- Paperback: 304 pages
- Publisher: Penguin Classics; paperback / softback edition (30 Oct 2008)
- Language Unknown
- ISBN-10: 0141190418
- ISBN-13: 978-0141190419
- Product Dimensions: 17.8 x 11.2 x 2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 223,162 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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The Penguin English Library features the best novels in the English language. Get lost in the amazing stories, browse the Penguin English Library. |
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Beautiful girls. Crime lords. Assassins. Deadly secrets ...
It's all in a day's work for Bond.
Whether he's making an unexpected discovery in the Bahamas, hunting down a Cuban hit-man in wild country, smashing an international drugs ring in Rome, on the trail of a murderous secret in the Caribbean, enjoying New York's special pleasures or foiling a surprisingly alluring assassin in Berlin's sniper's alley, dangerous missions and seductive women come with the job for James Bond. And this agent is always a consummate professional.
Bringing together all of the James Bond short stories in one volume for the first time, this is the ultimate celebration of suave and deadly secret agent 007.
Containing:
From a View to a Kill
For Your Eyes Only
Quantum of Solace
Risico
The Hildebrand Rarity
Octopussy
The Living Daylights
The Property of a Lady
007 in New York
About the Author
Born in London in 1908, Ian Fleming worked variously 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.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is quite an eclectic collection of stories giving Fleming the opportunity to play with themes and voices which might not have fitted into the novels. Despite the story titles, the film links are almost non-existent.
I hadn't read any of the Bond novels since school, so picked this up without any real expectations and have been charmed by the world and the characters he has created. The ability to switch from the sniper on a tree branch, to the colonial dinner party, to the raid on the machine gun-toting smugglers, to the high-society auction, without a false note, is what makes Bond the character stand out and it is also what makes this collection so enjoyable.
The majority of the stories are written in a simple, almost brutal prose, appropriate to their content, which zips them along nicely. Some of the more descriptive passages about snorkelling in coral seas or climbing in the mountains, and the title story which is mostly told through the eyes of an elderly colonial civil servant, show an ability to effectively switch styles and bring out a more reflective and human Bond than the films ever would.
The stories also feel thoroughly authentic - the casual low-level undertones of post-war nationalism, racism and misogyny ground the writing in its era in a way modern writers wouldn't dare. If you're unable to accept the mores-of-its-time aspect you may find this does grate at times. Fleming's natural and understated descriptions of the world of politics and espionage of that time have that authentic whiff of real experience and he doesn't feel the urge to unload patronising explanations of them on you in a way many modern writers - having put all that effort into extensive research at significant cost - seem intent on doing.
Several of the stories feel like they could have been developed further, I wondered if they were scenes edited out of the novels, but others including the title story stand up well on their own.
Overall I would recommend this collection and wouldn't say that you would need to have read the novels or enjoyed the films to get something out of it.
I hadn't read any of the Bond novels since school, so picked this up without any real expectations and have been charmed by the world and the characters he has created. The ability to switch from the sniper on a tree branch, to the colonial dinner party, to the raid on the machine gun-toting smugglers, to the high-society auction, without a false note, is what makes Bond the character stand out and it is also what makes this collection so enjoyable.
The majority of the stories are written in a simple, almost brutal prose, appropriate to their content, which zips them along nicely. Some of the more descriptive passages about snorkelling in coral seas or climbing in the mountains, and the title story which is mostly told through the eyes of an elderly colonial civil servant, show an ability to effectively switch styles and bring out a more reflective and human Bond than the films ever would.
The stories also feel thoroughly authentic - the casual low-level undertones of post-war nationalism, racism and misogyny ground the writing in its era in a way modern writers wouldn't dare. If you're unable to accept the mores-of-its-time aspect you may find this does grate at times. Fleming's natural and understated descriptions of the world of politics and espionage of that time have that authentic whiff of real experience and he doesn't feel the urge to unload patronising explanations of them on you in a way many modern writers - having put all that effort into extensive research at significant cost - seem intent on doing.
Several of the stories feel like they could have been developed further, I wondered if they were scenes edited out of the novels, but others including the title story stand up well on their own.
Overall I would recommend this collection and wouldn't say that you would need to have read the novels or enjoyed the films to get something out of it.
13 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
People expecting to read this book and get an idea as to what the new film is about will be disappointed when "Quantum of Solace" is released in November. The only thing the two have in common is the title. However the story is a very good one and I'm sure the film will also be superb.
This book is a collection of the short stories following Bond in "For Your Eyes Only" and "Octopussy and The Living Daylights". The Amazon description is wrong and the tales from "For Your Eyes Only" are "View to a Kill", "For Your Eyes Only", "Quantum of Solace", "Risico" and "The Hildebrand Rarity". From "Octopussy and The Living Daylights" comes "Octopussy", "The Living Daylights", "The Property of a Lady", and "007 in New York".
All very much worth a read and personal favorites include "The Living Daylights" and "For Your Eyes Only", however I don't think they quite live up to Bond's adventures in "Goldfinger" or "The Man With The Golden Gun".
Nevertheless well worth the price and more than enough to keep you entertained whilst reading.
This book is a collection of the short stories following Bond in "For Your Eyes Only" and "Octopussy and The Living Daylights". The Amazon description is wrong and the tales from "For Your Eyes Only" are "View to a Kill", "For Your Eyes Only", "Quantum of Solace", "Risico" and "The Hildebrand Rarity". From "Octopussy and The Living Daylights" comes "Octopussy", "The Living Daylights", "The Property of a Lady", and "007 in New York".
All very much worth a read and personal favorites include "The Living Daylights" and "For Your Eyes Only", however I don't think they quite live up to Bond's adventures in "Goldfinger" or "The Man With The Golden Gun".
Nevertheless well worth the price and more than enough to keep you entertained whilst reading.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Ian Fleming's various short stories featuring his suave super-spy have been collected in this bumper volume. Quantum of Solace (the recent film only has the title in common with the story) centres on an intriguing little anecdote that Bond is told by his friend the former British consul to the Bahamas; it is a tale of repressed passion, betrayal and revenge. From a View to a Kill is the taut and suspenseful tale of one of Bond's minor assignments and The Hildebrand Rarity (which was plundered for 1987 movie 'The Living Daylights') focuses on a rich playboy and his sadistic relationship with his beautiful wife. These stories show that Fleming had some range and are all well-crafted and absorbing studies of human nature; as such they provide a welcome counterpoint to the full-length 007 books and show a more thoughtful and human side to the legendary secret-agent.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Shame on you, Penguin!
The 1 star isn't for the contents of this book, but for Penguin's cynicism in trying to tie it in with the then new Bond movie of the same title. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Christopher Nash
New Bond is shaken not stirred
I very much enjoyed this new entry in the Bond canon of literature.
I have read virtually all the other books and think the style of Fleming has been faithfully retained... Read more
I have read virtually all the other books and think the style of Fleming has been faithfully retained... Read more
Published 16 months ago by R Hamilton
An excellent colection of short stories which shows another side of...
A fantastic collection of short stories which I found very different to the longer Fleming books. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Bond in different settings. Read more
Published on 7 Aug 2009 by Random
A Great Compliment to the full stories!!
This book contains the collection of short Bond stories. I have been reading the full books and was interested in the short stories for a quick fix. Read more
Published on 20 April 2009 by Mr. Alwyn J. Royall
Wuantam of Solace
all the bond short stories together in beautiful bounded book.very enjoyable adventures stories.worth the money
Published on 29 Jan 2009 by A. Waheed
Gap Filler
A nice little book of James Bond short stories, nothing very exciting but pleasing enough and it is always refreshing to read about Bond in the post war world and as he was... Read more
Published on 25 Nov 2008 by Maximus
classic bond
Every story in this book is a treat-classic Bond , Classic Flemming-it is worth buying purely for the short story "For your eyes only" . Read more
Published on 24 Nov 2008 by Neil
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