What's you're list of favorite Bond novels in order?

Ask Dr NoAsk Dr No look behind you...Posts: 111MI6 Agent
edited January 2010 in James Bond Literature
I was thinking yesterday while reading, "what is my favorite Bond novel?" Since I haven't read them all yet, I put a list together in my head about the ones so far, of course using only Fleming's novels. This is mine...

OHMSS - I just love all the spy work and all the action through it. I loved that book soooo much!
Thunderball - Bond and Leiter looking for atomic weapons in the Bahamas in a time limit! How could it be a bad novel?!
Goldfinger - One of my favorite Bond movies is one of my favorite Bond novels. The characters and story was marvelous!
TMWTGG - The ending in the train was terrific and the plots of Scaramanga were different and awsome!
Dr No - One of my favorite villians with a tropic hidout against the worlds coolest spy with the hottest co-star, hows that bad!
YOLT - I loved the end! It was awsome but the middle was a bit slow and the end part where he loses his memory is awkward and strange.
CR - Great flow, villian and plot. Great book.
DMC - Good book but felt like it was missing something. I liked the boat fight with Gorner the best.
Short Stories - Everyone knows that the short stories aren't as good as the novels.

I can't really put LALD in the list because it's only half read.
What is your list like?
"Oh look! Parachutes for the both of us! Whoops, not anymore!"
"You see Mr Bond. You can't kill my dreams. But my dreams can kill you!"
"Time to face destiny."
-Gaustav Graves in Die Another Day-

Comments

  • VeronaVerona Posts: 54MI6 Agent
    I've only read 50 pages of "Live and Let Die" so far and I can only say it doesn't flow as well as "Casino Royale".
  • Ask Dr NoAsk Dr No look behind you...Posts: 111MI6 Agent
    Verona wrote:
    I've only read 50 pages of "Live and Let Die" so far and I can only say it doesn't flow as well as "Casino Royale".
    I haven't read LALD yet but do admit that CR has a nice flow to it. I feel Thunderball had that sort of flow too.
    "Oh look! Parachutes for the both of us! Whoops, not anymore!"
    "You see Mr Bond. You can't kill my dreams. But my dreams can kill you!"
    "Time to face destiny."
    -Gaustav Graves in Die Another Day-
  • Krassno GranitskiKrassno Granitski USAPosts: 896MI6 Agent
    I am currently in the process of reading them (again) about to begin DAF, heres how I would rate them just with the first 3 and OHMSS which always seems to remain at #1 for both films and novels.

    1st - On Her Majesty's Secret Service 1963
    2nd - Casino Royale 1953
    3rd - Live and Let Die 1954
    4th - Moonraker 1955




    1. Casino Royale 1953
    2. Live and Let Die 1954
    3. Moonraker 1955
    4. Diamonds Are Forever 1956
    5. From Russia with Love 1957
    6. Dr. No 1958
    7. Goldfinger 1959
    8. For Your Eyes Only 1960
    9. Thunderball 1961
    10. The Spy Who Loved Me 1962
    11. On Her Majesty's Secret Service 1963
    12. You Only Live Twice 1964
    13. The Man with the Golden Gun 1965
    14. Octopussy and The Living Daylights 1966
    J1 Visa
  • 00-Agent00-Agent CaliforniaPosts: 453MI6 Agent
    This was much tougher than coming up with a film list. The first three novels on my list: MR, CR, and OHMSS are really kind of a tie, all three are great.

    1. Moonraker 1955
    2. Casino Royale 1953
    3. On Her Majesty's Secret Service 1963
    4. From Russia with Love 1957
    5. Live and Let Die 1954
    6. Goldfinger 1959
    7. Thunderball 1961
    8. Diamonds Are Forever 1956
    9. Dr. No 1958
    10. You Only Live Twice 1964
    11. The Man with the Golden Gun 1965
    12. For Your Eyes Only 1960
    13. The Spy Who Loved Me 1962
    14. Octopussy and The Living Daylights 1966
    "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
  • Ask Dr NoAsk Dr No look behind you...Posts: 111MI6 Agent
    00-Agent wrote:
    This was much tougher than coming up with a film list. The first three novels on my list: MR, CR, and OHMSS are really kind of a tie, all three are great.
    I know someone who also thinks MR is the best novel.
    "Oh look! Parachutes for the both of us! Whoops, not anymore!"
    "You see Mr Bond. You can't kill my dreams. But my dreams can kill you!"
    "Time to face destiny."
    -Gaustav Graves in Die Another Day-
  • Krassno GranitskiKrassno Granitski USAPosts: 896MI6 Agent
    Finished DAF, good read this time, Wint and Kid worked for me, and the Vegas part flew by as well, really enjoyed the Bond and Tiffany relationship.

    1st - On Her Majesty's Secret Service 1963
    2nd - Casino Royale 1953
    3rd - Live and Let Die 1954
    4th - Diamonds Are Forever 1956
    5th - Moonraker 1955





    1. Casino Royale 1953
    2. Live and Let Die 1954
    3. Moonraker 1955
    4. Diamonds Are Forever 1956
    5. From Russia with Love 1957
    6. Dr. No 1958
    7. Goldfinger 1959
    8. For Your Eyes Only 1960
    9. Thunderball 1961
    10. The Spy Who Loved Me 1962
    11. On Her Majesty's Secret Service 1963
    12. You Only Live Twice 1964
    13. The Man with the Golden Gun 1965
    14. Octopussy and The Living Daylights 1966
    J1 Visa
  • 00-Agent00-Agent CaliforniaPosts: 453MI6 Agent
    Ask Dr No wrote:
    00-Agent wrote:
    This was much tougher than coming up with a film list. The first three novels on my list: MR, CR, and OHMSS are really kind of a tie, all three are great.
    I know someone who also thinks MR is the best novel.

    Great minds think a like. ;)
    "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
  • Ask Dr NoAsk Dr No look behind you...Posts: 111MI6 Agent
    I can't remember where I read it, but one of the producers (I think) also said that OHMSS was their favorite Bond novel. Like me. :)
    "Oh look! Parachutes for the both of us! Whoops, not anymore!"
    "You see Mr Bond. You can't kill my dreams. But my dreams can kill you!"
    "Time to face destiny."
    -Gaustav Graves in Die Another Day-
  • DavidJonesDavidJones BermondseyPosts: 261MI6 Agent
    Why aren't the Gardner/Benson books allowed on the list? :s
  • ghost1ghost1 Posts: 82MI6 Agent
    No one said it hasn't they're just doing the Fleming ones. I'm sure you're welcome to do other authors.
  • highhopeshighhopes Posts: 1,358MI6 Agent
    edited January 2010
    That's easy. These three taken together:

    1) On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    2) You Only Live Twice
    3) The Man with the Golden Gun

    I might add Thunderball in there but only because it's part of the so-called "Bloefeld Trilogy," but it's not really necessary to the story arc. The above three, in the order they were written, are terrific and come as close to literature as pulp novels get. So much so that I would love to see them refilmed faithfully (I could live with a little updating, if period pieces are out of the question), one after the other, with a single Bond actor. I just think the story arc is the perfect mix of character and action. I've always loved Bond's courtship and marriage to Tracy, the Garden of Death, Bond's assassination attempt on M, and final mission against a professional killer. Just great scenes. The trouble with the films is that OHMSS suffered from a weak actor and a lot of late '60s mod fashions, and the other two films just ignored the novels altogether.
  • Ask Dr NoAsk Dr No look behind you...Posts: 111MI6 Agent
    You can use any Bond books. I used Devil May Care. I was just doing the one I've read so far. And so far it' only the Fleming books and Devil May Care.
    "Oh look! Parachutes for the both of us! Whoops, not anymore!"
    "You see Mr Bond. You can't kill my dreams. But my dreams can kill you!"
    "Time to face destiny."
    -Gaustav Graves in Die Another Day-
  • Golrush007Golrush007 South AfricaPosts: 3,421Quartermasters
    From Russia With Love
    Casino Royale
    On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    Moonraker
    Dr. No
    You Only Live Twice
    Live And Let Die
    Goldfinger
    Thunderball
    Octopussy and The Living Daylights
    The Spy Who Loved Me
    Diamonds Are Forever
    For Your Eyes Only
    The Man With The Golden Gun
  • DavidJonesDavidJones BermondseyPosts: 261MI6 Agent
    From the ones I've read so far:

    Role of Honour
    Goldfinger
    High Time to Kill
    Nobody Lives Forever
    Licence Renewed
    Casino Royale
    Doubleshot
    Icebreaker
    Never Dream of Dying
    Devil May Care
    For Special Services
  • CuishCuish Posts: 15MI6 Agent
    1. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    2. Moonraker
    3. From Russia with Love
    4. Live and Let Die
    5. Diamonds are Forever
    6. Goldfinger
    7. For Your Eyes Only
    8. Casino Royale
    9. Thunderball
    10. Dr. No
    11. You Only Live Twice
    12. The Man with the Golden Gun
    13. The Spy Who Loved Me
    14. Octopussy & The Living Daylights
    My quizzes
  • chrisno1chrisno1 LondonPosts: 3,309MI6 Agent
    Ask Dr No wrote:
    YOLT - I loved the end! It was awsome but the middle was a bit slow and the end part where he loses his memory is awkward and strange.
    DMC - Good book but felt like it was missing something. I liked the boat fight with Gorner the best.
    Short Stories - Everyone knows that the short stories aren't as good as the novels.

    What is your list like?

    re: YOLT, the middle section is very important to Bond's acclimitation to Japan and his rehabilitaion of his own "self". The memory loss is beautifully described and fits in very well with Kissy's desires to have Taro Todoroki (not Bond) to herself, which is why she prays to the six guardians. It's one of Fleming's major achievements as a writer and finds Bond at the end of the novel in a better place than at the start. As with all Fleming, life turns bitter and turns on a single word. Marvellous.

    re: DMC you know my opinions on that, you posted on my 50 right or wrongs. I hope you have now read all the novels and see exactly where I am coming from. It isn't an "original" novel, so much as a compilation of bits and bobs. Plus Faulks is a better writer than the product he's presented here.

    re: I think the suggestion the short stories are not as good as the novels is a bit blase. Follow my reviews to get the low down on FYEO, which has moments in it better than some of the novels. IMO the short story is a very under rated writing form. Fleming is following a great literary tradition (Somerset Maughan, Saki, Kipling, Hemingway) His attempts, while faltering, are interesting and IMO are good examples of short story fiction. I prefer FYEO to some of the novels.

    For what it's worth:

    1. FRWL
    2. DN
    3. YOLT
    4. OHMSS
    5. CR
    6. LALD
    7. GF
    8. DAF
    9. FYEO
    10. MR
    11. TB
    12. TMWTGG
    13. OP
    14. TSWLM

    Devil May Care might sit after TMWTGG and CS after FYEO.
  • DEFIANT 74205DEFIANT 74205 Perth, AustraliaPosts: 1,881MI6 Agent
    I don't think I could list all 14 in order, but my top five are:

    1. Moonraker
    2. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    3. Goldfinger
    4. From Russia With Love
    5. Thunderball

    The Spy Who Loved Me was probably my least favourite of the lot, but that's not to say that it's bad - I still enjoyed reading a Bond novel from an entirely different perpsective.
    "Watch the birdie, you bastard!"
  • Ask Dr NoAsk Dr No look behind you...Posts: 111MI6 Agent
    edited February 2010
    Ok, now that I have read a little more, I shall put them in order.
    1. On Her Majesties Secret Service
    2. Live and Let Die
    3. Thunderball
    4. Goldfinger
    5. The Man with the Golden Gun
    6. Dr No
    7. You Only Live Twice
    8. Casino Royale
    9. Devil may Care
    10. Hildebrand Rarity
    11. Octopussy and the Living Daylights
    12. Quantum of Solace (short story)

    Of course they are all pretty close together. (Most of them...)
    "Oh look! Parachutes for the both of us! Whoops, not anymore!"
    "You see Mr Bond. You can't kill my dreams. But my dreams can kill you!"
    "Time to face destiny."
    -Gaustav Graves in Die Another Day-
  • Krassno GranitskiKrassno Granitski USAPosts: 896MI6 Agent
    1st - From Russia with Love 1957
    2nd - Casino Royale 1953
    3rd - Live and Let Die 1954
    4th - Diamonds Are Forever 1956
    5th - Moonraker 1955




    1. Casino Royale 1953
    2. Live and Let Die 1954
    3. Moonraker 1955
    4. Diamonds Are Forever 1956
    5. From Russia with Love 1957
    6. Dr. No 1958
    7. Goldfinger 1959
    8. For Your Eyes Only 1960
    9. Thunderball 1961
    10. The Spy Who Loved Me 1962
    11. On Her Majesty's Secret Service 1963
    12. You Only Live Twice 1964
    13. The Man with the Golden Gun 1965
    14. Octopussy and The Living Daylights 1966
    J1 Visa
  • j.bladesj.blades Currently? You must be joking?Posts: 530MI6 Agent
    this was very challanging, for all of these books are held close to my heart, and i enjoyed every single one thouroughly and thats why i'm currently re-reading them all in chronological order. heres my much laboured over list; top 7 are bolded.

    1. OHMSS :007) -{ ;)
    2. FRWL :007) -{
    3. DN :007)
    4. YOLT
    5. CR
    6. LALD
    7. TB
    8. GF
    9. MR
    10. FYEO
    11. TMWTGG
    12. OP
    13. TSWLM
    14. DAF
    "I take a ridiculous pleasure in what I eat and drink."

    ~ Casino Royale, Ian Fleming
  • hegottheboothegottheboot USAPosts: 327MI6 Agent
    This is impossible! Forcing myself, this is the list I came up with:
    1.LALD
    2.Goldfinger
    3.OHMSS
    4.FRWL
    5.Dr. No
    6.Moonraker
    7.Casino Royale
    8.Thunderball
    9.DAF
    10.TSWLM
    11.YOLT
    12.FYEO
    13.TMWTGG
    14.Octopussy/TLD
    For Continuation novels:
    1.The Facts of Death
    High Time to Kill
    Never Dream of Dying
    Doubleshot
    Zero Minus Ten
    For Special Services
    Role of Honor
    Licence Renewed
    The Man With the Red Tattoo
    Colonel Sun
    Devil May Care
    Icebreaker
    Brokenclaw
    No Deals, Mr. Bond
    SeaFire
    Never Send Flowers
    Scorpius
    Win, Lose, or Die
    Death is Forever
    The Man From Barbarossa
    Coldfall
    Novelizations:
    1.TSWLM-good read.
    2.LTK
    3.GE
    4.DAD
    5.TND
    6.TWINE
    7.MR
  • Krassno GranitskiKrassno Granitski USAPosts: 896MI6 Agent
    1st - From Russia with Love 1957
    2nd - Casino Royale 1953
    3rd - Live and Let Die 1954
    4th - Dr. No 1958
    5th - Diamonds Are Forever 1956
    6th - Moonraker 1955



    1. Casino Royale 1953
    2. Live and Let Die 1954
    3. Moonraker 1955
    4. Diamonds Are Forever 1956
    5. From Russia with Love 1957
    6. Dr. No 1958
    7. Goldfinger 1959
    8. For Your Eyes Only 1960
    9. Thunderball 1961
    10. The Spy Who Loved Me 1962
    11. On Her Majesty's Secret Service 1963
    12. You Only Live Twice 1964
    13. The Man with the Golden Gun 1965
    14. Octopussy and The Living Daylights 1966
    J1 Visa
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