Casino Royale, Dr. No, or Goldfinger?
#1
Posted 17 September 2002 - 12:22 AM
#2
Posted 17 September 2002 - 12:29 AM
#3
Posted 17 September 2002 - 12:49 AM
#4
Posted 17 September 2002 - 01:10 AM
Goldfinger is a gripping book also, and one of the longest (which I like).
#5
Posted 17 September 2002 - 03:14 AM
#6
Posted 17 September 2002 - 05:57 AM
#7
Posted 17 September 2002 - 01:07 PM
Moonraker too me would also be a tough read for the novice Bond reader. In fact it was the first Bond Book I attempted to read, and not being familiar at the time with the literary Bond, I found it hard to deal with the how dated the book seemed. I instead read Licence Renewed first and then the following two Gardners and after I was familiar with the literary Bond I went back and read all of the Flemings and had no problems with anything feeling dated.
I still however would recomend starting with Fleming's novels, if you find it difficult to get into Casino Royale first then I would say start with From Russia, With Love, Thunderball, or On Her Majesty's Secret Service. All of these books are closer to cinematic Bond and should make an easy transistion.
So in other words, try Casino Royale and if you find it difficult don't give up on the books, try another book instead.
#8
Posted 17 September 2002 - 09:17 PM
I'm reading them in order and have just finished Live and Let Die, and I'd definitely recommend starting with Casino Royale and going through them in order. Just between CR and LALD, the character has evolved nicely, I can't wait to read the rest.
#9
Posted 17 September 2002 - 09:28 PM
#10
Posted 17 September 2002 - 10:17 PM
#11
Posted 19 September 2002 - 12:02 AM
So I say, flip a coin. Casino Royale if it's heads. Dr. No if it's tails.
#12
Posted 19 September 2002 - 12:04 AM
#13
Posted 19 September 2002 - 09:25 PM
#14
Posted 24 October 2002 - 05:11 PM
#15
Posted 24 October 2002 - 05:32 PM
Originally posted by Bondpurist
Whatever you do DON'T read YOLT first like I did. It confused the hell out of me - Casino Royale is definately the best book to read first, as it allows you to appreciate the development of Bond and his 'world.'
YIKES! That would confuse anyone. I read You Only Live Twice after two Flemings and four Gardners and it confused me. I didn't have a true appretiation for the book until I re-read it after reading all of the Flemings, Colonel Sun, all the Gardners, and Zero Minus Ten. Now I'd rank it in the top two or three novels where until the re-read it was in the middle to lower part of the pack. You Only Live Twice is not a beginners book.
#16
Posted 31 October 2002 - 03:20 PM
I think then I read Thunderball, followed by John Pearson's 'authorised biography' of 007, which read, to me, very much like Fleming.
By then I'd seen quite a few Bond films (the Roger Moore films were still being made then, shows how old I am!) and in fact Casino Royale I read quite late on.
I didn't know then how much of a fan I would become, and if I could do it again I would probably read them in order. Imagine that! All the Flemings stretching out in front of you, unread....drool.
They're all pretty easy reading, and you can finish most in a day or so. The 'Fleming Sweep,' at work, you see...
#17
Posted 22 November 2002 - 12:11 PM
#18
Posted 28 November 2002 - 04:41 PM
Neil
#19
Posted 28 November 2002 - 05:02 PM
#20
Posted 28 November 2002 - 05:40 PM
So how about it?
#21
Posted 28 November 2002 - 05:46 PM
Bond will go from being Commander to Captain
...jeez, when did that happen? He's not in the navy any more? Is he? I am so out of the loop...!!
#22
Posted 28 November 2002 - 05:56 PM
#23
Posted 07 December 2002 - 11:00 PM
I have started to read Zero Minus Ten, and it seems to be a good read.