Best 007 Novel

am747am747 Posts: 720MI6 Agent
in James Bond Literature
I have not read the books. However, want to know that if you were stuck on a desolated Island (or some place like that) which Fleming 007 novel would you prefer to have with you?

Also if you could recommend a good Fleming book whose plot has not been used in the films.

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Comments

  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    [89] On Her Majesty's Secret Service +1

    LEFT OUT IN THE COLD:
    COLD
    The Spy Who Loved Me
    Never Dream of Dying
    Never Send Flowers
    Devil May Care
    Carte Blanche
    Seafire
    Die Another Day
    Death is Forever
    The Man With The Red Tattoo
    The Man From Barbarossa
    Brokenclaw
    High Time To kill
    Win, Lose or Die
    Scorpius
    The Facts Of Death
    Tomorrow Never Dies
    The World is Not Enough
    Zero Minus Ten
    For Special Services
    License Renewed
    For Your Eyes Only
    Goldeneye
    SOLO
    The Man With The Golden Gun
    Doubleshot
    Licence to kill
    No Deals Mr Bond
    Role of Honour
    Icebreaker
    Nobody Lives Forever
    Octopussy and the Living Daylights
    Diamonds Are Forever
    You Only Live Twice
    Colonel Sun
    Goldfinger
    Dr No
    Casino Royale
    Live And Let Die
    From Russia with Love
    Moonraker
    Thunderball

    This is the result from our recent Best Bond Book game at #1 was OHMSS
    ( Then follow the list from Thunderball upwards. ;)
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Charmed & DangerousCharmed & Dangerous Posts: 7,358MI6 Agent
    Almost all of Fleming's novels are tremendous and worth taking to a desert island. -{ My personal favourite is Thunderball.

    My recommendation, if you haven't read them, us to start with Casino Royale and work your way through. You won't regret it.

    Most of the novels' plots gave been loosely used with the exception of TSWLM, much of YOLT and some of the short stories.id also recommend Moonraker which is a cracking novel and quite different to the film. :007) -{
    "How was your lamb?" "Skewered. One sympathises."
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,845MI6 Agent
    I'm truly shocked at how low my beloved Never Send Flowers polled. :#
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • 72897289 Beau DesertPosts: 1,691MI6 Agent
    Start with Casino Royale, but my favorite is Live and Let Die.
    Bond’s Walther PPK
    Bond’s Beretta
    The Handguns of Ian Fleming's James Bond
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I do agree with C&D start with CR and work through as they were published.
    You'll then see Bond develop as a character. :)
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • am747am747 Posts: 720MI6 Agent
    Starting from CR is a good suggestion, however I am a slow reader so don't know how long it would take to go through every book :))
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    If you just want to try a few, Moonraker, Goldfinger and Dr No move at quite a pace
    and aren't the longest of Books.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • am747am747 Posts: 720MI6 Agent
    I just got all the 14 books on Kindle. Hopefully, will be able to share my thoughts too

    {[]
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    {[] congratulations, I too have them on Kindle, so I can keep
    one or two on my phone, so I can dip into them when I like or
    when I've been dragged out shopping. :)
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • am747am747 Posts: 720MI6 Agent
    yes, convenient indeed!
  • Sir MilesSir Miles The Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,757Chief of Staff
    Silhouette Man wrote:
    I'm truly shocked at how low my beloved Never Send Flowers polled. :#

    I was more shocked at how well it did :o

    OHMSS is the best novel (for me) followed by FRWL...but read them in order -{
    YNWA 97
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,845MI6 Agent
    Sir Miles wrote:
    Silhouette Man wrote:
    I'm truly shocked at how low my beloved Never Send Flowers polled. :#

    I was more shocked at how well it did :o

    OHMSS is the best novel (for me) followed by FRWL...but read them in order -{

    :))
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • 002002 New ZealandPosts: 558MI6 Agent
    I agree with you all: read them all in order. However, I have always regarded OHMSS as the best of the lot, closely followed by Thunderball, From Russia With Love and Dr No. I also rate highly Live And Let Die, Moonraker and Goldfinger...

    Sod it, ALL of them.
  • caractacus pottscaractacus potts Orbital communicator, level 10Posts: 4,109MI6 Agent
    its really one big book, like a trilogy in fourteen parts, whatd that be called? a double-oh-septology?
  • James SuzukiJames Suzuki New ZealandPosts: 2,406MI6 Agent
    Doctor No for me. -{
    Most enjoyable and thrilling. The pages turn themselves!
    All Fleming novels, maybe not TSWLM, are worth reading.
    OHMSS and FRWL are close behind for best novel.
    CR is superb as well
    “The scent and smoke and sweat of a casino are nauseating at three in the morning. "
    -Casino Royale, Ian Fleming
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,845MI6 Agent
    caractacus potts wrote:
    its really one big book, like a trilogy in fourteen parts, whatd that be called? a double-oh-septology?

    Interestingly, Ian Fleming used to call his novels the "serial biography of James Bond" or his "Bond yearly sagas"! :) -{
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • IanTIanT Posts: 573MI6 Agent
    Casino Royale first, the OHMSS.

    I really don't like DAF or TMWTGG
  • am747am747 Posts: 720MI6 Agent
    Finished reading CR {[] .... now on to LALD -{
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    http://www.ajb007.co.uk/post/787376/#p787376
    If you want to post a review or your ideas on the Book, please feel free
    To add your thoughts to this thread. :)
    I myself have only recently read all the Books in published order. Before I
    read them as I found them. :D Although it really helps, in seeing Fleming
    Grow as a writer and Bond mature as a character.
    LALD is another great story, with some brilliantly written passages. One
    Section with Bond having a moonlight swim, is really atmospheric. -{
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • am747am747 Posts: 720MI6 Agent
    Thanks for the link!
  • am747am747 Posts: 720MI6 Agent
    edited November 2015
    Just finished reading Live and Let Die .... Mr. Big is a fascinating villain, the blue print for the cold villains that we see in the movies. Loved reading the details on Solitaire, who is one of the mysterious BGs .... In the book, the use of Voodoo has a deeper meaning and purpose too, esp. wrt to how the Sharks and Barracudas are used to guard the Island, and ofc for instilling fear in the people to drive loyalty

    While reading the book, scenes from LALD, LTK (1st half) and FYEO (Bond and Melina tied up and pulled through the water) flashed in my mind

    What is interesting about Fleming's books is that they give details on the various subjects being discussed besides the plot, action, location and characters .... For e.g., this book provides additional insights various fishes (poisonous ones, Barracudas, Sharks) and sea creatures. Someone who has not read such subjects in detail could get additional information on it .... Now, I can see why someone would want to take this book to a deserted Island. Besides being interesting, it also gives tips on dealing with various matters on an Island :))

    Next up - Moonraker :D
  • The Red KindThe Red Kind EnglandPosts: 3,336MI6 Agent
    You'll enjoy Moonraker.. {[]
    "Any of the opposition around..?"
  • am747am747 Posts: 720MI6 Agent
    The Red Kind wrote:
    You'll enjoy Moonraker.. {[]

    Just finished part 1. Omg, the game at the blades is so interestingly written. I could actually visualize how Drax would have felt before the start of the last game, and after when it ended .... Poor Meyer :)) ..... "Spend the money quickly" (used in OP), "HELL IS HERE", etc. all classic .... The case (or whatever it is called) in part 1 is very simple but very interesting that the pages turn automatically

    Moonraker has its own PTS with Bond shooting .... Graves (DAD) appears to be slightly modeled on Drax .... It helps that this one is not directly made in to a film so reads fresher .... And Bond has its own secretary too :o .... Now on to part 2 :D
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    {[] Yep! it's a great read. :)
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • am747am747 Posts: 720MI6 Agent
    Finished reading P2, which appears to bridging the gap b/w p1 and p3 .... Bond is on his first non-overseas assignment. We get detailed description of the Moonraker, the potential threat to it, Drax's "apron", the other members of Drax's project and Gala Brand .... Things have been nicely set up for the finale in P3 :)
  • am747am747 Posts: 720MI6 Agent
    edited November 2015
    Finished reading P3 .... it was exciting it its own way. Pages turned automatically .... Bond again took a lot of punishing

    I like plots with Nazi/Ex-Nazi/Cold War elements .... A lot of elements of Drax were used for Graves in DAD - a makeover, knighted, Moonraker=Icarus, Battle at Blades=Sword fight, both have military background with extreme hatred for their enemy, etc.

    In the first 3 novels, Bond has had 3 different experiences with the leading ladies. The end here was classy as well. It shows that Bond knows how to say goodbye :)

    Up next DAF


    PS read the first chapter of DAF and the Wint and Kidd theme kept playing in my mind :))

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZqisgymqX4
  • TylerTyler Posts: 184MI6 Agent
    Dr No, Goldfinger, From Russia With Love, OHMSS, and You Only Live Twice
    Never fear the event
  • 002002 New ZealandPosts: 558MI6 Agent
    Tyler wrote:
    Dr No, Goldfinger, From Russia With Love, OHMSS, and You Only Live Twice

    Add Live and Let Die, Moonraker and Thunderball into that mix and you've got a deal. -{
  • am747am747 Posts: 720MI6 Agent
    Just finished reading DAF .... The horse racing parts of the book were used for AVTAK .... Tiffany Case is a much better character in the book .... In the movies, Bond is happy with the girl in the end. In the 4 books that I have read, he has only been happy once in the end

    The book as it is could have been turned in to a film .... In the film, why they had to make so many changes including changing its tone and unnecessarily including Blofeld who looked silly dressed up as a lady

    Next - FRWL
  • am747am747 Posts: 720MI6 Agent
    Finished reading FRWL .... SMERSH (and Klebb) is so scary :))

    As for the film, it has not deviated too much from the book and the small changes made in it work well too. Overall, the film and book complement each other nicely -{
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