/ Literary 007 / 1955 - Moonraker /

Summary

Written by Evan Willnow on 24 Apr, 2002

Ian Fleming’s Moonraker was introduced on 7 April 1955, and, though now it seems the most dated story of Fleming’s canon, the novel still provides the thrill and grip of a true James Bond classic.

Moonraker’s Galatea

The Dangers & Desires Series

Built by millionare mystery man, Sir Hugo Drax, it was to be our salvation in the nuclear age. Or was it? Only Bond could zero in on the secret power behind the missile project—and, with a stunning she-cop, nix the launching of a perfectly fiendish revenge…

BOND DOES IT BETTER!

Back of Jove paperback edition

Basildon, almost in a trance, continued round the table and stood between M. and Meyer so that he could watch Drax’s face, and Bond’s. His own face impassive, but his hands, which he had stuffed into his trouser pockets so that they would not betray him, were sweating. He waited, almost fearfully, for the terrible punishment that Drax was about to receive—thirteen seperate lashes whose scars no card-player would ever lose.

‘Come along , come along.’ said Drax impatiently. ‘Lead something, Max. Can’t be here all night.

You poor fool, thought Basildon. In ten minutes you’ll wish that Meyer had died in his chair before he could pull his first card.

Chapter 7, Moonraker