As Raymond Benson’s tenure as the official continuation author of James Bond comes to a close, his final novel, The Man with the Red Tattoo, reflects a shift toward nostalgia. Drawing on elements from Ian Fleming’s You Only Live Twice, Benson sets Bond on a thrilling mission that revisits the past while navigating a world reshaped by the events of 9/11.
The novel opens with a mysterious death aboard a flight from Japan to the UK. A young woman, the daughter of a prominent businessman, succumbs to an illness similar to the West Nile Virus. Her entire family has died from the same illness, except for one estranged daughter, Mayumi, who has gone missing. With the impending G8 Summit in Tokyo, Bond’s old ally, Tiger Tanaka, is tasked with protecting visiting world leaders and calls upon Bond’s expertise. In Japan, Bond investigates the virus and searches for Mayumi, uncovering ties to Goro Yoshida, a terrorist previously featured in Never Dream of Dying.
Benson’s story evokes the spirit of classic Fleming novels, with its Japanese setting and the return of Tanaka, immediately calling to mind You Only Live Twice. While Benson incorporates these motifs with his own unique style, he does so in a world that is vastly different from the one Fleming originally depicted. By the time the novel was released, the global landscape had changed significantly. The anxieties of a post-9/11 world shaped the narrative, as the concept of “terror” evolved into a more abstract threat, replacing the traditional Bond villain archetype.
Benson’s portrayal of Bond in The Man with the Red Tattoo also reflects a more somber mood, as the protagonist contemplates the fate of the women he has loved and lost. Bond’s introspection, pondering whether his past actions have doomed those around him, adds a layer of emotional depth to the narrative.
Japan’s cultural affinity for Bond is a theme that runs throughout the novel. Benson’s admiration for the country is evident in his detailed depictions of its landscape and traditions. From references to Yukio Mishima to the inclusion of Japan’s First Nations people, the Ainu, Benson’s research shines through. However, his focus on certain elements, such as the yakuza and the superficiality of women’s appearances, occasionally veers into exoticism and Western othering, a misstep that sometimes recalls Fleming’s more problematic portrayals.
Another peculiar aspect of the novel is the character of Junji Kon, one of Yoshida’s henchmen, described as a “kappa-like” dwarf. The kappa, a reptilian creature from Japanese folklore, is an attempt by Benson to incorporate cultural elements into his writing. However, it also perpetuates a tradition of defining Bond’s antagonists by grotesque physical traits, a practice that harks back to Fleming’s work.
Behind the scenes, Benson’s experience writing this novel was less than smooth. In a candid interview with the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers (IAMTW), Benson admitted to feeling burnt out by the time he wrote The Man with the Red Tattoo. Online fan criticism, publisher complaints, and even death threats took a toll on him. While he did not know it would be his final Bond novel at the time, the experience had a lasting impact on his view of the series. “Of all my Bond novels, it’s my least favorite, but there are a number of people who like it a lot,” he shared. While Benson’s sentiment is understandable, many fans would respectfully disagree, finding this book to be a satisfying and enjoyable read.
The Man with the Red Tattoo marks the end of an era for Benson, though he would go on to write the novelization of Die Another Day. While his contributions to the Bond universe were not always widely acknowledged, they remain significant. Benson kept Bond relevant and engaging during a period when the film series began to veer into absurdity. By the time the next wave of continuation authors arrived, the Bond landscape had shifted dramatically, and Benson’s legacy stood as a bridge between the Cold War world of Fleming’s Bond and the more contemporary, complex challenges faced by 007 in the modern age.
Related topics: