5 Great James Bond Villains (That Have Never Been Seen On Film)

Raymond Benson’s Bond stories are largely subpar. Though he visits some interesting locations and brings back almost every surviving Fleming character, his style is exposition-heavy and often disengaging.

Roland Marquis, who serves as the antagonist in High Time To Kill, is one of his better original creations. Though initially comes across as little more than an upper-class toff who acts pettily towards Bond as if they were still childhood sports rivals (blatantly cheating at a golf match that echoes the one in Goldfinger), he becomes more conflicted as time goes on, with his treachery driven by both debts and an inferiority complex.

The mountain setting of much of the book gives it a claustrophobic feel, forcing Bond and Marquis together despite their mutual dislike and the former’s growing suspicion of the latter.

Villains that have or develop a personal connection to Bond are often better served than those that don’t and Marquis ultimately proves multi-layered a result, bringing out a rare moment of humility in the usually cold-blooded 007 as he allows his adversary to ascend to the peak of Kangchenjunga and die achieving a personal goal rather than simply being executed.