Which Bond novel are you currently reading?

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  • Posts: 1,545
    Birdleson wrote: »
    Coppola based APOCALYPSE NOW on Conrad's HEART OF DARKNESS (1899), which features a similar character type.

    I appreciate your note, and yes, certainly. I should have shared more of my thoughts and observation. What I meant was the ending of A, N! which was somewhat surreal and psychedelic - apologies if I'm technically incorrect, but it was spacey and weird - with The End by the Doors playing, and where the assassin sent to kill Colonel Kurtz infiltrates, rises up through the water all painted up, stalks Kurtz and kills him with a blade, intercut with scenes of a large animal being slaughtered by blade. It was dark, moody, atmospheric, in Asia, btw. So I was musing on the possibility that Coppola might have found the YOLT ending somewhat inspirational as to style, because content already came from Conrad. For that matter, I wonder now whether Heart of Darkness came to mind for Fleming in writing the Bond-hunts-and-kills-Blofeld at the lair with the Garden of Death and the volcano. I though Bond being held by Blofeld on the volcano "throne" might represent a large differentiator, but then I remembered Kurtz had placed his killer in a cage, in A, N! Sometimes people don't explicitly acknowledge or even realize when something affects their depiction of something in their art, whether their art be writing, painting, film-making or others. At any rate, as you can see from my more detailed, albeit wandering notes above, I saw some common threads. Granted, after a while one can spot similarities even if they were not placed there based as one perceives, and "there is nothing new under the sun", right ? But I found it an interesting thing upon which to muse...
  • Posts: 1,545
    Finished Dr. No today. Fantastic read. Now I'm going to read Diamonds Are Forever. Should be interesting going from the villain being offed by bird shit to an insulting, absurd take on us Americans. And people always say Fleming's book were harder edged and more serious than the movies. 🙄

    My Ian Fleming ranking thus far:
    1. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    2. From Russia With Love
    3. You Only Live Twice
    4. Moonraker
    5. Dr. No
    6. Casino Royale
    7. Thunderball

    Getting there!
    I also ordered a couple more Pan printings with those fabulous Hawkey covers, The Man With The Golden Gun and OHMSS, which, though I've read the book already, I just adore that cover (my favorite of Hawkey's designs and my favorite book thus far). After that, at some point I plan to scoop up The Spy Who Loved Me and Live And Let Die. I'm buying these two at a time.

    Your comment that the villain in DN the novel was offed by b-i-r-d-s is just batty !
  • Posts: 1,545
    Just goofin'. Guano can be from bats or birds - specifically, seabirds. I recall the roseate spoonbills on Doctor No's island, but genuinely do not recall whether the guano - ugh, what a way to go ! - was from the spoonbills or from bats. You just read the book, so - it was the spoonbills ? Certainly there would not have been anything "rosy" about their poop !
  • ThunderballThunderball playing Chemin de Fer in a casino, downing Vespers
    Posts: 776
    Finished Diamonds Are Forever. It was good, though nowhere near as good as FRWL or DN.

    I’m updating my ranking of all the Fleming books I’ve read so far, not just because of DAF, but because, the more I thought about it, DN was just insanely good, nearly as much as FRWL. So I’m sliding it into third.

    1. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
    2. From Russia With Love
    3. Dr. No
    4. You Only Live Twice
    5. Moonraker
    6. Casino Royale
    7. Thunderball
    8. Diamonds Are Forever

    Not sure what I’ll read next. We’ll see.
  • BirdlesonBirdleson Moderator
    Posts: 2,161
    That’s probably the lowest I’ve seen MR ranked. I hope you’re up for dating the Bond Novel Meter!
  • BirdlesonBirdleson Moderator
    Posts: 2,161
    That’s probably the lowest I’ve seen MR ranked. Thanks for updating the Bond Novel Meter!
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited March 2022 Posts: 14,861
    I’m giving Carte Blanche another go, I only read it once when it came out so it’s interesting to have another look. I like the updating of Bond’s world, but really the character and the things which happen to him feel so unlike the Fleming style that this doesn’t really feel like Bond at all. It also feels really episodic somehow with lots of little set pieces, many of which it feels like you could trim out without affecting the main story at all.
    What I do find impressive is that it doesn’t feel like it’s written by an American at all: all of the Britishisms and cultural references are right - where someone like Benson was far less convincing. I guess he did his research, and perhaps there’s a good editor involved too.
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,099
    I was talking about Carte Blanche in the pub last night (it was a Bond fan gathering, I wasn't just being a nuisance) and how much I liked the updating of Bond's background; how would someone become a double O in the modern age, without a wartime past?
  • CharmianBondCharmianBond Pett Bottom, Kent
    Posts: 533
    I decided to make this the year I finally read though the original Fleming novels. I read Casino Royale back when the film came out even though I was a little too young for it, it was still a great read. I read Live and Let Die in December and so I thought I'd pace the other 12 out for every month in 2022, and supplementing it by rereading Higson's Young Bonds and the new Horowitz and Sherwood novels when they arrive.

    So this month's was From Russia with Love which I devoured in a couple days so now I'm six chapters into Hurricane Gold which I'm much more lukewarm on. I was when I first read it, so I had hoped I was misremembering but despite starting without any sort of preamble and having a literal hurricane it isn't that engaging.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited March 2022 Posts: 14,861
    Agent_99 wrote: »
    I was talking about Carte Blanche in the pub last night (it was a Bond fan gathering, I wasn't just being a nuisance) and how much I liked the updating of Bond's background; how would someone become a double O in the modern age, without a wartime past?

    Yeah I thought the updating of his background and the whole ODG thing was really nicely thought-out. I like that M is the head of this particular branch rather than head of the whole secret service- you'd think the head of the service wouldn't really be briefing agents himself.
    I was less keen on Bond having an E-Type though :D
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,099
    mtm wrote: »
    I was less keen on Bond having an E-Type though :D

    I got to the bit about what his colleague wore on her motorbike and went "well, no, she'd wear textiles if she wanted to be warm."
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    :))
  • ThunderballThunderball playing Chemin de Fer in a casino, downing Vespers
    edited March 2022 Posts: 776
    Birdleson wrote: »
    That’s probably the lowest I’ve seen MR ranked. Thanks for updating the Bond Novel Meter!

    I loved the absolute hell out of Moonraker, but I just found the top 4 to be even better page turners, whether it's the love story and thrilling escape in OHMSS, the can't-put-it-down drama on the train in FRWL, the tense, taut adventure of DN or the dream-like, strange nature of YOLT. Also, one reason I don't rank MR above any of these could be because I only heard the audiobook (which was great) as opposed to reading it page by page like I did the others. This ranking could change in future when I reread these a second time. So far, I've only read CR more than once.
  • CharmianBondCharmianBond Pett Bottom, Kent
    Posts: 533
    I managed to finish Hurricane Gold. It's funny reading it after No Time to Die because it takes the concept of Bond and the Bond girl having to protect a small child whilst escaping from danger. I'd say the book does it better if only because there's more time to devote to it. Although nothing's going to beat 'do mosquitoes have friends?' as a line of dialogue 😄. And it's rather canny that Higson writes a situation which forces James to be more mature as its intended readership grows up with the series.

    I love how the inter-war period is used to flesh out these characters. Precious being so unlikeable at the start makes it hard to get into but the fact she has that growth makes her the best of the Young Bond girls so far. And once you get past the opening the ending in the maze run it's as tense and gripping as anything. It'll be interesting to compare with Dr No which from what I've heard has a similar conceit.

    But yeah, it's good, it's as well-written as the other three and it's certainly much more gruesome than Fleming. The Mexican setting isn't entirely my cup of tea though, El Huracán is a good but not great Bond villain and James passing as Mexican feels at least a little bit problematic in its own right.

    Seeing as I didn't do it in my last post here's my own ranking of all the Bond novels I've read thus far:

    Moonraker
    Double or Die
    SilverFin
    From Russia with Love
    Casino Royale
    Blood Fever
    Hurricane Gold
    Forever and a Day
    Live and Let Die
    Diamonds are Forever

    And just the Fleming ones:

    Moonraker
    From Russia with Love
    Casino Royale
    Live and Let Die
    Diamonds are Forever
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    Is that one with the villains’ island retreat? I thought that was a rather good main plot idea.
    And Bond in a hurricane is a nice new idea.
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    edited March 2022 Posts: 3,099
    Hurricane Gold is the only Young Bond I've read and I did enjoy it - I love making his aunt a world traveller. On the whole I'd rather not know about Bond's childhood - it's clear he'd rather forget it himself, and I imagine it being very ordinary rather than filled with adventures - but it was a fun read.

    @mtm, yes it is - I also loved the Dr No style obstacle course,
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    Yeah the sunken obstacle course is a great idea too. It feels very Fleming to have the baddies entertain themselves with something like that.
  • CharmianBondCharmianBond Pett Bottom, Kent
    Posts: 533
    @Agent_99 Well I'm glad you gave it a shot and enjoyed it. I totally get why the concept itself would be off-putting but I think Higson captures the spirit of Fleming's writing that sells it, and yeah obviously I'm a big fan of how he fleshes out Charmian. Even within the series itself it does stretch credibility somewhat that teenage James has these all adventures that bring him half to death all in the span of a single year.
  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    Posts: 4,053
    I’m surprised that Sam Mendes didn’t bring in Charmian Bond into Skyfall. Especially considering how much family is a big theme of his movies. I am still happy that we got Kincade, though. He was a highlight of the movie. In possible Young Bond future stories, Kincade could make a surprise appearance.
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,099
    @Agent_99 Well I'm glad you gave it a shot and enjoyed it. I totally get why the concept itself would be off-putting but I think Higson captures the spirit of Fleming's writing that sells it, and yeah obviously I'm a big fan of how he fleshes out Charmian. Even within the series itself it does stretch credibility somewhat that teenage James has these all adventures that bring him half to death all in the span of a single year.

    I'm the same with WE Johns's The Boy Biggles - just not necessary! But agree Higson writes well and is obviously a fan.

    I saw him talk about Bond once and he suggested that Sebastian Faulks, who'd just brought out Devil May Care, hadn't used his opportunity to the fullest and if he, Higson, had got to write adult Bond he'd have put a lot more 'nasty violence and freaky sex'.

    Picked up another of these on holiday and I'll certainly read it. I'm not sure I'll like his boarding-school adventures as much as his overseas trip but we'll see!
  • SIS_HQSIS_HQ At the Vauxhall Headquarters
    Posts: 3,382
    I've read the novels first before seeing the movies.
    I have them (Fleming) as ebooks.
    You can download them on Fadedpage.
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,099
    MI6HQ wrote: »
    I've read the novels first before seeing the movies.

    The novels were my route into Bond too. I've always favoured Dalton because he looks like the Bond in my head!
  • SIS_HQSIS_HQ At the Vauxhall Headquarters
    Posts: 3,382
    True about Dalton, that's why I like Jude Law to play James Bond because he looks like the Bond that fleming illustrated.
    I will be reading the Bond novels and put here my review of each.
  • BirdlesonBirdleson Moderator
    edited March 2022 Posts: 2,161
    I saw the '60s films when I was very young, pre-teen, then I started reading the used paperbacks (no such thing as an "ebook" back then) in tandem with Roger taking over. So it's all jumbled up for me. I had seen DN, GF, TB, YOLT, DAF and LALD at a drive-in or theater before reading the corresponding books. I read TMWTGG right when the film came out, the experiences may even have overlapped (it's probably no coincidence that I still involuntarily visualize early young Moore when reading Fleming, he is a perfect fit). My first viewing of FRWL was when it was initially televised on ABC in 1974, and that was when I was hunting down the novels at used bookstores; one preceded the other by a month or less in all likelihood. TSWLM and MR both came out after I had read the books, and I was greatly disappointed that almost nothing from the source material had shown up in either. Of course i was happy to see so much of the original content in FYEO, and what we did get in OP, TLD and LTK was quite satisfying. As much as I enjoy CR '06, I still fill that we have not been treated to that first novel accurately presented (in style and mood, with a certain asceticism) on screen.
  • CharmianBondCharmianBond Pett Bottom, Kent
    Posts: 533
    After listening to the Forever and a Day audiobook I've been imagining Matthew Goode, partly for consistency's sake but he does have the look and sound of a man from the 1950s. I watched The Living Daylights yesterday though so I finally get what everyone's going on about with Dalton, he absolutely looks like how Fleming describes Bond and the fact that he was so reverential about the books it comes through in his performance.
  • Posts: 6,727
    So I've been sent to a new location in my job, and since its too far ( and too traffic heavy!!) to cycle, am back on public transport, with a 40 minute bus ride! So the consolation is that I can now reread the Fleming Bond novels on the journey, but first I am getting through 'Colonel Sun', which am ashamed to admit I never read, and fair play to Kingsley Amis, he's done an excellent job ( so far! Am nearing the final few chapters!)
    I never took to the Gardner novels, and hated 'Devil May Care' and 'Trigger Mortis', which led me to believe no one could do it like Fleming, but now I wish Amis had done more!
  • BirdlesonBirdleson Moderator
    edited April 2022 Posts: 2,161
    Similar to me @Mathis1 , you may want to try the two Wood adaptations. A melding of Fleming Bond and Cinematic Bond. Most (like me) seem to agree that he was fairly successful at the attempt.
  • Posts: 6,727
    Birdleson wrote: »
    Similar to me @Mathis1 , you may want to try the two Wood adaptations. A melding of Fleming Bond and Cinematic Bond. Most (like me) seem to agree that he was fairly successful at the attempt.

    Thanks @Birdleson, I do have the Wood version of 'The Spy Who Loved Me!', might give that a whirl first before I launch back into the Fleming books!
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    I reread Sun only a couple of months ago after a gap of many years and it is very strong, especially at the start, but I found it ran out of steam fairly heavily in the last third or so of the book. It has a nice, heavyweight feel to it though.
  • SIS_HQSIS_HQ At the Vauxhall Headquarters
    edited April 2022 Posts: 3,382
    Currently reading Casino Royale, there's a character there named Fawcett, he was the head of the picture desk on the Daily Gleaner, the famous newspaper of the Caribbean.
    I thought of Fawcett as that one played by Rowan Atkinson in Never Say Never Again (I've only saw the introduction of the film) was he and the character in the book are the same?
    Anyway it's 128 pages, I will continue reading it later, maybe afternoon?, I have already read 10 pages out of 128.
    I'm excited for this!
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