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Which Bond novel are you currently reading?

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  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Yes, Dr No is a great book. :)
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    Why indeed? It's one of the best.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    The Dr. No novel is even better than the (still brilliant) film version so there's honestly no chance of ruining things, @Mendes4Lyfe.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,400
    Thanks, guys.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    The Dr. No novel is even better than the (still brilliant) film version so there's honestly no chance of ruining things, @Mendes4Lyfe.

    Yes the book is indeed slightly superior to the brilliant film adaption.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    Mendes4Lyfe wrote: »
    Thanks, guys.

    The book will make you appreciate the fairly faithful film even more.
  • timmertimmer
    edited June 2016 Posts: 4,622
    Still reading Steve Cole's new Young Bond, Heads You Die. More than half way through.
    Taking my time. No more than two chapters a day. Savoring. It's a nice easy read. Young Bond is becoming Bond.
    This YB is relatable. He's not quite so young any more.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    I'm currently listening to, OHMSS on the bbc radio player. Just downloaded the last
    five chapters. It's read by Joanna Lumley. :)
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    Licence Renewed which, whilst a good effort on Gardner's part, reveals why Fleming is Fleming and will never be touched.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Agreed. =D> I did enjoy Gardner's first five or so books, but after that the quality fell off
    Quickly.
  • Risico007Risico007
    Posts: 9,847
    Plan on rereading cartel blanch before going back into Gardner and reading role of honor
  • Major_BoothroydMajor_Boothroyd Republic of Isthmus
    Posts: 2,722
    the No's torture course is vastly more fiendish, nerve-wracking and pain-inducing than the pathetic ordeal Bond undergoes in his cinematic escape.

    This! I was genuinely disappointed when I watched the movie and this part was significantly altered. (I read the novel first) It is an excellent sequence in the book. I think the book is actually more streamlined than the movie. Really enjoyed it. On repeated readings I actually find this one of my favourite Bond novels (after FRWL and OHMSS).
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    Started rereading Ian Fleming's The Man with the Golden Gun last night. I have a few articles to write about it for my blog.
  • Major_BoothroydMajor_Boothroyd Republic of Isthmus
    Posts: 2,722
    Reading John Gardner from the beginning. Back in the late 80s and early 90s I read random 007 books from him (Man From Barbarossa, Licence to kill novelisation, Scorpious) so now I'm going back to the start and reading them in sequence. Just took Licence Renewed hardback off the shelf today. (Got the first five Gardner reissues recently - great quality reprints).
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    Thunderpussy wrote: »
    Agreed. =D> I did enjoy Gardner's first five or so books, but after that the quality fell off
    Quickly.

    True.
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    suavejmf wrote: »
    Thunderpussy wrote: »
    Agreed. =D> I did enjoy Gardner's first five or so books, but after that the quality fell off
    Quickly.

    True.

    Couldn't get passed the second one. But then, Gardner's not for everyone.
  • Risico007Risico007
    Posts: 9,847
    For me my favorite author is Raymond benson ... Sorry I just love how light breezy and exciting his books are. But we all have our favorites and least favorites right...
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    Risico007 wrote: »
    For me my favorite author is Raymond benson ... Sorry I just love how light breezy and exciting his books are. But we all have our favorites and least favorites right...

    Thanks, sadly Raymond Benson doesn't get too much praise on theses pages.
  • Risico007Risico007
    Posts: 9,847
    No I am pretty sure more then a few people here have now thought "hmm I could hire a hitman on the dark web right now...."

    On a serious note I love benson and would rank the authors honestly like this

    Benson
    Fleming
    Amis
    Gardner
    Deaver
    Faulks
    Boyd

    Honestly I am half way through the Gardner books and I have not read trigger Mortis yet I will pick it up in the fall when it comes out on paperback I promise I just was so dissapointed with solo. I got though he first chapter of Carte Blanche as after solo I feel I should re read Deaver's only novel and see how I feel about it now. As for my views on the rest well

    Benson got me into literary bond and for that he will always be number 1 plus I love a lot of the books specifically the union trilogy and the facts of death. I like how he made the books more filmatic and I feel it's why I don't think IFP have got it right since then

    Fleming will always be number 2 as he is my second favorite author I do love a lot of the books but for the most part except for a precious few (diamonds are forever for example) I would prefer to just watch the film.

    Amis of course if third due to the brilliant colonel sun

    Gardner is a mixed bag I felt icebreaker and licence Reneweed were ok but I loved Never send Flowers and Seafire. Of course those two are also the more cinematic of novels and that may be wh


    Deaver I am rereading Carte Blanche i know I love the set up and the ideas behind how make the 00 branch modern after my second reading I will let you all know how I feel

    Faulks I hated

    Boyd was so boring that it turned me off from buying trigger Mortis
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,756
    Reading Moonraker for the first time. Good book, but I don't find it as good as Casino Royale or Live And Let Die. I don't know, it's domestic setting doesn't allow the novel to feel as exotic, and it only seems to really take off (pun intended!) with Gala Brand getting caught with her hands on Drax's notebook. Will be interesting to see how I'll rank this up against Live And Let Die, which (of the one's I've read) is one of the best.
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,266
    I indeed find Moonraker one of Fleming's lesser books. More on that later perhaps. Started my bi-annual Fleming bondathon again. Just finished CR and now reading LALD. Love it how Leiter escapes his torture in the first round thanks to his love of Jazz. Strange how Fleming has been called a racist while he makes Leiter get along, and be very knowledgreable of, Black American culture...
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,756
    CommanderRoss wrote: »
    I indeed find Moonraker one of Fleming's lesser books. More on that later perhaps. Started my bi-annual Fleming bondathon again. Just finished CR and now reading LALD. Love it how Leiter escapes his torture in the first round thanks to his love of Jazz. Strange how Fleming has been called a racist while he makes Leiter get along, and be very knowledgreable of, Black American culture...

    Yes, that is very strange. First read LALD as a Norwegian translation years ago, and didn't find the novel that racist back then. Read it again earlier this month, this time in English, and had a similiar experience this time. Not as racist as I feared, and well written. Leiter's «Jazz escape» is one of the highlights of the novel!

    Moonraker doesn't really have that many memorable moments (260 pages in), whereas LALD have several. The card game at Blades is very memorable, though.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    I loved Moonraker, the whole 50s space vibe. Drax is a fantastic villain, especially as
    Fleming described him. As mentioned the card game is another brilliant piece of writing
    From Fleming ( even better than the card game in CR, in my opinion ).
    Bond's hiding in the missile silo, and the search for him, with steam hoses is brutal.
    I'd describe it as a "Ripping Yarn!" :)
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    I didn t like MR that much when I first read it, but during my latest read I found so many fascinating tidbits it is now one of my absolute favourites.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,756
    Thunderfinger wrote: »
    I didn t like MR that much when I first read it, but during my latest read I found so many fascinating tidbits it is now one of my absolute favourites.

    If you care to share your favourite tidbits, please do! :)
    Finished MR last night, and it had a solid ending. Still not sure on how much I really liked it compared to the other novels I've read, but still, a good novel. Will continue with DAF, which, like MR will be a first ever reading experience.

    On a side note: Why haven't Gala Brand been used as a character in the films?
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Don't really know, in early scripts she was to have been the Miranda Frost character
    in DAD.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,756
    Thunderpussy wrote: »
    Don't really know, in early scripts she was to have been the Miranda Frost character
    in DAD.

    Yes, read that somewhere, a missed opportunity this. Instead we'd had names/characters like Holly Goodhead and Christmas Jones. I do hope we get the chance to see a Gala Brand in the future!
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Yes, it would be nice. :)
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,266
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    Thunderfinger wrote: »
    I didn t like MR that much when I first read it, but during my latest read I found so many fascinating tidbits it is now one of my absolute favourites.

    If you care to share your favourite tidbits, please do! :)
    Finished MR last night, and it had a solid ending. Still not sure on how much I really liked it compared to the other novels I've read, but still, a good novel. Will continue with DAF, which, like MR will be a first ever reading experience.

    On a side note: Why haven't Gala Brand been used as a character in the films?

    Well the rocket taking off is exciting as can be, but I hate the way the results of that are handled.
    As if the breaking of the Dutch dikes wouldn't cost thousands of people their lives, as if the very busy shipping in the North Sea wouldn't be affected. Fleming writes it as if it were a ends well all 's well, but it isn't! And he could've known, after the 1953 flooding disaster https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Sea_flood_of_1953
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    So long as it's not a disaster for England ! :))
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