooks made good, helping out her Majesty's most secret of services. Mercenaries? No, just bored with the good life. Having made her first million before the age of 30, she's stuck for a little excitement, while Willie discovers that he's not a businessman and it's more fun drinking in a pub than running one. (Duh).
Of course they're impossible. That's the point. Modesty Blaise started out as a comic strip, graduated to "graphic novel" status way before that was a recognised genre, and then made the leap into fiction--thankfully, at the hands of her first creator. (But please, don't look for the one-and-only movie made of this series. Even I couldn't sit through it, Terence Stamp notwithstanding. O'Donnell hated it, and I can see why).
I must admit this time round I did wonder how an elderly monk in a cloistered, silent order on a tiny island south of Cyprus understood English perfectly, but it is after all escapist fluff. O'Donnell manages to infuse a little humour into the caper; he doesn't take himself nearly as seriously as Fleming or Charteris. Why should he? It's all good clean fun--so to speak.
Of course they're impossible. That's the point. Modesty Blaise started out as a comic strip, graduated to "graphic novel" status way before that was a recognised genre, and then made the leap into fiction--thankfully, at the hands of her first creator. (But please, don't look for the one-and-only movie made of this series. Even I couldn't sit through it, Terence Stamp notwithstanding. O'Donnell hated it, and I can see why).
I must admit this time round I did wonder how an elderly monk in a cloistered, silent order on a tiny island south of Cyprus understood English perfectly, but it is after all escapist fluff. O'Donnell manages to infuse a little humour into the caper; he doesn't take himself nearly as seriously as Fleming or Charteris. Why should he? It's all good clean fun--so to speak.
June 1, 2025
If anyone is wondering--MY FAVORITE SERIES OF ALL TIME. I've read each book at least 4 times and I still love it. Every time I finish one, I feel inspired to be a better person.
That being said, objectively it's not great.
That being said, objectively it's not great.
March 29, 2024
If you want a fun-loving, farfetched, decently written 1960s espionage book, this would be a good choice. Nothing transcendental, but it delivers the goods in style.
January 31, 2018
Taken purely as a character, Modesty Blaise is flipping great. An international adventurer, she’s enigmatic, endlessly resourceful, a physical match for anybody and effortlessly in charge of every room she enters. With beauty as well, she is the Bond girl who never was, the one who would completely emasculate Bond. Absolutely as a character she is great, I just wish I liked the book around her more.
It’s amusing enough, but it’s nowhere near as gripping as it should be. The action passages are curiously unexciting, it’s various locales feel like painted back-drops and most of its characters struggle to raise their head above caricature. Clearly very much part of the spy trend of the 1960s, O’Donnell’s prose owes a lot to Fleming, but Fleming understood that to make this kind of thing work – you need a sharpened razor just visible below the exotic glamour.
I’ve never read any of O’Donnell’s comic strips or seen the film, but I have watched the trailer and don’t think I really want to. And given trailers are supposed to encourage you to watch this film, this one really counts as a miss.
It’s amusing enough, but it’s nowhere near as gripping as it should be. The action passages are curiously unexciting, it’s various locales feel like painted back-drops and most of its characters struggle to raise their head above caricature. Clearly very much part of the spy trend of the 1960s, O’Donnell’s prose owes a lot to Fleming, but Fleming understood that to make this kind of thing work – you need a sharpened razor just visible below the exotic glamour.
I’ve never read any of O’Donnell’s comic strips or seen the film, but I have watched the trailer and don’t think I really want to. And given trailers are supposed to encourage you to watch this film, this one really counts as a miss.
November 28, 2020
I collected this series on the cheap and loved the fact of course. It was fun reading through the experience of the retro adventure of Modesty and the team. I would continue the adventure after making some progress through my Currently Reading list.
People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put I just love reading and so to that end I have made it my motto to just Keep on Reading. I love to read everything except for Self Help books but even those once in a while. I read almost all the genres but YA, Fantasy, Biographies are the most. My favorite series is, of course, Harry Potter but then there are many more books that I just adore. I have bookcases filled with books which are waiting to be read so can't stay and spend more time in this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put I just love reading and so to that end I have made it my motto to just Keep on Reading. I love to read everything except for Self Help books but even those once in a while. I read almost all the genres but YA, Fantasy, Biographies are the most. My favorite series is, of course, Harry Potter but then there are many more books that I just adore. I have bookcases filled with books which are waiting to be read so can't stay and spend more time in this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
January 9, 2021
citam, a pred ocima mi se smenjuju izmisljeni crno-beli crtezi iz stripa. prvi put drzim u rukama ovakvu knjigu, i iako sam bila skepticna (jer nije zanr koji obozavam i nisam znala sta da ocekujem) zaista mi se svidela. do sada sam o modesti blejz samo slusala, ovo nam je bio prvi susret.
glavni utisak - blejzova mi je previse dvodimenzionalna i savrsena. ali zato vili garvin besprekorno igra svoju ulogu, i daje celoj prici human ton.
glavni utisak - blejzova mi je previse dvodimenzionalna i savrsena. ali zato vili garvin besprekorno igra svoju ulogu, i daje celoj prici human ton.
August 2, 2019
Abandoned at halfway mark. The writing is way too dry for me. I thought this book would be more kooky, lighthearted 1960s spy fun, but it takes itself dead seriously. I just couldn't get into it. Disappointing.
July 14, 2012
Modesty Blaise started life as a cartoon strip, but O'Donnell then put his creation into novel form, and did a superb job in both formats. This is the first novel in the series, and introduces the setting and most of the main characters.[return][return]Modesty Blaise is a former refugee and survivor of the terrible disruptions caused by the war, and as a child drifted across Eastern Europe and the Middle East in the company of an old professor. She had to be tough to survive; but her companion instilled in her a strong moral code. She took over a small criminal gang and built it up into a powerful criminal organisation infused with that moral code--they never touched drugs or vice, and occasionally co-operated with the police and intelligence services to help clean up such crimes. She retired a wealthy woman at the age of 24.[return][return]As the novel opens, Modesty and her friend and former second-in-command Willie Garvin are finding that retirement is boring and adrenaline an addiction they cannot shake. Sir Gerald Tarrant, the head of British Intelligence, exploits that addiction to recruit them for an intelligence operation for which they are peculiarly suited. What follows is a thrilling caper novel pitting Modesty and Willie against a bizarre criminal mastermind. Tight plotting and wonderful prose make this a very entertaining read, with a unique pair of heroes. It's wonderful to see Souvenir Press reissuing the novels, making them available again to both a new generation of fans and those with fond memories.[return][return]Comments thread: http://julesjones.livejournal.com/735...
December 14, 2012
Modesty Blaise is often compared to James Bond, but while I definitely see some similarities, there are some major differences. Modesty works with a partner, Willie Garvin, and she develops more close relationships throughout the series. Unlike other books with action heroines (particularly in its time), Modesty is intelligent, not afraid to get her hands dirty or of initiating violence when there's a reason. She knows herself well, is a keen observer, and is equally at home with almost any kind of people.
This particular book is the one that got me hooked on Modesty - I was working free for a used bookstore and getting paid in books, and for some reason Modesty Blaise caught my eye and I took the book home with me. I loved what I read - the various characters' personalities, the action, the quirky bad guys (not to mention some quirky good guys), the mix of exotic locations and spots in London and everything else that makes the Modesty Blaise series what it is. And I've been reading and re-reading this book and the others, including all the graphic novels I could get my hands on, ever since.
This particular book is the one that got me hooked on Modesty - I was working free for a used bookstore and getting paid in books, and for some reason Modesty Blaise caught my eye and I took the book home with me. I loved what I read - the various characters' personalities, the action, the quirky bad guys (not to mention some quirky good guys), the mix of exotic locations and spots in London and everything else that makes the Modesty Blaise series what it is. And I've been reading and re-reading this book and the others, including all the graphic novels I could get my hands on, ever since.
February 4, 2009
Peter O'Donnell's feminine version of James Bond. Modesty Blaise was a war orphan who never knew her parents, nationality or real name. Growing up, she acquired interesting friends - an Arab chieftain, an old professor who home-schooled her when they had a home. She built a criminal empire before she turned 30 and retired after she reached her goal of a half-million sterling. Her faithful sidekick is Willie Garvin, an expert in knife throwing and hand-to-hand combat.
This first novel details how she started working for the British secret service run by Sir Gerald Tarrant. Interesting plot - a woman being the top gal and in a platonic relationship with the guy. The series was written by Peter O'dDonnell in the 60's or 70's and it shows.
Not really very good, but it should get more exciting. I have been reading the summaries of the other books in the series.
This first novel details how she started working for the British secret service run by Sir Gerald Tarrant. Interesting plot - a woman being the top gal and in a platonic relationship with the guy. The series was written by Peter O'dDonnell in the 60's or 70's and it shows.
Not really very good, but it should get more exciting. I have been reading the summaries of the other books in the series.
January 10, 2019
I've followed adventures of Modesty and Willie for almost 20 years now but always in the form of comics (drawn by the great Holdaway and later by Romero).
So I was surprised when I found out that there were novels about Modesty Blaise. At first I was afraid that the quality will be lower (movies were true let-downs) but boy was I wrong.
This is the first novel in the series and what a novel if I may say. I can only say I wholeheartedly recommend it.
Update Jan 10th 2019 - Books that age well are very rare and Modesty Blaise is one of these gems. I re-read it with joy 8 years after and it still packs a punch.
Highly recommended to all action, thriller and Modesty Blaise fans.
So I was surprised when I found out that there were novels about Modesty Blaise. At first I was afraid that the quality will be lower (movies were true let-downs) but boy was I wrong.
This is the first novel in the series and what a novel if I may say. I can only say I wholeheartedly recommend it.
Update Jan 10th 2019 - Books that age well are very rare and Modesty Blaise is one of these gems. I re-read it with joy 8 years after and it still packs a punch.
Highly recommended to all action, thriller and Modesty Blaise fans.
February 1, 2015
Modesty Blaise is the hero I wish James Bond could be. It's rare that a female action hero written by a man is believable as a woman, but I felt that way about Modesty. The story was, of course, far fetched, but this isn't the kind of thing you read for realistic action. It was a great escape for me, and I really liked the characters. I'm looking forward to reading more of this series.
June 12, 2017
A great thriller very much in the style of James Bond. Action packed from start to end with great characters Modesty Blaise and Willie Gavin. I look forward to reading more in the series.
August 21, 2017
For some reason, and arguably not for a very good ones, I never seem to join the group reads for any of the groups of which I am a member of on here. Nothing against the groups, and I'll skip over the TMI as to the various reasons. Sometimes, an explanation in nothing more than a poor excuse.
Ah, but this time I had a copy of the book in question, and frankly adding it to my tablet meant I moved it ahead of a classic that has become trudge through mud. Modesty is far from being a difficult or frustrating read, and it allowed me to delve into that era of 1960s spy fiction of which I retain some interest in because I admit to watching Sean Connery Bond movies growing up (and Dean Martin's horrible Matt Helm movies).
Previously I had read a collection or two of the daily strip (written by the same author/creator). The novel's advantage is that O'Donnell gets the space to work on some characterization of the two main characters, Modesty and Willie Garvin, and the villains though movie Bondish, even they get enough quirks to be at least mildly interesting.
This first book in the series serves as a good setup for the story and the following books. Modesty and Willie have retired from their criminal endeavors, but certain events have led to Willie being in jail and frankly Modesty is bored with the life of a wealthy lady of leisure. Truth is after springing Willie, both she and her her aide decamp realize that retirement isn't for them and Sir Gerald Tarrant of British intelligence calls in his favor by requesting Modesty's help.
The story is pretty straight forward, and I think the villain Gabriel shows up in later installments. Gabriel does come off as a movie Bond villain, but I found him fun and a sensible character in how he was going about achieving his ends.
The character bits are small, but appreciated. Modesty understanding that retirement does not fit her, and her own personal views on relationships, sex, and where they fit into her life when she is on, as she and Willie say, a caper.
Much more likable than Fleming's Bond in Casino Royale, but a shade less interesting than the book version of Matt Helm. This installment is somewhat dated from a technology and world political view, but my suggestion is keep in mind when it was written if you have struggles with those aspects when reading the book.
Ah, but this time I had a copy of the book in question, and frankly adding it to my tablet meant I moved it ahead of a classic that has become trudge through mud. Modesty is far from being a difficult or frustrating read, and it allowed me to delve into that era of 1960s spy fiction of which I retain some interest in because I admit to watching Sean Connery Bond movies growing up (and Dean Martin's horrible Matt Helm movies).
Previously I had read a collection or two of the daily strip (written by the same author/creator). The novel's advantage is that O'Donnell gets the space to work on some characterization of the two main characters, Modesty and Willie Garvin, and the villains though movie Bondish, even they get enough quirks to be at least mildly interesting.
This first book in the series serves as a good setup for the story and the following books. Modesty and Willie have retired from their criminal endeavors, but certain events have led to Willie being in jail and frankly Modesty is bored with the life of a wealthy lady of leisure. Truth is after springing Willie, both she and her her aide decamp realize that retirement isn't for them and Sir Gerald Tarrant of British intelligence calls in his favor by requesting Modesty's help.
The story is pretty straight forward, and I think the villain Gabriel shows up in later installments. Gabriel does come off as a movie Bond villain, but I found him fun and a sensible character in how he was going about achieving his ends.
The character bits are small, but appreciated. Modesty understanding that retirement does not fit her, and her own personal views on relationships, sex, and where they fit into her life when she is on, as she and Willie say, a caper.
Much more likable than Fleming's Bond in Casino Royale, but a shade less interesting than the book version of Matt Helm. This installment is somewhat dated from a technology and world political view, but my suggestion is keep in mind when it was written if you have struggles with those aspects when reading the book.
November 30, 2022
Modesty Blaise has many aspects that I like in a novel of this genre. It's a mystery/thriller/spy novel with inspirations taken from James Bond. And, most important of all, it has a strong, badass, smart female protagonist. So yes, this book was definitely fun to read. It's light and full of action. However there are some things I didn't like. The writing sometimes felt too descriptive, every weapon and spy-tech-thingy is explained in such detail and I feel like that is unnecessary because in my head knowing that information really doesn't make a difference. The writing sometimes looked like this: "first this happened, then this happened, then they went there and they did this"... BUT my biggest complaint is regarding the translation of this book. I didn't read the original English edition and I probably should have. I'm sure I would have enjoyed it a lot more. The mistakes that the translator made are so vast that it feels like the editor never even looked at this book before they let it be published. Some of the mistakes are: sentences that make no sence when translated from English, wrong usage of commas, typos, wrong usage and writing of quotation marks, grammar mistakes, wrong cases... I find it hard to understand that such a big publishing house let this be sold with so many things overlooked. It is truly embarrassing. Also, the other main character, Willy has a cockney accent and the translator tries to "translate the accent" which literally makes no sense so it just looks like Willy doesn't know how to speak properly. This is definitely the worst translated book I have ever read and that makes me sad and angry because, in between all of that, I somehow (with lots of strength) managed to enjoy it.
January 20, 2018
I remember watching the Modesty Blaise film as a teenager back in the 60s, it was a rubbish! The film was a badly done send up of the typical James Bond type spy movie, this is probably why I never bothered to read the books.
I decided to try this book after reading an interesting review on the Goodreads Updates.
I was quite surprised how much I enjoyed the book. I really liked that Modesty was a serious ‘kickass’ heroine who was quite prepared to be ruthless when necessary. Her bond with her sidekick Willie was also refreshing, unlike the relationship with Hagan.
About half way through I found I was becoming annoyed with Hagan, it didn’t take much longer for me to really dislike him. He caused me to knock off at least 1 star from the overall rating.
In places the story was a little dated and some of the action felt contrived, including the inevitable fight with Mrs Fothergill. However, I will definitely be trying some more of these books.
I decided to try this book after reading an interesting review on the Goodreads Updates.
I was quite surprised how much I enjoyed the book. I really liked that Modesty was a serious ‘kickass’ heroine who was quite prepared to be ruthless when necessary. Her bond with her sidekick Willie was also refreshing, unlike the relationship with Hagan.
About half way through I found I was becoming annoyed with Hagan, it didn’t take much longer for me to really dislike him. He caused me to knock off at least 1 star from the overall rating.
In places the story was a little dated and some of the action felt contrived, including the inevitable fight with Mrs Fothergill. However, I will definitely be trying some more of these books.
Read
April 20, 2021Lots of fun in this female answer to James Bond. There are moments which are better than I expected from a narrative thread that grew out of action cartoons.
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