Last Bond Novel You Read

Good write up Hilly. I disagree about YOLT however. I was utterly absorbed at the end of YOLT, and the complete absurdity of Blofeld is what colours and characterises Fleming's world. His death is what brings it back to earth - the brutal strangulation by Bond's bare hands which also serves to remind that this death is more personal than professional.

But OHMSS is also a very fine hour for Fleming - YOLT just edges it for me.

OHMSS, CR and MR are the three novels that tend to vie for top spot for me....the winner being the one I read last. I do agree it feels like the natural end for the series and and that both YOLT and TMWTGG just feel out of step or worse failed relaunches. I think one of the biggest problems I have with the film series right now is that it is these novels the producer cite to reference 'Fleming' and they are largely atypical exceptions in his writing that they want to infer are de-facto foundation stones.

Am about 2-thirds of the way through Trigger Mortis. Horowitz certainly skews closer to Fleming than any of the other recent continuation authors - Pussy Galore is living with Bond at the novel's beginning, the later love interest is called Jeopardy Lane, the villain is called Jason Sin and is in cahoots with SMERSH as part of some as-yet-not-fully-revealed sinister plot to screw with America's 'space race' rocket launches of the late 50s.

FieldsMan wrote:

Good write up Hilly. I disagree about YOLT however. I was utterly absorbed at the end of YOLT, and the complete absurdity of Blofeld is what colours and characterises Fleming's world. His death is what brings it back to earth - the brutal strangulation by Bond's bare hands which also serves to remind that this death is more personal than professional.

But OHMSS is also a very fine hour for Fleming - YOLT just edges it for me.

Blofeld's death is YOLT's one redeeming feature. I don't dislike it as such, the novel, just as I say it doesn't feel right somehow. Good to see that Bond suffers from Tracy's death or at least is affected greatly, going to fat almost, sitting in Regent's Park -just not giving a damn anymore (something that couldn't have been done in the films I suppose unless you had some kind of time skipping thing like DAD did to show Bond's imprisonment).

See what you mean about relaunches, lachesis. Wasn't Golden Gun partially done by someone else after Fleming died?

I'm no literary expert (saying I initially grew up reading the likes of Cussler and Clancy), just something is out of kilter with the final two books. Happens to the finest of authors, after a while the elastic is stretched.

An idea comes to mind though. Get George Lazenby either to do an audiobook of OHMSS or replace Toby Stephens. Do it for charity, BBC.

Hilly KCMG wrote:

FieldsMan wrote:

Good write up Hilly. I disagree about YOLT however. I was utterly absorbed at the end of YOLT, and the complete absurdity of Blofeld is what colours and characterises Fleming's world. His death is what brings it back to earth - the brutal strangulation by Bond's bare hands which also serves to remind that this death is more personal than professional.

But OHMSS is also a very fine hour for Fleming - YOLT just edges it for me.

Blofeld's death is YOLT's one redeeming feature. I don't dislike it as such, the novel, just as I say it doesn't feel right somehow. Good to see that Bond suffers from Tracy's death or at least is affected greatly, going to fat almost, sitting in Regent's Park -just not giving a damn anymore (something that couldn't have been done in the films I suppose unless you had some kind of time skipping thing like DAD did to show Bond's imprisonment).

See what you mean about relaunches, lachesis. Wasn't Golden Gun partially done by someone else after Fleming died?

I'm no literary expert (saying I initially grew up reading the likes of Cussler and Clancy), just something is out of kilter with the final two books. Happens to the finest of authors, after a while the elastic is stretched.

An idea comes to mind though. Get George Lazenby either to do an audiobook of OHMSS or replace Toby Stephens. Do it for charity, BBC.

According to Wikipedia it seems TMWTGG novel was a first draft from Fleming, they passed it to Kingsley Amis for comments but subsequently didn't use his suggestions...so it is Flemings work but without the polish and revision he'd normally provide. Although I can't find the quote but I seem to recall some interview with Fleming that stated the story of OHMSS would really be the end for the character and in some ways he was almost bullied into writing it earlier than he otherwise might to defy literary critics complaints....unless I was dreaming of course ^^. It does feel to me though that he became bound by an event that really should have ended Bond's career yet then needed to extend the characters life necessitating a reboot that he was himself never entirely convinced by.

Would it be fair to suggest that TMWTGG is Fleming at his purest?

FieldsMan wrote:

Would it be fair to suggest that TMWTGG is Fleming at his purest?

Not if the article is to be believed wikki Link. In any event I would consider that rather counter intuitive - the actual intent of revision and editing is surely to ensure your text conveys your ideas and themes clearly and efficiently? Fleming was a fan of Chandler and certainly shares some cues and there is a writer who says so very much with minimal actual text, most likely the result of a succession of slimming revisions and reconstructions. A case of the longer you give them the purer the distillation.

Thunderball

It's easy to see why this was a strong contender to be the first Bond movie, as it's the one that most closely matches the scope and tone of what the film series would ultimately look like. With his big hands and genuine tan, Emilio "The Anti-Trump" Largo is sufficiently nasty, but perhaps not as memorable as Fleming's other villains. Bond's adventures at the clinic are a highlight. Felix livens things up. Domino brings the sass.

Quintessential Bond and very readable.

That reminds me, found out recently that the woman on reception in my office building is/was Kevin McClory's cousin.

CJB wrote:

Thunderball

It's easy to see why this was a strong contender to be the first Bond movie, as it's the one that most closely matches the scope and tone of what the film series would ultimately look like. With his big hands and genuine tan, Emilio "The Anti-Trump" Largo is sufficiently nasty, but perhaps not as memorable as Fleming's other villains. Bond's adventures at the clinic are a highlight. Felix livens things up. Domino brings the sass.

Quintessential Bond and very readable.

I agree the stuff at the clinic was the highlight, however the novel took a ridiculously long time for me to finish - it didn't captivate me as much as Fleming's other works. I will be aiming to reread all the novels again, so hopefully I think more highly of it next time.

BI wrote:

That reminds me, found out recently that the woman on reception in my office building is/was Kevin McClory's cousin.

Good one.

Pump her for information.

Right in the McGlory Hole.

The Spy Who Loved Me

Shot through this last night. It's readable, but one wonders what a publisher would make of it if the names Ian Fleming and James Bond weren't attached to it. Not exactly the most high octane thriller you'll encounter. In the context of broader Bondom, 007 discussing at length his professional activities, SPECTRE, Operation Thunderball et all with a civilian he'd just met is out of place and out of character (and I'd think illegal).

Not a bad read, but you could've easily cut the iconic James Bond out of it and put this story in one of those pulp thriller magazines they had in the olden days.

On a side one, you're positively inhuman if you read this and don't end up with a severe craving for bacon and eggs.

You doing a Bondathon, CJB?

I commenced my second run through the novels in, I think, 2013 but stopped at FYEO. I've only just restarted (with TB) in the last few days, but yes, I suppose I'll aim to finish off the last 3 books in coming weeks.

Fleming's lightning-fast offerings are a nice change of pace from War and Peace which I finally managed to see off recently.

She's in her early 60s, there will be no pumping of any sort .

Blunt Instrument wrote:

She's in her early 60s, there will be no pumping of any sort .

She isn't trying to get Thunderball remade by any chance?

Hehehe, I don't believe so.

OHMSS

A pretty low-key affair when you think about it. Virtually no action (in the bang bang sense of the term... well you know the kind of bang I mean) takes place until the last quarter. Marc-Ange brightens the show up, as he does with the film version.

I find Tracy to be a bit of a weak character, admittedly, particularly by the latter sections when Bond decides he wants to get hitched. I daresay Fleming's greatest weakness is that, with some notable exceptions, his female characters can feel a bit same-same at times.

Overall, not as good a book as I remembered. Not bad, really, but there are more thrilling entries in the series.

It allows the narrative to develop and the action is organic when it does occur. I'd rather this than shoehorned action sequences because it's been a few chapters/scenes since the last one. Not that you're proposing this...

Out of curiosity, in your opinion, who are Fleming's best female characters?

FieldsMan wrote:

It allows the narrative to develop and the action is organic when it does occur. I'd rather this than shoehorned action sequences because it's been a few chapters/scenes since the last one. Not that you're proposing this...

No, certainly. Was more of an observation. The shoehorned shoot-'em-ups are EON's domain.

FieldsMan wrote:

Out of curiosity, in your opinion, who are Fleming's best female characters?

Off the top of my head, I'd probably give nods to Gala Brand and Domino. Strong (cliched, I know), challenging, and not prone to constant hysterics.

You Only Live Twice

Like OHMSS, this is one of those Fleming novels where the action seems to be saved til right near the end. Nevertheless, the first two-thirds of the book are a wonderful exploration of Japanese culture, which I'd gather the author had some admiration for. Tanaka is perhaps the most likeable of Bond's literary allies. Dikko Henderson is another one. Rather unfortunate that the film had him as a short-lived, vaguely gay old Englishman in a dressing gown.

It's been a few years since my first reading of YOLT and I'd totally forgotten how underwhelming Blofeld's demise was. Bond strangles him in half a paragraph and that's that. Surely if lowly ol' Doctor No could be crushed in bird shit, Fleming could've done better. Perhaps Bond could've kicked Blofeld into the geyser chair right before it erupted and made a quip along the lines of: "You're in the hot seat now, Ernst!"

Also, totally forgot that Bond finally kicks one past the goalie with Kissy. I know Fleming is known for writing pulp-y male fantasy and whatnot, but I thought there was something truly touching and bittersweet about the last couple of pages in the book, with Bond dimly starting to regain some memories of home and Kissy deciding to let him go despite her secret pregnancy and love for him. "... of as little account as sparrows' tears." Truly some of the finest words Fleming ever penned.

Overall, I think this a great entry and perhaps could've made for an appropriate finale. There's a sense of melancholy that permeates throughout the novel, right til the end. I don't think the character of James Bond is one that could've been rightly wrapped up on a wholly triumphant note, given the sorts of experiences and personal losses he's endured in the line of duty.

Nice write up.

I agree on all counts except in that I think Blofeld's death is particularly brutal and personal, considering it's Bond's bare hands choking him to death. Death by bird shit or the hot seat would have been too impersonal and the shock value would have distracted Blofeld into not thinking about Bond. Whereas in his final moments, he'd have struggled against the man - face to face - who's wife he killed.

From memory, Kissy was twisted, and the shock of reading those chapters when she manipulates Bond dwindled the poignancy. Still, interesting character and the entire novel is a firm favourite.

Certainly the ethics of Kissy's actions were questionable and this seems to be acknowledged by Kissy herself as well as the village elder chap. Letting Bond go once his memory started to return was perhaps the moral thing to do, though you still can't help but feel that Bond - who in real life would have more PTSD than a trench full of Tommies - would've been happier living out his days in blissful ignorance amongst the Kuro fishermen.

The Dikko character is crying out for an authentic adaptation at some point. That Russell Coight bloke still alive?

CJB wrote:

though you still can't help but feel that Bond - who in real life would have more PTSD than a trench full of Tommies - would've been happier living out his days in blissful ignorance amongst the Kuro fishermen.

You're right in that respect. But I'm happier knowing that I can read another adventure and a handful of short stories from Fleming with Bond doing his job.

You moving onto TMWTGG now?

Yes, I'll make a start on that in coming days/weeks. Barely remember what it was about (my first and until now only run through the novels was the better part of a decade ago - scary to think!)

I'll be starting TMWTGG after I finish my current book so would be good to compare notes!