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Without further ado -
From Russia With Love, 1957 – 92.71%
Moonraker, 1955 - 85.66 %
Live and Let Die, 1954 – 83.44%
Casino Royale, 1953 – 83.3%
Diamonds Are Forever, 1956 – 72%
Well, that's just peachy. Well done FRWL.
As always -
What do you think of From Russia With Love?
Almost perfect. The style, the intrigue, the machinations, the setting, the host of great characters, all carried off with great panache and literary excellence by Mr Fleming. A quite superb read. Not matter how many times I've read his novels, Fleming always manages to excite me time and again; he the only author that I'm still as tense as I was on the first reading. Quite remarkable.
What do you think of it's cinematic adaptation?
Almost perfect.
Is the community score higher or lower than your own?
Lower. But I'm not complaining.
Reactions are always welcomed!!
See you on Saturday for Dr No!!
r65 -
From Russia With Love, 1957 – 96%
Live and Let Die, 1954 – 89%
Casino Royale, 1953 - 86%
Diamonds Are Forever, 1956 - 80%
Moonraker, 1955 - 78%
From Russia With Love, 1957
/10
1. Style - 9
2. Pace – 8
3. Villains – 9
4. Heroine – 8
5. Supporting Characters - 9
6. Action – 10
7. Intrigue – 10
8. Romance – 10
9. Benign Bizarre – 9
10. Bond – 10
92%
FRWL - 92.26%
And now
Dr No, 1958
/10
1. Style - 9
2. Pace – 9
3. Villains – 10
4. Heroine – 10
5. Supporting Characters - 9
6. Action – 8 (bonus points for the torture chamber)
7. Intrigue – 7
8. Romance – 8
9. Benign Bizarre – 9
10. Bond – 10
R65 Scores -
From Russia With Love, 1957 – 96%
Live and Let Die, 1954 – 89%
Dr No, 1958 - 89%
Casino Royale, 1953 - 86%
Diamonds Are Forever, 1956 - 80%
Moonraker, 1955 - 78%
/10
1. Style - 9
2. Pace – 9
3. Villains – 8
4. Heroine – 9
5. Supporting Characters - 8
6. Action – 8
7. Intrigue – 8
8. Romance – 8
9. Benign Bizarre – 9
10. Bond – 10
86/100
86%
I didn't expect this one to beat Moonraker, but it did!
From Russia With Love 95%
Dr No 86%
Moonraker 85%
Casino Royale 79%
Live And Let Die 79%
Diamonds Are Forever 67%
/10
1. Style - 8
2. Pace – 8
3. Villains – 9
4. Heroine – 9
5. Supporting Characters - 9
6. Action – 8
7. Intrigue – 8
8. Romance – 8
9. Benign Bizarre – 10
10. Bond – 9
86/100
86%
2. Pace – 9
3. Villains – 10
4. Heroine – 10
5. Supporting Characters - 8
6. Action – 7
7. Intrigue – 9
8. Romance – 8
9. Benign Bizarre – 9
10. Bond – 10
89/100
The actual title of the 1958 Jonathan Cape hardback was Dr.NO so I guess any distortion after that has been artistic licence!
1. Style. - 9
2. Pace - 8
3. Villains - 9
4. Heroine - 8
5. Supporting Characters - 8
6. Action - 7
7. Intrigue - 8
8.Romance - 8
9. Benign Bizarre - 8
10. Bond -10
This is the first Bond book after seeing the movie in 1962 and it has stayed with me to this day.
For me, it's greatest strength was its location. Ian gave the best description of Jamaica that I have ever read and it resulted in my life long love affair with this much maligned country. His descriptive powers have never been surpassed when it comes to describing the exotic. The rest of the book was pretty good as well!
83/100
Correct on both accounts, and as for the title @Birdleson, my paperbackof Coronet Books has Dr. No as title.
1. Style - 10
A grippingly told story in full Fleming swing.
2. Pace – 9
Not much to say about this, almost perfect.
3. Villains – 10
A, here we go. A sinister, almost out-of-this-world, dark, evil (or is he just plain mad?) villain with great aspirations. Perhaps he's even a bit over the top with his alien-like looks. But then again, he did all that to become unrecognisable. He usualle gets what he wants, but at what price. A most fascinating story, and though this is the first story where the villain makes up an elaborate death for our hero, it's told in such a way it seems to make sense he's confident enough to tell his plans. anyway, it's not like Bond wouldn't have stopped them if he hadn't known. Here starts a fine tradition though ;-)
4. Heroine – 10
The oh so lovely Honey Rider. Playfull, strong, child-like (and only 20 mister Bond!), she's the most exotic Bond girl ever. I couldn't help but fall in love with her.
5. Supporting Characters - 9
Quarrel aalone makes it an eight, and Pleydell-Smith tops it off. The reluctance of the Governor is something I like too, as it isn't much of a helpfull type and it gives a more realistic setting for this, frankly, outrageaus story.
6. Action – 8
There's plenty of it, with the gruesome 'tube' as it's epitomy which ends up with the puss-feller.
7. Intrigue – 10
From the get-go we start with nothing beeing what it seems. Dr. No is on to Bond as son as he lands. But even before we have the odd three blind man killing of Bond's good friend from LALD, Strangways.
8. Romance – 8
This time around Bond seems to be more reserved. Yes, he likes Honey from the start, but there's no thought of settling down with her, only setting her on her way.
9. Benign Bizarre – 9
No voodoo, but close enough. Dr. No rebuilding himself is bizarre enough. Setting up the island with it's hotel fascillities for guests, only to torture and kill them subsequently. His Island with Chigroes, the 'dragon' to keep away tresspassers.
10. Bond – 9
Bond is beeing Bond, allthough this time there are less moments of doubt, of him deciding (not) to kill in cold blood (there is a moment in the tunnel, but the dicision is easily made).
This makes up
92/100 or 92%
Is it just me or did Fleming just love 'shocking pink' dresses, blouses and skirts? Honey wears Pink at the end in Beau Desert, Gala did at the base iirc, Tania undoubtedly did as well. Vesper did....
1. Style. - 9
2. Pace - 10 (slightly controversial perhaps but I really think this book reads like a train)
3. Villains - 9
4. Heroine - 9 (Fleming makes me fall in love with her)
5. Supporting Characters - 9 (admittedly, because we know some of them from previous books)
6. Action - 8 (that 'obstacle course' is so tense for me, it's among Fleming's best action moments)
7. Intrigue - 8
8.Romance - 8
9. Benign Bizarre - 9 (the squid!!)
10. Bond -10
90/100
From Russia With Love, 1957 – 92.71%
Dr No, 1958 – 87.87%
Moonraker, 1955 - 85.66 %
Live and Let Die, 1954 – 83.44%
Casino Royale, 1953 – 83.3%
Diamonds Are Forever, 1956 – 72%
Well, I'm genuinely blown away by Dr No's fatabulous performance.
As always -
What do you think of Dr No?
A straight up plot featuring St George vs the Dragon. Which allows Mr Fleming wow us with his prose and journalistic style and pace. Outlandish characters are a plus also!
What do you think of it's cinematic adaptation?
Almost perfect.
Is the community score higher or lower than your own?
Lower, but by a smidge!
Reactions are always welcomed!!
Goldfinger, 1959
1. Style. - 9
2. Pace - 9 (Let down when Bond is held prisoner in the US)
3. Villains - 10
4. Heroine - 9 (Fleming's ultimate fantasy - turning a lesbian straight!)
5. Supporting Characters - 9 (Does anyone else like the man from the bank?)
6. Action - 8
7. Intrigue - 8
8.Romance - 8
9. Benign Bizarre - 8 (Oddjob and the ginger pussy)
10. Bond -9
87/100
R65 Scores -
From Russia With Love, 1957 – 96%
Live and Let Die, 1954 – 89%
Dr No, 1958 - 89%
Goldfinger, 1959 - 87%
Casino Royale, 1953 - 86%
Diamonds Are Forever, 1956 - 80%
Moonraker, 1955 - 78%
Above CR. Interesting.
1. Style. - 8
2. Pace - 8
3. Villains - 10
4. Heroine - 10
5. Supporting Characters - 7
6. Action - 9
7. Intrigue - 7
8.Romance - 8
9. Benign Bizarre - 9
10. Bond -8
84/100
84%
1. Style - 8
2. Pace - 7 (flagged during the golf game but maybe that's because I'm no golfer).
3. Villains - 9
4. Heroine - 10 (can't help but image Honor Blackman - enough said).
5. Supporting Characters - 7
6. Action - 7.
7. Intrigue - 8
8. Romance - 7
9. Benign Bizarre - 9
10. Bond - 10
82/100 or 82%
My Ratings:
FRWL - 96%
MR - 88%
DN - 83%
GF- 82%
CR - 77%
L&LD - 74%
DAF - 64%
1. Style - 8
2. Pace - 7
3. Villains - 9
4. Heroine - 7
5. Supporting Characters - 6
6. Action - 7.
7. Intrigue - 7 (I struggle a bit to take the plost seriously towards the end...)
8. Romance - 7
9. Benign Bizarre - 9
10. Bond - 9
76/100
76%
From Russia With Love 95%
Dr No 86%
Moonraker 85%
Casino Royale 79%
Live And Let Die 79%
Goldfinger 76%
Diamonds Are Forever 67%
1. Style - 6 (Stylistically Fleming's weakest, poor, cartoonish depictions of Yank gangsters)
2. Pace - 6 (back third drags)
3. Villains - 9
4. Heroine - 7
5. Supporting Characters - 8
6. Action - 7
7. Intrigue - 9
8.Romance - 9
9. Benign Bizarre - 6
10. Bond - 10
77/100
Fleming's longest and weakest (IMO), and that may not be coincidental.
One of the best novels. Dr. No himself is one of the most sinistre villains Fleming has come up with. Moreover things that ought to have been absurd (amongst which the mink lined reception before the obstacle course, and the course itself, and..) don't seem that absurd whilst reading the story. Dr. No is as mad as a hatter and still comes over as quite sane. Wonderful writing that.
What do you think of it's cinematic adaptation?
Very good indeed, and considering the budget, extremely well done. Hell, it even started a frenchise...
Is the community score higher or lower than your own?
Oddly enough, lower. And I thought I was tghe cynical b**tard here.
And in other news, whilst reading Goldfinger, I've spotted the first pink frock again.
1. Style - 6
2. Pace - 6
3. Villains - 8
4. Heroine - 7
5. Supporting Characters - 6
6. Action - 6
7. Intrigue - 6
8. Romance - 6
9. Benign Bizarre - 9
10. Bond - 8
68/100
From Russia With Love, 1957 – 92.71%
Dr No, 1958 – 87.87%
Moonraker, 1955 - 85.66 %
Live and Let Die, 1954 – 83.44%
Casino Royale, 1953 – 83.3%
Goldfinger, 1959 - 79.57%
Diamonds Are Forever, 1956 – 72%
Well, it was to be expected. Probably one of the weakest Fleming novels.
As always -
What do you think of Goldfinger, 1959?
A rather overt adventure, if one discounts the segment in Mexico and Mr Du Pont, of course.
What do you think of it's cinematic adaptation?
A stylistic change of direction for the series, cementing the Bond legacy for all time. Plus its one of the few times that the film actually improves on the source material; re the plot.
Is the community score higher or lower than your own?
Lower, by a fair margin. But the community ratings match my own view of Goldfinger
Reactions are always welcomed!
See you later today for Thunderball!!!
We review For Your Eyes Only, Risico and maybe The Hildebrand Rarity. Skipping over Quantum of Solace and From A View To A Kill, as there's isn't much to review.
Or should we do the short stories as a whole?
Or should I skip over to Thunderball?
edit for option 4. If we do the short stories I feel that we should do them all. The wrap up of QOS reveals more about Bond's inner struggle with the life he has chose than any other. And FAVATK gives us plenty to work from. @Birdleson suggestion
Calling @DarthDimi, @CommanderRoss, @Perilagu_Khan, @jobo and @Villiers53 !
Although its hard to say who the villain would be with the latter one...? :-?
My GF rating will come later this week, I'm still reading it, I had not too much time last week to do so.