My assessment of the Bond Books

I have been a Bond fan for 18 years yet until last year I had not read a single of Ian Flemming's Bond novels. After finishing the first one I was well and truly hooked on them. What I enjoy about the books is that they give me an more personal side to Bond that most of the movies don't do, in some books we get to see what he does when he isn't being sent on a mission. Here is my assessment of them.

Goldfinger- The very first Bond Book I read and it is quite flawed compared to the other Bond novels. First of all the golf sequence in the book in my opinion went on for far too long. Secondly the writing is quite messy in places, in particular the part where they break into Fort Knox. Still not that bad and is a worthwhile read but in my opinion the movie was far far better.

From Russia with love- This is easily my favourite Bond movie followed closely by On Her Majesty's secret service. What really works in it's favour is that it strays away from the Bond formula. FRWL involves SMERSH hatching a plan to disgrace England by getting them involved in a sex scandal. They send a girl named Tatiana Romannova to seduce the man, the target is the British spy James Bond. Bond doesn't turn up until the second half and the first half consists of SMERSH detailing their plan,which I found very engrossing. Apparently this was meant to be Flemming's last book because he wasn't happy with the sales figures of the Bond novels. He actually intended to kill Bond off in the last sequence. I prefer the book of From Russia With Love over the movie by a merry mile.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service- Yet another fantastic book by Ian Flemming. This was a far more personal Bond movie, it showed a far more human side to him that none of the books or the movies managed to do. The movie of On Her Majesty's secret service is also superb but I prefer the book slightly.

The Spy Who Loved Me- This Flemming book kind of surprised me, I thought it would involve a meglomaniac trying to create an underwater world but I got something very very different. Bond only turns up in the second half and the first half consists of a woman being harassed by two men.

Casino Royale- The first of the Bond books, Casino Royale is quite a good Bond Book. My problem with it is that it is quite descriptive and not enough thrills. But what it does succeed in is giving us an insight into the character of Bond.

(I will add more assessments of the Bond books as I read them)