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No Deals Mr Bond will be along in due course, as I am reading them in order. As for You Only Live Twice, it's at #4, between From Russia With Love & Casino Royale.
I wouldn't call them reviews, just a few thoughts. But thank you all the same.
I'm reading YOLT next, it's one I've been anticipating for some time.
I also need to get my hands on Icebreaker and Role of Honor.
YOLT
It's very well-written and Fleming's descriptions of early-60s Japan are wonderful but the story really doesn't get going until over halfway through. It's very slow until Bond learns the true identity of Dr Shatterhand.
Tiger starts out as another Kerim-clone but develops beyond this to have an interesting relationship with Bond. Dikko's quite fun too but feels rather underdeveloped and just disappears from the story. The plot itself is a bit weak... it's not really clear (a) why Shatterhand needs to be killed at all - as Tiger explains, suicide is a part of Japanese life, all Shatterhand's doing is providing a convenient place to for people to do it... a sort of pro to-DIGNITAS; or (b) why Bond particularly has to be sent to kill him and not, for example, Tiger's squad of ninjas.
Thematically, the story is very morbid. Fleming was clearly not planning on living much longer at this stage. His alcoholism is also now very evident... Bond barely goes a page without having a drink, wanting a drink or thinking about drink.
Blofeld's a bit disappointing here. He comes across as something of a parody of a Fleming villain. Nothing like the cool operator in TB. But I suppose the fact that he's lost his mind (presumably through a combination of syphilis and Bond twice thwarting his plans) is clearly intentional.
The climactic sequence in the Castle of Death is fantastic though and the final sequence with an amnesiac Bond leaving his simple, happy life as a fisherman to discover his true identity in Vladivostok is probably the best ending to any of the Bond novels...
TMWTGG
... leading to the weakest Bond story of all, sadly. The opening sequences with Bond returning to London are fairly interesting and well-written with Fleming's usual eye for detail. But as soon as a brainwashed Bond attempts to assassinate M, the story loses the plot completely.
The rest of the book feels like a half-hearted greatest hits package with bits of LALD and DN (Jamaica), TSWLM (gangsters), DAF (gangsters and a model railway climax), GF ("I'm planning a huge crime; hey, I'll hire this very suspicious stranger as my personal assistant"), FYEO (Scaramanga is basically just Von Hammerstein) and other bits and pieces. It seems that Fleming was too tired at this point to even create new characters, bringing in Mary Goodnight and Felix Leiter for bizarre and unlikely cameos.*
The book was unfinished and Fleming was apparently unhappy with what he had written. It's a shame, in a way, that it was published at all. The finalé of YOLT would have been a far more fitting and mysterious end for the character.
I can now, however, now present my final rankings of the Bond novels:
1. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
2. From Russia, With Love
3. Moonraker
4. Casino Royale
5. Live and Let Die
6. Goldfinger
7. Thunderball
8. You Only Live Twice
9. The Spy Who Loved Me
10. Doctor No
11. DAF
12. TMWTGG
Next up... OP&TLD
*[Here's a crazy theory: after Bond attacks M and faints, he loses his mind. He simply can't cope with the terrible act of betrayal against the country (and the man) he loves.
The rest of the story takes place in the deranged Bond's mind, whilst held in a mental institution. That's why it's a greatest hits package... he imagines he's back in Jamaica, his favourite country; then his beautiful secretary Mary Goodnight comes along (but now she's suddenly a blonde, just like Tracy was); they're driving together in Commander Strangways' Sunbeam Alpine; hey, here's his best pal Felix; next, a villain he's tracking, who's obsessed with gold, offers him a job as his personal assistant; now he's having a fight with gangsters on a steam train like he did back in Nevada; and it's all happily resolved at the end - Bond's a hero again, M is proud of him and the Prime Minister offers him a knighthood.... what do you think?]
I think your theory might hold water. It all fits. Poor Bond. He's lost his mind. He's cracked again, much like he did after surviving the abuse he suffered at the hands of le Chiffre. Might need to call Mathis to put him right again.
I don't think you are giving Fleming enough credit re YOLT though.
I think it is clear why Shatterhand has to go. He's an embarrassment to the Japanese government- a foreigner setting up shop and offering a suicide Shangri-la. It's one thing for Japanese to off themselves as part of a cultural tradition of sorts, but another thing for a foreigner to set-up shop and facilitate the practise.
Bond is selected for the assassination task at the behest of the Japanese political leadership via Tiger.
Bond is on a diplomatic mission, looking to restore England's tarnished image vis-a-vis the postwar Japanese leadership. Tiger essentially offers to Bond, that if he can take care of this Shatterhand problem, then Japan might look much more favourably on England and be inclined towards a quid-pro-quo.
Then of course there is the equally compelling motive, championed repeatedly by Tiger, that the woman (Bunt) is too ugly too live. :))
Tiger actually presents the task as an offer that can't be refused. If Bond refuses, the diplomatic mission can be considerd a failure and English relevance vis-a-vis Japan deteriorates further.
Tiger's ninjas aren't an option either as the Japanese want to be hands-off.
A British agent acting without sanction, success or fail, would not reflect on the Japanese leadership, one way or the other.
re alcoholism. Yes Bond, Tiger and Dikko all drink up a storm in Japan.
Your TMWTGG parallel with GF is yes interesting. Fleming is visiting familiar territory with Scaramanga enlisting Bond as doomed personal assistant much like Goldfinger did.
The slight difference being that Bond had been fully outed by Goldfinger and truly was his working prisoner, although its a fine distinction as Pistols does eventually learn who Bond is. Bond becomes for all intents and purposes Scaramanga's prisoner.
I don't quite get the Scaramanga/Locque comparison. Was Locque even a character in Fleming's Risico story? I can't remember but I don't think he was. I think he was a movie invention.
Thanks @timmer. You're probably right about why Japan needs a foreign agent to kill Shatterhand in YOLT - maybe I was convinced by Blofeld's speech at the end about him performing a public service! I get what you mean about the Japanese wanting to be hands-off but as Tiger personally trains Bond and dresses him as a Japanese it just seems a little odd. Still, I love the second half of the book so it's not a problem for me at all.
I think Scaramanga's actions are even odder than Goldfinger's. He bumps into a stranger in a brothel and offers him a job as his "personal assistant"/bodyguard (which makes no sense as he clearly trusts the hoods far more than he trusts Bond.)
I made a mistake about Locque - I meant Von Hammerstein! He's an assassin (who shoots innocent birds for fun) working with the Cubans who grew up in a circus. I've edited my original post now so it makes more sense. Thanks for pointing it out.
I love the humor in this one, Tiger Tanaka is a great character with great lines. The plot of is a bit odd but fun and I love the Botany references and Japanese cultural musings.
I've been saving some good lines and will post in the Favorite Fleming passages thread soon.
That's a sure sign of depraved villainy in Fleming's world. See also The Robber (LALD) and Scaramanga. Even Milton Krest tortured fish.
Herr von Hammerstein, what a depraved bastard, another one of Fleming's Gestapo refugees. Eon kind of morphed his character into Locque and Gonzalez; Locque as the guy that oversaw the hit on the Havelocks, and Gonzalez taking the bow-and-arrow aided swan dive off the diving board.
The ending to YOLT is indeed thrilling. The final Bond and Blofeld tete-a-tete and fight to the death is riveting stuff. And as one reads YOLT, I found myself discovering more and more book elements that had been worked into the film, such as the oubliette for example, relocated to Tiger's Tokyo headquarters rather than Blofeld's castle
Octopussy
A fantastic short story about the fall from grace of Major Dexter Smythe, a war hero and former Secret Service agent who committed a terrible crime at the end of World War II and finally has his comeuppance delivered by James Bond. The recounting of Smythe's crime is gripping and juxtaposed against the sad state he finds himself in 15 or so years later, an alcoholic widower shunned by polite society and about to pay for his crimes. James Bond features in a small supporting role and it's particularly interesting to view 007 through Smythe's perspective - it's quite unlike anything we've seen before. The story is as much about alcoholism as it is about gold smuggling and supports my belief that Fleming was struggling with late-stage alcoholism by the end of his life.
Property of a Lady
This was the only Fleming story I hadn't read and I was very pleasantly surprised. It's well known that Fleming was unhappy with the story but it's well-written, tightly-plotted, and has an interesting conceit at its heart (MI6 know that they have a Soviet mole in their organisation and have created an entire dummy department to feed her false information.) The auction house setting is fun too.
The Living Daylights
Probably the best Bond short story of them all. Bond struggles with the pressure and responsibility of assassination and deliberately disobeys orders because he can't bring himself to murder a girl he has a crush on. The conflict between Bond and Captain Sender makes a nice change from the usually cordial relationships between agents.
007 in New York
It's difficult to judge this piece by the same standards as any of the other Bond stories as it's clearly not intended as a real short story. It's really nothing more than an entertaining set of observations on early-60s New York. There isn't really a plot to speak of but it's as well-written as we would expect and gets the thumbs up for the amusing twist at the end and the recipe for "Scrambled Eggs James Bond"
Final rankings:
The novels
1. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
2. From Russia, With Love
3. Moonraker
4. Casino Royale
5. Live and Let Die
6. Goldfinger
7. Thunderball
8. You Only Live Twice
9. The Spy Who Loved Me
10. Dr. No
11. DAF
12. TMWTGG
The short stories
1. The Living Daylights
2. Octopussy
3. The Hildebrand Rarity
4. Quantum of Solace
5. Risico
6. From a View to a Kill
7. For Your Eyes Only
8. 007 in New York
Might read the Authorised Biography next but I doubt I'll go onto the continuation novels - certainly not all of them. I've read a few in the past and haven't been greatly impressed. Any recommendations?
Interesting short story summaries. I like your rankings too. I find it tough to sort the books and stories out as I love every one of them, but you've done a good job giving them an order. I may try it myself.
"Any recommendations"
If you have just finished a Flemingathon, I would suggest slogging through Colonel Sun and then topping off with Pearson's Authorized Biography, which I think is a splendid conclusion to the Fleming oeuvre.
After Pearson's book we are into Wood screenplay novelizations and Gardner's '80s relaunch, but I think the Amis and Pearson books are the two that smartly cap the Fleming era.
I can't say enough about Pearson's book. It's almost as good as the originals and very faithful to the Fleming continuity.
For example, among other bits,I find it quite interesting how Pearson follows up down the road, on the Smersh agent that let Bond live after originally rescuing Bond from Le Chiffre.
Pearson fleshes out this side-story very well, with the two fatefully crossing paths again.
Pearson does a wonderful job also with developing Bond's early years, and road to double-0 status, working with the scraps of background that Fleming provided.
Actually I do realize you have probably already read Colonel Sun and Pearson's book., but I think both entries are very much worth re-reading to cap off a Flemingathon as both connect very directly with the Fleming continuity and timeline.
As for recommendations post-Pearson though.
I've read them all. They are all quite readable, but none really jump out at me.
If you were so inclined, I would just start with Gardner's debut License Renewed and plough through his 14 novels in order. He does create a new Bond-verse with several of his own recurring characters. His oeuvre is probably the best of the post-Pearson continuation efforts.
Wow - you put YOLW at #8? I'd put it top 5.
I saved a bunch of great quotes from this one and will be posting in the great passages thread.
Reading DAF now, another maligned novel, but enjoying it so far.
@007InVT, The main reason YOLT ranks slightly lower for me is because very little happens for the first half of it and the plot takes some time to get going. But I rate all the Fleming novels (apart from DAF and TMWTGG) very highly so there's really not much to choose between them for me!
NYC and upstate New York waiting around to be paid. Fleming's usual Midas touch seems to be missing.
I have lots of other criticisms of the book (Bond's character is at his most unlikable, Felix is shoehorned into the plot in an unbelievable way that would become increasingly common, the Spang brothers are Fleming's least interesting) but all would be forgivable if the book was exciting. It's the only one that isn't.
The buildup to the final showdown with Wint and Kidd on the ocean liner I think works well, especially as it marries with Bond and Tiffany's developing relationship.
I like DAF, but yes I remember when I first read it as teenager, it didn't grab me the way some of the others did, but I still like it, because Fleming's Bond novels are simply pure magic.
I suppose I have a personal connection with this one, having been to Saratoga and am familiar with the US and London, where so much of this is set and I have lived. I also like horse racing in the same way I like Goldfinger because of the Golfing. I concede that none of this is particularly exciting in the usual Bond sense. I do enjoy Felix's humor though and it's good having him around.
I agree with @timmer about the Bond-Case relationship.
It's almost as if this one could have been a short story in the mold of For Your Eyes Only (also set in the US) as a sort of companion piece. I think it just belongs in a different sub-set of the Fleming oeuvre.
Okay, Moonraker. It is the best out of the 5 I have read as Hugo Drax is an intriguing villain and his backstory is interesting as well. I like how M shows more personality as his role is expanded compared to CR and LALD. Gala is a great Bond Girl which is a shame because Bond doesn't even end up sleeping with her. Bond is still great with his personality from Royale still intact. Moonraker easily is my favorite so far.
1. Moonraker
2. Casino Royale
3. Live and Let Die
4. Carte Blanche
5. Devil May Care
WestonMcKay Will Return In
Diamonds Are Forever http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdskysWu6rM
Really?!
Wow, I hope you still haven't read more Fleming because I assure those two will drop down the list.
So its only comparatively speaking, that I might not find it as gripping as some of the others, but its actually quite gripping and interesting enough.
I just always find Fleming interesting no matter what he's going on about.
Oh don't worry, I'm just reading Bond for the first time and I just happened to have found copies of DMC and CB, because I am ordering the rest of the Bond books in order.
01. Moonraker - Ian Fleming (1955)
02. On Her Majesty's Secret Service - Ian Fleming (1963)
03. From Russia With Love - Ian Fleming (1957)
04. You Only Live Twice - Ian Fleming (1964)
05. Casino Royale - Ian Fleming (1953)
06. For Special Services - John Gardner (1982)
07. Licence Renewed - John Gardner (1981)
*****08. Icebreaker - John Gardner (1983)*****
09. The Living Daylights - Ian Fleming (1966)
10. The Spy Who Loved Me - Christopher Wood (1977)
11. For Your Eyes Only - Ian Fleming (1960)
12. Thunderball - Ian Fleming (1961)
13. Quantum Of Solace - Ian Fleming (1960)
14. Live And Let Die - Ian Fleming (1954)
15. From A View To A Kill - Ian Fleming (1960)
16. Risico - Ian Fleming (1960)
17. Moonraker - Christopher Wood (1979)
18. Colonel Sun - Robert Markham (1968)
19. The Property Of A Lady - Ian Fleming (1966)
20. The Hilderbrand Rarity - Ian Fleming (1960)
21. Dr No - Ian Fleming (1958)
22. The Spy Who Loved Me - Ian Fleming (1962)
23. Octopussy - Ian Fleming (1966)
24. The Man With The Golden Gun - Ian Fleming (1965)
25. Goldfinger - Ian Fleming (1959)
26. Diamonds Are Forever - Ian Fleming (1956)
27. 007 In New York - Ian Fleming (1966)
Next up: Role Of Honour[/quote]
I think it's a great read.
Indeed it is. A very literary novel that's much underrated. Very fine writing therein.
You can use that for a blog post if you like! ;)
Oh, I've already noted that one down in my notebook to be sure! As I say, I've got plenty of ideas re James Bond scholarly articles!