26 replies to this topic

[Righty007]

I recently read my first Bond novel by Ian Fleming. It was Dr. No, because at the store I only had a choice of Dr. No and Goldfinger. So, anyway, I didn't really like Dr. No and I'm not sure which one I should read next. So I want to know which Fleming novel you guy's think is the best.

[Roebuck]

Ironically, Dr. No!
I'm not saying it's his best book, just my personal favourite and the one I've read most often. It was also the first one I read so that might explain some of my fondness for it.

[Simon]

OHMSS - any problems with Fleming, you've seen the film, this will ease you into Fleming.

[freemo]

Dr No was the first book I read too, and it's still one of my favorites.

You Only Live Twice, From Russia With Love, Dr No and The Man with the Golden Gun are my four favorite novels. YOLT and FRWL seem to rate highly on most peoples lists if you're looking for an indication of popularity amoung fans, TMWTGG not quite as highly.

[Johnson Galore]

LALD is great. Nasty villain, scenes that have been used all over the Bond films. Bond is cold, cold, cold.
Actually, I thought Dr No was quite good. Maybe you just need to keep trying and see if you can get into Fleming's style. Put the movies out of your mind.

[Mister Asterix]

You Only Live Twice and From Russia, With Love are the two that I think are best. One day one is on top, the next the other. Casino Royale is close behind.

[Mister Asterix]

I should add that I would not recomend You Only Live Twice to the novice Bond reader. Most novices just wouldn’t get it. Hold that one until after you’ve read at least half of the Fleming novels.

[rafterman]

I love You Only Live Twice, but it isn't a starter Bond novel, try for Casino Royale, it's good and it's the first one...

[Blue Eyes]

For the novice reader I always recommend Fleming's From Russia, With Love simply because it's so similair to the film that fans can find it easier to read. It's also the first Fleming I managed to get through.

[Simon]

FRWL? Really?

Do you not think the average Bond fan would be put off by the fact that Bond doesn't appear until half way through. I think I remember feeling pretty impatient for Bond's appearance.

Just a thought.

[Blue Eyes]

It's interesting you say that Simon. That may dissuade some fans. However, I myself didn't really notice as Fleming worked the beginning plot brilliantly, setting up the whole affair, and from the film I more-or-less knew when to expect Bond, so it didn't seem that big a wait.

[Simon]

Hmm Ok, was it your first book though?

The chap above, Righty007, said he didn't like Dr No. I can't imagine his reasons for disagreeing with that one but since he did, I am just wondering if Russia may be a long haul which would fairly well seal his fate regarding an appreciation of Fleming.

Just trying to see it through his eyes etc etc.

Cheers.

[Mister Asterix]

Originally posted by Simon
FRWL?  Really?

Do you not think the average Bond fan would be put off by the fact that Bond doesn't appear until half way through.  I think I remember feeling pretty impatient for Bond's appearance.

Just a thought.

It didn’t phase me one bit. The fleshing out of Red Grant in the early chapters is perhaps some of Fleming’s best work. And to this day Red Grant is my favourite literary hench because of it.

[kevrichardson]

On Her majesty's Secret Service is for me the best of Fleming. He continues his SPECTRE saga . Blofeld becomes a more drawn out villian . In the process of fall in Love , Bond becomes less of a superman and more human.

[Coop]

Just as OHMSS is my fave film, so is the book my fave...er...book. It's been a few years since I read it, but as it's the 50th anniversary, I'm re-reading each of Fleming's 12 novels, one a month. I'm on Moonraker at the moment and should reach OHMSS by October. One thing that's struck me is how wonderfully Fleming uses language at times. I used to be unconvinced by Anthony Burgess's essay on Bond, where he asserts that Bond is great literature, but now I'm starting to come around to to the idea. I began reading Fleming in my early teens, when I was just interested in the stories. Now I can appreciate his artistry as a prose writer. I've just finished Live And Let Die and his description of marine life in the bait warehouse and in the sea made me smile with pleasure.

But I'm digressing. OHMSS is the best, because Bond is human, the plot is still relevant (remember foot and mouth), the setting is wonderful and the details and characterisation are much higher than you'd expect from a thriller. And the ending gets me every time.

[freemo]

[quote]It didn

[Dr Noah]

OHMSS, Live And Let Die or Moonraker.

[Thunderbird]

The Best...I can't say. My favourite, I can't say either. They all mean so much in so many different ways.

Sorry....

[General Koskov]

YOLT is my favourite, but Moonraker would make an exciting first read (especially if you like bridge--which I don't!).

Of course, you must read TB, OHMSS, YOLT, and TMWTGG in that order.

[SirMiles83]

1) Casino Royale
2) Thunderball/Goldfinger/Moonraker/From Russia With Love
3) You Only Live Twice
--haven't read LALD yet... just been able to snatch a copy up.

[Blue Eyes]

Hmm Ok, was it your first book though?

Yes and no. I tried to read CR and failed the first time, a while later I picked up FRWL and read it. I then was able to get through CR after that.

[Dr Noah]

I think on reflection, if he didn't like Dr No he probably isn't going to like the others, as it's a fairly typical example of Fleming's work (not his best, but representative of his style).

[Fraternal]

1. Moonraker
2. From Russia With Love
3. Live and Let Die / You Only Live Twice

[Simon]

Originally posted by Dr Noah
I think on reflection, if he didn't like Dr No he probably isn't going to like the others, as it's a fairly typical example of Fleming's work (not his best, but representative of his style).

Yeah, that's kinda where I was going with my thoughts. Certainly not a slant against the quality of the book or the abilities of the reader in question.

[Killmaster]

The first "grown-up" book I ever read was "Thunderball" shortly after it was first released in paperback in the US in the 60's. (My Uncle let me read it... my mother was horrified... I was hooked!) "Thunderball will always remain my personal favorite, but I feel that Fleming's writing peaked with "On Her Majesty's Secret Service", an excellent adventure with the best Bond girl ever created and some of the most exciting sequences in a Bond novel. It also allowed us a glimpse into the man behind the license.

[Hotshot007]

Here goes.Please keep in mind that i've only read 7 Flemings.
1.Live and Let Die
2.From Russia With Love
3.Casino Royale
4.Moonraker
5.For Your Eyes Only
About Bond not appearing until later on in FRWL,I hardly noticed.I liked the first part of the book the best.I was actually kind of dissappointed when Bond showed up,Fleming handled it so well.I havn't read Dr.No yet but I heard it was good.Probably not a great one to start with,though.

[sausagebrigade]

I feel that You Only Live Twice is his best, because it gives some fascinating insights into Japanese culture, as well as having an ostensibly simple yet complex plot.