Dr No, a sinister recluse with mechanical pincers for hands and a sadistic fascination with pain, holds James Bond firmly in his steely grasp. Bond and Honey Rider, his beautiful and vulnerable girl Friday, have been captured trespassing on Dr No’s secluded Caribbean island. Intent on protecting his clandestine operations from the British secret service, Dr No sees an opportunity to dispose of an enemy and further his diabolical research. Soon, Bond and Rider are fighting for their lives in a murderous game of Dr No’s choosing …
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Special Offer until June 30, 2013: Receive an additional £5 promotional Gift Certificate, when you trade-in at least £10 worth of books. Learn more. |
Book Description
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Product Description
From the Publisher
With a new introduction by Simon Winder.
About the Author
Born in London in 1908, Ian Fleming worked as a banker and journalist before serving in the British Naval Intelligence during World War II. He published his first novel Casino Royale in 1953 and thus started the astoundingly successful James Bond novels and films. Fleming died in 1964. Other titles include: Casino Royale (0141028300), Diamonds Are Forever (0141028246), For Your Eyes Only (0141028254), From Russia with Love (0141028297), Goldfinger (0141028319), Live and Let Die (0141028327), Moonraker (0141028335), Octopussy & The Living Daylights (0141028343), On Her Majesty's Secret Service (0141028351), The Man with the Golden Gun (0141028238), The Spy Who Loved Me (014102822X), Thunderball (0141028289), You Only Live Twice (0141028262)
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dr No: Ian Fleming - A relaxing holiday in the sun for Bond, James Bond... Contains some spoilers.
16 Oct 2012
Dr No is the sixth appearance in print for Ian Fleming's James Bond. Originally published in 1958 it is very much of it's time in certain attitudes and the dangers facing the world, but it is a ripping yarn that holds up well still today.
Following the near fatal events of `From Russia With Love', and Bond's extended convalescence, he is sent by M to Jamaica on what should be an easy case to ease Bond back into the groove. A relaxing holiday in the sun as M puts it. Two operatives, the local station chief and his secretary, have mysteriously disappeared. Bond is sent to find out what happened to them, and to look into the sudden reduction in numbers of a rare bird, the roseate spoonbill, on nearby Crab Key. What looks like a simple matter, well below his abilities, quickly turns into something more sinister, and eventually leads Bond into a struggle that pushes him right to the limits of his physical and mental endurance. Every step of the way is a trial for Bond, and from the moment he sets foot in Jamaica he has to be on the top of his game to avoid ending up dead, and to protect those around him.
It's a thrilling book, and once again Fleming writes with bags of atmosphere. You can picture the syrupy glow of the sun in Jamaica, hear the birds in the trees, feel every ounce of terror and pain inflicted on the characters. There are several bravura sequences, which are totally and utterly gripping; Bond's encounter with a deadly centipede, and his fight for survival in Dr No's lair are nailbiting and exhausting examples. Added to which is Fleming's ability to relate mundane matters in an interesting way - the guano industry is central to the book, and Fleming makes his essential description of this most uninteresting sounding subject both informative and enthralling.... Read more ›
Following the near fatal events of `From Russia With Love', and Bond's extended convalescence, he is sent by M to Jamaica on what should be an easy case to ease Bond back into the groove. A relaxing holiday in the sun as M puts it. Two operatives, the local station chief and his secretary, have mysteriously disappeared. Bond is sent to find out what happened to them, and to look into the sudden reduction in numbers of a rare bird, the roseate spoonbill, on nearby Crab Key. What looks like a simple matter, well below his abilities, quickly turns into something more sinister, and eventually leads Bond into a struggle that pushes him right to the limits of his physical and mental endurance. Every step of the way is a trial for Bond, and from the moment he sets foot in Jamaica he has to be on the top of his game to avoid ending up dead, and to protect those around him.
It's a thrilling book, and once again Fleming writes with bags of atmosphere. You can picture the syrupy glow of the sun in Jamaica, hear the birds in the trees, feel every ounce of terror and pain inflicted on the characters. There are several bravura sequences, which are totally and utterly gripping; Bond's encounter with a deadly centipede, and his fight for survival in Dr No's lair are nailbiting and exhausting examples. Added to which is Fleming's ability to relate mundane matters in an interesting way - the guano industry is central to the book, and Fleming makes his essential description of this most uninteresting sounding subject both informative and enthralling.... Read more ›
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
As the first Bond novel to be adapted for the silver screen (and with only fairly limited changes in terms of plot) Dr No will be forever known as the story that started a phenomenon. As such an iconic work it is both immortal and entirely critic proof.
Which is quite fortunate really, because as far as the adventures of the literary Bond go (his cinematic counterpart being a quite different individual) Dr No is a rather unremarkable effort. Its not a bad effort but nor does it reach the heights of the novel that preceded it, From Russia With Love; its just rather ordinary.
Reading it for the first time (I'm tackling the whole series in sequence with breaks between individual books) I couldn't shake the feeling that Fleming's heart wasn't really in the writing of Dr No. The plot feels rather perfunctory, with Fleming seemingly more interested in describing Jamaica of the late 50's, somewhere he spent a great deal of time and knew very well, than providing a truly compelling tale.
Bond sort of stumbles over Dr No's plans and only succeeds in discovering & thwarting them because his opponent shows a rather implausible desire to entertain Bond in fine style before finding a ridiculously complicated way to dispose of him. There are definite shades of Dr Evil from the Austin Powers movies about this version of Dr. No (right down to the bald head) which doesn't help the book maintain a sense of tension that in any case never really develops. Yes, Bond is put through the physical wringer by No, but it all seems rather silly and artificial and you never really fear for the hero's life. After the palpable threat posed by SMERSH, Red Grant and Rosa Klebb in From Russia With Love, Dr No. lacks real teeth.... Read more ›
Which is quite fortunate really, because as far as the adventures of the literary Bond go (his cinematic counterpart being a quite different individual) Dr No is a rather unremarkable effort. Its not a bad effort but nor does it reach the heights of the novel that preceded it, From Russia With Love; its just rather ordinary.
Reading it for the first time (I'm tackling the whole series in sequence with breaks between individual books) I couldn't shake the feeling that Fleming's heart wasn't really in the writing of Dr No. The plot feels rather perfunctory, with Fleming seemingly more interested in describing Jamaica of the late 50's, somewhere he spent a great deal of time and knew very well, than providing a truly compelling tale.
Bond sort of stumbles over Dr No's plans and only succeeds in discovering & thwarting them because his opponent shows a rather implausible desire to entertain Bond in fine style before finding a ridiculously complicated way to dispose of him. There are definite shades of Dr Evil from the Austin Powers movies about this version of Dr. No (right down to the bald head) which doesn't help the book maintain a sense of tension that in any case never really develops. Yes, Bond is put through the physical wringer by No, but it all seems rather silly and artificial and you never really fear for the hero's life. After the palpable threat posed by SMERSH, Red Grant and Rosa Klebb in From Russia With Love, Dr No. lacks real teeth.... Read more ›
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Ian Fleming's dynamic spy story may not have been his first James Bond novel (that honour goes to Casino Royale) but it was the first to be filmed, and as such it has remained in the public consciousness as 007's first real adventure. The daddy of all super-villains, Dr Julius No, is holed-up in his lair on Crab Key, a small island in the Caribbean. Bond is despatched by his boss `M' to the Caribbean, to investigate the disappearance of the its Secret Service representative, a friend of 007's, whose mysterious death may well be linked to Dr No's secret operations on Crab Key. The deadly game that No forces Bond to play, is vividly brought to life and styled so as to be extremely thrilling for the reader, whilst the soon-to-be template for all Bond girls - the exotically delicious `Honey Ryder' - adds spice to an adventure that is already excitingly different.
Fleming's genius lay in his ability to write simply, but with an almost fetishistic attention to detail; the reader experiences a delicious thrill when Bond lights another cigarette or describes the minutiae of his daily routine. It is this ability to prompt such a vicarious response in the reader that lifts Fleming's novels from their pulpy origins, and which has given them their longevity and their status' as classic slices of disposable fiction.
Fleming's genius lay in his ability to write simply, but with an almost fetishistic attention to detail; the reader experiences a delicious thrill when Bond lights another cigarette or describes the minutiae of his daily routine. It is this ability to prompt such a vicarious response in the reader that lifts Fleming's novels from their pulpy origins, and which has given them their longevity and their status' as classic slices of disposable fiction.
By Mr T
This has all the great ingredient of the best bond books. Is is based in the Caribbean where Fleming lived for many years, and I think his understanding and fondness for the place comes through. Honey Ryder is an excellent bond girl and Dr No a very disturbing bad guy. The description of locations are brilliant and bond is at his best when backed into a corner and making mistakes. It is of its time, but still holds much charm. 'Live and Let Die' is set in almost the same location - so would be a good one to read before this one.
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
