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falco_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
lennysthebomb's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
the_sunken_library's review against another edition
2.0
Well, that was a disappointment. I actually prefer the film version (Daniel Craig) of Bond to the original because at least then he comes across as a some what plausible human being. Ian Fleming's Secret Agent is just a massive dick.
An arrogant misogynist (I don't find that offensive in of itself BTW - there are men who are misogynists and in a profession such as this, where you essentially need to have psychopathic tendencies in order to do your job, it comes as no surprise that he doesn't have much respect for women) who is portrayed as a pretty dreadful secret agent but half decent gambler, James Bond is out to serve his country by bankrupting and therefore ensuring the assassination of a Russian agent. This is the first in the series and while I understand why it became a successful movie franchise (slick suits, fast cars, fancy technology and buxom loose legged ladies) God knows why anyone bother's reading them. It's poorly written and cliched not to mention littered with such tasty treats as:
"...the conquest of her body, because of the central privacy in her, would each time have that sweet tang of rape"
Because, as we all know, rape is sweet and tangy like a luscious lollipop *rolls eyes*. I mean really? Ugh.
I felt the casino scene was great and the torture scene was better than the one in the film. You could sense the fear and distress caused to 007 though, because he had shown himself to be a chauvinistic pig, I actually felt some smug satisfaction that he was getting his manhood beaten to smithereens. I don't think that was the desired effect. However, I was disappointed with the ending, the final climax. All puns intended, it felt a bit limp. I was also sick of Vesper being so damn hysterical all the time. How she managed to get a job working for a secret agency I will never know.
All in all, Ian Fleming's characters were flat and distant. I felt little to no connection with them and I felt there was a distinct lack of the excitement, danger and grandeur that is so well captured in the movies. Basically, this is one where the movie pooped all over the book.
An arrogant misogynist (I don't find that offensive in of itself BTW - there are men who are misogynists and in a profession such as this, where you essentially need to have psychopathic tendencies in order to do your job, it comes as no surprise that he doesn't have much respect for women) who is portrayed as a pretty dreadful secret agent but half decent gambler, James Bond is out to serve his country by bankrupting and therefore ensuring the assassination of a Russian agent. This is the first in the series and while I understand why it became a successful movie franchise (slick suits, fast cars, fancy technology and buxom loose legged ladies) God knows why anyone bother's reading them. It's poorly written and cliched not to mention littered with such tasty treats as:
"...the conquest of her body, because of the central privacy in her, would each time have that sweet tang of rape"
Because, as we all know, rape is sweet and tangy like a luscious lollipop *rolls eyes*. I mean really? Ugh.
I felt the casino scene was great and the torture scene was better than the one in the film. You could sense the fear and distress caused to 007 though, because he had shown himself to be a chauvinistic pig, I actually felt some smug satisfaction that he was getting his manhood beaten to smithereens. I don't think that was the desired effect. However, I was disappointed with the ending, the final climax. All puns intended, it felt a bit limp. I was also sick of Vesper being so damn hysterical all the time. How she managed to get a job working for a secret agency I will never know.
All in all, Ian Fleming's characters were flat and distant. I felt little to no connection with them and I felt there was a distinct lack of the excitement, danger and grandeur that is so well captured in the movies. Basically, this is one where the movie pooped all over the book.
corndogrs's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
oxnard_montalvo's review against another edition
3.0
Borrowed this from the library of the school i was working at for 3 weeks. Didn't manage to finish it before I had to leave...and while I did consider nicking it, I had to think of the children.
tsimpampis's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.0
The story had potential but the book was so stereotypically misogynistic i had to force myself to finish it. The writing felt really flat too. But hey at least i now know how to play baccarat!!
stevetrobot's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
perrymanilow's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
trin's review against another edition
2.0
In which James Bond proves to be rather unpleasant, and not a terribly good spy. This is a very quick read, but an empty one: besides teaching me the rules of baccarat, there wasn’t much here, not even the thrilling action-y set pieces of the films. I’m impressed with how well they developed Vesper in the recent movie, especially when compared to this—she’s tissue-thin here, and her “romance” with Bond completely unconvincing. “Romance”—at one point Bond thinks about how much he wants to have sex with her, as seeing as how she’s so withdrawn, each time would have the zesty tang of rape. Nice.
ruxiemcgouth's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25