Young Mr. Bond’s schoolmates and instructors have taken notice that trouble seems to follow the lad, and the school authorities have expressly told him to make more of an effort to stay away from danger. By the end of chapter two, James is well on his way to ignoring that directive.

The third book chronicling the teen future 007 takes place only about 16 months after the first book, during James’ second year at Eton. It also marks a turning point in his life that sets him well on the path toward his future with Universal Exports. The author sprinkles in a number of phrases, terms, and locations that figure prominently in the Ian Fleming novels, and in this epic, James actually goes on the offensive, rather than simply stumbling into a problem.

This is a very fun read for cruciverbalists; the primary clues for the current dilemma are a variety of crytpograms, which James and his pals must solve to save the victim. The puzzles are of different types, and even with a number of hints thrown to the reader, they are not obvious. I found them to be very enjoyable.

Overall, my opinion is that Higson is doing an admirable job of presenting a youthful James Bond that is consistent with the adult version we already know. Any fan of the literary Bond will certainly relish these books.

Rated: Mild. As the adventure goes, apparently so goes the language, unfortunately. A handful each of various mild profane terms, as well as taking the Lord’s name in vain, appear. Considering that this is a book targeted toward youth, it could be borderline Moderate.