"The goal is for this to be a place for respectful discussion; informed criticism; Christian orthodoxy; sound economics; traditional conservatism; civilized politics; interesting reviews of books, movies, television and streaming shows, and other artsy stuff; sports analysis; humor; fun; and more." - Ray Keating, editor, publisher, columnist and economist at the Keating Files
For about 20 years, Ray Keating wrote a weekly column - a short time with the New York City Tribune, more than 11 years with Newsday, another seven years with Long Island Business News, plus another year-and-a-half with RealClearMarkets.com. As an economist, Keating also pens an assortment of analyses each week. With the Keating Files, he decided to expand his efforts with regular commentary touching on a broad range of issues, written by himself and an assortment of talented contributors and columnists. So, here goes...
James Bond Day is October 5. Celebrate with Ray Keating and his creation, Pastor Stephen Grant. For example, consider what The Rev. Kenneth V. Blanchard, a former CIA officer, wrote in a review of The River: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel for The Washington Times:
“Mr. Keating's storytelling is so lifelike that I almost thought I had worked with him when I was at Langley. Like the fictitious pastor, I actually spent 20 years working for the U.S. intelligence community, and once I started reading 'The River,'... I simply could not put it down. What Ian Fleming's 007 series has probably done for ex-MI-6 agents and Tom Clancy has done for retired CIA officers, Mr. Keating has done for the minority of former CIA agents who have served their country by working in the intelligence community, but now wish to serve God.”
Ray Keating is a columnist, novelist, economist, podcaster and entrepreneur. The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?
Two great ways to order Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel,which is Ray’s sixteenth work of fiction, and the first in the Alliance of Saint Michael series. Signed paperbackshereand the Kindle editionhere.
Two great ways to order Ray Keating’s new nonfiction book –The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks here, and paperbacks, hardcovers and Kindle editions here.
Get all of Ray Keating Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries in paperback and for the Kindle atAmazon.com and signed books at www.RayKeatingOnline.com.
James Bond Day is October 5. Celebrate with Ray Keating and his creation, Pastor Stephen Grant. Indeed, consider a James Bond-type in a very different profession. From James Bond to Pastor Stephen Grant?
In an article titled “If James Bond Became a Pastor” covering Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers/mysteries series, author and columnist Gene Veith noted,
“Mr. Keating knows how to tell an exciting story. And these books, like the James Bond novels, are ridiculously entertaining. As for larger themes, there is vocation, of course. I see these books as honoring the pastoral ministry. Because in real life, pastors are heroes engaged in saving the world.”
Veith also wrote, “Now, imagine that James Bond, the dashing spy with a license to kill who keeps saving the world, decides to become a pastor… Grant is a former swashbuckling CIA agent who finds himself called to the ministry… Pastor Grant extends pastoral care to people he encounters – explaining the gospel, offering marriage counseling, and bringing God into the conversations – though he also dispatches bad guys with his gun. Talk about Law and Gospel.”
Ray Keating is a columnist, novelist, economist, podcaster and entrepreneur. The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?
Two great ways to order Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel,which is Ray’s sixteenth work of fiction, and the first in the Alliance of Saint Michael series. Signed paperbackshereand the Kindle editionhere.
Two great ways to order Ray Keating’s new nonfiction book –The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks here, and paperbacks, hardcovers and Kindle editions here.
Get all of Ray Keating Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries in paperback and for the Kindle atAmazon.com and signed books at www.RayKeatingOnline.com.
James Bond Day is October 5. One way to celebrate is with Ray Keating and his creation, Pastor Stephen Grant. From the “Author Introduction to the Second Edition" of Warrior Monk: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel, here’s what Ray writes about the influence James Bond and his creator, Ian Fleming, had on the creation of Pastor Stephen Grant…
As for deciding to write Warrior Monk, my work as an economist did come into play. Many years ago now, a colleague mentioned that a new priest at her parish formerly worked for the Central Intelligence Agency. That caught my attention, and I filed it away just in case I ever did delve into the fiction realm.
A few years later, in 2007, I received word that Hofstra University on Long Island would be hosting a conference titled “Bond, James Bond: The World of 007.” My editor at Newsday agreed that I should cover the event for my column. At that gathering of Bond experts and fans from around the world, I learned that Ian Fleming was 44 years old when his first Bond novel, Casino Royale, was published. That happened to be how old I was at the time of the conference. So, I took that as some kind of sign. I filed my Newsday column on the conference, and then started working on my first novel, featuring a Lutheran pastor who had been a Navy SEAL and a CIA operative. Stephen Grant was born.
Ray Keating is a columnist, novelist, economist, podcaster and entrepreneur. The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?
Two great ways to order Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel,which is Ray’s sixteenth work of fiction, and the first in the Alliance of Saint Michael series. Signed paperbackshereand the Kindle editionhere.
Two great ways to order Ray Keating’s new nonfiction book –The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks here, and paperbacks, hardcovers and Kindle editions here.
Get all of Ray Keating Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries in paperback and for the Kindle atAmazon.com and signed books at www.RayKeatingOnline.com.
While we wait for the announcement of who will next play British secret agent James Bond on the big screen, Bond fans and even those with only a passing interest should take the time to get to know Bond better. They can include re-watching the movies, but I suggest taking time to read the James Bond books.
Amazingly, there are more than 40 James Bond novels to read, including the original 14 written by Bond creator Ian Fleming.
Fleming died in 1964, and two of his Bond books were published posthumously. Subsequently, the Fleming estate has selected various writers to pen further adventures of 007.
What one gets from the books that’s largely missing from the movies is a far more complete Bond, including his doubts, fears, internal reflections, his love of England, his past, his thoughts in unraveling mysteries, regrets, his perspective on death, and his assorted, at times surprising, desires. The books provide James Bond in full.
And that most certainly includes a Bond trilogy just completed by novelist Anthony Horowitz.
In 2015, Horowitz’s first Bond novel – Trigger Mortis – was published. With a few pinches of Ian Fleming material integrated into the story, we open the book with James Bond just after Goldfinger. This is Bond at his peak, and the author treats us to a great deal of Bond’s thinking on a wide range of matters, including evil.
Then in 2018, again with a bit of Fleming’s original material, Horowitz, in Forever and a Day, takes us back to Bond’s first mission as a double-0, not all that long after World War II. Here, we see Bond working to earn the job of being 007.
And finally, the recently published With a Mind to Kill, we take flight with a more experienced Bond in the 1960s. Being older and through a great deal more than most men could possibly imagine never mind survive, Bond doesn’t waver in terms of what he thinks about the job he is doing, even as the world around him seems to have queries and doubts. As for Bond, he has more questions about whether or not he, in particular, is still capable of being the person to do the job.
In each of the books, Horowitz ably combines plenty of action, with a mix of gravity, humor and alarm, as well as degrees of warmth and emotional depth. He not only excels at capturing Ian Fleming’s voice, but I couldn’t help but think of the Bond in these pages being played by Sean Connery. That’s a credit to both Horowitz, and, of course, Connery.
Each of Horowitz’s James Bond books – Trigger Mortis, Forever and a Day and With a Mind to Kill – deserve to be savored by readers.
But there’s more. As the Bond powers-that-be ponder who should play Bond next and what the stories should be, why not turn to Horowitz’s trilogy for some answers? Taking Bond back to the 1950s and 1960s would be a bold and marvelous choice. Well-done period pieces can be completely engrossing, and there’s simply so much more that Bond can do as a spy in the midst of the Cold War. Take the cue from these Horowitz books. Heck, take the stories from these books!
As for who should play Bond, well, there’s no direct answer from these books. But it’s rather easy to see that Henry Cavill has the right look and stature to play a James Bond of the 50s and 60s. (For Cavill, imagine a career marked by playing both Superman and James Bond!) I certainly would look forward to that first moment on screen, when a Henry Cavill Bond, in a tux, declares, “Bond, James Bond.”
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Ray Keating is a columnist, novelist, economist, podcaster and entrepreneur. The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?
Two great ways to order Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel,which is Ray’s sixteenth work of fiction, and the first in the Alliance of Saint Michael series. Signed paperbackshereand the Kindle editionhere.
Two great ways to order Ray Keating’s new nonfiction book –The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks here, and paperbacks, hardcovers and Kindle editions here.
Get all of Ray Keating Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries in paperback and for the Kindle atAmazon.com and signed books at www.RayKeatingOnline.com.
Did you ever look forward to seeing a new movie with expectations that it would be a good or even great film? That was me getting ready to see the new film, No Time To Die, with Daniel Craig starring for a final time as Bond, James Bond. (See my take in the first four Craig Bond movies as preparation.)
If you answered “yes” to this question, did you then experience significant disappointment because the film came up far short of those expectations? Unfortunately, that was the case when seeing No Time To Die.
The stars seemed to be aligned for a wonderful send off for Craig as Bond. While the movie is visually alluring and had its moments story wise, alas, No Time To Die turned out to be heavy and dull, misguided in its handling of Bond and other characters, and in the end, little fun. James Bond is supposed to be fun, and this movie had only one truly fun moment.
Daniel Craig once again gave an excellent performance, but quite frankly, he was given material that wasn’t very Bond-ian. Craig took Bond to new heights in his previous performances, including serving up a grittier and more complex Bond. But it was still very much Bond. No Time To Die missed critical aspects of what makes Bond Bond and what makes a Bond film a Bond film. And final decisions made regarding this Bond were part well-worn tropes, part misguided, and ultimately, again, disappointing.
As for other major supporting Bond characters, Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) was under-utilized. Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) returned, thankfully, and played an important part in the story, but we needed more of him. And the Bond villains, mainly, Safin (Rami Malek) and Blofeld (Christopf Waltz), failed to stand out in this picture.
Tragic was the central role played by M (Ralph Fiennes) this time around, as the character made decisions in this movie that go directly against what he learned and was about in Skyfall and Spectre.
Unfortunately, Lea Seydoux came back as Madeleine in No Time To Die. Once more, the character was central to Bond’s story, but also was completely uninteresting. I cannot decide if it’s what Seydoux had to work with, her own shortcomings as an actress, or a combination of both.
But let’s get to that fun moment. Ana de Armas as Paloma was the bright spot in No Time To Die. The character was only on screen for a few minutes, but she stole those moments and gave off energy that provided a much-needed spark to Bond himself. Yes, Armas’ Paloma was fun – serving up humor, action and intrigue. You know, like a James Bond movie is supposed to do, but No Time To Die, for the most part, does not.
One of the best ways to enjoy Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries is to join the Pastor Stephen Grant Fellowship! For the BEST VALUE, consider the Book of the Month Club. Check it all out at https://www.patreon.com/pastorstephengrantfellowship
Are you ready to watch No Time To Die, the fifth James Bond film starring Daniel Craig? Well, catching the first four Craig Bond movies would seem to be proper preparation.
I did so, and it was a joy to return to these films. Here’s my quick take on each.
Casino Royale (2006) – 5 stars out of 5
Casino Royale just might be the best James Bond film ever, including all of the movies by Craig’s predecessors Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, and Pierce Brosnan (oh yeah, and David Niven). Okay, yes, it’s the best.
Movie watchers have to strap in from the start, being treated to a brutal bathroom brawl, one of the best foot chases in movie history, an engrossing poker game amidst a whirlwind of intrigue and action, and a torture scene that makes every man squirm in his seat (by the way, that savage incident actually is in Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale book published in 1953!)
Plus, those on screen with Craig excel, including Eva Green as Vesper Lynd, Judi Dench as M, Giancarlo Giannini as Rene Mathis, Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter (the best Leiter in Bond movie history), and Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre.
For good measure, Craig brings a depth and complexity to Bond that was previously lacking on screen (and don’t get me wrong, I love Sean Connery’s Bond). Craig’s Bond is more ruthless and colder perhaps than any previous movie manifestation of the character, but also more vulnerable, humorous, and human. That’s a masterful achievement by director Martin Campbell, Daniel Craig, and everyone else involved in creating Casino Royale.
Quantum of Solace (2008) – 3 stars out of 5
Alright, it’s time to give Quantum of Solace some love.
Two charges often are hurled at this movie. First, it’s referred to as the worst of the Daniel Craig Bond films. Second, it has been called the worst Bond film ever. It is guilty on the first charge, but definitely not on the second. Watch the Roger Moore movies, and there’s no way you can call Quantum of Solace the worst Bond movie ever.
However, calling Quantum of Solace the worst Craig Bond movie doesn’t make it a bad movie. Instead, it’s uneven, but interestingly, it works well where most people say it doesn’t and falters in an area that largely goes unmentioned.
Quantum of Solace often gets a bad rap for its story. But that’s simply not the case. The story told in Quantum actually is quite interesting, and unusual for a Bond movie. It’s a film mainly about two broken people – Craig’s Bond and Camille played by Olga Kurylenko – bent on vengeance, hoping that their own brand of justice will provide some kind of peace.
Once more, like in Casino Royale, Craig serves up a complex Bond – in this case, conflicted. His relationship with M (Judi Dench) is deepened, and Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter and Giancarlo Giannini as Rene Mathis serve as beacons in clouds and murkiness. The main villain – Dominic Greene played by Mathieu Amalric – and his plot work fine, but turn out to be less interesting than the more personal aspects of the tale.
So, where does Quantum of Solace falter then? It’s in the action scenes. What arguably should have been the easiest part of this movie was completely botched by director Marc Foster with his use of, what I call, the “shaky cam” combined with ridiculous scene cuts. Potentially wonderful action sequences were turned into visual messes, with moviegoers often struggling to figure out the details of what was happening.
So, don’t fault the writers of Quantum of Solace for coming up short. It’s about Foster’s ability to ruin what so many moviegoers love about the Bond films – the action. But overall, it’s still a respectable effort.
And by the way, the Jack White and Alicia Keys “Another Way to Die” rocks – it’s one of the best Bond songs.
Skyfall (2012) – 5 stars out of 5
The movie that gives Casino Royale a serious run for the top Bond film would be Skyfall. It hits the right Bond notes, while supplying much more.
At the very start, we get to enjoy a spectacular motorcycle chase scene, which then morphs into Bond doing combat on a train – meaning literally on top of a train.
The stakes are high – a stolen list of all NATO agents embedded inside terrorist organizations – but also lend some real-world sense of true danger.
Judi Dench as M plays an even more central role than usual, and when her fate plays out, it carries an emotional wallop.
As for Bond, we delve more deeply into his past than ever before, including the climactic fight with the antagonist, Mr. Silver (played with verve by Javier Bardem), happening at his family’s long-dilapidated home, Skyfall. But as the walls literally are burning down around him, we still get the Bond we have come to know, as he declares, “I always hated this place.” Little room seems to exist in James Bond’s world for sentiment or emotion – well, that is, until the death of M.
As for the rest of us, though, we get to enjoy being a little sentimental, or get to reminisce, as Skyfall offers some tips of the hat to early Bond films, including a glorious Aston Martin DB5, even with an ejector seat, as well as a new, old-style M office. Director Sam Mendes excelled at making an unmistakable Daniel Craig Bond film, but with wonderful references to the character’s long cinematic past.
For good measure, Naomie Harris ranks as a delight as Moneypenny, who also plays a more important role in Skyfall than did any of the character’s previous renditions.
Finally, I must mention that Bond’s hand-to-hand combat scene in a Shanghai skyscraper amidst glass and light rates as a visual feast. Yes, indeed, Skyfall hits all the right Bond notes and more.
Spectre (2015) – 4 stars out of 5
Skyfall was a tough act to follow, as they say, and while Spectre is a good movie, it inevitably feels like it comes up short.
Perhaps most striking from a movie decision-making perspective, while Skyfall referenced previous Bond movies, Spectre goes deeper on this, to the point that it has the feel of a Sean Connery Bond vehicle, but with Daniel Craig as James Bond. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it is different. Also, along the way, occasional glossing over of some details occurs.
At the same time, there is much here to relish. Judi Dench’s M reaching out with one last mission for Bond from beyond the grave sets the story well. The Day of the Dead opening is gripping, especially the brutal fight in a helicopter over a crowded square. In fact, the ferocity of the fight scenes in this movie warrant recognition, including the fight between Bond and Dave Bautista’s Mr. Hinx, inside a train. I couldn’t help but compare it to the classic train-car fisticuffs in Sean Connery’s From Russia with Love.
And watching this movie once more, Christoff Waltz’s Blofeld has grown on me. He is entertainingly crazy and evil.
Once again, Harris is top notch as Miss Moneypenny. But I also must mention two additions who came on in Skyfall, and appear in Spectre as well – Ben Whishaw as Q and Ralph Fiennes as the new M. These are iconic Bond roles, and each actor excels. I particularly find Q’s interactions with Bond splendid – as was the case with past Qs and Bonds.
Alas, though, I admit to finding Lea Seydoux as Madeleine uninspiring. For all of the women who have entered and exited the Bond universe, that it would be this rather dull character who would become James Bond’s key love interest is unconvincing at best and ultimately disappointing. Contrast this character with Vesper from Casino Royale, and you’ll see my point.
However, after mentioning these other players, we must return to Daniel Craig as Bond. As evidenced once more in Spectre, he brings a depth and range to the role of James Bond that none of the previous Bonds had achieved. And as a result, after enjoying the first four Bond films starring Daniel Craig, I am looking forward to Craig’s final Bond outing in No Time To Die with great anticipation.
One of the best ways to enjoy Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries is to join the Pastor Stephen Grant Fellowship! For the BEST VALUE, consider the Book of the Month Club. Check it all out at https://www.patreon.com/pastorstephengrantfellowship
PRESS CLUB C Podcast with Ray Keating – Episode #59: Inspired by James Bond – You never know from where inspiration or the next big idea might come. James Bond served up inspiration – shaken, not stirred, of course – for Ray.
The new James Bond movie – No Time To Die – is here, and offers an opportunity to consider some reflections on James Bond, as well as on Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant, who is compared to Mr. Bond by author and columnist Gene Veith.
One of the best ways to enjoy Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries is to join the Pastor Stephen Grant Fellowship! For the BEST VALUE, consider the Book of the Month Club. Check it all out at https://www.patreon.com/pastorstephengrantfellowship
