There's a certain style about Hurricane Gold, Charlie Higson's fourth book in the hugely popular Young Bond series, and that's just the cover.
The hardback version came in pure gold, with the title embossed on the front, so that even the edges of each page was gold. Many of Bond's old adversaries would doubtless have approved. The paperback version, published on Wednesday to coincide with the other celebrations surrounding Ian Fleming's centenary, may not be quite so extravagant, but it still looks pretty smart, and as all readers understand, it's what's inside that really counts, and in this case, what's inside is pretty special.
Inside is the "avenue of death", a pretty girl and an unexpected kiss, a car chase through the Mexican jungle, a lot of creepy crawlies, dramatic rescues from wind and flood and an island hideaway for criminals.
And of course at the epicentre of it all is a hero in the making. A teenage boy with the courage and recklessness of youth holding up a mirror to a future secret agent with an aptitude for trouble and a license to kill.
Off the back of his previous adventure, detailed in Double or Die, James Bond is granted an extended leave of absence from Eton to recuperate from his exertions, and joins his anthropologist aunt and guardian Charmian on a trip to Mexico. As an exercise in convalescance this is about as restful as packing down in the scrummage against the All Blacks and every bit as painful.
Before he knows it, James is fleeing a major tropical storm as well as the murderous hoodlums who break into the home of his American hosts the Stones, whose children, including the wonderfully-named Precious, are suddenly in his care.
The trail goes through abandoned mines, jungles, lost cities, the ocean and finally leads to the apparently mythical island of Lagrimas Negras, a legendary home to retired criminals unable to rest peacefully anywhere else in the world.
And the lord of all he surveys there is El Hurácan, a criminal mastermind who keeps his "guests" in the finest style imaginable.
Like all three preceding books in this series, Hurricane Gold is impeccably plotted and skilfully written. Higson appears to have adopted Fleming's somewhat sparse writing style, keeping things simple and flowing for his younger audience. It is exciting and thoroughly enjoyable.
For the adults, and these books will appeal way beyond their targeted adolescent audience, there is a lot of clever anticipation of the adult Bond as well as a fascinating imagining of the upbringing that could produce such a character.
For the younger readersip there are thrills and spills, adventure, great toys and just a smidgeon of romance. If you are a parent trying to work out whether these books are for your child, I'm not sure what to tell you. I daresay they are aimed right into the 10 to young adult market. But my six year old loves them, even if I am not convinced he always knows exactly what's going on. Whether they are suitable must be a question of judgment. Higson does not hold back from death or violence. Early on in Hurricane Gold, a man meets a gruesome death at the dangerous end of a jaguar.
So if your child is prone to nightmares, then maybe steer clear for now. But if they coped with, say, the death of Cedric Diggory, they will probably be OK.
And if they can cope, they will love them.
