Necessary to read in order?

schmeman

I've been slowly collecting some James Bond Paperback books as I come across them in used book stores. I'm trying to get books of the same series (of covers). So far I've gotten: Casino Royale, Diamonds Are Forever, From Russia With Love, For Your Eyes Only, and You Only Live Twice. I've read Casino Royale and I'd like to read more but I don't want to wait until I can find Live and Let Die. Will I be ok if I read the bond books out of order? Thanks.

Thunderpussy

Many will say you should read them in order. Although I picked them up
book by book from markets and Old Book shops, So have never read them
in order and don't think it has hurt my understanding of Bond or his
adventures.
I have read the follow on novels by other authors in order ( Many of which
I wish I hadn't ) )

lueth2048

I wouldn't read You Only Live Twice without having read On Her Majesty's Secret Service first.

Donald Grant

When I was first introduced to the novels many, many moons ago, I did not read them in order. It did not take anything away from the enjoyment of the novels. However, subsequently over the years I have read them and re-read them in order. To me it is better to read them in order because you get to see how the Bond character develops. Likewise, you also get to see how Fleming develops as a writer. Moreover, there are references to the preceding novels.

DG

minigeff

I'll hold my hands up, I have never read a Bond novel. this is probably where the knives come out.

However, I've been given Icebreaker by John Gardner for Xmas. Apparently there's no more 00 section, and Bond drives a Saab turbo.... a SAAB?!

Anyway, I'm enjoying it, I dunno if I'll get any more, but so far so good.

jeffch

lueth2048 wrote:

I wouldn't read You Only Live Twice without having read On Her Majesty's Secret Service first.

That was actually was the first book I read. OHMSS is one of my favorite Bond films and I wanted actual closure to the story.

But other than TB, OHMSS, YOLT and TMWTGG, I would say order doesn't much matter. Even TB and TMWTGG arent totally necessary to read in order.

Donald Grant

minigeff wrote:

I'll hold my hands up, I have never read a Bond novel. this is probably where the knives come out.

However, I've been given Icebreaker by John Gardner for Xmas. Apparently there's no more 00 section, and Bond drives a Saab turbo.... a SAAB?!

Anyway, I'm enjoying it, I dunno if I'll get any more, but so far so good.

Yeah, the Saab, otherwise known as "the silver beast". Not British, I know, but it was turbocharged. And as we all know, Fleming's Bond had a fascination with "blown" vehicles. I rather liked the Saab.

DG

DEFIANT 74205

Donald Grant wrote:

When I was first introduced to the novels many, many moons ago, I did not read them in order. It did not take anything away from the enjoyment of the novels. However, subsequently over the years I have read them and re-read them in order. To me it is better to read them in order because you get to see how the Bond character develops. Likewise, you also get to see how Fleming develops as a writer. Moreover, there are references to the preceding novels.

DG

Seconded. Like you, when I first started reading them, I didn't read them in order, which was perfectly fine as I could understand most things that goes on in each novel. But once I read the novels in order, things became much clearer.

To the OP, you don't need to read them in order, as it isn't going to affect your understanding of what's going on too much, but there are times that the later novels refers back to a mission Bond had previously done. So I'd say it's desirable, but not absolutely essential to read them in order. I think Casino Royale is a cracker of a novel (albeit not the best), so you might as well start there.

perdogg

schmeman wrote:

I've been slowly collecting some James Bond Paperback books as I come across them in used book stores. I'm trying to get books of the same series (of covers). So far I've gotten: Casino Royale, Diamonds Are Forever, From Russia With Love, For Your Eyes Only, and You Only Live Twice. I've read Casino Royale and I'd like to read more but I don't want to wait until I can find Live and Let Die. Will I be ok if I read the bond books out of order? Thanks.

More here http://www.ajb007.co.uk/topic/39965/advice-on-how-to-read-the-fleming-bond-books/