Five secret occasions in the life of James Bond, 007: The destruction of a Russian hideout at Shape headquarters near Paris; the planned assassination of a Cuban thug in America; love and hate in Bermuda; the tracking of a heroin ring from Rome to Venice; and sudden ghastly death in Seychelles. For Bond it's just routine, for anyone else: certain death!
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
For Your Eyes Only: James Bond 007 (Vintage)
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £1.10
Trade in For Your Eyes Only (James Bond Novels) for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £1.10, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Learn more
|
Book Description
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Amazon Review
For Your Eyes Only is five Bonds for the price of one, showing Fleming equally at home with the short story as he was over the long haul. Related themes appear across the collection--domestic abuse, just revenge--but these are stories for reading in their own right.
From a View to a Kill has Bond in Paris, outsmarting both the bad guys and the other European intelligence services to solve a murder mystery centred on stolen NATO documents. Cold-blooded murder aside, this is a gentle and engrossing story with some fine descriptive touches by Fleming.
In For Your Eyes Only itself, Bond is on an M-instigated revenge mission in the wilds of Canada and Vermont. Notable for its account of his enemy stalking and unexpected rendezvous with the beautiful Judy Havelock, For Your Eyes Only also portrays closely the relationship between Bond and M, whose inertia over the correct course of action Bond resolves: "It had come to the point where justice ought to be done ... But M was thinking, is this justice or is it revenge? M wanted someone else, Bond, to deliver judgement".
Quantum of Solace is a brief but diverting oddity in which Bond barely moves from his seat. The story is an after-dinner tale of human cruelty told by his host--probably prompted by his preconceptions of Bond's work--which elicits the response, "It's extraordinary how much people can hurt each other." After this interlude, Risico picks up the pace with a heroin smuggling, vendetta-inspired rollercoaster set against an Italian backdrop.
In the final story, The Hildebrand Rarity, Bond finds himself in deep water on a fishing expedition when emotional and physical violence lead to another "justified" murder which Bond covers up. Who committed the crime? Does it matter? This is Bond as agent of natural justice above and beyond institutional law. --Iain Campbell --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
Mr Fleming's licensed assassin is in good form … Few men can have been able to mix business with pleasure so successfully as Bond (The Times Literary Supplement )
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
First Sentence
The eyes behind the wide black rubber goggles were cold as flint. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
The eyes behind the wide black rubber goggles were cold as flint. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By A. Ross
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
The eighth book published in the 007 series is not a self-contained novel, but rather a collection of five short stories—two of which are kind of shoehorned in and aren't really typical Bond pieces. The first story, "From A View To A Kill", is a pretty decent little Cold War espionage piece. In a well-crafted set piece introduction, a dispatch rider from Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers—Europe headquarters is ambushed and his documents stolen by Soviet spies. As a result of bureaucratic infighting (highly realistic, and doubtless drawn from Fleming's own intelligence experience), M sends Bond to try and figure out the security breakdown. It's a good tale, with an ingenious set of foes, probably the best story of the lot.
In "For Your Eyes Only", Bond enters highly murky waters by taking a more or less personal assignment from M to track down the killers of an old friend. It's a highly topical late '50s piece, involving a former Nazi as mastermind, and henchmen drawn from the ranks of Cuban dictator Battista. Interestingly (in hindsight), Bond expresses real sympathy with the rebel Castro's struggle! To act as M's executioner, Bond must travel to Canada and then sneak across the US border to operate in Vermont, which is kind of interesting. Things take a turn for the ridiculous when he stumbles across another revenge seeker, wielding a bow and arrow. The middle story, "Quantum of Solace" isn't a Bond story at all. Rather, it's a story of disaffected marriage told to Bond by his host after a rather boring dinner party. It's actually quite good, but has nothing to do with Bond.
"Risico" takes Bond back to action, and places him in Rome, where he is assigned to disrupt the flow of heroin into England. Fleming creates a rather prescient version of "The War on Drugs" by directing Bond to act against the insidious enemy of drugs. It's a classic Bond story in that Bond is easily duped, meets a pretty woman, meets an unlikely ally, and engages in near fatal gunplay. (And of course, at the end, the drug pipeline to England is all a nasty Soviet plot.) The final story, "The Hildebrand Rarity", is again, barely a Bond story—reducing him to observer status. He's not really on the job, but instead inexplicably agrees to hire himself out as a fishing expert in the Seychelles. Basically, he's just there as an audience for another marriage-gone-sour story. There is a villain, there is a murder, but Bond's not really a central character in it. The only real purpose to the story seems to be to allow Fleming to work out his own issues vis-à-vis American millionaires.
On the whole, these stories don't add much to the Bond canon. It would have been more interesting had Fleming chose to give us a taste of Bond's action in the Ardennes in WWII, or of the two assignments that led to his 00 designation (both of which are mentioned in Casino Royale). Still, the first story is worth a quick read, and "For Your Eyes Only" and "Risico" will be of interest to those who love the film versions.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The first of two collections of Ian Fleming's short stories about James Bond makes for interesting reading. There are several themes that flow through, from the usual exotic locations and deaths of the Bond novels to more of a focus on the people - in four cases Bond himself.
Despite this it seems that the collection might not appeal to any but the dedicated fan - they certinly don't have quite the entertainment value of the full length novels. 'From a View to a Kill', 'For Your Eyes Only' and 'Risico' certainly follow the thriller model, focusing on several missions given Bond by M. However of these only Risico really felt like it had the potential to develop into something more.
'Quantum of Solace' is quite different, and Bond plays barely any role in the story apart from as an excuse for it to be told. We lean a little more about his character, as in all these stories, but mostly it seems to be a vehicle for a strikingly plausible tale that Fleming wants to tell.
Finally, 'The Hildebrand Rarity' seems to be almost a test-bed for some of the features of 'Thunderball'. It's another look into Bond's personality, but with a twist that sets it apart a little from the others.
I've enjoyed the little collection, though probably not as much as I enjoy the novels, and would only really recommend it for readers who have already absorbed those and needs that tiny bit more insight into the character.
Despite this it seems that the collection might not appeal to any but the dedicated fan - they certinly don't have quite the entertainment value of the full length novels. 'From a View to a Kill', 'For Your Eyes Only' and 'Risico' certainly follow the thriller model, focusing on several missions given Bond by M. However of these only Risico really felt like it had the potential to develop into something more.
'Quantum of Solace' is quite different, and Bond plays barely any role in the story apart from as an excuse for it to be told. We lean a little more about his character, as in all these stories, but mostly it seems to be a vehicle for a strikingly plausible tale that Fleming wants to tell.
Finally, 'The Hildebrand Rarity' seems to be almost a test-bed for some of the features of 'Thunderball'. It's another look into Bond's personality, but with a twist that sets it apart a little from the others.
I've enjoyed the little collection, though probably not as much as I enjoy the novels, and would only really recommend it for readers who have already absorbed those and needs that tiny bit more insight into the character.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
For Your Eyes Only is a collection of five short stories featuring James Bond. The titles of three of these, A View To A Kill, For Your Eyes Only and Quantum of Solace will be familiar since they've been used as titles of Bond movies. The plots of FYEO and Risisco may also ring bells as elements of both were used in the movie version of FYEO.
The five stories are quite divergent in terms of their themes and subject matter. A View To A Kill, for example, follows Bond on a short, minor mission in France. Its smartly paced and recounted in a lean, spare style. It also gives you an insight into the sort of work 007 does when he's not involved in the convoluted plots that feature in the novels, and shows thats not every Bond adventure takes weeks and has to include some sort of meglomaniacal super villain. Its about as close to an 'ordinary day' in the life of 007 as its possible to get.
By contrast Quantum of Solace focuses on a tragic but non-espionage related story recounted to Bond after dinner by the Governor of Bermuda. This may sound dull by comparison to View To A Kill, but the way the story is told makes it compelling and the twist in the tale is unexpected. Its also provides additional insight into Bond's psyche and mindset.
In fact all the stories provide fresh insight into James Bond, even if some of his trademark habits such as the love of women remain unchanged, and they're worth reading for that alone. Some might find the likes of Quantum of Solace boring or View To A Kill and FYEO lacking in substance but personally I enjoyed them all. Not only are they each entertaining in their own right but they also show Fleming trying different things in terms of subject matter and writing style and in all cases succeeding admirably.
If you pick up FYEO expecting a traditional Bond novel you will be disappointed, but if you go in with an open mind then the five stories offer a very rewarding experience.
The five stories are quite divergent in terms of their themes and subject matter. A View To A Kill, for example, follows Bond on a short, minor mission in France. Its smartly paced and recounted in a lean, spare style. It also gives you an insight into the sort of work 007 does when he's not involved in the convoluted plots that feature in the novels, and shows thats not every Bond adventure takes weeks and has to include some sort of meglomaniacal super villain. Its about as close to an 'ordinary day' in the life of 007 as its possible to get.
By contrast Quantum of Solace focuses on a tragic but non-espionage related story recounted to Bond after dinner by the Governor of Bermuda. This may sound dull by comparison to View To A Kill, but the way the story is told makes it compelling and the twist in the tale is unexpected. Its also provides additional insight into Bond's psyche and mindset.
In fact all the stories provide fresh insight into James Bond, even if some of his trademark habits such as the love of women remain unchanged, and they're worth reading for that alone. Some might find the likes of Quantum of Solace boring or View To A Kill and FYEO lacking in substance but personally I enjoyed them all. Not only are they each entertaining in their own right but they also show Fleming trying different things in terms of subject matter and writing style and in all cases succeeding admirably.
If you pick up FYEO expecting a traditional Bond novel you will be disappointed, but if you go in with an open mind then the five stories offer a very rewarding experience.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 52 reviews
4.2 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing - if you've seen the film!
This seems more of a series of short stories with a tenuous link - namely James Bond. I suppose I was expecting a plot line similar to the film or at least one story end to end. Read more
Published 13 days ago by K D Woodroff
5.0 out of 5 stars
bond book
Had all the other books and I needed this one to complete the full set of them that was all.
Published 4 months ago by gail roy
5.0 out of 5 stars
For your eyes and yours, and yours, and yours........
An excellent read. Five short, but perfectly formed stories. Having read the previous seven Bonds this was a terrific diversion and is right up there with it's predecessors for... Read more
Published on 15 Sep 2010 by Woofit
5.0 out of 5 stars
Short story-tastic
Excellent insight into the character. Each story is easy to fit in to a hectic day. Ideal for reading when travelling.
Published on 18 April 2009 by Stuart Fleming
3.0 out of 5 stars
Collection of short stories, one of which is 'Quantum of Solace'
After the slightly bloated Goldfinger I was looking forward to this slimline book, but I couldn't help feeling disappointed by what turned out to be a collection of short stories. Read more
Published on 6 Mar 2008 by Greshon
4.0 out of 5 stars
the start of bigger things
five short bond stories included in this edition and not the story of the movie i know well. but the stories that are in this book are the foundations of a few of the later bond... Read more
Published on 16 July 2007 by Lindymck
4.0 out of 5 stars
a good buy
At first I wasn't too enthusiastic about reading short stories because i find they never really get anywhere. Read more
Published on 21 April 2002
4.0 out of 5 stars
Short but perfectly formed
Five short stories from the creator of James Bond and a curious assortment they are to. Fleming seemed to use the short story technique as an easy way to display Bond in a variety... Read more
Published on 19 Oct 2001 by Andy (aaamack@omantel.net.om)
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pleasantly surprising
As with most short stories I begun with a few apprehensions but they were very much dispelled by the end of the first story 'From a view to a kill'. Read more
Published on 24 Mar 2001
4.0 out of 5 stars
Different to the films
This was one of the very first Bond books I read after watching the repeats of the films on ITV. I have always been fascinated by the secret service and decided to try a novel... Read more
Published on 15 July 1999
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.
