- Unknown Binding
- Publisher: Plon (1965)
- ASIN: B003USJSY8
- Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
Goldfinger
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First Sentence
James Bond, with two double bourbons inside him, sat in the final departure lounge of Miami Airport and thought about life and death. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
James Bond, with two double bourbons inside him, sat in the final departure lounge of Miami Airport and thought about life and death. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
For any Bond afficionado this novel is a 'must read'. Fleming's descriptive knack with very few words is underestimated. The golf game is a masterpiece of its kind, breaking up the technicalities of the sport with an evocation of beautiful, peaceful England in high summer as a backdrop to the deadly intent of the game being played out against lengthening, afternoon shadows. There is plenty of depth to the plot and the background story of gold, delivered to Bond by Colonel Smithers of the Bank of England, is interesting in itself, particularly when viewed in comparison to today's money markets. The revelation that Goldfinger is not just an obsessive meglomaniac but also in thrall to the Russians is a masterly detail that gives real substance to the cold-war ploy to rob Fort Knox. The gangsters necessary for Goldfinger's purposes are deployed with a light, almost amusing, touch but none of the heroines have much empathetic appeal, not even the fabulously named Pussy Galore. The Masterton sisters are very one-dimensional. Jill is only there, really, to kickstart the second part of the story and, although Fleming tries to make Tilly interesting with her lesbianism, she comes across instead as 'neither flesh nor good, red herring'. In fairness, this is how Bond sees her when he deliberates patronisingly over her mixed up hormones. There are remarks about Japs and Koreans that would never make it into print today, but the joy of Bond is that he is so much a product of the 1940s and '50s, forever politically incorrect. I know many people love the films, but for me the books are incomparably better.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The first half of this book is as fine as any that Fleming wrote: Auric Goldfinger is the paradigm of the classic Bond villian; memorable, ingenious and with a soupçon of depravity. The cat-eating Oddjob, the blueprint for the many indestuctible sidekicks that the Bond movies seem to love, is unforgettable and fascinating. All the illustrious features of the film-version are present and correct, in fact: the gadget-filled Aston Martin; the razor-rimmed bowler hat; the testosterone-fuelled one-upmanship in the celebrated golf game; a gold-painted Jill Masterton; Pussy Galore. The plot-device that introduces Goldfinger, the game of two-handed Canasta, is a delight and the aforementioned game of golf is very much an extended version of the brilliant card-game scene from Moonraker, and very enjoyable for it.
Much is different from the film, of course, mainly the second half of the story, and this is where the book does actually suffer in comparison to the celluloid version. The book's plot features a much more prosaic (and strangely less believable)attempt to steal the gold from Fort Knox, rather than the ingenious idea to irradiate the bullion. Pussy Galore is a lesbian, and is subject to rather un-PC treatment by Fleming. In fact, this book is where Bond starts to become rather eyebrow-raisingly chauvinistic and occassionally racist (towards Koreans mainly).
One of the other reviewers on this site stated that there is a startling revelation towards the end of the book that Goldinger works for SMERSH; in actuality, this is strongly hinted at throughout the book, and it is Bond's suspicions regarding this matter that motivate many of his actions throughout the story.
So, to summarise, it could have been brilliant, but a slack and not vey plausible second-half lets the side down to the extent that all in all it's a bit of a mixed bag, but enjoyable nontheless.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was surprised to find Goldfinger to be one of the weakest James Bond novels. After a chance encounter with the eponymous villain, Bond is sent after him by the Bank of England, only to find himself involved in planning a massive crime.
Character seems surprisingly lacking in this story. Compared to previous enemies, Goldfinger is fairly ill defined, and the 'Bond girls' all seem quite run of the mill. Bond himself comes across as an opinionated woman magnet rather than the genius super spy he appears as in earlier stories.
The plot itself is outlandish and stretches credibility even more than in Dr No, and takes an awfully long time to set up, with the resolution over quite quickly. Bond seems to be a passive participant in events, just letting himself be carried along with the flow rather than taking an active role.
Finally, the passages which today just come across as racism and homophobia really serve to date the novel - much like Live and Let Die - and honestly drag down the enjoyment for a modern reader. The use of long dashes to replace the strongest swear words remains cute however, but does rather break the flow of the narrative.
Character seems surprisingly lacking in this story. Compared to previous enemies, Goldfinger is fairly ill defined, and the 'Bond girls' all seem quite run of the mill. Bond himself comes across as an opinionated woman magnet rather than the genius super spy he appears as in earlier stories.
The plot itself is outlandish and stretches credibility even more than in Dr No, and takes an awfully long time to set up, with the resolution over quite quickly. Bond seems to be a passive participant in events, just letting himself be carried along with the flow rather than taking an active role.
Finally, the passages which today just come across as racism and homophobia really serve to date the novel - much like Live and Let Die - and honestly drag down the enjoyment for a modern reader. The use of long dashes to replace the strongest swear words remains cute however, but does rather break the flow of the narrative.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
FILM IS BETTER
The book starts very slowly - you're at least half way through the book before the plot really gets going. Read more
Published 25 days ago by DEVIZES
Racist, mysoginistic, homophobic.
Running on fond memories of watching the Bond films in my childhood, I was recently inspired to pick this up. I wish I hadn't bothered. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Emma Thompson
"Do you expect me to talk?" Yes, Mr Richard E. Grant
This review is specifically about the mid 1990s Richard E. Grant abridged reading of Goldfinger.
Recording 8 titles in total, it's a great shame that none of these ever... Read more
Recording 8 titles in total, it's a great shame that none of these ever... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Amon Avis
Solid Gold.
Fast paced with involving and believable characters. The excellent 'card' and 'golf' scenes are a pure joy and add real depth to the characters. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Woofit
Great Movie From A So-So Novel
In most polls of critics and fans alike Goldfinger regularly tops the list of the best Bond movies ever. Read more
Published on 6 July 2009 by C. Green
James Bond gets his man as usual...
I've just finished Goldfinger - Ian Fleming's 7th Bond book and thoroughly enjoyed it (as always). He keeps you gripped from page 1 til the end. Read more
Published on 3 Dec 2008 by uncle barbar
Up to the usual Bond series standard
The seventh (1959) instalment in the Bond series is up to the usual high standard (only Diamonds are Forever has disappointed so far), and is another fine adventure story. Read more
Published on 1 Mar 2008 by Greshon
Better than some would have you expect
Growing up in the UK of the 1970s and 1980s I was much inspired by the movies of James Bond (on television every Bank Holiday) and would scour second-hand book tables at the local... Read more
Published on 23 Sep 2004 by Darren Harrison
Fleming Lacks The Midas Touch With This Book
The quintacential Bond movie is based on one of Fleming's lest gripping works.
Goldfinger is one of Fleming's poorest plots, as stated in the film to steel all the gold in Ft... Read more
Published on 18 Sep 2003 by Ricky T
Golf is a four letter word
Bond is displayed in all his glory in this unbalanced yet still enjoyable adventure. Flemming spends too much time on some of the more mundane details and not enough on the action,... Read more
Published on 4 May 2001
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