Last Bond Novel You Read

I've considered another go through Bond, but I've got other stuff to read. I did read the first chapter of GOLDFINGER this morning, at random. I may go through GF, TB, OHMSS, YOLT and TMWTGG.

I found Seafire in paperback for a few cents at a sale and it makes easy reading while traveling with the train. WHile I do have most Gardners I cannot for the life of me remember what the book is about. So far Bonds kinda shacks with Flicka and they come in conflict with a filthy rich man who deals in weapons. And Bond is no longer part of MI6 and a 00, he however runs a new department which has taken the place of the 00 department.

Gardner does know how to write.

saint mark wrote:

I found Seafire in paperback for a few cents at a sale and it makes easy reading while traveling with the train. WHile I do have most Gardners I cannot for the life of me remember what the book is about. So far Bonds kinda shacks with Flicka and they come in conflict with a filthy rich man who deals in weapons. And Bond is no longer part of MI6 and a 00, he however runs a new department which has taken the place of the 00 department.

Gardner does know how to write.

I recall Nazis, a periscope and not much else for Seafire.

Role of Honor, moving to Nobody Lives Forever.

Hilly wrote:

saint mark wrote:

I found Seafire in paperback for a few cents at a sale and it makes easy reading while traveling with the train. WHile I do have most Gardners I cannot for the life of me remember what the book is about. So far Bonds kinda shacks with Flicka and they come in conflict with a filthy rich man who deals in weapons. And Bond is no longer part of MI6 and a 00, he however runs a new department which has taken the place of the 00 department.

Gardner does know how to write.

I recall Nazis, a periscope and not much else for Seafire.

That is the book, it did have its moments but is mostly forgetable. But an easy read traveling by train on my way and back to a musicfestival. It is most certainly one of the lesser efforts of Gardner.
What I do like about the Gardner books is the evolution of James Bond 007, by this time he is his "own boss" of his own 00 shop. And Felix is always welcome.

Now, Dr. No. Before that, Octupussy.

FYEO, so I could read Quantum to my wife. Then of course I wound up rereading them all. The line in VIEW about how Bond lost his wallet and virginity simultaneously is pretty good, inspires some great stuff in the Pearson book.

Christopher Woods' The spy who loved me.

Easily the best continuation novel written by another than Fleming.

LALD is done and dusted. Not my favourite Bond novel, but still good. Certainly a satisfying demise for the villain.

I thought the Solitaire chracter was a bit... shallow. No meat on the bone. She's almost just a token helpless female. Maybe the Gaurdianistas are right about Fleming.

I liked the last line. "What about my back?" :twisted:

I like the Harlem parts, Bond's confrontation in the aquarium and then everything during Jamaica. Especially Bond's underwater journey.

Bond's underwater approach to the Isle of Surprise demonstrates why Fleming was the king of this genre.

You can cite so many examples in all the books. The description of General G's office being a favorite.

I think I love the Harlem sequence most in LALD. Mr. Big's demise is also striking, if ever so slightly on the gruesome side.

Althought my official reviews only go up to GF, I've managed to get around to FYEO and TB in the last few months. Dunno if I'll actually review them for my series -- looking back some of those reviews read awfully juvenile now. TB stands with GF as a good book that the movie for the most part improved upon.

I actually think TB is a damn good Fleming. Is the move better? I dunno. It's close!

I think the movie improves on some plotholes and adds some unique elements, similar to what GF does. But nothing beats just reading Fleming's prose.

Started Moonraker. I presume everyone here had a hearty chuckle when, in Chapter 2, Bond describes Hugo Drax as a "sort of Lonsdale figure." Fleming could see the future, man.

The Man From Barbarossa. I realized in this Bond read-through that some of the later Gardner's I either glossed over or skipped. I don't think I ever fully read through this before. Silly book. Makes little to no sense, and what happened to the induced sex thing? What was the point of that or anything else in this silly thing?

My opinion and respect for the Gardner era has really taken a nosedive on this read through. LR-NLF still can hold up pretty well, but No Deals onward have some serious issues.

I also just picked up a marked down copy of Carte Blanche, which will probably make me want to puke but at least I can make it a complete series read.

hegottheboot wrote:

I also just picked up a marked down copy of Carte Blanche, which will probably make me want to puke but at least I can make it a complete series read.

Carte Blanche was the very first James Bond novel I read, and I loved it very much. Of all the Bond novels I've read for the moment, it was the best non-Fleming one.

Fairbairn-Sykes wrote:

I think the movie improves on some plotholes and adds some unique elements, similar to what GF does. But nothing beats just reading Fleming's prose.

Many criticize the book for plot holes, but I really can't remember any, and for what I remember, the movie had big plot holes. For example, how did Bond tell Felix about Goldfinger's plan?

Walecs wrote:

Fairbairn-Sykes wrote:

I think the movie improves on some plotholes and adds some unique elements, similar to what GF does. But nothing beats just reading Fleming's prose.

Many criticize the book for plot holes, but I really can't remember any, and for what I remember, the movie had big plot holes. For example, how did Bond tell Felix about Goldfinger's plan?

Through Pussy.

About to embark upon Casino Royale once more. Firmly a top-3 Fleming in my listings etc.

Torn through the early part of Moonraker and as always it's quite a delight to read. Why so...Well I guess the description first of Bond's day to day routine or at least what an average day looks like. The fact he has so many missions left in him before retirement, before he's kicked to a HQ job and the fact there seems to be only three 00 agents. At least that's how it reads, the mentions of 008 and 0011 (!) followed by "...No.007...the senior of the three men to have been made 00".

Then the scene at Blades, the description and all that follows. Fantastic.

It was difficult to believe that an hour before he had been playing with a thousand live chessmen against enemies of England; that there might be, this evening, fresh blood on his hands, or that a successful burglary, or the hideous knowledge of a disgusting blackmail case.

writing about M.

I've just started reading YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, second time I've ever read it (last time was four years ago). I enjoyed it then but I'm enjoying it much more this time and while there's not a lot of thriller stuff going on, I really like the interactions with Bond, Tanaka and Henderson, and because I know what will happen later in the book only enhances everything that comes before.

Casino Royale, it has been some time ago but I prefer the book easily over the movie.