The first time I read all the james Bond novels was when I was between the ages of eight and twelve.
As I'm turning thirty four soon, I decided it was time to give them another read. I started from the top (Casino Royale) and I am working my way through them. I'm currently on Diamonds are Forever.
I anjoyed them enormously the first time I read them, but I am enjoying them just as much this time around! :007)
I've just read through the entire series for the first time, I've just finished ‘The Man With The Golden Gun’.
I have to say, with only the short stories in ‘Octopussy & The Living Daylights’ left, that I probably enjoyed Moonraker best. It was just a really enjoyable read and I was probably surprised it had no relation to the film of said title, which made it even better.
Other highlights were Casino Royale, Live & Let Die, From Russia with Love, OHMSS & Thunderball.
The books I found more ‘difficult’ to get into were You Only Live Twice & The Spy Who Loved Me. I seemed to take forever to get through these two!
Anyhow, I’ve picked up a copy of Devil May Care off eBay for 99p – I can’t complain! – so I will report back on that when read.
Call me shallow, but sometimes I like reading a book with a particular cover, it makes it sing to me a bit more.
I picked up Thunderball recently because I was 'collecting' the Spectre onwards novels in the Book Club form, hardbacks with great covers, for instance here:
and was impressed with Fleming's description of Largo's calm and what it signified: that he was always on top of things and nothing could surprise him. Must say Adolfo Celi seemed a good choice for the role.
Edit: although the Nemo style fish on the spine is a bit cute...
Bond: You don't think I enjoyed what we did this evening, do you? What I did tonight was for King and country! You don't think it gave me any pleasure, do you?
Fiona: But of course, I forgot your ego, Mr. Bond. James Bond, who only has to make love to a woman and she starts to hear heavenly choirs singing.
I'm dipping into my Book Club OHMSS with this brilliant cover:
Got to say I've always liked the tone of the book more, and it makes more sense that it's clear Bond spends over a month swotting up on heraldry before visiting Blofeld, it suggests that he and Tracey know each other more before he heads out there, as it mentions how he sends her a couple of postcards while she is seeing a shrink during that time. We never in the films get the sense of time passing, the mission always seems to take place within a couple of weeks or less. M's scathing response to the unlikely plan makes it more credible to me, also.
Recently finished Zero Minus Ten,Enjoyed it alot but no one comes close to Flemings work, Waiting on The Facts Of Death to arrive so I can read all the R Benson's novels in order. The Union Trilogy arrived a few days ago and I'm trying not to start it but I have read the shory story Blast From The Past.
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
I am about halfway through Icebreaker by Gardner. I am trying to read the continuation novels in order. So far Icebreaker is an improvement over For Special Services but not as good as his first novel, Licensed Renewed.
"A blunt instrument wielded by a Government department. Hard, ruthless, sardonic, fatalistic. He likes gambling, golf, fast motor cars. All his movements are relaxed and economical". Ian Fleming
Just a quick question for everyone: After the Fleming novels, I plan on reading Sebastian Faulks' "Devil May Care".
If anyone here has read it already, WITHOUT SPOILERS of course, was it really "Fleming-esque", as I have heard?
It's Fleming pastiche. That is, like he's skim read Fleming's novels and tried to insert similar things with not much creativity. Not the journalistic depth or world-weary observations about life that Fleming brought, but consumerist references to baggage and clothes are self-consciously present. Unfavourable reviews on this board, I must say.
Moonraker again, 3rd time I think,love that book,and I have ordered colonel sun from amazon,& should get it this week,so will read that as soon as,also just read TMWTGG & YOLT,once col sun donw with might read GF again.I feel a need to get back to the litery bond instead of the films at the minute,have to do this from time to time,just read all the books again in any order.
"Yes,dammit,I said "was".The bitch is dead now."
"It's not difficult to get a double 0 number if your prepared to kill people"
Just finished The Spy Who Loved Me for the first time.
It was pretty different, to say the least, with the absence of Bond in the first 2/3 of the novel, but still enjoyable. I thought Fleming did an excellent job of executing the novel from Vivienne Michel's point of view, but then again it was a pretty abstract as compared to what I saw in the nine previous novels. I've heard a lot of criticism about it from a number of different people for a number of different reasons. The writing was, as always, as eloquent as can be. Certainly Enjoyable, but unexpected, I guess.
What are some of your guys' thoughts on The Spy Why Loved Me?
Just finnished The Facts Of Death.Really enjoyed it I like the way Benson dosen't keep on about Bonds age like Gardner did,Like most of the Fleming novels Bond will always be in his mid to late thirtys for me, no matter when the Books set.
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
I just started reading them recently, and I'm trying to read them in order. I am currently finishing up 'Live and Let Die,' so it will be a while before I can read them all....
"A dry martini, in a deep champagne goblet. Three measures of Gordons, one of Vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until its ice cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?" - Ian Fleming's 'Casino Royale'
"We're just too different... I mean, you're dead...." - Tim Burton's 'Corpse Bride'
About a third of the way through High time to kill, so far I'd say it was as bad as the worst of J Gardener's.Fleming had the skill to write about subjects in an exciting way like the golf game in goldfinger or the bridge game in Moonraker,But all this climbing plot is very boring.Hope it picks up pace soon.
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
I just started reading them recently, and I'm trying to read them in order. I am currently finishing up 'Live and Let Die,' so it will be a while before I can read them all....
That's the way to do it! If this is your first time through them, you're in for a good time B-)
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Just started re-reading From Russia With Love. Donald Grant is the best henchman by far. Pure evil and strikingly brutal. More than a match physically for Bond. I love Fleming's prose. I haven't read any of Benson's Bond books, and only a couple of Gardener's, but Fleming has a style not replicated by other thrillers writers. I think this is where Devil May Care fell down for me. Faulks spends so much time writing in the style of Fleming, he forgot to make the book interesting.
Amazon #1 Bestselling Author. If you enjoy crime, espionage, action and fast-moving thrillers follow this link:
Sadly, I don't read much as I should since the big invention of the big bad WWW. I did dip my toes years ago with TB and DAF. I found Fleming's style very detailed and I suppose I was more up for a JB tie-in ala Christopher Wood's MR than an orginal novel from which the JB films are based.
I liked Fleming's attention to detail though. I remember picking up TMWTGG at a local bookshop for a pittance around the same time as reading TB and DAF with a back and front cover with stills from the film and being disappointed with the very slim story within. {:)
So no, not much IF for me.
"If God had wanted man to fly..."
"He would have given him wings, Mr. Kidd"
After reading different posts suggesting to read them in order I thought "that's what Ill do" . :007)
Problem was the collector in me kicked in and I had the idea of getting them all as hb's...possible but I soon found my idea was a little too costly, and a bit of a pipe dream really.
I did get a few hb's though, the first being OHMSS, so that was the first one I read...and it was a cracker.
Currently though I've gone back to the beggining with more sb's filling the gaps, so I'm starting the whole thing by reading CR...so far that's great as well.
I've looked back through some of the pages in this JB Literature section but I can't find a list of the books in there publishing order...could one of the many helpfull members on this forum please do a list of the book titles in order.
Pretty please..... -{
EDIT: No need...tracked down a list.
CASINO ROYALE
LIVE AND LET DIE
MOONRAKER
DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
DR.NO i'm currently on this one
GOLDFINGER
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY
THUNDERBALL
THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE
YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE
THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN
OCTOPUSSY/THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS
Alas, I have finished all the Fleming novels for the first time. AMAZING. Immediately afterwords, I delved into Devil May Care with high expectations - I hadn't read many things about the novel beforehand, except that Faulks' writing style was similar to Fleming's and that it takes place shortly after TMWTGG. Whilst reading, I came to the point at which I made myself believe Faulks' writing style was similar to Fleming's - simply because that's what I had read. I finished the novel somewhat satisfied. It was not until I began Colonel Sun, by Robert Markham AKA Kingsley Amis, when I realized how different Faulks' style was to Fleming's and how incredibly close Amis' is!
I am sure I will enjoy the remainder of Colonel Sun. What a pity that he didn't write more Bond novels!
Pro's
• Lengthily planning - very effective
• Villains were developed well - better than the film
• The references to previous books in the file
• Gypsy Camp and Assasination of Krilencu
• Darko Kerim Bay
• Grant and Bond on the train
• Well established plot
• Red Grant!!!!
• Bond's facted death on the train
• Q-Branch Customised Case
• Bullet Firing Book Case
Cons's
• Bond does not come in until half way through the book
• No description of the Spektor (as it does in the film)
• Bond going to to the the Embasy to get the case and the girl was not in the book, would of been better.
• No mention of Tatiana towards to end after the train.
Comments
As I'm turning thirty four soon, I decided it was time to give them another read. I started from the top (Casino Royale) and I am working my way through them. I'm currently on Diamonds are Forever.
I anjoyed them enormously the first time I read them, but I am enjoying them just as much this time around! :007)
I have to say, with only the short stories in ‘Octopussy & The Living Daylights’ left, that I probably enjoyed Moonraker best. It was just a really enjoyable read and I was probably surprised it had no relation to the film of said title, which made it even better.
Other highlights were Casino Royale, Live & Let Die, From Russia with Love, OHMSS & Thunderball.
The books I found more ‘difficult’ to get into were You Only Live Twice & The Spy Who Loved Me. I seemed to take forever to get through these two!
Anyhow, I’ve picked up a copy of Devil May Care off eBay for 99p – I can’t complain! – so I will report back on that when read.
I picked up Thunderball recently because I was 'collecting' the Spectre onwards novels in the Book Club form, hardbacks with great covers, for instance here:
and was impressed with Fleming's description of Largo's calm and what it signified: that he was always on top of things and nothing could surprise him. Must say Adolfo Celi seemed a good choice for the role.
Edit: although the Nemo style fish on the spine is a bit cute...
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Fiona: But of course, I forgot your ego, Mr. Bond. James Bond, who only has to make love to a woman and she starts to hear heavenly choirs singing.
Got to say I've always liked the tone of the book more, and it makes more sense that it's clear Bond spends over a month swotting up on heraldry before visiting Blofeld, it suggests that he and Tracey know each other more before he heads out there, as it mentions how he sends her a couple of postcards while she is seeing a shrink during that time. We never in the films get the sense of time passing, the mission always seems to take place within a couple of weeks or less. M's scathing response to the unlikely plan makes it more credible to me, also.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Next - Spy Who Loved Me.
Just a quick question for everyone: After the Fleming novels, I plan on reading Sebastian Faulks' "Devil May Care".
If anyone here has read it already, WITHOUT SPOILERS of course, was it really "Fleming-esque", as I have heard?
It's Fleming pastiche. That is, like he's skim read Fleming's novels and tried to insert similar things with not much creativity. Not the journalistic depth or world-weary observations about life that Fleming brought, but consumerist references to baggage and clothes are self-consciously present. Unfavourable reviews on this board, I must say.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I love the way Fleming incoroprates gems into his novels and makes them exciting to read.
Baccarat in Casino Royale, bridge in Moonraker and now golf in Goldfinger.
Makes me want to pick up a club and take a few swings...
"It's not difficult to get a double 0 number if your prepared to kill people"
It was pretty different, to say the least, with the absence of Bond in the first 2/3 of the novel, but still enjoyable. I thought Fleming did an excellent job of executing the novel from Vivienne Michel's point of view, but then again it was a pretty abstract as compared to what I saw in the nine previous novels. I've heard a lot of criticism about it from a number of different people for a number of different reasons. The writing was, as always, as eloquent as can be. Certainly Enjoyable, but unexpected, I guess.
What are some of your guys' thoughts on The Spy Why Loved Me?
"We're just too different... I mean, you're dead...." - Tim Burton's 'Corpse Bride'
That's the way to do it! If this is your first time through them, you're in for a good time B-)
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
http://apbateman.com
I liked Fleming's attention to detail though. I remember picking up TMWTGG at a local bookshop for a pittance around the same time as reading TB and DAF with a back and front cover with stills from the film and being disappointed with the very slim story within. {:)
So no, not much IF for me.
"He would have given him wings, Mr. Kidd"
Problem was the collector in me kicked in and I had the idea of getting them all as hb's...possible but I soon found my idea was a little too costly, and a bit of a pipe dream really.
I did get a few hb's though, the first being OHMSS, so that was the first one I read...and it was a cracker.
Currently though I've gone back to the beggining with more sb's filling the gaps, so I'm starting the whole thing by reading CR...so far that's great as well.
I thinkCR is the first one???
Pretty please..... -{
EDIT: No need...tracked down a list.
CASINO ROYALE
LIVE AND LET DIE
MOONRAKER
DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
DR.NO i'm currently on this one
GOLDFINGER
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY
THUNDERBALL
THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE
YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE
THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN
OCTOPUSSY/THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS
I am sure I will enjoy the remainder of Colonel Sun. What a pity that he didn't write more Bond novels!
The best book ever written!!!! -{
10 / 10
Pro's
• Lengthily planning - very effective
• Villains were developed well - better than the film
• The references to previous books in the file
• Gypsy Camp and Assasination of Krilencu
• Darko Kerim Bay
• Grant and Bond on the train
• Well established plot
• Red Grant!!!!
• Bond's facted death on the train
• Q-Branch Customised Case
• Bullet Firing Book Case
Cons's
• Bond does not come in until half way through the book
• No description of the Spektor (as it does in the film)
• Bond going to to the the Embasy to get the case and the girl was not in the book, would of been better.
• No mention of Tatiana towards to end after the train.
Full Review
http://bondaholic.co.uk/cms_view_article.php?aid=378