CommanderBond.net
  1. Books / Ian Fleming

    Summary

    By Evan Willnow on 2002-04-24

    For Your Eyes Only: Five Secret Exploits Of James Bond provided the reader with a several smaller glimpses into the world of a double-oh agent in between the large assignments. Released originally on 11 April 1960, the book collected five short stories, all of which had appeared seperately. ‘From A View To A Kill’, ‘For Your Eyes Only’, ‘Quantum Of Solace’, ‘Risico’, and ‘The Hildebrand Rarity’ each stood strongly on their own and together thoroughly satisfied the Bond fan’s need for his yearly dose of 007.

    In Paris
    James Bond sets to
    find and destroy
    the secret hideout of a
    spy ring that has eluded the top
     security brains of fourteen countries.

    In Vermont
    James Bond joins forces with
    a beautiful blonde
    who is determined to assassinate
     a professional killer.

    In Bermuda
    James Bond learns a
    strange secret of
    love and hate at an
     ambassadorial dinner party.

    In Rome
    James Bond finds himself the
    target of a dope runner
     who deals in death.

    In The
    Seychelles Islands
    James Bond becomes party to
    sudden and ghastly murder
     on a luxury yacht.

    -Inside of Signet paperback edition

    On the far side of the square, rather plain room, at the corner table by the caisse, the plimp fair-haired girl with the dramatic mouth said to the jovial good-living man with the thick rope of spaghetti joining his face to his plate, “He was a rather cruel smile. But he is very handsome. Spies aren’t usually so good-looking. Are you sure you are right, mein Taubbchen?”

    The man’s teeth cut through the rope. He wiped his mouth on a napkin already streaked with tomato sauce, belched sonorously, and said, “Santos is never wrong about these things. He has a nose for spies. That is why I chose him as the permanent tail for that bastard Kristatos And who else but a spy would think about spending the evening with the pig? But we will make sure.” The man took out of his pocket one of those cheap tin snappers that are sometimes given out, with paper hats and whistles, on carnival nights. It gave one sharp click. The maître d’hôtel, on the far side of the room, stopped whatever he was doing and hurried over.

    “Si, padrone.”

    The man beckoned. The maître d’hôtel leaned over and received the whispered instructions. He nodded briefly walked over to a door near the kitchens marked UFFICIO and went in and closed the door behind him.

    Phase bt phase, in a series of minute moves, an exorcise that had long been perfected was then smoothly put into effect. The man near the caisse munched his spaghetti and critically observed each step in the operation as if it were a fast game of chess.

    –Risico

    From A View To A Kill

    For Your Eyes Only

    Quantum Of Solace

    Risico

    The Hildebrand Rarity

    The events of
    Quantum Of Solace
    occur:
    25 February 1956

    The events of
    From A View To A Kill
    occur:
    One week in May 1956

    The events of
    For Your Eyes Only
    occur:
    September to 8 October 1957

    The events of
    The Hildebrand Rarity
    occur:
    March to 6 April 1958

    The events of
    Risico
    occur:
    October 1958

    Dates calculated by Walter von Tagen III

    Walter’s Chronological Remarks

    CBN’s Ian Fleming Forums

    For Your Eyes Only
    Publication History
    (Bondian.com)

    Fleming Books:
    Reviewed and Elements
    (klast.net)

    007Forever Review of
    For Your Eyes Only

    From A Book To A Film:
    For Your Eyes Only
    (007Forever)

    From A Book To A Film:
    A View To A Kill
    (007Forever)

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  2. Books / Ian Fleming

    Summary

    By Evan Willnow on 2002-04-21

    This story is based on a screen
    treatment by K. McClary,
    J. Whittingham and the author.    1

    These words were missing from the first edition of Thunderball released on 27 March 1961. The phrase was added to the title page of later editions. Though the novel’s story was a huge success, the book proved to be hell—and some believe led to death—for the author. The novel was, by many accounts, innocently taken from the story of screen treatments developed by Mr. Fleming and Jack Whittingham for a failed James Bond film project of Kevin McClory. But the lawsuits which followed over the rights to Thunderball are believed to have contributed to the failing health of Ian Fleming. (Of course, the 60 Morland cigarettes a day didn’t help.)

    He has nerves of steel,
    a heart of ice, and
    the ruthlessness of a Himmler.

                

    He’s Emilio Largo—scion of a famous and wealthy Roman family . . . international charmer on four continents . . . number one man in SPECTRE, The Special Executive for Counterintelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion . . . and the Supreme Commander of Plan Omega, an operation of such fantastic magnitude that it threatens all humanity.

    EMILIO LARGO, SPECTRE, OMEGA . . . these three—the man, the organization, the operation—secret agent JAMES BOND must ferret out and crush. He has only one lead, one person who can help him, if she will. That person is Domino, the fiercely independent, fiery blonde who is Emilio Largo’s mistress.
    -Inside of Signet paperback edition

    Any man seeing No. 2, for that was the chairman’s number of the month, even for the first time, would have looked at him with some degree of the same feelings, for he was one of those men—one meets perhaps only two or three of ine a lifetime—who seem almost to suck the eyes out of your head. These rare men are apt to possess three basic attributes—their physical appearance is exraordinary, they have a quality of relaxation, of inner certainty, and they exude a powerful animal magnetism. The herd has always recognized the other worldliness of these phenomena, and in primitive tribes you will find any man singled out by nature in this fashion will also have been chosen by the tribe to be their chief. Certain great men in history, perhaps Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, among the politicians, have had these qualities. Perhaps they even explain the hypnotic sway of an altogether more meager individual, the otherwise inexplicable Adolf Hitler, over eighty million of the most gifted nation in Europe. Certainly, No. 2 had these qualities and any man in the street would have recognized them—let alone these twenty chosen men. For despite the deep cynicism ingrained in their respective callings, despite their basic insensitivity toward the human race, he was, however reluctantly, their Supreme Commander—almost their god.

    This man’s name was Ernst Stavro Blofeld (…)

    – Chapter 5, Thunderball

     

    1 The name of Kevin McClory is mispelled as ‘K. McClary‘ as shown in some of Thuderball‘s American editions.

    1. “TAKE IT EASY, MR. BOND”
    2. SHRUBLANDS
    3. THE RACK
    4. TEA AND ANIMOSITY
    5. S.P.E.C.T.R.E.
    6. VIOLET-SCENTED BREATH
    7. “FASTEN YOUR LAP-STRAP”
    8. “BIG FLEAS HAVE LITTLE FLEAS…”
    9. MULTIPLE REQUIEM
    10. THE DISCO VOLANTE
    11. DOMINO
    12. THE MAN FROM THE C.I.A.
    13. “MY NAME IS EMILIO LARGO”
    14. SOUR MARTINIS
    15. CARDBOARD HERO
    16. SWIMMING THE GANTLET
    17. THE RED-EYED CATACOMB
    18. HOW TO EAT A GIRL
    19. WHEN THE KISSING STOPPED
    20. TIME FOR DECISION
    21. VERY, SOFTLY, VERY SLOWLY
    22. THE SHADOWER
    23. NAKED WARFARE
    24. “TAKE IT EASY, MR. BOND”

    The events of
    Thunderball
    occur:

    Monday 11 May to 7 June 1959

    Dates calculated by Walter von Tagen III

    Walter’s Chronological Remarks

    CBN’s Ian Fleming Forums

    Thunderball
    Publication History
    (Bondian.com)

    Fleming Books:
    Reviewed and Elements
    (klast.net)

    007Forever Review of
    Thunderball

    From A Book To A Film:
    Thunderball
    (007Forever)

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  3. Books / Ian Fleming

    Octopussy & The Living Daylights – A Summary

    By Evan Willnow on 2002-03-29

    It had been nearly two years since the death of Ian Fleming and Glidrose, Fleming’s publishing company, faced the possibility of not releasing a James Bond bookthat year for the first time since the series began, and it was during the height of Bond-Mania. Luckily, Glidrose had a couple of cards up their sleeves in the form of two wonderful Fleming James Bond short stories; ‘Octopussy’, a morality tale of a retired British major who is faced with his own daemons curtiousy of James Bond, and ‘The Living Daylights’, perhaps the grittiest tale of in the life of the SIS’s top ‘troubleshooter’. The two stories were releases as a pair in a book simply titled Octopussy And The Living Daylights. A third story, ‘The Property Of A Lady’, was added to the collection in later editions and in 2003 the Penguin editions added the short story ‘007 In New York’, a short story that had previously been published in the U.S. version of Fleming’s non-Bond book Thrilling Cities.

    The Origin Of Solange In ‘007 In New York’?
    Short A look at where the name of Casino Royale’s Bond girl has appeared before

    Saying It All: Octopussy & The Living Daylights
    Short Stories Part II

    ‘007 in New York’
    The little-known Fleming story now part of official canon.

    To Whom It May Concern: Octopussy
    A look at a possible meaning of the short story ‘Octopussy’.

    Octopussy And The Living Daylights
    A review by Daniel Dykes of this short story collection.

    Jamaica A paradise of sunshine and exotic fish harbours a dying major whose dwindling hoard of gold conceals an act of treachery.
    Berlin Winchester .308 plus Sniperscope v Kalashnikov 7.62 sub-machine gun. The identity of the assassin disturbs Bond’s deadly aim.
    London A magnificent Fabergé emerald comes under the auctioneer’s ivory hammer and, as the bidding rises, Bond waits for the move that will unmask a Soviet master-spy.

    -Back of Pan paperback edition

    Now there was extra traffic in the street below. The women’s orchestra came trooping down the pavement towards the entrance—twenty laughing, talking girals carrying their instruments—violin and wind instrument cases, satchels with their scores, and four of them with drums—a gay, happy little crocodile. Bond was reflecting that some people still seemed to find life fun in the Soviet Sector, when his glasses picked up out and stayed on the girl carrying the ‘cello. Bond’s masticating jaws stopped still and then reflectively went on with their chewing as he twisted the screw to depress the Sniper-scope and keep her in its centre.

    The girl was taller than the others and her long, straight, fair hair, falling to her shoulders, shone like molten gold under the arcs at the intersection. She was hurrying along in a charming, excited way, carrying the cello case as if it were no heavier than a violin. Everything was flying—the skirt of her coat, her feet, her hair. She was vivid with movement and life and, it seemed, with gaiety and happiness as she chattered to the two girls who flanked her and laughed back at what she was saying. As she turned in at what she was saying. As she turned in at the enterance admist her troupe, the arcs momentarily caught a beautiful, pale profile. And then she was gone and, it seemed to Bond, with her disappearance a stab of grief lanced into his heart. How odd! How very odd! This had not happened to him since he was young. And now this single girl, seen only indistinctly and far away, had caused him to suffer this sharp pang of longing, this thrill of animal magnetism! Morosely, Bond glanced down at the luminous dial of his watch. Five fifty. Only ten minutes to go. No transport arriving at the enterance. None of those anonymous black Zik saloons he had half expected. He closed as much of his mind as he could to the girl and sharpened his wits. Get on, damn you! Get back to your job!

    –The Living Daylights

    ‘Octopussy’

    ‘The Property of a Lady’
    (added to the paperback editions)

    ‘The Living Daylights’

    ‘007 In New York’
    (added in 2003 editions)

    The events of
    Octopussy
    occur:
    Early Summer
    1960

    The events of
    The Living Daylights
    occur:
    Tuesday 27 September to Friday 30 September 1960

    The events of
    The Property Of A Lady
    occur:
    19th and 20th of June 1961

    Dates calculated by Walter von Tagen III

    Walter’s Chronological Remarks

    CBN’s Ian Fleming Forums

    Octopussy And The Living Daylights
    Publication History
    (Bondian.com)

    Fleming Books:
    Reviewed and Elements
    (klast.net)

    007Forever Review of
    Octopussy And The Living Daylights

    From A Book To A Film:
    Octopussy
    (007Forever)

    From A Book To A Film:
    The Living Daylights
    (007Forever)

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    Octopussy

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  4. Books / Ian Fleming

    Summary

    By Evan Willnow on 2002-03-12

    ‘To my readers: I found what follows lying on my desk one morning…’, began the explaination of Fleming’s most unusual tale. In the spring of 1962, Fleming introduced the story of a girl whose life was forever changed in one night. A night that introduced her to the evils of the world and a night that she met the man she called ‘The Spy Who Loved Me‘.

    VIVIENNE MICHEL, a beautiful woman who fell in love with JAMES BOND, tells this tale of
        Danger,
            Brutality,
                Death!!

    Vivienne Michel is on the run from an empty social life when she accepts the job of closing up Mr. Sanguinetti’s isolated resort motel. On the last night of her short stay, just as a ferocious storm breaks over the mountains, two men force their way into the motel at gun-point. They inform the frightened Vivienne that Mr. Sanguinetti sent them to “oversee” the closing up. One of the men is a death’s-head sadist, skilled in beating up women without leaving a mark. The other is a fat, hairless lecher who enjoys taking over when his friend tires. Both intend to make the most of this particular job.

    They set about their tormenting game with pleasure. And while Vivienne Michel doesn’t know why they have made her their target. She only knows she is going to suffer a horrible, brutal death. There is no reason, no hope, no escape. . . .

    Then suddenly, out of the dark, out of nowhere, comes a stranger who introduces himself as JAMES BOND. One look at his taut, dark face and Vivienne Michel recognizes him for what he is. A killer. But only a killer can save her now. . . .

    -Inside of Signet paperback edition

    The man called Horror stood in the middle of of the room, idle, relaxed, his hands at his sides. He watched me with those incurious eyes. Then he lifted his left hand and crooked a finger. My cold, bruised feet walked toward him. When I was only a few steps away from him I came out of the trance. I suddenly remembered, and my hand came up to the soaking waistband of my pants and I felt the head of the ice-pick under my apron. It was going to be difficult to get it out, to get at the handle. I stopped in front of him. Still holding my eyes, his right hand came up like a snake striking and slapped me, biff-baff, right and left across my face. The tears started from my eyes, but I remembered and ducked down as if to escape another blow. At the same time, concealed in the movement, I got my right hand down inside the band of my pants, and when I came up I threw myself at him, hitting wildly toward his head. The pick connected, but it was only a glancing blow, and suddenly my arms were gripped from behind and I was pulled back.

    Blood was oozing from the cut above the temple of the gray face. As I watched, it trickled down toward the chin. But the face was unmoved. It showed no pain, only a terrifying intensity of purpose, and there was a fleck of red deep inside the black eyes. The thin man stepped up to me. My hand opened and the pick fell to the floor with a clang. It was a reflex action–the child dropping the weapon. I give up! I surrender! Pax!

    – Chapter Nine, The Spy Who Loved Me


    Part One: ME

    1. SCAREDY CAT
    2. DEAR DEAD DAYS
    3. SPRING’S AWAKENING
    4. “DEAR VIV”
    5. A BIRD WITH A WING DOWN
    6. GO WEST, YOUNG WOMAN

    Part Two: THEM

    1. “COME IN TO MY PARLOR…”
    2. DYNAMITE FROM NIGHTMARE-LAND
    3. THEN I BEGAN TO SCREAM

    Part Three: HIM

    1. WHASSAT?
    2. BEDTIME STORY
    3. TO SLEEP–PERCHANCE TO DIE!
    4. THE CRASH OF GUNS
    5. BIMBO
    6. THE WRITING ON MY HEART

    The events of
    The Spy Who
    Loved Me
    occur:

    14th and 15th of October 1960

    Dates calculated by Walter von Tagen III

    Walter’s Chronological Remarks

    CBN’s Ian Fleming Forums

    The Spy Who Loved Me
    Publication History
    (Bondian.com)

    Fleming Books:
    Reviewed and Elements
    (klast.net)

    007Forever Review of The Spy Who Loved Me

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    The Spy Who Loved Me

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  5. Books / Ian Fleming

    The Man With The Golden Gun – A Summary

    By Evan Willnow on 2002-03-08

    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

    1. “CAN I HELP YOU?”
    2. ATTENTAT!
    3. “PISTOLS” SCARAMANGA
    4. THE STARS FORETELL
    5. NO. 31/2 LOVE LANE
    6. THE EASY GRAND
    7. UN-REAL ESTATE
    8. PASS THE CANAPES!
    9. MINUTES OF THE MEETING
    10. BELLY-LICK, ETC.
    11. BALLCOCK, AND OTHER, TROUBLE
    12. IN A GLASS, VERY DARKLY
    13. HEAR THE TRAIN BLOW!
    14. THE GREAT MORASS
    15. CRAB-MEAT
    16. THE WRAPUP
    17. ENDIT

    The events of
    The Man With The Golden Gun
    occur:

    November 1963 to June 1964

    Dates calculated by Walter von Tagen III

    Walter’s Chronological Remarks

    CBN’s Ian Fleming Forums

    The Man With The Golden Gun
    Publication History
    (Bondian.com)

    Fleming Books:
    Reviewed and Elements
    (klast.net)

    007Forever Review of The Man With The Golden Gun

    Who ghost-wrote Ian Fleming’s novel
    The Man With The Golden Gun?
    (007Forever)

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  6. Books / Ian Fleming

    Summary

    By Evan Willnow on 2002-03-06

    Released on 16 March 1964, You Only Live Twice was the last James Bond novel to be completed before Ian Fleming’s death. Powerful and original, You Only Live Twice was also one of Fleming’s best.

    You Only Live Twice

    The high-voltage thriller that topped the New York Times bestseller list for over five months

    THE JAMES BOND ADVENTURE NOVEL

    that takes 007 the the exotic Orient…to the suicide gardens of the manical Dr. Shatterhand…and the arms of the most enticing heroine Fleming ever created, the delightful KISSY SUZUKI.

    -Back of Signet paperback edition

    “As I have said, there are a number of foreigners who have taken up residence in Japan, and for the most part, they are inoffensive eccentrics. But there is one such person who entered the country in January of this year who has revealed himself to be an eccentric of the most devilish nature. This man is a monster. You may laugh, Bondo-san, but this man is no less than a fiend in human form.”

    “I have met many bad men in my time, Tiger, and generally they have been slightly mad. Is that the case in this instance?”

    “Very much the reverse. The calculated ingenuity of this man, his understanding of the psychology of my people, show him to be a man of quite outstanding genius. In the opinion of our highest scholars and savants, he is a scientific research worker and a collector probably unique in the history of the world.”

    “What does he collect?”

    “He collects death.”

    – Chapter 6, You Only Live Twice


    PART ONE
    “It is better to travel hopefully . . .

    1. Scissors Cut Paper
    2. Curtains for Bond?
    3. The Impossible Mission
    4. Dikko on the Ginza
    5. Magic 44
    6. Tiger, Tiger!
    7. The Death Collector
    8. Slay It with Flowers
    9. Instant Japan
    10. Advanced Studies
    11. Anatomy Class

    PART TWO
    . . . than to arrive”

    1. Appointment in Samarra
    2. Kissy Suzuki
    3. One Golden Day
    4. The Six Guardians
    5. The Lovesome Spot
    6. Something Evil Come this Way
    7. Oubliette
    8. Blood and Thunder
    9. Obit
    10. Sparrows’ Tears

    The events of
    You Only
    Live Twice
    occur:

    Friday 31 August 1962
    to
    April 1963

    Dates calculated by Walter von Tagen III

    Walter’s Chronological Remarks

    CBN’s Ian Fleming Forums

    You Only Live Twice
    Publication History
    (Bondian.com)

    Fleming Books:
    Reviewed and Elements
    (klast.net)

    James Bond’s Obituary
    (klast.net)

    007Forever Review of You Only Live Twice

    From A Book To A Film:
    You Only Live Twice
    (007Forever)

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  7. Books / Ian Fleming

    Summary

    By Evan Willnow on 2002-03-03

    In early 1963 another of Ian Fleming’s master creations arrived. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service gave us a tale that pits James Bond against against his arch-nemesis and brings him something that his fans never thought he would have, a wife.

    In a Closely guarded bastion of evil high in the Swiss Alps ERNST STAVRO BLOFELD, puts the finishing touches to a most fiendish plot involving ten beautiful and ingenuous girls . . . to a most diabolical plot for murder on a mass scale. Only one man can stop him and that man is Blofeld’s archenemy–secret agent JAMES BOND.

    -Inside of Signet paperback edition

    ‘The coat of arms, for instance. Surely that must concern you, be at least of profound interest to your family, to your own children? Yes, here we are. “Argent on a chevron sable three bezants”.’ He held up the book so that Bond could see. ‘A bezant is a golden ball, as I am sure you know. Three balls.’

    Bond commented drily, ‘That is certainly a valuable bonus’ – The irony was lost on Griffon Or – ‘but I am afraid I’m still not interested. And I have no relatives and no children. Now about this man . . .’

    Griffon Or broke in excitedly, ‘And this charming motto of the line, “The World Is Not Enough”. You do not wish to have the right to it.’

    ‘It is an excellent motto which I shall certainly adopt.’ Bond said curtly. He looked pointedly at his watch. ‘Now, I’m afraid we really must get down to business. I have to report back to my Ministry.’

    – Chapter 6, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

    1. Seascape With Figures
    2. Gran Turismo
    3. The Gambit Of Shame
    4. All Cats Are Grey
    5. The Capu
    6. Bond Of Bond Street
    7. The Hairy Heel Of Achilles
    8. Fancy Cover
    9. Irma La Not So Douce
    10. Ten Gorgeous Girls
    11. Death For Breakfast
    12. Two Near Misses
    13. Princess Ruby?
    14. Sweet Dreams – Sweet Nightmare!
    15. The Heat Increases
    16. Downhill Only
    17. Bloody Snow
    18. Fork Left For Hell!
    19. Love For Breakfast
    20. M En Pantoufles
    21. The Man From Ag. And Fish.
    22. Something Called ‘BW’
    23. Gauloises And Garlic
    24. Blood-Lift
    25. Hell’s Delight, Etc.
    26. Happiness Without A Shadow?
    27. All The Time In The World

    The events of
    On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
    occur:

    Saturday 16 September 1961
    to Monday 1 January 1962

    Dates calculated by Walter von Tagen III

    Walter’s Chronological Remarks

    CBN’s Ian Fleming Forums

    On Her Majesty’s Secret Service Publication History (Bondian.com)

    Fleming Books:
    Reviewed and Elements
    (klast.net)

    007Forever Review of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

  8. Books / Ian Fleming

    'Octopussy & The Living Daylights' by Ian Fleming

    By daniel on 2001-01-26

    The book Octopussy is a collection of short stories, written by Ian Fleming, but published, as a collective book, after his death. Most publications of the book contain three short stories (Octopussy, The Living Daylights and The Property of a Lady) however; sadly some are minus the last short story The Propery of a Lady. Mine was such a publication so please excuse my lack of critique on this story. All three were originally published separately. The Living Daylights was published first in 1962 under the title The Berlin Escape and was first published in Argosy magazine. Octopussy and The Property Of A Lady were first published in Playboy magazine.

    Octopussy I must say is nothing like what I expected. To begin with, James Bond is actually a minor character. For the most part of the story there is no mention of James Bond, sometimes he’s hinted at, but overall he has only a few lines of dialogue and even less of action. And when I say action I mean moving around; Bond never draws a gun, seduces a girl or anything like that in this story.

    The story is consumed by the thoughts of Major Dexter Smythe, OBE, Royal Marines (Retd). While a slow moving story, throughout Smythe’s thoughts and some of Bond’s few words we get a glimpse at the world outside Bond himself. We learn of the man who taught him to ski, the man who killed this man and so on… It is very much a gripping and depressing look at a ‘has-been’ who stole Nazi Gold.

    It’s interesting to note that the story in some format appears in Roger Moore’s Octopussy. Smythe in the movie is of course Bond Girl Octopussy’s father. However, in the movie adaptation we learn that Bond left Smythe alone on purpose, and then Smythe committed suicide rather than face a court marshalling.

    Despite this story’s weird format I did enjoy it, and can say it is one of my favourite Fleming stories. It’s so un-Bond yet it gives a brilliant insight into him and the world around him. Personally, I feel that EON and others never truly developed the world around Bond otherwise it would be a much more popular movie series.

    The Living Daylights is more of a Bond novel, well there’s more Bond in it. A lot of the features from this novel ended up creating the opening scenes for Timothy Dalton’s The Living Daylights. In The Living Daylights, Fleming’s version, Bond is assigned to provide cover for a defector code named 272. 272 will try and make the escape from East Berlin over to the West side and into freedom. However, the KGB have already been put on alert by a double agent, and not only know the escape route 272 will use, but now have one of their best snipers, code named ‘Trigger’, to assasinate 272 before he can cross the wall. I’m sure that fans of the movie will already know the few plot twists that appear in this novel especially with the sniper ‘Trigger’ so I’ll say no more. Despite knowing these twists the novel is still a great read. Fleming has present a lot of original material and again I love this story for giving a great insight into Bond’s head, especially how he worries over murdering an enemy agent in cold bloody. So with that in mind read this story, you won’t regret it.

    Though I haven’t ready The Property of a Lady I’ll try and give you an insight into with what I’ve read from the net. This is the shortest of the three stories, and it’s commonly the reason it usually fails to be published. Being so short there is little character development. However, part of this story did appear in Roger Moore’s Octopussy when Bond is tracking the Faberge egg at the auction. Hence, Bond says “the property of a lady” as he leaves M’s office for the auction. The plot, in summary, is the investigation into a gift, received by a Miss Maria Freudenstein, working for M.I.6, which may have come from the KGB. Maria is due to receive the proceeds from the auction at Sotheby’s of the Emerald Sphere, and Bond, along with art expert Kenneth Snowman, goes to the auction to see who it is that will be there to bump up the price. The KGB may be sending someone to outbid everyone else at the auction, as a way of repayment for double agent services rendered by Miss Freudenstein. Apart from that, the most interesting thing I found in this novel was the introduction of a supporting character Mary Goodnight, who we all know appeared as that damn sexy blonde with a cute butt that got Bond into trouble in The Man With The Golden Gun (the film adaptation of course). And damn was she sexy.

    Personally, I enjoyed the two stories that I read. Definitely read this collection because it’s worth it. If you’re looking to buy this novel make sure it comes published with The Property of a Lady because you wouldn’t want to be jibbed would you?

    © Daniel Dykes, 2001

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