10 replies to this topic

[Bondpurist]

What's your favourite Fleming short story and why?

Short stories:
From A View To A Kill
For Your Eyes Only
Quantum Of Solace
Risico
The Hildebrand Rarity
Octopussy
The Property Of A Lady
The Living Daylights
007 In New York

[zencat]

The Hildebrand Rarity

I think it's the best written, the most interesting, and the most suited to a short story. Also love the great "twist" ending. You go girl!

[Bondpurist]

The Hildebrand rarity is quite entertaining, especially

Spoiler

the fish in the mouth bit

, but there's no action and Bond doesn't really do much. It's not really like a Bond story - it's more like a piece of travel writing - good travel writing, but travel writing nonetheless. As a short story it is pretty good but as a Bond short story it a little tedious.

[zencat]

You're right, it is like travel writing and maybe that's why I like it so much. I love travel writing and travel books. Paul Theroux is my hero.

[Mister Asterix]

“The Living Daylights”. The story is pure Bond and a very exciting story. In a way I wish it were longer--to savour it more--but the story stands perfectly as it is.

A close second is “The Hildebrand Rarity”. Wonderful tale. And I disagree about it not really being like a Bond story, it is quite like You Only Live Twice.

[rafterman]

The Living Daylights and The Hildebrant Rarity, with Octopussy a close third, I love Fleming's short stories...

[Hardyboy]

I'm another fan of "The Living Daylights." It's a well-crafted story with a lot of suspense and a good twist at the end. I also like that it reveals a lot about Bond as a character, how he feels about his job, and what he does on his seedier and less glamorous assignments. And did anyone catch the inside joke about a cellist named Amaryllis? You have to know something about the Ian Fleming family to get this one. . .

[Bondpurist]

I disagree about it not really being like a Bond story

Bond goes on a fishing trip with some disgusting american and ends up covering for his wife who murders him with a fish up the throat - that sounds sooooooo much like an episode in the life of a top class secret agent doesn't it? I don't think so.

[Mister Asterix]

Originally posted by Hardyboy (edited)
And did anyone catch the inside joke about a cellist named Amaryllis?  You have to know something about the Ian Fleming family to get this one. . .

The first I heard of this was after she died and I read an article about her life.

[Peter]

I have to vote for Hildebrand Rarity and Living Daylights as my favorites.

For Your Eyes Only is also very good. The opening murder scene is quite jittery, and the Bond/M scene quite good too. As for the rest, it's a tense waiting game with the journey through the mountains. Judy's wild cannon adds to the pressure, and the final ambivilence is a refreshing take. Only the villians at the end, because Bond never directly confronts them, are a disappointment.


I also really like Quantom of Solace, although it's hardly typical.

[1q2w3e4r]

Yep, I like For Your Eyes Only, oh and Quantom of Solace, but that's just because it's a good story, nicely paced and grabs the reader, very well written. And Risco