Cold (1996) by John Gardner is the fourteenth original James Bond novel penned by Gardner, continuing his tenure as the authorized successor to Ian Fleming’s iconic spy. This late-Cold War-era thriller pits 007 against a ruthless ex-KGB general, Konstantin Nikolaevich Chernov, who hijacks a cutting-edge stealth submarine armed with nuclear missiles, aiming to provoke a global conflict between Russia and the West.
Gardner’s Bond is more pragmatic and tech-savvy than Fleming’s, reflecting the post-Soviet 1990s with its cyber threats and shifting alliances. The novel’s strength lies in its claustrophobic submarine showdowns and high-stakes naval warfare, though critics note it lacks Fleming’s lyrical grit.
A solid, if unspectacular, entry for die-hard Bond completists.
