I am a BIG James Bond fan. I have all of the films on DVD and have watched them many times. I have recently begun reading the original Ian Fleming novels on which the films are based, and I would highly recommend them to anyone who enjoys the exploits of Mr. Bond. They are fun, fast reads (great for summer reading) but be prepared; the books are quite different from the movies.
First of all they are set in the 50s (when the books were written) so the cars, technology, and so forth are a bit dated, but I think that adds to their interest. Secondly, the plots vary from “pretty close” to “no resemblance at all” to the films, so don’t go into them thinking you know what’s going to happen. Comparing the similarities and differences is part of the fun of reading them. Just when you think the book is nothing like the movie, you’ll stumble across a scene that was used almost verbatim in the film. You’ll even encounter scenes in one book that were actually used in a completely different film!
In spite of the reference in the picture, I have yet to encounter Blofeld and his kitty. And while there has been mention of Q branch, there has been no actual “Q.” Bond has his own office and all of his banter is with his own secretary, hardly giving poor Miss Moneypenny a second glance. Gadgetry has been minimal, focusing instead on a sort of gritty realism. But as I am still at the beginning of the series, all of the above may change at any time.
The books were also published in a completely different order from the films. I’ve read the first four (of fourteen) and they run: Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, and Diamonds are Forever. The next title is From Russia With Love. Rather than reading them one after the other, I have been spreading them out and reading other things in between. I’m having such fun with them; I want to extend the pleasure…
Lee
First of all they are set in the 50s (when the books were written) so the cars, technology, and so forth are a bit dated, but I think that adds to their interest. Secondly, the plots vary from “pretty close” to “no resemblance at all” to the films, so don’t go into them thinking you know what’s going to happen. Comparing the similarities and differences is part of the fun of reading them. Just when you think the book is nothing like the movie, you’ll stumble across a scene that was used almost verbatim in the film. You’ll even encounter scenes in one book that were actually used in a completely different film!
In spite of the reference in the picture, I have yet to encounter Blofeld and his kitty. And while there has been mention of Q branch, there has been no actual “Q.” Bond has his own office and all of his banter is with his own secretary, hardly giving poor Miss Moneypenny a second glance. Gadgetry has been minimal, focusing instead on a sort of gritty realism. But as I am still at the beginning of the series, all of the above may change at any time.
The books were also published in a completely different order from the films. I’ve read the first four (of fourteen) and they run: Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, and Diamonds are Forever. The next title is From Russia With Love. Rather than reading them one after the other, I have been spreading them out and reading other things in between. I’m having such fun with them; I want to extend the pleasure…
Lee
3 comments:
That reminds me, I'd like to see Casino Royale again.
I've never read any of the Bond stories....good idea!
Interesting to know.
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