Fleming's greatest villains, allies & MI6 personnel and girls

DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
edited October 2011 in Literary 007 Posts: 23,529
We often discuss our favourite villains, allies and girls from the Bond films. But how about the books?

Fleming had a fabulous talent for creating wonderful characters, no matter what their function in the plot was. His impressive work, however, didn't always resonate in adequate proportions on screen. Ergo, it stands to reason that we properly address this issue and celebrate our personal favourites.

I'll give it a start:

<ul>
<li><b>Favourite villain:</b> Mr Big

I simply can't get enough of his introductory dialogue with Bond. He remains enigmatically calm while tension builds to unmeasurable degrees. His lines are well-thought and brilliant, a pleasure in fact when read in English (as it should be). Right there and then, in those very scenes in the book, I almost shift my sympathies to Mr Big, on a purely intellectual level I might add.

Second place: Blofeld
Third place: Drax

<li><b>Favourite ally & MI6 personnel:</b> Felix Leiter

Obviously Leiter is a very charismatic figure. Not only do we get to know the man very well, the story of how his career takes a turn after the disastrous confrontation with Mr Big's men in LALD is - simply put - interesting.

Second place: M
Third place: Mathis

<li><b>Favourite girl:</b> Gala Brand

I can't help falling madly in love with her, just like Bond. She gives herself all the way during the exciting climax of the story. That said, how confusing, in a way, it is to find her 'rejecting' Bond in the end. Great, unfortunate epilogue.

Second place: Mary Goodnight
Third place: Tiffany Case
</ul>

This was mine. Now show me yours. ;;)

Comments

  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,529
    No Fleming fans then? ;;)
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,350
    You know, I can't remember the in's and out's of the books to comment on this one Dimi.

    A good excuse to read them for a second time if there ever was one...
  • Posts: 140
    Favourite Villain: Has to be Hugo Drax. Great scenes during the bridge game. I think Moonraker is one of the strongest books.


    Favourite Girl: I understand your liking for Gala, especially the ending, but I quite like the sister in Goldfinger.

    Favourite Ally: Interesting one, notable shouts to Kerim and Mathis but how about a curve ball? I quite like Red Grants character when he is 'Helping' Bond!

  • Favourite villian Rosekebb/Red grant
    Favourite girl-not sure
    Favourite ally-leiter of course!
  • Posts: 2,341
    You know, I can't remember the in's and out's of the books to comment on this one Dimi.

    A good excuse to read them for a second time if there ever was one...
    Ditto


  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,459
    I need and want to read them again. But I will say offhand ...
    fav villain: Rosa Klebb (however its spelled) and Red Grant
    fav girl: Honeychile Ryder and ... darn I forget her name; I need to read these again!! It's been years ...
    fav ally: Leiter
  • Posts: 1,894
    My favourite Bond Girl would have to be Tatiana Romanova. I think I fell a little bit in love with Daniela Bianchi when I first saw FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, and I've been fascinated by Russia ever since. When I finally got to read From Russia With Love several years later, I was blown away.

    I want to say Blofeld was my favourite villain, but I was underwhelmed by him in You Only Live Twice, largely because a big slice of the plot hinged on the way he hadn't actually done anything wrong. So I'm going to go with Emilio Largo instead. I found him cruel and he was the villain who drew the biggest "Okay, he has to die, now" reaction from me.

    The ally is an easy one - it's a dead heat between Felix Leiter and Rene Mathis. I liked the way they were two so compeltely different people, but Bond connected with the both of them so easily.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,459
    Yes, From Russia with Love was an excelent read, wasn't it? Maybe my favorite of the books.
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