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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-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
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment
Minor: Classism
I think I read this for the first and only time about three decades ago, and I recall really liking the action. This time, not so much.... There's not that much action, the "shocking plot twist" with the villain is obvious before the character even appears, and I get tired of the "Bond takes endures a great deal of pain before defeating the enemies" trope.
However, I did appreciate two facets of the novel. First, the subplot with the "Bond girl" didn't end the way I expected. Second, over one quarter of the novel (and almost the entire beginning) is concerned with Bond and M. investigating cheating at cards at a gentlemen's club...
... at bridge.
And yes, I know men play bridge (and cheat at bridge --- see this New Yorker article), but in the 65 years since Moonraker was written, bridge has definitely fallen out of the expected sphere of Bondian interests. But here we get not just a discussion of bridge (and how you might cheat at it), but a detailed history of the gentlemen's club, its menu, decor, and staff, as well as a description of the effects of fine champagne and benzedrine on the human body.
So, worth the read for the beginning, but not really recommended.
However, I did appreciate two facets of the novel. First, the subplot with the "Bond girl" didn't end the way I expected. Second, over one quarter of the novel (and almost the entire beginning) is concerned with Bond and M. investigating cheating at cards at a gentlemen's club...
... at bridge.
And yes, I know men play bridge (and cheat at bridge --- see this New Yorker article), but in the 65 years since Moonraker was written, bridge has definitely fallen out of the expected sphere of Bondian interests. But here we get not just a discussion of bridge (and how you might cheat at it), but a detailed history of the gentlemen's club, its menu, decor, and staff, as well as a description of the effects of fine champagne and benzedrine on the human body.
So, worth the read for the beginning, but not really recommended.
Really well done, and very different to the film. (All they share is title & a rocket). I rate the novel 4 1/2 rounded up. My favourite Bond is Mr Fleming's version...
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The best ever card high-stakes card game that I've ever read. And it was bridge! Who would've thought that 007 plays one mean game of bridge. Despite being pretty dated and knowing all along what Sir Hugo Drax was all about, I was still flipping pages quickly wondering how Bond would pull it off.
Moonraker shares the name of the Bond movie starring Roger Moore but the plot is entirely different. A typical Bond story with a dastardly villain with an evil plan that must be foiled by 007. This is not the Bond in space movie and ends wel with a bit of a twist differing from most Bond stories.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Excellent storyline, genuinely thrilling stuff. Really wish they faithfully adapted this for the film because the story here is so much stronger and way more intense.
Fleming’s dialogue is crackling, the descriptions of clothes, food, drink etc are delectable.
Might be my favorite Bond novel thus far.
Fleming’s dialogue is crackling, the descriptions of clothes, food, drink etc are delectable.
Might be my favorite Bond novel thus far.
This past year I continued to make my way through all of Fleming’s Bond novels. Despite being a huge Bond fanatic, this obsession has always entered around the movies, and I’ve never actually read all of the books (some here and there, but I don’t really remember which ones). This was one of my favourites so far — and it’s nothing like the wacky Star Wars-inspired spacefest that we see in the movie adaptation.