Superspy Science
Science, Death and Tech in the World of James Bond
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
'Witty and well researched.' THE TIMES
'A scientific dose of reality.' MAIL ON SUNDAY
'A fun and comprehensive exploration.' LINDA McROBBIE
'Endlessly fascinating.' LIBRARY JOURNAL
The science behind James Bond's exploits – armaments, tactics, plots and enemy tech.
The adventures of James Bond have thrilled readers since Ian Fleming's novel Casino Royale was published in 1953, and when the movie of Dr No was released in 1962, Bond quickly became the world's favourite secret agent.
Science and technology have always been central to the plots that make up the world of Bond, and in Superspy Science Kathryn Harkup explores the full range of 007's exploits and the arms, technologies, tactics and downfalls of his various foes. From the practicalities of building a volcano-based lair, to whether being covered in gold paint really will kill you, and – if your plan is to take over the world – whether it is better to use bacteria, bombs, or poison – this book has all the answers and more.
Could our favourite Bond villains actually achieve world domination? Were the huge variety of weapons and technology in Bond's arsenal from both the films and books ever actually developed in real life? And would 007 actually escape all those close shaves intact? From the plots to the gadgets to the ludicrous ways that his life is threatened, Superspy Science takes an in-depth look at the scientific world of James Bond.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Chemist Harkup (A Is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie) analyzes the plausible and implausible parts of the James Bond canon in this breezy and amusing outing. As Harkup compares what's appeared on screen with the workings of the real world, she covers such topics as poisons, firearms, deadly animals, diamonds, and bioterrorism. She uses a classic scene in Goldfinger, in which the eponymous villain plans to use a laser to shoot Bond between the legs, to explain how lasers were invented and how the film's special effects team made the prop version work on-screen (by adding red light when the camera couldn't pick up on the real thing). A murder from Thunderball is a jumping-off point to explore the chemistry involved in using an aerosol spray to kill just one person and spare bystanders (it's "not as far-fetched as you might think"). Doses of humor keep the tone light ("It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a Bond villain in possession of a plan for world domination must be in want of a lair"), and though there's some filler—the chapter on the changing role of women in the films feels out of place—overall, Harkup succeeds at being both entertaining and informative. This is catnip for Bond fanatics.
