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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
All the essential ingredients for a great 007 story; fiendish plot, exotic location and a truly-diabolical villain. As ever, Fleming's greatest challenge is establishing any emotional resonance with his blunt instrument of a protagonist, though Bond does display a few glimpses of humanity here and there.
Full Review here: https://youtu.be/ZXrQQob3qho
Overall I think this may end up being the dividing line of Bond books I really like and ones I think are just good.
Likes
Bond is different in this book which brings back some of that charm in the series
The setup to the whole story - marc-ange - the college of Arms - bond wanting to quit mi6
Felt more spy thriller than action until the very end
Didn't like
Bond working with marc-ange
I got lost in some of the action.
I would have liked more time with Bond and tracy
Overall I think this may end up being the dividing line of Bond books I really like and ones I think are just good.
Likes
Bond is different in this book which brings back some of that charm in the series
The setup to the whole story - marc-ange - the college of Arms - bond wanting to quit mi6
Felt more spy thriller than action until the very end
Didn't like
Bond working with marc-ange
I got lost in some of the action.
I would have liked more time with Bond and tracy
Yes, it's THAT one.... and even though I knew the end, I still cried. Such a good book
adventurous
sad
medium-paced
A welcome return to form after the abomination of [b:The Spy Who Loved Me|24964299|The Spy Who Loved Me (James Bond, #10)|Ian Fleming|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1424270035s/24964299.jpg|23841328]. A gentler, more sentimental version of Bond who contemplates marriage is featured here, which is an intriguing shift so deep into the series yet feels like a natural maturation of the character at this stage. I wish that Fleming had fleshed out Tracy more so that the tragic events at the book's close had more of an impact. It's great fun to pick up on Bond's pursuit of the dastardly Blofeld at Piz Gloria, and the villainous biological warfare plan feels very modern for a novel published in 1963.
Nope. Did not like this. My hopes weren't terribly high, since I've never been a fan of the movies, but I needed an espionage thriller for my reading challenge and I thought at least David Tennant's amazing voice would help me get through this one. That's what the extra star up there is for, David Tennant's narration. That was too notch. But otherwise, nope. Just nope.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was one of my more favorite Bond movies growing up. I liked that it was a one-timer playing bond, it had tons of hot women in it and great word play. Lazenby was a pretty cool bond. Upon rewatching the movie it was poorly filmed and not as good as I remember. The word play was great and there was a nip-slip so that was cool. But enough about the movie.
The plot of this book was ridiculous. (SPOILER ALERT)Bond played a silly under cover genealogical expert! WTF and on the other side Blofelds evil plan was to kill off live stock using hot chicks with cans of poison!! Holy Cow, Fleming was really picking at straws with this one. This book is a tragic one because Bond gets married and (SPOILER ALERT AGAIN) his new wife Tracy gets gunned down by Blofelds henchmen at the last seconds of the book. What a "killer " ending and it leaves you heart broken but so damn angry that "it's just over?" at the same time. The bond books typically end really abruptly so I knew it could happen but DAMN.
Any who this one gets a poor rating. The movie has better moments... (SPOILER #3) ends the same shitty way(maybe even shittier)
love you so much,
Justin
The plot of this book was ridiculous. (SPOILER ALERT)Bond played a silly under cover genealogical expert! WTF and on the other side Blofelds evil plan was to kill off live stock using hot chicks with cans of poison!! Holy Cow, Fleming was really picking at straws with this one. This book is a tragic one because Bond gets married and (SPOILER ALERT AGAIN) his new wife Tracy gets gunned down by Blofelds henchmen at the last seconds of the book. What a "killer " ending and it leaves you heart broken but so damn angry that "it's just over?" at the same time. The bond books typically end really abruptly so I knew it could happen but DAMN.
Any who this one gets a poor rating. The movie has better moments... (SPOILER #3) ends the same shitty way(maybe even shittier)
love you so much,
Justin
I have never got on well with the Bond books. This one is probably one of the better examples but that is faint praise. In OHMSS Bond goes undercover as a genealogist, to find the infamous Blofeld in an elite ski-resort of sorts. I’ll say that again. Undercover, as a genealogist, at a ski-resort. Let’s just let that breathe for a minute. The dastardly plot involves: stupid (and gorgeous) British girls; hypnosis; skiing; an orchestrated biological attack on the UK.
With the Bond books I always feel that there is too much of the author present. For example, early in this undercover foray into the 'very high Alps' Bond reminisces about skiing on hickory skis in his early teens. He finds these new-fangled metal skis a revelation. A couple of chapters later (without any intervening tutelage) he is expertly assessing ski bindings at a glance. Bond shouldn't know this, but Fleming apparently did, so he put it in, even if it registers to the detriment of consistency in the story.
After reading several previous Bond books I am finally resigned to a great dislike of Bond too, I mean really, he is an awful character and I just can't see my way past it. There is the sexism that is apparent in the films (with little of the accompanying roguish charisma that is present in the movies) but also casual racism and homophobia (it can be "cured" by hypnosis dontchaknow!). Frankly the James Bond of the books is a scumbag, and not of the love-to-hate variety either.
I MUST say something on the subject of the 'romance' too. In fact, why don't I go one better and let Bond describe it. The following extract takes place during Bond's third (only the third!) meeting with Tracy:
"Bond suddenly thought, Hell! I'll never find another girl like this one [...] I'm fed up with all these untidy, casual affairs that leave me with a bad conscience. I wouldn't mind having children. [...] We're two of a pair, really. Why not make it for always?
Bond found his voice saying those words that he had never said in his life before, never expected to say.
'Tracy. I love you. Will you marry me?' "
Including the bits I’ve skipped, this whole passage is only half a page in length. That's right, in HALF A PAGE Bond decides Tracy is the love of his life and that he wants to settle down!!
Did I mention that this is one of the better Bond books?! This is my final effort with Fleming, no more Bond for me.