7 replies to this topic

[Double-0 Six]

Although I've been a Bond fan for years (mainly of the movies), I've only really just started to expand my enjoyment of 007 into the books.

I've read and enjoyed all of Raymond Bensons efforts to date, and I'd like to start trying some of the earlier novels (including the Fleming originals and those of his other successors).

I'd just like some advice from those of you who've been reading Bond novels longer than me, which are the better 007 adventures and are there any I should avoid? Where's the best place to start?

Any advice or comments are more than welcome.

[freemo]

which are the better 007 adventures ?

My favorites are From Russia With Love, Doctor No and You Only Live Twice. Others will probably tell you different though.

Are there any I should avoid?

I haven't read all of them, but of the ones I have there aren't any "really bad" ones not worth reading, though for me some of the Gardners blur into eachother after a While. I think you'll enjoy them all.

Where's the best place to start?

A wise man once said "Start at the beginning", so that would be Casino Royale, but it doesn't really matter. Most novels only make occasional passing comments to its predessors, which you don't really have to have read previosuly. But perhaps Thunderball, OHMSS, YOLT and TMWTGG should be read in that order since they sort of follow on from eachother.

[ray t]

with Fleming i'd start with the begining:

Casino Royale and Live And Let Die

Then i'd read the SPECTRE / Blofeld "Trilogy" :

Thunderball, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and You Only Live Twice.


I have failed to mention From Russia With Love which is quite outstanding.

my faves from the short stories are:

Octopussy, and The Hilderbrand Rarity


From Gardner i like

Death Is Forever, Win, Lose or Die, and COLD

But i would avoid The Man From Barbarossa

[General Koskov]

Well, one thing you don't have to worry about is having the stories spoilt by the films. Except the '60s and '80s maybe.

But definitely read the books in order. If you like Benson, you'll love Fleming. Now I'll restrain myself from Benson-bashing, but Fleming is just oh so much better.

And you'll not want to forget Christopher Wood's novelisations of The Spy Who Loved Me titled: James Bond, the spy who loved me and his novelisation of Moonraker, titled James Bond and Moonraker--in my opinion, it was superfluous to write this one, he should have stuck around for Licence to Kill instead. Wood writes much like Fleming in JBTSWLM, though I haven't read JBAM.

[Hardyboy]

I feel that if you've decided to read all of the Ian Fleming Bond novels, then you should definitely read them in order--it's interesting to chronicle how the series grew and developed, and to ultimately compare what the series became to what it started out as.

However, if you're just curious (spy-curious?) and want to see if you might like Fleming, try Dr. No. It's one of Fleming's fastest, most exciting, and most entertaining books--a pretty good initiation into the Bond canon.

As for the non-Flemings. . .I feel that Kingsley Amis's Colonel Sun (written as Robert Markham) is the absolute best; and Christopher Wood's novelizations are also extremely entertaining. I feel that Gardner and Benson at best only imitate Fleming and their plots and characterizations are directed more toward fans of the movies than the novels. There are some highlights in the two mens' efforts, but I'm too biased against them to think of what those merits are. . .

[General Koskov]

Hardyboy (01 Jun, 2002 07:02 a.m.):
However, if you're just curious (spy-curious?) and want to see if you might like Fleming, try Dr. No.  It's one of Fleming's fastest, most exciting, and most entertaining books--a pretty good initiation into the Bond canon.

Funny you should mention that. Dr. No was my first book.

[freemo]

Dr No was my first books also, and come to think of it, its a very good suggestion.

[Silencer7]

If you can't start first try "Thunderball".