Observer / Guardian Top 1000
chrisno1
LondonPosts: 3,271MI6 Agent
Interesting to see 3 Bond novels in the Observer / Guardian "1000 Novels You Must Read" series (Part 2: Crime).
They chose CR, GF and YOLT. I was a little disappointed that GF got the nod ahead of what I consider a Cold War classic FRWL, and I think that was more of a nod to the influence of the films.
I cant find the comments on the web (ok, I'm not trying very hard) but I've typed them out here for you all to read and comment on. It doesn't say who wrote the review, just has a long list of contributors at the end.
They chose CR, GF and YOLT. I was a little disappointed that GF got the nod ahead of what I consider a Cold War classic FRWL, and I think that was more of a nod to the influence of the films.
I cant find the comments on the web (ok, I'm not trying very hard) but I've typed them out here for you all to read and comment on. It doesn't say who wrote the review, just has a long list of contributors at the end.
Comments
1953
No, "My, James, you are a cunning linguist" style gags here. Fleming's first Bond novel is matter-of-fact to the point of chilliness. We meet Bond at the roulette wheel, where he is simultaneously topping up his winnings of several million francs and keeping an eye on Le Chiffre, the grossly fat fifth columnist who is gambling for his trade union's future. To modern eyes, Bond's humourlessness and casual sexism towards his number two, Vesper Lynd, may seem unpalatable - not to mention his 70-a-day habit - but his action-packed face-off with Le Chiffre over the baccarat table is still thrilling.
1959
James Bond is charged by both the Bank of England and MI5 to discover what Auric Goldfinger, the richest man in the country, is up to, and the nature of his connection to the evil SMERSH organisation. A cheat at cards and a crook on a massive scale, Goldfinger is the archetypal Bond villian, and his plans for the greatest gold robbery in history are as grandiose as he is brutal. The seventh Fleming Bond novel, despite lukewarm initial reviews, beat Dr Zhivago to the top of the bestseller lists and became one of the iconic Connery 007 movies.
1964
One of Bond's most absurd, and correspondingly enjoyable, literay adventures sees the agent in Japan on a mission "improbable of success". Fleming's playful imagination is given full reign as Bond takes on the sadistic Blofeld by breaking into a castle on an island protected by lethally poisonous plants and reptiles. There's a girl called Kissy Suzuki! And a volcano! But there's also a dark streak that's missing from the films, and an intriguingly ambiguous conclusion. Proof that Fleming is a fine writer as well a peerless entertainer.