satellite network. His true identity revealed, Bond is captured and brainwashed into believing he is an American general assigned to inspect NORAD. Although he has been set up to be killed in the ensuing attack by SPECTRE forces on the base, Bond regains his personality and his memory. Apparently Bismaquer, who is bisexual, has taken a liking to Bond and sabotaged the hypnosis. When Bond returns to Bismaquer's ranch, he witnesses Bismaquer being killed by Nena, who is in fact the mind behind the operation and the daughter of Blofeld, a fact she confesses to Bond just before falling into the crushing grip of her pet pythons. She is later put out of her misery by Felix Leiter, who arrives on the scene to help rescue his daughter. Characters James Bond M Ann Reilly Cedar Leiter Felix Leiter Markus Bismaquer: Bismaquer, married to Nena Bismaquer, is a collector of fine prints and the owner of an ice cream plant in Amarillo, Texas. He is believed to be either a direct descendant or a confidant of Ernst Stavro Blofeld and to have resurrected the evil organization SPECTRE Gardner alludes, on more than one occasion, that Bismaquer in truth is a homosexual and possibly had fallen for Bond. Walter Luxor: Is Bismaquer's partner and a high-ranking member of SPECTRE. At one point he is believed to be a revived Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Mike Mazzard: Is a member of SPECTRE tasked to bring Bond to Amarillo. After Bond objects this offer, Mazzard attempts to kill Bond in Washington D.C. Mazzard also aids Luxor in infiltrating NORAD HQ. Nena Bismaquer: Is the wife of Markus Bismaquer. She later turns out to be the daughter of Ernst Stavro Blofeld and the successor and leader of SPECTRE. Car This is the second novel in Gardner's Bond series in which Bond drives a Saab 900 Turbo; however, this is the first book in which the car's colour is mentioned and it is referred to by its more popular nickname, the Silver Beast. Publication history UK first hardback edition: September 1982 Jonathan Cape U.S. first hardback edition: April 1982 Coward, McCann & Geoghegan UK first paperback edition: 1982 Coronet Books U.S. first paperback edition: April 1983 Berkley Books The U.S. hardcover had a first printing of 95,000 copies. Reviews Kingsley Amis, himself a former Bond author, was the harshest. His Times Literary Supplement review called the book "an