Summary- The plot of this novel is essentially the same as the movie, in which Bond has to stop a media mogul, Elliot Carver, from using a stealth ship to secretly fire at the Chinese and British in order to make each country think the other one was firing at them. This would start World War III, and Carver's newspaper would cover it as it happened. My Grade- A Benson took a few liberties with the story, changing minor things and adding others. Benson gives more depth to the characters of Carver and Stamper, delving deeper into their backgrounds and psyches. Benson changes little parts at the end, like having Lin kill Gupta instead of Carver. The novel is mostly true to the movie, however, and is just as action packed. Best Moment- Many of the scenes come straight from the movie, including the opening scene of the terrorist "flea market". Bond saves the day in the novel just as in the movie, but in the book he expresses his frustration at the admiral who ordered the missile fired by saying: "White Knight [Bond] to Black Rook, returning to castle. And you can tell the Black King [the admiral] that White Knight would like to shove the whole chessboard right up his bishop."
