Bond Book of the Month

ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
Many have suggested having a Book of the Month Thread, So lets start one. :D
Starting in July ( To give time to either Buy a copy,or dig out an old one ) with
Casino Royale. Then continuing through the Fleming Novels, and on to the continuing
Novels.


Bond_Novels.jpg

So it's still open for suggestions, advice or tips. Although from July you can post your views on Casino Royale
whether your reading it for the first time or need the excuse to read it again after a few Years.
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
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Comments

  • always shakenalways shaken LondonPosts: 6,287MI6 Agent
    you can count on your old mate A,S , for support on this one T.P :)
    By the way, did I tell you, I was "Mad"?
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    At the moment I'm reading Dan Brown's "Inferno". I'd be only too happy to read CR again when it's finished.
  • welshboy78welshboy78 Posts: 10,292MI6 Agent
    Im up for it :007)
    Instagram - bondclothes007
  • JamesbondjrJamesbondjr Posts: 462MI6 Agent
    I've just finished Casino Royale and I'm part way through Live and Let Die. I'll wait for you guys to catch up, providing you are planning on reading the books in order that is.
    1- On Her Majesty's Secret Service 2- Casino Royale 3- Licence To Kill 4- Goldeneye 5- From Russia With Love
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Yes, Jamesbondjr. That's the idea start with CR and work through them all. :D
    I'd suggest not visiting the thread untill the Book has been read ( so you're covered ) ;)
    incase of spoilers etc.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • PeppermillPeppermill DelftPosts: 2,860MI6 Agent
    I'm up for it too.
    1. Ohmss 2. Frwl 3. Op 4. Tswlm 5. Tld 6. Ge 7. Yolt 8. Lald 9. Cr 10. Ltk 11. Dn 12. Gf 13. Qos 14. Mr 15. Tmwtgg 16. Fyeo 17. Twine 18. Sf 19. Tb 20 Tnd 21. Spectre 22 Daf 23. Avtak 24. Dad
  • JamesbondjrJamesbondjr Posts: 462MI6 Agent
    Yes, Jamesbondjr. That's the idea start with CR and work through them all. :D
    I'd suggest not visiting the thread untill the Book has been read ( so you're covered ) ;)
    incase of spoilers etc.

    It's cool. I've already read them all once this year :) -{

    Edit:

    Seeing as you replied to my thread on the article I wrote on the novels I'm guessing I missed your intended sarcasm here. Doh! ;%
    1- On Her Majesty's Secret Service 2- Casino Royale 3- Licence To Kill 4- Goldeneye 5- From Russia With Love
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    :)) Believe me Jamesbondjr, NO sarcasm was meant. Just pointing out
    you had a head start. :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Charmed & DangerousCharmed & Dangerous Posts: 7,358MI6 Agent
    I have 3 copies of Casino Royale I'd be happy to give away to anyone in the UK who wants to participate and doesn't have/ can't afford / can't find a copy.

    I was up in the loft yesterday and found 3 copies (sadly no First Editions :# ). They are a tiny bit tatty but if you genuinely want to read the book I'm sure you won't mind.

    I'm happy to give away for free and include 2nd class postage in the uk, so pleas Pm me.

    The only catch is you that you read them and help contribute to the debate on this forum.

    {[]
    "How was your lamb?" "Skewered. One sympathises."
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Very generous offer C&D, I've just dug out my old pan copy this morning. :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • 00-Agent00-Agent CaliforniaPosts: 453MI6 Agent
    I am up for re-reading the novels. I'll pull out my copy of CR.
    "A blunt instrument wielded by a Government department. Hard, ruthless, sardonic, fatalistic. He likes gambling, golf, fast motor cars. All his movements are relaxed and economical". Ian Fleming
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I think this can be the excuse to either read them for the first time or re-read them after years of meaning to. :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Charmed & DangerousCharmed & Dangerous Posts: 7,358MI6 Agent
    I started on Casino Royale this morning, having last read it about 4 or 5 years ago.

    chapter One - I love the way it gets you immediately into Bond's world and the story. Fleming packs in a lot of 'tradecraft' about which he was clearly very knowledgeable. More or less the only thing we learn about Bond seems to be how professional he is, and that he has warmth and humour in his eyes - at least when he's awake.
    "How was your lamb?" "Skewered. One sympathises."
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    And his 70th ciggy of the day. :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Charmed & DangerousCharmed & Dangerous Posts: 7,358MI6 Agent
    And his 70th ciggy of the day. :))

    Yeah, that shows real dedication [*][/*]
    "How was your lamb?" "Skewered. One sympathises."
  • PeppermillPeppermill DelftPosts: 2,860MI6 Agent
    It was not the first Bond novel I ever read, but you can clearly feel that this is the first Bond novel ever written. It is shorter than most, Bond is really no more than a vaguely outlined character that doesn’t interact as much with the people around him like he does in later novels. And by later novels I mean from the second novel, Live and Let Die, onwards. I really like the introduction of Leiter and I think it is a real shame that not more of the interaction between Leiter and Bond from the novel is used in the movie of 2006. The movie was one of the longest Bond movies ever so I think they could have spent some more time setting up the starting friendship between Leiter and Bond.

    I will not write my entire review in one post. Ill just write small opinions during July. I plan to do this the coming months as well.
    1. Ohmss 2. Frwl 3. Op 4. Tswlm 5. Tld 6. Ge 7. Yolt 8. Lald 9. Cr 10. Ltk 11. Dn 12. Gf 13. Qos 14. Mr 15. Tmwtgg 16. Fyeo 17. Twine 18. Sf 19. Tb 20 Tnd 21. Spectre 22 Daf 23. Avtak 24. Dad
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    TBH, I too was planing on giving some short thoughts as I went through the book. As I'm not one for long posts. Although it has been said that the books have no sence of humor but M reading the report and having to have a phrase
    Explained to him, I thought was very funny.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • PeppermillPeppermill DelftPosts: 2,860MI6 Agent
    There are no real jokes in it, that is true, but the story and prose can make me smile as well.
    1. Ohmss 2. Frwl 3. Op 4. Tswlm 5. Tld 6. Ge 7. Yolt 8. Lald 9. Cr 10. Ltk 11. Dn 12. Gf 13. Qos 14. Mr 15. Tmwtgg 16. Fyeo 17. Twine 18. Sf 19. Tb 20 Tnd 21. Spectre 22 Daf 23. Avtak 24. Dad
  • mpoplawskimpoplawski New Jersey, USAPosts: 128MI6 Agent
    Sounds great. What is the final date to have finished reading Casino Royale? I guess then we start posting our thoughts?
    Bond: "But who would want to kill me, sir?"
    M: "Jealous husbands, outraged chefs, humiliated tailors . . . the list is endless."
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I hadn't really thought of a time scale. I'd say when you're ready to post something go ahead.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • davidelliott101davidelliott101 Posts: 165MI6 Agent
    Sounds good... I just finished Carte Blanche so I'm up for going back through the books!
  • PeppermillPeppermill DelftPosts: 2,860MI6 Agent
    It is an interesting story but lacks in character development. It may be because the novel is a lot shorter than most Bond novels or because the entire story takes place in and around the casino. But to me it doesn´t have so much of a Bond feel as most stories by Fleming. But again, maybe it is just me. However, I really like the game of baccarat between Le Chiffre and Bond. It is very tense and you almost believe he is going to lose until Felix comes to the rescue. I do however find his sudden love for Vesper a bit unbelievable.
    1. Ohmss 2. Frwl 3. Op 4. Tswlm 5. Tld 6. Ge 7. Yolt 8. Lald 9. Cr 10. Ltk 11. Dn 12. Gf 13. Qos 14. Mr 15. Tmwtgg 16. Fyeo 17. Twine 18. Sf 19. Tb 20 Tnd 21. Spectre 22 Daf 23. Avtak 24. Dad
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    On first seeing the Film of Casino Royale it became by second favourite Bond film, and It packs
    almost all of the Fleming story, with a few action sequences for the thrill of the modern Film
    audiences.
    In the Novel Fleming's opening paragraph beautifully sets the sene and sense of a late night
    casino. The card game between Le Chiffre and Bond is brilliant, I love his discription of a players
    hands being like Crabs scurring out for the cards.
    We even have Bond doing a little Trade craft, checking if anyone has been in his room. The torture
    scene is another very well written piece, and will still make many readers Cringe at it.
    I agree it is a short Novel and so lacks some of the character development of the later novels, as
    Mentioned by Peppermill. Still I haven't read it in Years and found Myself really enjoying it.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • PeppermillPeppermill DelftPosts: 2,860MI6 Agent
    I'm sorry but I have to disagree about CR the movie packing almost all the Fleming story. I think it misses a lot of key scenes from the novel and the scenes it adds have nothing to do with the novel al together. I have never understood why people say that this movie is so close to Fleming.
    1. Ohmss 2. Frwl 3. Op 4. Tswlm 5. Tld 6. Ge 7. Yolt 8. Lald 9. Cr 10. Ltk 11. Dn 12. Gf 13. Qos 14. Mr 15. Tmwtgg 16. Fyeo 17. Twine 18. Sf 19. Tb 20 Tnd 21. Spectre 22 Daf 23. Avtak 24. Dad
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Just my opinion, but I feel they put much more of the novel in the movie, than what was left out. I think they did a great job. Even having the villain have an eyepatch at the end.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,238MI6 Agent
    Peppermill wrote:
    I'm sorry but I have to disagree about CR the movie packing almost all the Fleming story. I think it misses a lot of key scenes from the novel and the scenes it adds have nothing to do with the novel al together. I have never understood why people say that this movie is so close to Fleming.

    It has some of the same stuff, but key moments - such as Vesper being briefed by the Chief of Staff about the kind of man Bond is, and her realisation when he snubs her over dinner, and the revealing chat with Mathis at the end about the nature of good and evil, key moments for me that could easily have made it in but they didn't. The vibe is different too, none of the smoky world weary stuff.
    "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

    Roger Moore 1927-2017
  • welshboy78welshboy78 Posts: 10,292MI6 Agent
    Bugger - will start re-reading tonite.

    Interesting about movie vs book etc. I think it was a good job overall considering they had to modernise it.

    Always wonder what Tarantino's version would of panned out like if he got his way. He revealed it would if been shot as the same era as the book and also filmed in black and white!!!! He also wanted to cast Brosnan which would have been strange to see in this aspect!
    Instagram - bondclothes007
  • Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,238MI6 Agent
    Yeah, I don't know how far he got with the script on that if at all. Black and white? A bit crazy. I imagine it might have had the flavour of Kill Bil Volume 2. Dunno why he was so keen on Brosnan.
    "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

    Roger Moore 1927-2017
  • welshboy78welshboy78 Posts: 10,292MI6 Agent
    I think from the interviews that I have seen etc that Tarantino had it all pretty much drafted and had even gone through it all with Brosnan.

    All bizarre really, I guess by getting Brosnan (current Bond) onside etc Tarantino thought he would actually get the nod.

    I think in the recent Taschen book it mentions Tarantinos version was a proper adaption of the book and confirms he wanted to shoot in black and white
    Instagram - bondclothes007
  • JamesbondjrJamesbondjr Posts: 462MI6 Agent
    Peppermill wrote:
    I'm sorry but I have to disagree about CR the movie packing almost all the Fleming story. I think it misses a lot of key scenes from the novel and the scenes it adds have nothing to do with the novel al together. I have never understood why people say that this movie is so close to Fleming.

    I agree with this.

    I would say that the movie is a very good modernisation of the Fleming story and key themes are shared between novel and screen but the story itself is fundamentally different and the characters are almost unrecognisable from their literary counterparts.
    1- On Her Majesty's Secret Service 2- Casino Royale 3- Licence To Kill 4- Goldeneye 5- From Russia With Love
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