Rating: 
Summary: Bensons third book his best yet
Review: Benson's third book is his best yet. He has managed, in the space of 3 Bond books (not counting 'Tomorrow Never Dies') to do the seemingly impossible: follow in Ian Flemings footsteps, update Bond into the 90s, and keep all the usual elements - girls, gadgets and fast cars. HTTK has some excellent elements in it - the golf game with Bill Tanner, some glimpses into Bond's work life, his thoughts about relationships, colourful descriptions of meals, exotic locales, etc. The book moves quickly, the characters are realistic and the mountaineering sections are particularly well written. My small criticisms are that the crime syndicate (the Union ) is too similar to Spectre, some of the dialogue is a bit wooden, and the plot is somewhat contrived, existing just so that Benson can devote half the book to the trekking / mountaineering scenes. It's also stretching credibility a little bit to claim that Bond has climbed Everest! On the whole though, a good effort, and it won't displease die-hard Bond fans.
Rating:
Summary: Great, but a little on the weird side.
Review: It's agreeable that this is definitely Benson's best ever. The storyline is fresh and original, the book has a great villian, and the love affairs are engaging. My only real gripe is the way the conversation rolls. The characters talk in somewhat unrevised phrases. They talk like they were 10 years old.(Bond also keeps calling Moneypenny and the rest of his girlfriends "Ma'am"!) Other than that the book is top notch!
Rating: 
Summary: Benson's Best Bond Book Yet
Review: This is a terrific book! Benson's best Bond so far. Benson fleshes out his locals with splendid detail, and remains Bondian without being predictable (not easy to do, I would image). The entire last third of the book is Bond's trek up the world's third highest mountain and compares with Fleming at his best. Great stuff! I can't wait for the next one.
Rating:
Summary: Benson at the "peak" of his game...
Review: In High Time To Kill, Bond is back and more saturnine and human than ever, thanks to author Raymond Benson. For those of us who first caught the Bond bug through contact with the original Fleming canon, this third outing by Benson provides all the gratification of the Ian Fleming sweep, sadism, and sex. Benson's Bonds incorporate the action and gadgetry from the films with the flair of the early literary 007. Benson also continues to pay homage to the Bond creator by craftily weaving elements from Bond's Fleming yarns.High Time to Kill presents 007 with the task of tracking down the stolen "Skin 17" - a classified military innovation. From an assassination in Bahamas (ahem... not Fleming's home, as mentioned in the Kirkus review) to a beating in Brussels, and on to a suicidal expedition atop the Himalayas, Bond shows his toughness while discovering just what might be his limit of courage and endurance. It's all there - the women, the escapes, the allies and the introduction of Bond's newest enemy -- the arch-criminal organization, the Union. With his first two Bond novels, Benson established his capabilities as 007's new progenitor. Now that the honeymoon's over for Mr. Benson, he's proven that his talents as a storyteller are no fluke. We can now leave the Fleming comparisons behind and continue to look forward to more Benson Bond. Keep them coming, Raymond.
Rating:
Summary: THE BEST BOND BOOK YET
Review: This is the best so far of Benson's Bond novels. It is filled with such incredible detail that once again takes the reader where most readers have never gone before and with such clarity. The twists and turns of the plot keep you up all night just to see how it ends. And James Bond the man is so revealing in this book. Oh yes, how can I forget what happens to Moneypenny. All in all such a really really good read. The best of the series so far. I cannot wait to read the next one.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: I just got this book and read it in 2 days. It kept me on the edge of my seat. I'm a big fan of Benson's Bond (after "Zero Minus Ten" and "The Facts of Death") and think he's doing a fabulous job. This one is different from the other two-- not as slam-bang in action with more concentration on character and a suspenseful plot. Great adventure settings, too.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant!
Review: One of the best non-Fleming Bond novels ever. Perhaps THE best non-Fleming Bond novel. The first half is fairly typical Bondian stuff-- car chases, gadgets, food & drink, girls... but then Benson pulls a switch halfway and the book becomes a completely different type of story... and it works like gangbusters! This is a top adventure story with a little espionage thrown in. Great perceptions into Bond's character. READ IT!
Rating:
Summary: A thrilling Bond adventure in the true spirit of Ian Fleming
Review: Raymond Benson has done it again. His third original James Bond novel truly proves that he was a superb choice to succeed Ian Fleming and John Gardner. He has given both James Bond fans and the casual reader an exciting adventure story with all of the elements that one associates with James Bond. The book has everything, as 007 is now up against a new adversary--the Union, a new terrorist organization as ruthless as the SPECTRE and SMERSH of old, but this time, they appear to be only interested in one thing--money. Thus, they can sell their services to the highest bidder and have apparently infiltrated the British Secret Service itself! This time Bond is called upon to retrieve an item stolen by the Union which is critical to national security. Along the way, readers encounter the familiar characters who compose the British Secret Service family and are introduced to new ones, especially Dr. Hope Kendall, whose stunning good looks and other attributes are straight in the Flenming tradition. She is a fresh entry into the Bond harem! Bond's main antagonist within the Union is cunning and ruthless. For the first time in many a Bond book, he engenders real feelings of hate from the reader. The book moves quickly across the world, as readers are once again given the exotic locales expected in Bond's world. Benson does not disappoint, as the reader is taken on a lengthy mountain climbing expedition with Bond, a mission which leads up to an explosive climax. Through it all , Raymond Benson has proven that he really has what it takes to fill Ian Fleming;s shoes. Benson has developed a style similiar to the way Fleming was able to sweep readers along with the narrative, enjoying the intricate details of the story itself without ever losing focus on James Bond. Benson here accomplishes nearly the same thing, but instead writes for a very modern audience. He appears very comfortable in Bond's world. This book is highly recommended for anyone who has glimpsed into that world, and would like to visit it again. James Bond is back, and, with Raymond Benson, nobody does it better!
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding...Bond continues into the Millenium
Review: Raymond Benson has done it again. He has truly carried on with the Fleming tradition. James Bond has moved from the 20th to the 21st Century. Action, adventure, suspense, and Bond, a true match. Mr. Benson puts the audience of readers right next to Bond and into his shoes. The first of the trilogy is excellent and definitely makes you want to come back for more.
Rating:
Summary: Great Adventure!
Review: I found "High Time to Kill" to be one of the most suspenseful and un-put-downable books I've read in a long time. With "Zero Minus Ten," "The Facts of Death," and now this, Mr. Benson has firmly established himself as the best 007 writer since Ian Fleming. This story is especially invocative of the earlier Flemings, with emphasis on character and plot rather than action. A must-read.
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