12 replies to this topic

[Evil Doctor Cheese]

Hi, I've said loads of times that I've never read the books but I really want to start... I'm gonna get one for Christmas.

My question is... which book do you recomend I (and any other Flemming book virgins) start with?

[Jay]

Start with Casino Royale, Doctor. You can read them in order from there:
Live and Let Die
Moonraker
Diamonds are Forever
From Russia with Love
Dr. No
Goldfinger
For your Eyes Only (short stories)
thunderball
TSWLM
OHMSS
YOLT
TMWTGG

The best ones though are CR, MR,DN,GF,OHMSS,FRWL and YOLT! Hope that helps!

[Mister Asterix]

Evil Doctor Cheese (20 Nov, 2001 09:54 p.m.):
How many copies do you have?

Four.

[zencat]

I would say begin at the beginning, CASINO ROYALE, still my favorite Bond book. If you move to Gardner, I'd say start with his first book LICENSE RENEWED. For Benson, I'd recommend HIGH TIME TO KILL. In fact, if you wanna start with HTTK (before Fleming) that's not the worst idea in the world. It's a heck of a good book.

[LeiterCIA]

Mister Asterix (20 Nov, 2001 10:44 p.m.):

Evil Doctor Cheese (20 Nov, 2001 09:54 p.m.):
How many copies do you have?

Four.

Wow, you got me beat. I have three.

[rafterman]

Casino Royale, then read them all in order, the way they are meant to be, after Fleming read Colonel Sun, then Gardner's then Benson's....a hell of a lot of books, but so much more enjoyable in order...

[The Admiral]

I don't think that you have to read them in order - however, it is a better idea

I read Goldeneye as my first Bond book, the novelisation by John Gardner. Then HTTK...then Moonraker...no real order!

I'm now reading OHMSS.

I would recommend that you read the Union series of Benson's books, HTTK, DS, NDOD as they rock!

[Evil Doctor Cheese]

Well... I totally forgot about this thread!!!

Keeping Mr A up to date and the rest of you... I got Casino Royale for christmas and actually I'm finding it really difficult to get into. It's a Bond that I'm not used to... I don't really relate as I'm used to Brosnan's Bond films. I'm going to stick with it but I'm finding it easier to read some of the Benson stuff on Amazon actually... maybe Benson's books are my type of Bond.

Any more tips or advice?

[Mister Asterix]

Casino Royale is about the farthest any of the books get from the movie's James Bond, but it is a great introduction to the character. If you get through it keep going on to Live And Let Die there's a lot more to relate to movie-wise in LALD but the Bond character is still the guy from CR.

If you don't get through CR, I would try some Benson, Zero Minus Ten. ZMT is a quick read and Benson's first and relates well to both the book and the movies. High Time To Kill is Benson's best but it's a little different so I wouldn't start there. After you read a few Bensons then try another Fleming, By that point I guarantee you'll get into the Fleming.

[Mister Asterix]

I'd start with Casino Royale. It's a great book and a great introduction to the character. And if you enjoy the book you could read them in order. Plus it has the added bonus of being almost completely fresh material. The two best books, From Russia, With Love and On Her Majesty's Secret Service, have the closest screen adaptations, so I wouldn't read those until you've grown an appreciation for the written character. That way you can develop your own vision of the literary 007 and not just be picturing Connery or Lazenby.
In fact, I'll tell you what I'll do, my bad doctor, if you e-mail me your home address I'll send you one of my copies of Casino Royale.

[Evil Doctor Cheese]

How many copies do you have?

[Mister Asterix]

Hey, Evil.
Did you ever decide where to start? If so, have you started yet? I'm curious.