Line #36 Literature/LicenceRenewed


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/license_renewed_cover_2nd_printing_1982.jpg]]
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3	John Gardner's first ''Literature/JamesBond'' novel, published in 1981.
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5	It is TheEighties, and the Double-O section has been officially disbanded. Bond still retains the status as 007, on M's orders, and performs missions as needed. He is sent to Scotland to investigate a noted nuclear physicist Dr. Anton Murik, who has had meetings with a freelance terrorist Franco Quesocriado with alarming regularity. Bond infiltrates Dr. Murik's castle by posing as a mercenary for hire, and uncovers a plot about taking over nuclear power plants, which if backfires, can lead to deaths of millions.
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8	!!This novel contains examples of:
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10	* AnimalMotifs: Murik's movements, from walking to turning his head, are frequently referred to as birdlike.
11	* BastardBastard: Anton Murik is the bastard son of the original Lord Murik, not his legitimate heir. [[spoiler: Murik had the real one killed.]]
12	* BeenThereShapedHistory: Murik worked on the Manhattan Project, which was responsible for the very first atomic bombs.
13	* BigBad: Dr. Anton Murik, the Laird of Murcaldy.
14	* ChaseScene: A car chase breaks out when Bond tries to make a getaway from the castle after learning about Murik's plans.
15	* CoDragons: Caber and Mary-Jane Mashik. Caber is TheBrute and [[MookLieutenant the chief]] of Murik's bodyguards, and Mary-Jane is his close assistant, lover, and a TortureTechnician.
16	* ContinuityNod:
17	** While watching Bond cleaning his firearm, Ann asks him about the white mark on his hand. "Someone tried to be clever a long time ago" he answers coldly. The narration notes that it is the remainder of the Cyrillic letter Ш, which was carved on his hand in ''Literature/CasinoRoyale''.
18	** As he smokes with Murik, Bond remembers how his cigarette case once saved his life from a bullet, which happened in ''Literature/FromRussiaWithLove''.
19	* CoolCar: The novel introduces Bond's new car of choice, a tricked-out Saab 900 Turbo, which would gain the nickname Silver Beast in the subsequent books.
20	* DavidVersusGoliath: Bond must prove his worth to Murik in the Highland Games by wrestling with his towering bodyguard Caber, the local champion. Bond brings up the comparison in his mind after the match.
21	* DisneyVillainDeath: [[spoiler:Caber gets his [[ImpromptuTracheotomy throat stabbed with a dirk]], and as an insult to injury, falls from a plane soon afterwards]].
22	* DumbMuscle: Dr. Murik thinks of his man Caber this way and is glad that Bond is offering his services, since he has a need for "intelligent muscle".
23	* EinsteinHair: Murik has a white mane of hair, to cement his status as a genius nuclear physicist.
24	* EmbarrassingNickname: Ann Reilly from the Q Branch hates her nickname "Q'ute". It doesn't stop the narration from calling her such.
25	* EvilPlan: Murik's [[OperationBlank Operation Meltdown]] involves capturing six nuclear reactors with teams of terrorists, and [[{{Blackmail}} blackmailing]] their owners for vast sums of money for giving them back.
26	* EvilUncle: Anton Murik, [[spoiler: the half-brother to Lavender's father, tries to have her killed, since she is the rightful heir to to Castle Murik and the riches that come along with it, riches he wants to keep.]]
27	* ExactEavesDropping: As he is being introduced to it, Bond places a mic into Murik's inner sanctum. He learns much of his operation that way, [[spoiler: but learns very little of Lavender's upcoming assassination due to the mic dropping from its place.]]
28	* FashionShow: Bond prevents the assassination of [[spoiler: Lavender in one, [[MurderByMistake causing the death of Mary-Jane Mashkin]] in the process]].
29	* FengSchwing: Ann has rigged up her apartment to change its looks completely on flick of a switch, which she shows off to Bond when she takes him there.
30	* GroinAttack: Since Bond is outmatched with strength and size against Caber, he decides to do two attacks on his groin.
31	* HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler:Bond kills Murik by shooting him InTheBack with the Gyrojet pistol he used earlier]].
32	* TheInfiltration: Murik reveals to Bond that the terrorists who are supposed to take over the nuclear plants have been working in them for a year already, they are now just waiting the order for the takeover.
33	* InstantSedation: Q Branch gives Bond a cigarette lighter that shoots sedative gas when flicked open, with an instant effect.
34	* InterserviceRivalry: When Bond is introduced to a man from [=MI5=], the current official Secret Service, the narration notes that Bond's section had referred to them jokingly as "The Opposition", and how this rivalry had led to some [[RightHandVersusLeftHand grave misunderstandings]], and even hostility.
35	* ItsAlwaysMardiGrasInNewOrleans: Bond escapes from Murik's men in the French town of Perignan, which is just about to have its take on [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John%27s_Eve#France The Feast of St. John]], filling the streets with people joining the festivities.
36	* MasterOfDisguise: The [[TerroristsWithoutACause terrorist-for-hire]] Franco is constantly changing his looks, and is even referred to as an "artist of disguise". Ultimately subverted, since despite all the effort he puts in his appearances, he is still recognized by the authorities wherever he goes.
37	* MeaningfulName: A caber is the log in the Highland Games that men try to throw as far as they can. Caber is a Scot who is much taller and stronger than any other man among Dr. Murik's mooks.
38	* TheNameIsBondJamesBond: Bond introduces himself this way to Murik.
39	* TheNapoleon: Murik is barely five feet tall, but he has an aura of authority and he is described as a born leader.
40	* PercussivePickpocket: Bond gets in Murik's good graces at the [[UsefulNotes/HorseRacing horse racing event]] by pickpocketing precious pearls from his ward Lavender as he bumps into her, and later presenting them to him and his entourage in pretense that he had found on the ground, claiming that their clasp must have broken.
41	* {{Pride}}: Murik's plan stemmed from his hurt pride. He is going to use the acquired sums from his extortions to finance the construction of a new, perfect reactor of his design, which is then supposed to be adopted to use, proving his genius. His insistence on the said design's perfection was the reason he was kicked out from International Atomic Energy Commission; it is filled with flaws, and he was too proud to accept that when they were pointed out.
42	* RevolversAreJustBetter: Averted initially. While choosing a sidearm for his assignment, Bond has to debate about choosing a revolver or a pistol. While revolver's best sides are brought up, he chooses a Browning pistol since it can be reloaded faster. However, he still brings an unauthorized Ruger Blackhawk on him as a sidearm.
43	* SpannerInTheWorks: Bond fears that the terrorists hired by Murik turn out to be this, since their disregard for their own safety might make them ignore orders and start a nuclear meltdown ahead of time.
44	* SteelEardrums: Averted. Firing his Ruger Blackhawk revolver from the inside of his car hurts Bond's ears.
45	* TemptingFate: Just as Bond has said that Caber won't cause any trouble, he enters the room and starts a fight.
46	* TextualCelebrityResemblance:
47	** Murik's looks are described to be "not unlike" to those of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Aitken,_Lord_Beaverbrook Lord Beaverbrook]], the late owner of several British newspapers.
48	** Lavender Peacock, Murik's ward, is described to be reminiscent of actress Creator/LaurenBacall as a young woman.
49	* TortureCellar: Murik shows Bond the torture chamber of his castle to inform him about the price for disloyalty. He is later taken there after his failed escape, is given [[TruthSerums truth serum]], and is subjected to [[ColdBloodedTorture torture through sound]].
50	* ViolentGlaswegian: Caber, a local Scot with more muscles than thought. After Bond causes a nosebleed on him in their first encounter, he is furious and gladly takes the opportunity of wrestling him in the Highland Games.
51	* WallOfWeapons: The walls of Murik's centre of operations are covered in weapons.
52	* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: Bond's supposed role as a hired gun in Murik's big plan is to assassinate Franco after he has successfully collected the money from the extorted nations. Bond (rightfully) suspects that such fate will befall on him as well after his part.
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Context Literature / LicenceRenewed