Bond, James Bond

[ListenerMattBurkey]

Has anyone read the Bond novels? I've read the first seven and books 10, 11, 12. I burn out on them quickly because they all start to feel the same. They are definitely products of their time when it comes to gender and race opinions. Slightly more fun fact, book Bond orders whiskey drinks more often than vodka drinks.

[MattwithTwoTees]

I know it's a late reply, but I've read three: Moonraker, From Russia with Love, and OHMSS. I like them in bite-sized portions and they make for easy reading. I don't think I'd ever marathon the series, but I'll bring one with me to the beach if I'm ever looking for something to read.

[sledge_antilles]

Slightly more fun fact, book Bond orders whiskey drinks more often than vodka drinks.

And when he gets knocked down he gets up again.

[Malcolm]

I've ready the books since the late 90's and then picked up the newer audio versions with "celebrity" narrators i've always been a huge Bond fan after seeing TSWLM in the cinema (I was much too young but wanted to see the wet bike )


i picked up a few of the continuation novels but they are a bit hit and miss. But..... i would thoroughly recommend the Charlie Higson Young Bond novels they are amazing!

[TomBondurant]

I have all the Fleming books and have read through them a few times, but the last time was in 2005-06 before Casino Royale came out. Aside from the racism and sexism, I remember them being good at balancing the familiar Bondian style with a very visceral brutality. The Casino Royale torture scene is maybe a little more harsh than what's in the rest of the books, but they don't play around. That said, it makes the books more suspenseful, as when mobsters are after Bond in Diamonds Are Forever, or stalking the main characters in Spy Who Loved Me. The Licence to Kill shark-tank scene is adapted from the Live & Let Die novel.

Actually, the movie Thunderball feels the most like a Fleming novel. It's got Bond wounded and on the run, it features extended looks into the villains' plans (FRWL did this too), and it's not that gadget-y. Maybe that's due to its development as a screenplay first, and then a novel. However, the movie version of From Russia With Love is pretty close to the book too.

Last year I did read a couple of the modern Bond novels, Carte Blanche (modern-day update) and Solo (Fleming continuation). They were each reminiscent of the Fleming books in their own ways - and of course they avoided a lot of problematic elements - but they didn't make me want to read a lot more. In the '80s John Gardner did a modern-day series where Bond was in late middle age, and I remember those being better; but I haven't read those for at least 30 years. I don't think the Bond books have really settled on a consistent format, and there have been a few attempts.

[Staatz]

I've read one, they make for interesting time capsules.

[PeteTheRetailer]

Finally just started Live and Let Die, after having finished Casino Royale over the summer.
Enjoying it, but hoo boy the racism!