Review: MODESTY BLAISE: THE SILVER MISTRESS by Peter O'Donnell
Stiletto Blade
You know that weird, sad, nostalgic feeling you get when you turn the final
page of the last book in a series you've really loved? The sinking feeling
that comes with the knowledge that there are no new adventures waiting for
you? I recently got that when I lay aside the last of Ian Fleming's Bond
novels.
And then along came Peter O'Donnel's Modesty Blaise... and 007 is history.
THE SILVER MISTRESS is an incredibly entertaining adventure, a sort of cross
between Bond and The Avengers with a bit of Lara Croft thrown in for good
measure.
All the characters are completely believable and the pacing of the plot is
spot-on, building to a superb climax with one of the best fight scenes I've
ever read.
The book begins with a secondary character, Quinn, stuck on a rocky shelf on
the side of a gorge in France after having fallen while climbing. Quinn is
an embittered and angry man, an ex-flight attendant who once got caught up
in a hijack situation where he made the wrong move, resulting in the death
of three passengers. He isn't very likable but as the story progresses and
we learn more about his past, he slowly turns into one of the good guys.
The entire supporting cast in this novel is damaged in some way, either
physically or mentally. It accentuates the finely tuned abilities and
'completeness' of Modesty Blaise and her sidekick, Willie Garvin. Gradually,
through association with the two heroes, these other characters come to
terms with their various disabilities.
Lying concussed, bruised and helpless on the ledge, Quinn occasionally sees
a vehicle passing along a road on the opposite side of the gorge. He waves
his coat to attract attention but no one sees him. He slips in and out of
consciousness. Then, during a moment of lucidity, he sees a van park on the
road and two nuns emerge.
Except they aren't nuns. Clare and Angel are members of a blackmail gang
headed by the corpulent Colonel Jim. Their presence on the road is part of a
carefully laid plan to capture the head of British Intelligence, Tarrant, so
they can extract from him a list of people who have 'a past'... people ripe
for blackmail. Clare and Angel are completely psychotic: the former
discussing murder while she crochets a scarf and the latter delighting in
sadistic torture.
Tarrant approaches in his Limousine. He's on his way to a hotel called
Auberge du Tarn where he'll join Modesty Blaise for a few days of rest and
recuperation. His chauffeur points out the nuns who appear to be in need of
assistance. Maybe their van has broken down? Tarrant suggests they stop.
They do, and suddenly Tarrant finds his chauffeur waving a gun at him.
Another gang member, Sexton, appears. He knocks Tarrant out and bundles him
into the van. He then walks over to the chauffeur, who is now superfluous to
the plan, and kills him with a single karate chop to the side of the head.
He pushes the body into the limo then, with apparent ease, pulls the car's
door off its hinges before sending car, door and body off the edge of the
road and into the river at the base of the gorge. It will look as if the car
accidentally veered into the abyss, Tarrant's body being swept out (through
the open doorway) and away by the river.
This is the first example of Sexton's immense strength. He has spent his
whole life training in the martial arts and has become a supreme fighting
machine, the best in the world. This is a VERY dangerous man.
The group departs with Tarrant. Across the gorge, Quinn has been swimming in
and out of consciousness. He saw the nuns and the van. He saw the car arrive
and stop. But he saw nothing else.
Later, Modesty is informed that Tarrant is presumed dead. She takes a long
walk around the accident scene during which she discovers Quinn and rescues
him. We get the first sign of 'kinkiness' here when, while climbing down,
her skirt rides up and Quinn notices her shapely legs and a flash of
panties. These little moments are almost hilariously English and very
reminiscent of the Emma Peel era episodes of THE AVENGERS. Flirty and
teasing, they are coupled with regular costume changes to give a stylish and
frivolous quality to proceedings. It works very well.
Clare and Angel have told Sexton that they saw a man on a ledge on the
opposite side of the gorge. Just in case the kidnap was witnessed, Sexton
dispatches three heavies to take care of him.
As Modesty and Quinn leave the area, the three goons arrive with guns in
hand and, having just been alerted to her sexiness, we now see a completely
different side to Modesty. She dispatches the thugs with ease. The fight
scene is extremely well described and choreographed. Like Quinn, you find
yourself looking on in amazement as Modesty kicks ass.
Back in England, Willie Garvin is spending time with his girlfriend, Lady
Janet Gillam, a refined woman whose left leg is artificial from the knee
down (another example of a flawed secondary character). Something is bugging
her. After some persuasion, she tells Willie that her younger sister is
being blackmailed. A nun collects the money each month. Willie promises to
look into it. During their dialogue, Lady Janet admits that she is jealous
of Willie's relationship with Modesty. Human touches such as this are
scattered throughout the novel, making the personalities and relationships
very believable.
Willie and Modesty set a trap for Wu Smith, a gangster based in Macao into
whose bank account the blackmail money is paid. Knocked out and kidnapped,
he awakes to find himself a prisoner of the Chinese. Terrified of the
torture they may inflict, he spills the beans about all his criminal
activities. Of course, the 'Chinese' are actually actors hired by Modesty.
Meanwhile, in the Chateau Lancieux in the Pyrenees, Colonel Jim and his gang
repeatedly beat and starve Tarrant.
Modesty and Willie discover that money from Wu Smith's account was paid to
Tarrant's chauffeur. This is the first intimation that all is not as it
seems where Tarrant's apparent death is concerned. Then there's the matter
of the nuns Quinn had seen and the nun who collected the blackmail money
from Lady Janet's sister. There's an excellent discussion about 'The Flux'
during this scene. The Flux is the name they give to those strange moments
when different investigations coincide. With so many pulps relying on
coincidences to drive their plots forward, it's a pleasure to find
characters actually talking about it, acknowledging that a strange
coincidence has happened.
A drunken, bitter and angry Quinn turns up at Modesty's apartment. They
discuss his past, his guilt and angst. Modesty talks about taking chances;
how sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn't. She joins him in bed. This
is very unlike your average 'there to be rescued' pulp woman. Modesty is
strong, in control and sexually assertive: a female equivalent of James
Bond.
Through a process of elimination, using evidence gathered from Wu Smith,
Modesty and Willie identify the Chateau as the place where Tarrant must have
been taken. They plan a raid. Quinn reveals that he knows a cave system
rumored to open into the building's cellars. They decide to take him with
them. Lady Janet also insists on tagging along, though only as far as a
nearby hotel.
Below the chateau, Quinn guides them through the caves before returning to
the hotel while Modesty and Garvin continue their reconnaissance. Sexton,
who has learned of the imminent attack, takes the opportunity to kidnap
Quinn and Lady Janet.
The assault on the chateau begins but Sexton is waiting. As Modesty and
Willie enter the cellar, his shockingly fast and deadly fighting skills come
into play and they are quickly overcome.
Willie, Quinn and Lady Janet are confined to one cell while Modesty is
locked in another with an exhausted and battered Tarrant. Willie uses wire
and metal from Lady Janet's artificial leg to pick the lock then frees
Modesty and Tarrant. All of them, except the latter two, climb through the
kitchen window and head for the hills. Tarrant is too ill to run, so Modesty
takes him to the cellar, heading for the caves. In order to help him survive
the cold beneath the ground, she smears his whole body with industrial
grease found among the tools in the cellar. They begin their escape.
Colonel Jim learns that his prisoners are gone and starts to plan the gang's
getaway. Realizing that his girlfriend will slow them down, the Colonel
orders Angel to kill her. Angel gleefully runs off, garrote in hand, to do
the job. Colonel Jim then orders Sexton to follow and kill Angel, as her
sadistic personality is likely to endanger them. No mercy in this mob!
With the exception of Sexton who, after dispatching Angel, heads for the
caves, the blackmailers crowd into a car to pursue Willie, Quinn and Lady
Janet.
As the vehicle approaches, Quinn tears up a metal roadside barrier and,
using it like a javelin, launches it through the car's windshield and right
through Colonel Jim's chest. The vehicle veers off the road and plummets
down the mountainside.
Meanwhile, Modesty hears Sexton following her through the caves. She
prepares for the fight ahead. Stripping naked, she wraps her hands in cloth
to keep them dry and asks Tarrant to smear grease over every inch of her
body. This is to prevent Sexton getting a hold on her.
The light from the lamp glints off her nude figure, prompting Tarrant to
note that it makes her appear as if made of silver (thus the title). The
scene is very erotic but laced through with incredible tension as the story
nears its climax.
The fight that follows, though brief, is remarkably told. There's a real
sense of speed, strength and desperation. And when Modesty wins, it's
because she has planned ahead, working out where Sexton's weaknesses lie and
how best to take advantage of them. Superb.
Finally, all the surviving participants are reunited and the book ends with
them taking time out for a little fun and, I'm happy to report, with Modesty
giving another flash of her panties!
I was totally hooked by this novel. The plot develops realistically and
builds steadily to an excellent climax; the characters are fully rounded and
believable; and the whole thing simply oozes style from every page.
If you get an opportunity to join Modesty Blaise for this adventure, don't
hesitate for even a second!
== Stiletto Blade ==
Dr Hermes
Oh, yes. The Modesty Blaise books work on every level. The
plotting is tight and full of unexpected turns, the actual prose is very
much in Fleming`s journalistic style of vivid detail and little known
oddities, and the characters are sharply defined. The supporting cast
changes over the years as Modesty and Willie`s friends come and go, but
they`re all interesting and memorable.
The main appeal of the series (to me at least) is the very close but
platonic relationship of Modesty and Willie. They are probably the
tightest, most smoothly working partnership of heroes in adventure
fiction, yet each one is fully capable alone and their friendship is a
source of strength none of their enemies fully understand.
If you get a chance to pick up one of the large albums which reprint
the comic strips in the pair originally appeared, you`ll find wonderful
artwork and a masterful use of the medium. I`m only sorry Modesty and
Willie haven`t been brought to life on the screen (aside from that
unfortunate fiasco long ago with Monica Vitti. Brrrrr...)
I have about a dozen of the books, and am holding a few in reserve in
case I hit a dry spell with nothing interesting to read. As I understand
it, O`Donnell did write a story called `The Cobra Trap` in which Modesty
does perish but I haven`t seen it.
And the little flash of knickers is very appealing, and it does seem
to turn up a bit in British thrillers (not to mention Japanese anime).
Have you read some the earlier books where Modesty employs a technique
called The Nailer? When she has to take on stiff odds, say walking in a
room full of gunmen, she sometimes strips to the waist before strolling
in. It`s guaranteed to give her a few seconds adventage as the men gape
before they can react, and by that time, she has them covered (the
gunmen, that is...well, you know what I mean.)
Stiletto Blade
lined up and expect to be reviewing another fairly soon. Hank Janson next:
THIS DAME MUST DIE (I just love those Janson titles!).
== Stiletto Blade ==
www.stilettoblade.com
"Dr Hermes" <drhe...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:18468-3DD...@storefull-2151.public.lawson.webtv.net...
Dr Hermes
You lucky dog. You have a lot of good reading ahead of you. I,
LUCIFER... SABRE-TOOTH...A TASTE FOR DEATH...LAST DAY IN LIMBO. I
feel sure you`re in for some fun. (There is also a Modesty Blaise
newsgroup which could stand some traffic; I think it`s okay to do a
little cross posting here and there, where you have different groups of
regulars.)
Gerry Zaninovich
it al.* or rec.*?
I have the "Cobra Trap" book, is a collection of short stories (5 short
stories), the final being "Cobra Trap" where she & Willie find their
demise, I read all the books and short stories except for that one (I
also read all Poirot's novels & stories except curtain).
Gerry
Cora Buhlert
finished A TASTE FOR DEATH, an earlier entry in the series, which had
a blind woman as well as an abnormally strong, apelike villain.
And O'Donnell's really writes some brilliant fightscenes.
Dr Hermes
The newsgroup for Modesty and Willie is fa.modesty-blaise, and they
preface their postings with [MB] , apparently to weed out spammers.
There was some discussion there about how Halle Berry would work as
Modesty in a film. (Not quite my vision of her, but I could live with
it....I see Modesty as taller, but a movie starring Halle would have a
good chance of actually getting made.)
Peter O`Donnell ranks with the best writers of thrillers, in my
opinion. Some of his insights and descriptions stick in the mind for
years. And Modesty has been a strong but believable heroine since 1963,
way before the current trend. She`s competent and brave without her
adventures constantly demeaning men, one reason why she appeals to both
male and female readers.
M Merced
The computer game series No One Lives Forever is heavily influenced by the
Modesty Blaise series.
> http://community.webtv.net/drhermes/ForbiddenKnowledge
>
Banzai88
In article <18468-3DD...@storefull-2151.public.lawson.webtv.net>,
drhe...@webtv.net (Dr Hermes) writes:
> I`m only sorry Modesty and
>Willie haven`t been brought to life on the screen (aside from that
>unfortunate fiasco long ago with Monica Vitti. Brrrrr...)
I seem to remember the TV movie being good, but I was a big
Ann Turkel fan at the time and haven't seen it since it originally
aired. I hear there's a direct-to-video "My Name is Modesty"
that's been done, but no word on a release date.
Chris
remove 77 to reply
Highlander - Buckaroo Banzai - Buffy - Kolchak - Jon Sable - Ceirdwyn
The Sims - Doc Savage
all can be found at:
http://hometown.aol.com/lostgiant/index.htm
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tphile
Gerry Zaninovich wrote:
> I love Modesty Blaise, but I did not know that there was a NG for MB, is
> it al.* or rec.*?
a number of the comic strips have been scanned and get posted in
Alt.Binaries.Pictures.Comics
Alt.Binaries.Pictures.Comics.Reposts
Alt.Binaries.Pictures.Comic-strips
just post a request there if interested
several of the novels have been converted to etext and can be found in
the e-book ngs
the I had a date with lady janet audiobook read by john thaw has been
posted in the mp3 groups its a brilliant production
no sign of the Last Day in Limbo audiobook yet
Yahoo also has some Modesty Blaise groups
tphile
Stiletto Blade wrote:
> THE SILVER MISTRESS is the first Modesty Blaise I've read but I have others
> lined up and expect to be reviewing another fairly soon. Hank Janson next:
> THIS DAME MUST DIE (I just love those Janson titles!).
>
> == Stiletto Blade ==
> www.stilettoblade.com
In that case I want to stress its VERY important to read/review the
books in their original publication order.
Events and characters build and develop as they go. as well as the
later books give spoilers about earlier events
and this is one series where the character bits can be more enjoyable
and interesting than the villian action stuff (which is really good too)
sometimes when I reread them I fast forward over the villian chapters
entirely.
While Peter did the books to flesh out his stories in ways that the
comic strip could not. It could be argued that there are really TWO
Modesty Blaises. The comic and the novel since they have different
introductions, characters take different paths. plots get rehashed.
the most obvious is "The Most Dangerous Game" plot which shows up in
The Killing Ground and Bellman
tphile
Stiletto Blade
simply because they were the first books in the series that I found.
However, I've since completed the collection so MODESTY BLAISE will be next
up and the rest will follow in proper order. Stay tuned!
== Stiletto Blade ==
www.stilettoblade.com
"tphile" <tph...@cableone.net> wrote in message
news:3DF52566...@cableone.net...
tphile
I don't think that "damaged" is the right word to use.
villians are always best when colorful or freakish. but in a realistic
manner and not like something from Dick Tracy
as for women, they are closer to being Anti-Bond Girls.
Peter O'donnell hated seeing Modesty labelled as "A Female James
Bond-Licenced to Thrill" because it was too simplistic. She is much
more than that.
(IIRC Agatha Christie made Hercule Poirot to be everything Sherlock
Holmes was not so it would not look like a cheap swipe.)
Very few of Willies girlfriends would ever be described as playboy
centerfold material, even the good looking ones.
He spent time with all kinds, fat, plain, dumb, skinny, tall, short.
and even the handicapped.
Rarely and Ursula Andress or Honor Blackman.
Same is true for Modesty. Two of her favorites, Steve Collier and Giles
Pennyfeather were no Sean Connery's or Mel Gibson
and both Dinah and Lady Janet overcame their handicaps
besides its Dinahs blindness that makes her such an ideal "damsel in
Distress" for our heroes to rescue.
and don't you find yourself grinning with anticipation thinking what
willie and modesty will do to the bad guy?
thats a time honored writers gimmick
tphile