| Author | J. M. Coetzee |
|---|---|
| Series | James Bond |
| Publisher | 007 Publishing House |
Publication date |
7 September 1998 |
| Pages | 230 |
| Preceded by | Icebreaker |
| Followed by | His Majesty's Secret Service |
Live to Fight Another Day is a novel by South African novelist J. M. Coetzee, and a revival of the James Bond series. Published in 1998, Live to Fight Another Day was the first of three James Bond novels written by Coetzee, and the first of many to be published by the 007 Publishing House. It was adapted into a radio play in 2000.
Live to Fight Another Day revolved around British secret agent James Bond, who is stranded in the Horn of Africa after the events of Doomsday. After fighting his way to the Dominion of South Africa, Bond joins the Dominion Intelligence Agency and fights against a white supremacist warlord hoping to overthrow the Dominon, and re-establish Apartheid.
Reviving James Bond[]
J. M. Coetzee, an established author Pre-Doomsday, was approached by 007 Publishing House to revive the James Bond series of novels and bring 007 into the post Doomsday world. Coetzee was given plenty of material from the novels, films, and comic strips to work with, but was told to avoid referencing certain "continuation" characters such as Ann Reily, in order to prevent confusion from readers who weren't as familiar with the novels.
For his approach to writing Bond, Coetzee opted to take a grounded approach; the novel never moves outside the continent of Africa, though it does take readers on a trip through Ethiopia, Eritrea, the Dominion of South Africa, and the Orange Free State. Coetzee had also wanted to kill off M and/or Q in order to highlight the devastation brought on by Doomsday but was overruled. As a compromise, Miles Messervy was retired, and a new female M was introduced.
Plot summary[]
James Bond, 007 of British intelligence agency MI-6, is on a mission to aid Eritrean rebels in Ethiopia. He assassinates an Ethiopian officer but loses contact with his superior back in London. It becomes apparent that all international communications have been terminated, and that nuclear weapons have been launched, destroying England and much of the world. Horrified, James Bond can only despair at the destruction of his country.
Ten years pass, during which Bond serves as a protector to a village close to the Eritrean borders, fighting off bandits and war lords and teaching the villagers how to fend for themselves. Eventually, merchants from the independent Somaliland come to the villages, selling their goods and wares. James opens a discussion with them, learning of rumours that the British government had fled to South Africa and restored the pre-Apartheid government. Bond, having lost hope of returning to Great Britain, refuses to believe it. As time goes on, more travelers bring rumors of this "New Britian", along with the collapse of the Union of South Africa. Eventually, James decides to take a journey to South Africa, fighting his way through more bandits and aiding more civilians.
Eventually, Bond reaches the city of Port Elizabeth, making contact with the Dominion of South Africa. There, a government official brings Bond to meet with two officers of the Dominion Intelligence Agencey (usually referred to as "the new MI-6" in text). To Bond's surprise, Major Boothroyd, a.k.a. Q, and Miss Moneypenny are brought in to confirm his identity. He learns that several MI-6 officers, including the now retired M, had evacuated to the DSA after Doomsday. His identity confirmed, Bond offers his services to the new MI-6.
James Bond is inducted into the agency under his old codename: 007. He meets with the new M, a woman from the city, who admits that she's not exactly thrilled to have him on board but gives him a mission never-the-less. He is sent to the Orange Free State to investigate the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging, a Neo-Nazi organization believed to be supporting Apartheid in the nation. Upon arrival, he meets up with Heidi Berger, a double agent implanted within the organization and the girlfriend of their chapter leader, Kharon Volker, a former member of the South African National Intelligence Agency. Heidi helps him gain membership in the group, under the alias of Johan Braun. Volker reveals his plans to restore the Union of South Africa and destroy the Dominion government.
Bond also meets Sophia Mandela, a Xhosa activist hoping to bring down Apartheid in the Free State. Volker and his men have discovered a satellite link to lost nuclear warheads. He is hoping to use this Nuke to destroy Port Elizabeth and takeover the Dominion in the process. Before Bond can reveal this information, he is betrayed by Berger, revealing herself to be a Neo-Nazi. Bond is rescued by Mandela, and together, they take care of Berger. They track Volker and his men to a secret facility, where Bond kills Volker. However, the nuke has already been activated, forcing Bond and Mandela to deactivate it in the nick of time. Back at HQ, Bond is thanked for his service, and welcomed to the Dominion and, by extension, the Post-Doomsday World.
| “ | Welcome home, 007! | ” |
–Last lines of the novel | ||
Characters[]
- James Bond, 007: A former agent of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI-6). After Doomsday, he protected a village before joining the Dominion Intelligence Agency.
- M: Head of the Dominion Intelligence Agency (MI-6)
- Miss Moneypenny: M's Secretary.
- Major Boothroyd, a.k.a. Q: Head of Q Branch.
- Kharon Volker: A former member of the South African National Intelligence Service, and leader of the AWB. He was ejected from the NIA during the South African wars and was refused a chance to join the Orange Free State agency.
- Heidi Berger: An agent of MI-6 implanted in the AWB. Secretly a Neo-Nazi hoping to turn South Africa into a Fourth Reich.
Radio play[]
| Running time | 97 minutes |
|---|---|
| Country |  Dominion of South Africa |
| Language(s) | English and Afrikaans |
| Home station | DBC Radio Efm |
| Starring | David Bateson Charlize Theron Quanita Adams Arnold Vosloo Sophie Mphasane |
| Writer(s) | J. M. Coetzee |
| Director(s) | Themba Ndaba |
| Producer(s) | 007 Publishing House |
| Air dates | since June 5, 2000 |
Live to Fight Another Day was adapted into a radio play on 5 June 2000. Airing on the DBC's Efm radio service, the radio play faithfully adapts the novel, while adding a few twists and turns of its own.
Differences from the Novel[]
- There is an introduction that summarizes many of James Bond's adventure.
- All references to SMERSH, a real, if heavily fictionalized, Soviet counterintelligence agency, are removed. Example: when James is trying to convince the new MI-6 of his identity, he states "I fought against the criminal syndicate SPECTRE, and other enemies during the cold war," instead of "I fought the Soviet's SMERSH apparatus, alongside other factions such as SPECTRE."
- More details about Bond's time in the Horn of Africa are provided, including his participation in the Ethiopian Civil War, and his consultation with Somaliland.
- Conversely, much of Bond's journey to the Dominion of South Africa is largely glossed over.
- The former M, Miles Messervy, makes an appearance, as does Thomas Noah, the new MI-6 Chief of Staff.
- The new M is named Marion Morkel and is explicitly cited as a former superior of villain Kharon Volker.
- Heidi Berger's backstory is revised, being a AWB loyalist rather than a second generation German Neo-Nazi.
Cast[]
- David Bateson as James Bond and the Narrator
- Charlize Theron as Marion Morkel "M", and Heidi Berger
- Arnold Vosloo as Kharon Volker and Miles Messervy
- Quanita Adams as Miss Moneypenny
- Sohpia Mphasane as Sophia Mandela
- Nick Boraine as Major Boothroyd "Q"
- Themba Ndaba as Thomas Noah
Music[]
- "James Bond Theme"
- By Monty Norman
- "Live to Fight Another Day"
- By Claire Johnston
Comic[]
The Scene in which Bond infiltrates a gala in Port Elizabeth., which directly leads to his discovery by the new MI-6
A Live to Fight Another Day comic feature was serialized in the comic magazine "Spy Stories", published by Dominion Comics, as one of their first stories. The story is relatively faithful to the novel, with some elements taken from the radio play, such as an appearance by the old M, and some expanded scenes of Bood's time in the Horn of Africa. These strips would be compiled into a graphic novel, jointly published by 007 Publishing House and Dominion Comics.