43 replies to this topic

[Tybre]

Funnily enough, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE is highly regarded only within Bond fandom. It has - sadly - no reputation whatsoever in the wider world. "Civilians" usually cite CASINO ROYALE and FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE as Fleming's best (regardless of whether they've read them).

Well it's much the same as the unindicted citing Sean Connery and Goldfinger as the best of the cinematic Bond world, now isn't it?

[Cruiserweight]

I enjoyed Dr.No,LALD,& TSWLM more then i did FRWL so no.

[quantumofsolace]

Funnily enough, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE is highly regarded only within Bond fandom. It has - sadly - no reputation whatsoever in the wider world. "Civilians" usually cite CASINO ROYALE and FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE as Fleming's best (regardless of whether they've read them).

Well it's much the same as the unindicted citing Sean Connery and Goldfinger as the best of the cinematic Bond world, now isn't it?

If you look at the current sales figures, Goldfinger is still selling the most copies worldwide. It's a shame as it it is one of the worst Fleming books. It must be the undeserved reputation of the film being the best that keeps the novel as the no.1 in the publics mind . YOLT is a far superior novel and possibly the most exciting. CR and FRWL are the best written. TB is the book that has the biggest improvement compared the film.

[Tybre]

FRWL I found to be the Pierce Brosnan of the Fleming -- Very good concept, some superb groundwork, and it just never quite came to fruition. Bored me half to death and never engaged me save during the gypsy catfight and the final confrontation between Bond and Grant. Even other Flemings I don't care much for, like Goldfinger, at least interested me to some degree. I only managed to pluck through FRWL because I was determined to pluck through. And now that I've said all that I'm going to just fully damn myself and open the floodgates: If you ask me, From Russia With Love is the worst of the twelve Bond novels penned by Ian Fleming.

And now pardon me while I pull a Charles Gray and head for the hills.

[Byron]

Tybre, i can understand that if the extended buildup at the beginning didn't engage you then you would not think much of FRWL.

Personally i was drawn right in and probably rank FRWL as my 2nd favourite in the series.

[sharpshooter]

I think From Russia With Love is the best Bond novel. It's superbly written, the plot is solid and it has the perfect balance of action and character - all steeped in the atmosphere of the Cold War. It's just a good book in general, really.

[Major Tallon]

Not the best, I fear, an honor I give to OHMSS. That's not to criticize FRWL, which simply is a brilliant book.

Edited by Major Tallon, 26 August 2009 - 02:16 AM.

[Peckinpah1976]

Terrific book in many ways but it's credibility takes a slight knock due to Bond accepting Grant's cover story so completely IMO. For me OHMSS & YOLT are better books and TB & LALD are more entertaining.

[volante]

I think OHMSS is head and shoulders above the rest.
FRWL follows on as best of the rest

[Mr. Van Bierk]

The best Bond film until CR yes. Actors, scripts, all of it.

[sharpshooter]

The best Bond film until CR yes. Actors, scripts, all of it.

We're talking about the novels here.

[David Schofield]

Aren't you forgetting Moonraker?

Seriously, how many Fleming novels might NOT be considered the best?

The man was that good, and despite longevity and his own winges about bordeom, remarkably consistent. Consistently amazing.

Which is why I'm into Bond.

[00Twelve]

Both YOLT and OHMSS stand a good distance above the likes of FRWL. The latter is, of course, a wonderful book and the split narrative makes for some great tension. And who doesn't love Kerim?

Still, both former choices feature a more comfortable and seasoned writer who knows his character inside and out and is able to take things as slowly as he needs to while building up tremendous tension for the action/confrontation scenes.

YOLT & OHMSS are the better books by far, IMO.

[I'm leaving out my favorite, LALD, because while I love the story and the pace, I can't make a case for it being of higher literary quality than FRWL. ]

[Cuish]

From Russia with Love is my 3rd best Bond novel, after On Her Majesty's Secret Service and Moonraker.