Goldfinger (James Bond 007): Amazon.co.uk: Ian Fleming: Books

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A friendly game of two-handed canasta turns out to be thoroughly crooked and a beautiful girl ends up dead. In Bond's first encounter with Auric Goldfinger - the world's cleverest, cruellest criminal, useful lessons are learned.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than some would have you expect, 23 Sep 2004

By	Darren Harrison "DVD collector and reviewer" (Washington D.C.) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

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 village fete every year looking for old Bond novels. I had heard lots of talk about how `Goldfinger' was the definitive James Bond movie - the blueprint for every feature film that followed in the hugely popular series. Yet it never seemed to appear on British television.
So, it was with much anticipation that I dived into a copy of the Ian Fleming novel of the same name. I was not disappointed.
Much maligned by Bond fans in general, I actually list `Goldfinger' as one of my favorite of all the Fleming James Bond books. It has all the elements I love - the trademark `Fleming sweep' keeps the novel moving at a fast pace, the villain is deliciously colorful and dastardly and the structure is impressive. Split into the three sections: Happenstance, Coincidence and Enemy Action (Goldfinger's theory on his three meetings with 007), the structure is more clearly evident and works well within the overall framework of the book.
The plot of the novel follows the same path as the movie, except in one crucial detail. In the 1964 movie, Goldfinger (in cahoots with the Chinese) plots the detonation of a nuclear device inside the gold depository at Ft. Knox. In the novel Fleming has the villain scheming to steal the gold - a highly impractical scheme but still an enjoyable caper.
I remember upon first reading the novel how impressed I was with the chapters revolving around the game of golf. I find the colorful description and the game of wits between Goldfinger and James Bond especially suspenseful. It's interesting to note that these scenes in the movie are also among my favorites in the series (and even inspired Sean Connery to take up the game of golf).
`Goldfinger' is well worth a read. It's fast moving, has some great characters and a well drawn plot structure. I am frankly surprised it has received such a drubbing on amazon and Bond sites. Pick it up!

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A book of two halves, 2 Jul 2004

By	Our Boy Flynn - See all my reviews

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 soup�on 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.

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0 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fleming Lacks The Midas Touch With This Book, 18 Sep 2003

By	Ricky T (Carlisle: U.K.) - See all my reviews

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 Knox is impossible yet thats what the sceme of the littery Auric Goldfinger is.

Other holes in the plot are easily spoted like why dose Goldfinger take Bond and Tilly Masterson (who survives longer in the book)on to his staff? and why dose Pussy Galor switch sides?

Another problem is that at the end Fleming sudernly revels Goldfinger is working for SMERSH as there banker. WHY are we not told this befor it would help explain why he intended to steel rather then nuke the gold (he dose have a atomic bomb.)

Apart from these faillings this is a good novel all the characters are well defined Goldfinger & Odd Job are just as captervating & beliveable in the book as they are in the movie.

The climatic fight on the plane dose happen in the book but it's not Goldfinger who gets sucked out of the broken window.

This is a deccent book but it is not for first time Bond readers I would sujest starting some were else and reading this after you have got a good grip on the James Bond novels.

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