21 replies to this topic

[Qwerty]

This thread is intended for reviews and ratings of You Only Live Twice by members of the The Blades Library Book Club here. Be sure to add your review if you do vote in the poll!

Please do not reply directly to reviews in this thread, rather start a new thread to ask questions or post comments about reviews.

The Blades Library Book Club will be reading You Only Live Twice from:
15 December 2005 - 15 February 2006

[Gri007]

I had read this book about two years ago. And enjoyed it.

To me it was a great sequel to OHMSS. Again we see a realistic character who suffers from a broken haert and suffers from amnesia.

The firts half of the book is what was seen in Die Another Day. Bond losing his zest of life.

This is true as there is a picture of Purvise and Wade whilst working on the DAD script with the Yolt book in hand.

The garden of death IMo is what gives the book it's darker edge.

[Byron]

I gave it 3 stars although 3 1/2 was more appropriate.

It was good but i really can't see why some people rave on about it so much. The Japan setting would have been exotic to readers when the book was first published but not so much today.

Henderson was a bit of a caricature but Tiger was more interesting and well written. Garden of Death and the climax were also quite good but overall i was hoping for more and came away just a little disappointed.

[Flash1087]

I'm with Byron. Re-read it not too long ago...didn't get the hubbub then, and even after the hindsight of reading all of Fleming's Bond entries (minus Bond in New York) I still think it's a touch overrated.

Yes, it's got some very touching moments with Kissy. She's one of the more interesting Bond girls (in part for her love of David Niven) and a lot of the scenes with Bond living the quiet village life with her serve as a heartfelt counterpoint to Bond's typically high-class lifestyle.

I thought Henderson was hilarious, kind of a disgruntled Australian Leiter, and I wish he would've gone to Shatterhand's island with Bond. Tiger, on the other hand...well, I thought he was more enjoyable the first time we met him, back when everyone called him Darko Kerim.

It's a very well-written novel, as far as descriptions go. Fleming's accounts of Japanese architechure, culture, and landscape are top-notch.

So what don't I like about it? Honestly, it's the way the plot is set up. THAR BE MASSIVE SPOILERS HERE, MATEY! GARRRR!

"Hey James, we noticed you've been kinda sad lately about your dead wife. Tough luck, that. So we got you a new, safe, diplomatic assignment. Hey, what are the odds, you can keep your old number! Alright, off to Japan it is. This is Tiger, he's a nice fella. But he also belives in quid pro quo. And if you want that new cypher thing, by golly you'll have to do something to help him too. There's a creepy Swiss doctor named Shatterhand whose garden keeps making young Japanese people want to kill themselves. Can you kill him for us? What'd you say? Shatterhand is secretly YOUR ARCH-NEMESIS AND KILLER OF YOUR WIFE, FORMER SPECTRE LEADER ERNST STAVRO BLOFELD?! Boy, what are the chances of THAT?! Quick, we'll disguise you as a deaf and dumb Japanese miner. Now go kill him."

Sorry. I know that was long-winded and perhaps a bit unfair, but amazing coincidences do not an amazing novel make. Honestly, it made Bond's revenge for Tracy feel kind of hollow to me, because if he had not been assigned to Tiger's care at the EXACT MOMENT that he was, he may never have killed Blofeld. At least in the film for DAF, Bond was looking for him. Barring that, it's a decent enough novel...the problem being that so much of the novel is built on a series of happy occurances cheapens it for me. I've heard talk that this was meant, for a time, to be the last Bond novel, with Fleming leaving Bond's fate rather ambiguous. I would've been rather unhappy with that; it's not the greatest note to end a novel series on and I'm glad TMWTGG came along to at least tell us what happened.

So YOLT gets 3 from me. It's not Moonraker or Casino Royale, but it's better than The Spy Who Loved Me.

Edited by Flash1087, 20 January 2006 - 08:06 AM.

[Harmsway]

I believe YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE to be Ian Fleming's masterpiece. What is great about YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE is how unique and refreshing it is. Fleming certainly liked to experiment, as he did with THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, but here it's quite successful. Rather than just being a spy thriller or entertaining read (like OHMSS was before it), YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE is largely character driven.

There's not a whole lot of incredible excitement here to be found in plot events. This story isn't really about the villain/hero conflict, as it has been in so many other Bond books before - it's about James Bond himself. That's a refreshing focus, and instead of a plot-driven novel, Fleming gives us a character-driven one. YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE gives the most unique and shocking portrayal of James Bond: James Bond as a broken man.

The final coda with Bond and Kissy together is perhaps the best segment of any Bond novel, ever. It's utterly heartbreaking and astounding that such a finale was written. It's unfortunate that Fleming didn't end the series here and instead went on to write the lackluster and somewhat conventional TMWTGG, because this ambiguous ending adds a tragedy to the character that fits all too well.

***** out of *****

[007_fclmdb]

Well, just finished reading it. It was an interesting experience. I think this is the best descriptive nivel by Fleming, I really got the feel of Japan. It all fitted nicely besides Blofeld's plan, which seemed a bit naive after Thunderball or OHMSS. Another thing that I enjoyed yet was annoyed by was Bond's ninja assualt. It was very...un-Bondish. The good side about it was the tension-great build-up by Mr Fleming.

The ending didn't affact me that much, it seemed right.(poor Bond did get alot of head beating). I liked the obituary and the final chapter. I think that Fleming's idea of sending Bond to Russia was a great idea, and I'm a big fan of TMWTGG.

4 out of 5. It wasn't boring, just a bit un-belivable.

[Qwerty]

Always an enjoyable read, and I believe You Only Live Twice may have been the very first James Bond novel that I ever read all the way through. Not the best book to start with, mind you, but exciting and intriguing nonetheless.

Ian Fleming is in great form here, this book works magnificently with the preceding On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. The plotting is handled quite well, all leading up to something other than what it initially seems to be. The travelogue and characters (especially James Bond here - just read the book for yourself, and you'll understand what I mean) are also outstanding. Highly, highly recommended to all James Bond fans.

(Really 4 1/2)

[Qwerty]

Keep the reviews coming!

[cmburns]

I like this YOLT quite a bit. It obviously is quite different from the others, which in itself is neither good or bad. I agree with some of the earlier posts that the coincidence of Bond being in the right place at the right time to get Blofeld is a bit much. However, I think that Fleming made it that way intentionally. I say this because of the jabs he took at himself/the Bond series in M's obit of Bond.

I like Kissy but I am surprised that she would be allowed to intentionally deceive Bond during his amnesia. Much of the novel centers around the Japanese culture doing things honorably. To lie to a man who has performed a great service is hardly honorable. True that Kissy does things her own way but her parents, the doctor and the village elder let this go on.

Bearing that in mind, I found it a good and quick read both times that I read it.

[Bon-san]

Recently finished a re-read of this baby, and was completely captivated. I was particularly impressed by how efficiently Fleming immerses the reader into Japan and it's culture. This is a fairly short novel, and as such it is quite impressive that there is no "adjustment" period, wherein the reader is getting used to this new place. We're just there, and it feels exotic and exciting and authentically so.

The story itself unfolds at a leisurely pace, which works in the context of this book. There are few, if any, slam-bang moments up until the climax. But things never get boring, thanks to the marvellous rendering of Dikko, Tiger and Kissy. Bond's interactions with Dikko and Tiger are endlessly rewarding, surpassing any of the Bond/Leiter exchanges from previous novels (sorry Felix!). And once Bond enters the Ama community, the reader feels (even when Bond doesn't) an inexorable draw toward Kissy. She is a wonderful Fleming creation. Beautiful and headstrong, like many of her predecessors, but lacking that touch of neurosis that Fleming so often injected into his female leads. Kissy seems to be very much at peace. The only thing she's missing is a good man. I was really rooting for her to keep "Taro" on that island for herself forever!

All the bits centering around Shatterhand's garden are macabre and fascinating. The first time I read this book, as a teen, I was haunted by it for some time afterwards. The exchanges with Blofeld in the Question Room, the sword fight, the strangulation, the baloon, the amnesia, it was all so horrible. And the melancholy denouement is a long, drawn-out affair. Where the ending of OHMSS hit you right between the eyes when you were looking the other way, YOLT approaches you slowly, with a sad smile, and there is so much pain everywhere that you don't feel the knife go in.

I would stop short of calling this "Fleming's masterpiece". Not that I don't think it's wonderful, because I do. IMO, it ranks alongside CR, FRWL and OHMSS as the best of Ian Fleming's James Bond. It is different than the Fleming we've read before. More mature, more beautiful, more reflective. But better? For some, perhaps. For others, perhaps not. For me, it is one great James Bond book.

I give it five stars out of five.

[Loomis]

....the marvellous rendering of Dikko, Tiger and Kissy. Bond's interactions with Dikko and Tiger are endlessly rewarding, surpassing any of the Bond/Leiter exchanges from previous novels (sorry Felix!).

Yes, one reason why YOLT works so well is that it has such a splendid supporting cast, all of whom seem so real (by way of contrast, I'm currently re-reading "Diamonds Are Forever" - not usually considered one of Fleming's best, admittedly, and never a real favourite of mine, but I'm planning on re-reading all of the books in order prior to the release of CASINO ROYALE - and find the characters fairly thin and unmemorable). It's done quite cleverly, too - towards the end, there's a throwaway kind of line about Dikko turning up at the island to look for Bond and being "the most persistent of the lot" (or words to that effect), and it makes you nod sorrowfully and think, yes, I bet he was persistent. Because he cared, and somehow we already knew it. But that's all Fleming says on the matter; he doesn't, thank goodness, overstate it - there's no "The angry Australian tore around the island for days on end, refusing to take no for an answer and turning the air blue with not-so-veiled threats to bring the full weight of the investigative powers of Japan and her allies down upon this sleepy backwater....". Funny how Dikko and Tiger seem to be Leiter and M replacements who are somehow - to quote U2 - even better than the real thing.

YOLT approaches you slowly, with a sad smile, and there is so much pain everywhere that you don't feel the knife go in.

Brilliantly put. That's exactly how it is.

[spynovelfan]

And the melancholy denouement is a long, drawn-out affair. Where the ending of OHMSS hit you right between the eyes when you were looking the other way, YOLT approaches you slowly, with a sad smile, and there is so much pain everywhere that you don't feel the knife go in.

Great post, Bon-san, and I particularly liked this observation. Very astute.

Loomis, I'd never thought of that re Dikko travelling to find Bond, but you're absolutely right - it is underplayed, and just right.

[Bon-san]

Thanks Loomis and snf.

I, too agree with Loomis' point in regards to the wonderfully subtle way Fleming inserted that bit about Dikko persistently searching for Bond. Fleming's Bond novels are rich with those understated but powerful bits.

[B007GLE]

I gave this a 4 but it is really a 4.5.

I do not think this is Fleming's best Bond novel but it may be his best novel nonetheless.

What I am saying is there are better "Bond Novel", you know exciting larger than life thrillers, but this is an excellent novel about death. About a man whose wife dies and he finds himself obsessing with death all the way up untilt he moment he looks it in the face and now lives a second time.

It could have been about a man whose wife dies in a car accident.

The second half is great Bond stuff reminding me very much of Dr. No with it's Fu Manchu like villain and it's naked girl who loves shells but the first half is not a spy novel at all, and yet it is soaked with death.

I first read this at the age of around 25 and I could not appreciate it, I kept wanting Bond to get to that damn castle. Now at 42 I can really understand it, relate to it and enjoy it as a wonderful work of literature and not just a thriller.

[manfromjapan]

Whilst I greatly enjoyed YOLT, and found it haunting, memorable and pleasingly bizarre, I have to admit I believe it to be a little over-rated. So far (I am reading the books in sequence), it is the fifth best book, after FRWL, OHMSS, CR and DN. Mmm. 4 stars. Why not five stars? Too many coincidences, I thought Blofeld and Bunt came across unconvincingly, and whilst I enjoyed the Garden of Death, I didn't really buy it. As a 7 year resident of Japan, I can't believe a man of the world like 007 wouldn't get more insight into the country than he appears to have. Still, Kissy, Tiger and Dikko all come across vividly, the final chapter is memorably sad, and whilst lacking the sweep of other novels, it is a thrilling read, and quite unique in the canon.

[Bond Maniac]

Ah...how to begin reviewing this amazing book?
You Only Live Twice is one of Fleming

[bond_girl_double07]

It's a very odd book though.. I did really enjoy it, but there's something very surreal about this novel. That "out-of-place" feeling sets up the last scene very well, but there was something about it that was just very very different from the other Bond novels.. still liked it though

[Bwanito]

[00Twelve]

Just finished re-reading this one...and it really is a wonderfully character-driven piece. This is such a surprisingly introspective novel...exactly what seems appropriate after the shocking finale of OHMSS. It wasn't until the end that I noticed how little "action" occurred in this story, and, again, I thought it quite appropriate. This is about Bond's trauma and recovery. It's about facing the pain of death. It's about self-examination. Fortunately, after all of this, Bond gets an unexpected opportunity for vindication. It's at this point that Bond returns to his professional best. And still, I found myself wanting him to settle with Kissy on Ama. Part of me actually wanted him to remain an amnesiac and finally live in peace. However, this is still the perpetual civil servant known as James Bond, and, inevitably, "James Bond will return." I enjoyed the ending, and while I wish I could have seen him be a father, I was excited and compelled by the ambiguous prospect of traveling to Russia to find his origins. If only EON had the courage to do a character-driven piece such as this.

As a tag, I really loved Tiger and their relationship, even moreso than the same with Kerim. I also loved Dikko, truly a worthy Australian adaption of (or improvement upon?) Leiter.

[CardSenseJimmyBond]

Five stars.

It's one of my favorite Bond books. Great setting, great characters, and the fantastic finale is unforgettable.

[Qwerty]

Five stars.

It's one of my favorite Bond books. Great setting, great characters, and the fantastic finale is unforgettable.

Welcome to the CBn Forums, CardSenseJimmyBond.

[British Chap]

I thought it was pretty darn good. Many people have reviewed it better than I can so I will just say the revenge aspect was played out brilliantly!

4/5 stars.