9. Carte Blanche
The most recent James Bond to be released, and written by American crime author Jeffrey Deaver, Carte Blanche is the first book in the entire Bond catalogue to attempt a reboot of the character, making him a modern spy born in 1979 and a veteran of the Afghanistan war. While this presumably wouldn't go down particularly well with Bond purists, but Deaver is careful to keep as closely to Fleming's vision as possible - albeit with some contemporary concessions such as Bond's iQPhone - and there is enough of Fleming's identity in the characters to retain some of that crucial Bond essence. Containing three villains, Carte Blanche first concentrates on Bond's time working for covert British operational outfit Overseas Development Group - identifying and stopping threats to the UK using extraordinary means and measures - where he encounters Niall Dunne, a former Irish sapper intent on derailing a train, who it emerges works with enigmatic waste-disposal magnate Severan Hydt who has a morbid (and it is implied, sexual) fascination with death. Bond and the ODG suspect Hydt's involvement in a larger terrorist attack and attempt to uncover information on the Dutchman, only to discover that what they thought were his initial intentions are merely a cover for another sinister plot involving succession in Sudan and an African food aid conspiracy by the third villain of the piece. That's about as spoilerish as I'm prepared to go, but the story is a seriously good read, and includes an intriguing sub-plot dealing with Bond's parents work as spies, which adds emotional and political intrigue to the new Bond backstory. A reboot definitely worth visiting.