Literary 007 / 1953–1966 - Ian Fleming / 1965 - The Man With The Golden Gun

The Man With The Golden Gun – A Summary

Written by Evan Willnow on 08 Mar, 2002

On 1 April 1965 came Ian Fleming’s last James Bond novel, The Man With The Golden Gun. The degree of the novel’s completion at the time of Fleming’s death, 12 August 1964, has come under much debate, and the book is widely regarded as the weakest of all of Fleming’s James Bond adventures. With all of the against it, The Man With The Golden Gun still delivers a fine story, a tremendous villain, and some of the most dramatic moments of the series.

Religion, Politics, Death and Sex: The Man With The Golden Gun
Part 1 of Jacques Stewart’s examination at Ian Fleming’s last novel.

Sex and the Single Agent: The Man with the Golden Gun
Part 2 of Jacques Stewart’s examination of Ian Fleming’s last novel.

FIRST TIME IN PAPERBACK THE LAST GREAT JAMES BOND NOVEL

TOPPED THE BEST SELLER LISTS FOR OVER 4 MONTHS

A brainwashed Bond is sent to London by the KGB to kill M.–and he nearly succeeds.

THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN
blasts into action with a shocker of a beginning that explodes into high-voltage adventure. This treacherous exploit pits Bond against the arch-fiend of the Caribbean–the golden-pistoled Scaramanga. Aided by his sex-galore confederate Mary Goodnight, 007 battles Scaramanga from a native bordello to a deluxe hotel to a cobra-infested swamp … in the most bloodcurdling death-duel in the great Bond saga.

-Back of Signet paperback edition first printing

Bill Tanner had been writing furiously to keep up with M. He looked up from his scratchpad, bewildered. “But aren’t you going to make any charges, sir? After all, treason and attempted murder . . . I mean, not even a court martial?”

“Certainly not.” M.’s voice was gruff. “007 was a sick man. Not responsible for his actions. If one can brainwash a man, presumably one can un-brainwash him. If anyone can, Sir James can. Put him back on half pay for the time being, in his old Section. And see he gets full back pay and allowances for the past year. If the K.G.B. has the nerve to throw one of my best men at me, I have the nerve to throw him back at them. 007 was a good agent once. There’s no reason why he shouldn’t be a good agent again. Within limits, that is. After lunch, give me the file on Scaramanga. If we can get him fit again, that’s the right-sized target for 007.”

The Chief of Staff protested, “But that’s suicide, sir! Even 007 could never take him.”

M. said coldly, “What would 007 get for this mourning’s bit of work? Twenty years? As a minimum, I’d say. Better for him to fall on the battlefield. If he brings it off, he’ll have won his spurs back again and we can all forget the past. Anyway, that’s my decision.

- Chapter 2, The Man With The Golden Gun