'The Spy Who Loved Me' | A Very Different Fleming 007 Story | Book Review

[@jonathancampbell5231]

Fleming: I need to show people that James Bond is a dangerous man and not someone to be admired Also Fleming: "James Bond saves a woman from a pair of violent rapists"

[@SolarDragon007]

I think Fleming did a much better job of making Bond morally ambiguous in Casino Royale. His inner monologue while in the car chase with Le Chiffre is on particularly shocking example that comes to mind.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

Bond was not meant to be a hero but that doesn't mean he was morally bankrupt.

[@codename617]

I think him questioning his actions and often times going to lengths to just injure someone rather than kill in cold blood is a great example of Fleming's character's morality.

[@SuperWolsey]

Basically Negan and a bonus degree John Constantine before Robert Kirkman was ever born and Alan Moore was no more than 9

[@nifralo2752]

Yeah thats like those ww2 movies were they want to show that the allies have a dark side so some British troops castrate an SS sergeant then kick him to death. That doesn't really work when its a Nazi who gasses Jews and uses Polish kids as target pratice. If the antaganist is 100% evil or unreedemoble then it dont work if the hero enjoys killing him.

[@WhiteJarrah]

Every time I hear the name Vivienne the first thing that comes to mind is Vyvyan from The Young Ones. "Vyvyan! Vyvyan! Vyvyan! Honestly, whenever anything explodes in this house it's always 'Blame Vyvyan!'"

[@SolarDragon007]

I think Fleming intended to make Bond a darker character in the earlier books, but gradually evolved him into a somewhat more likable and heroic figure as the series progressed. This is probably down to the fact that the post FRWL novels feel more like pulp adventure stories than grounded spy thrillers. With that said, I do appreciate that even at their most outlandish, the later books still maintain a degree of darkness/grit rather than becoming outright farcical like some of the films did.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

The progression of Bond's character development really could not have gone any other way. Fleming had to keep upping the ante with more outrageous villains and plots so naturally, Bond was would have to lighten up a bit.

[@SolarDragon007]

@@ricardocantoral7672 True. What I like about the later novels is that they play the more over the top, comic bookish so straight. That's something that I think Warren Ellis really nailed with his first Bond story "Vargr". The films sometimes cross into self-parody when they go too big (Moonraker, Die Another Day, etc.), and I tend not to like that.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

@@SolarDragon007 I've never read the Bond graphic novels but now I am curious. Thanks.

[@SolarDragon007]

@@ricardocantoral7672 I'd recommend Warren Ellis, (Vargr, Eidolon) and Andy Diggle, (Hammerhead, Kill Chain). The One-shot "Solstice" by Ibrahim Moustafa and the Casino Royale graphic novel are also great. With all that said, avoid "The Body" like the plague.

[@Appleboy78165]

I just recently broke up with my boyfriend, and seeing a new video from you helped improve my mood quite substantially. Thanks for cheering me up, dude!

[@calvindyson]

Very sorry to hear about the break up. Never an easy thing to go through. Hope you're feeling better now and continue to go from strength to strength! Bond is good escapism from real life stresses I find.

[@Appleboy78165]

Calvin Dyson I'm feeling much better now. It's definitely for the best that he and I broke up. Also, I agree with you about Bond being great escapism. For example, my go-to thing when I have a rough day is to play some Agent Under Fire or Nightfire. That or watch one of the campy, fun Bond films.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

@@Appleboy78165 Nothing like Diamonds Are Forever to cheer you up !

[@Appleboy78165]

Ricardo Cantoral Or Moonraker. That one is also known to cheer me up

[@ricardocantoral7672]

@JAMES BOND FAN 007 Kid, fuck off. You're not funny.

[@BenCol]

Props to Fleming for taking a risk and writing something outside his comfort zone. It's a mess, for sure, but it's a fascinating mess. At the very least, it's makes for an interesting* read purely because of its black sheep status, in how different it is from all the Bond books before and after it - what 'Halloween 3' is to the Halloween films, 'My Neighbours the Yamadas' is to the Studio Ghibli films, or 'Star Fox Adventures' is to the Star Fox games. At the very least read it once to experience it, but you'll probably find you'll never revisit it. *Somewhat related tangent: in creative writing workshops I've been in, 'interesting' means 'bad' - it's the word used when a piece is shit but no one has the nerve to say it to the writer's face.

[@calvindyson]

Completely agree with all you say. Good to experience the once but I doubt I'll ever return. And you're very right on interesting/bad. It's a very British thing to do I'd say!!

[@BenCol]

Calvin Dyson, The funny thing I’ve found is that I revisit books far less often than I revisit films, even with books I like. With films I’ll happily watch it ten, twenty times, but with books I’m like “I’ve read that one before, I’ll read something new instead.” I think it’s because a book takes up more time than a film (it’s the norm to read a little bit of a book over a long series of time unlike film which is experienced in one go, and especially as there’s no limit on books like the 90-120 mins for film) or maybe because literature is much older and easier to make than films so there’s more of it to be experienced. But maybe this is all just me.

[@davidjames579]

I liked your Halloween 3 example. It really is. But that's actually quite cool, that Fleming would do that.

[@WhiteJarrah]

"Vyvian! Vyvian! Vyvian! Honestly! Whenever something goes wrong in the James Bond series, it's always BLAME VYVIAN!"

[@TheAskTrixieChannel]

4:18 Uh oh, Moore's just skiied off a cliff. :-P

[@scottlinting6308]

I agree with all your sentiments. The single sentence you mentioned stood out like a sore thumb. One of the odd things was Bond himself. Since we didn't get his internal dialog he came off more suave and charming with a calm, cool demeanor. It felt less like the previous Bonds and more like....well like Roger Moore's Bond, which I found so weird since Moore wasn't even a thought and the Movies were just getting started with Sean.

[@rickh7676]

Regarding “all women love semi-rape” it’s not the first time Fleming expresses views like this. In Casino Royale, Bond notes that because of Vesper’s inner privacy each time they had sex would have “the sweet tang of rape”

[@mezzoly]

Absolutely. The urge to get all upset over that line in SWLM is kink-shaming a woman. Bond *doesn't* rape her. It's her fantasy, and as an old woman at a Bond talk reminded me, rape fantasies were pretty dang common in the days women were expected to be virgins until marriage. Also, no one who has complained about that line in SWLM ever gets upset over the "sweet tang of rape" line. We just can't have women have agency.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

​@@mezzoly I think you've missed the point of the objection. It's really nothing to do with the female character saying it. It's that the line is really distasteful/unpleasant and it and the female narrator were written by a man, especially as Fleming's female characters are often cited as not being that well written [11:25-12:05 sums this up well]. In the following book, OHMSS, Draco recalls meeting his wife [Tracy's mother] saying something like 'she was looking to be raped'... [the Bond files reference book notes this is the 3rd time he's suggested this and the early two mentions are noted and condemned in the book written by two men].

[@mezzoly]

@@jamesatkinsonja Good points.

[@mezzoly]

@@jamesatkinsonja While you raise good points, you are missing a big one. No one says we shouldn't read Casino Royale because Bond likes knowing sex with Vesper has the "sweet tang of rape." No one says we shouldn't read OHMSS because Draco says his wife was looking to be raped. Marc-Ange is also a rapist, but no one says he's not a good guy. The only time people fall over themselves to be angry about it is when a female character thinks and talks about it, NOT when a male character actually does it.

[@mezzoly]

While you raise some good points, the female voice DOES matter. No one tries to throw out the whole book because Bond looks forward to "the sweet tang of rape" (Casino Royale) or rejects Marc Ange or Draco as Bond allies because they are rapists, but they DO reject all of SWLM for that. It makes a difference that when a man says it, no one cares. @@jamesatkinsonja

[@spyboy1964]

Your theory that Hitchcock's Psycho might have influenced this book is very interesting. I read the book years ago, and that thought never occurred to me.

[@jenniferschillig3768]

Wasn't Hitch considering making Casino Royale at one point, with Cary Grant?

[@spyboy1964]

@@jenniferschillig3768 I don't know if that is true or not, but the the bond producers Broccoli and Saltzman did try to get Hitchcock to direct Dr. No, but he turned them down.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

@@jenniferschillig3768 The story goes he was touted for Bond [with 1959's 'North by North West' being described as 'the first Bond movie' by the guardian in 2009]. If I recall it was for a proposed 'Thunderball' adaption [which was going to be the first Eon movie until legal issues started] but I don't think Hitchcock was interested [and given the budget for Dr No was only $1 million he was probably out of there price range anyway].

[@DarthMeteos]

Just like when I read through the series proper, in this review series I'm stuck thinking "Thank god that's over, now we can do Majesty's." Enjoy it, it's my absolute favourite one.

[@AnOwlCalledSage]

OHMSS and The Spy Who Loved Me are my favourite Bond films. Yes. OHMSS is the ultimate original story translated to the screen but TSHLM the best blue sky thinking from such a thin narrative!

[@harrisonmode8046]

You referenced Bugsy Malone...I think my esteem of you just reached epic levels.

[@jenniferschillig3768]

I thought the name sounded like a gangster from the Bugs Bunny cartoons--you know, the ones with Rocky and Muggsy? Which only made me imagine Bond in the Bugs Bunny role in that one where the gangsters holed up in an abandoned house where Bugs also took shelter, and Bugs, hidden from them, manipulated them so Rocky nearly ended up killing Muggsy. ("I don't know how youse done it BUT I KNOW YOUSE DONE IT!!!")

[@chrisb2116]

The first time I read TSWLM I really disliked it if not hated... the next time I read through the series I almost skipped it, but decided that no I should give it another try... with my expectations altered, I actually quite enjoyed it. It’s not one of my favorites mind you and being stuck at the motel was very small scale and unappealing, yet I actually liked the lead’s backstory... I felt it led to what I assume Fleming intended as the ultimate damsel in distress moment with Horror and Sluggsy and then Bond’s arrival I found quite exciting... that worked for me from a fan boy geek out moment. I also think there were moments with Horror and Sluggsy that I found quite suspenseful and frightening whereas in DAF the villains not so much. I do agree though the adventure Bond talks about sounds more intriguing and I would have preferred that developed into a novel. I also agree at least Fleming was trying to shake things up for himself and the formula. It’s no easy task to write a great book and Fleming wrote quite a few that I love so I’m always compelled to be forgiving a failure or two.

[@juliabrnssr]

I will agree with you. I found the book kind of unsettling, but at the same time I couldn't put it down. What's interesting is in my version of the book there is a little preface. It basically states a fan of the James Bond books sent a Manuscript to Felming of this particular story and signed it "Vivienne Michel". Then Ian edited it and published it. I often wonder how much of the book was really his. One other crazy thing to note, when I found this book, I was in the middle of making a "Spy Who Loved Me" video game. The timing of that was just crazy.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

Fleming added that as he wanted to distance himself from the book which he did write himself. He also put it into his contract that that the film version use nothing from the book and prevented the paperback release for many years. Apparently it was established after his death he had come to terms with it so the paper back was released.

[@MichaelHonscar]

I’m in the minority, but The Spy Who Loved Me is my favorite Bond book. I personally like the concept of the narrative coming from Vivienne’s point of view and not Bond’s.

[@davidjames579]

I think there's a lot of mileage to be gained from doing that, and it was exciting for Fleming to tread that path, but personally I find the novel boring.

[@evilubuntu9001]

It would have been great if Fleming had any idea about how women actually thought and operated, he didn't think much of them, or races that were not derived from Anglo-saxons, the last chapter is kind of cool though, I always liked it. Love, UBUNTU

[@mezzoly]

I love it, and the arc for Viv, celebrating her freedom in the end after coming through adversity -- just wonderful.

[@TheBondExperience]

Fantastic discussion as always....engaging, entertaining, and educational!

[@locutusdborg126]

Thanks for using the serial comma in your post, David.

[@aperson22222]

Not at all a fan of Vyvian. I don't want to blame her for how unpleasant her flashbacks were, but they left me with at best a mild form of pity for her, at worst a dislike for her own stupidity, recklessness, and self-absorption (for which she never takes responsibility), but mostly, an eye-rolling sense of tedium. If she learned a certain strength and independence from all that, she did not learn any sort of wisdom along the way, as evidenced by the fact that she ignored some fairly clear warning signs as well as a strong insistence by her gut instinct that this motel job was a bad idea. And I didn't get the sense she's learned any wisdom from this little adventure either, not that I care. And if one doesn't like Vyvian, this book can't possibly hold any charms. In the one chapter where Bond summarizes his recent mission against SPECTRE, my feeling of "Well fuck, why didn't you let me read _that_ book instead of this drivel?" was palpable. (It's also, I believe, something of a continuity error, not that this series is meant to take that sort of thing all that seriously. It's after _Thunderball_ and MI6 is well aware of SPECTRE and working to bring it down, but the target sounds like the sort of operation that Blofeld suspended as soon as Operation Thunderball blew his cover, based on OHMSS.)

[@jenniferschillig3768]

What you said about how Vivienne's pre-Bond relationships (if you could call her liaison with Bond a "relationship") are presented so awfully...that brings me back to something I mentioned in another of my comments on your videos: that I don't think Fleming EVER depicted a successful, supportive, loving long-term relationship in any of the Bond novels or stories. Well, okay...there were the Havelocks, but they get killed off almost immediately. And of course we all like to think that Bond's marriage to Tracy would have turned out okay, but of course THAT got cut short tragically. All the other relationships/marriages we see, even among supporting or background characters, are either miserable or emotionally/physically abusive--the Krests in "The Hildebrand Rarity", the Masters in "Quantum of Solace", Major Dexter Smythe and his wife in "Octopussy". It does say a LOT about Fleming himself and his view of women and relationships, doesn't it? (Not to mention the state of his own marriage--from what I understand, he married Anne Rothermere late-ish in life after she'd been cheating on her husband with him, and then their own marriage was rather miserable and plagued by infidelity on both sides.) It's rather sad...Fleming didn't have ISSUES with women, he had SUBSCRIPTIONS. You'd have to go outside the Bond novels for a successful relationship in a Fleming story--Mr. and Mrs. Caractacus Pott in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and (a) that was a children's story, (b) they made Caractacus a widower for the movie!

[@PurushaDesa]

Ian Fleming confronts feminism - UH OH.

[@EthanKnight97]

I regard this as a brave but a failed experiment too. I don't blame Fleming for not endorsing this book.

[@davidjames579]

Fleming was so embarrassed by it, that he actually claimed he didn't write it. He said he came into his study at Goldeneye one day and found it on his desk! As it was written by Vivian Michel, he could only assume she was a fan who'd broken in and left it for him! He decided to publish it, but used his name, so it gain as large an audience as possible!!

[@SuperWolsey]

@@davidjames579 poor Fleming. At least he tried. Ironically, the audiobook readings and this one instrumental track made in 1966 is all that remains

[@davidjames579]

@@SuperWolsey Sorry, what instrumental track is that?

[@jamesatkinsonja]

10:16 yeah, had a feeling you'd mention that. Hardly Flemings finest moment. Ugh!

[@JetDom767]

I skipped The Spy who Loved me and went straight to On Her Majesty's Secret Service and honestly that one and Goldfinger are my most read books. Kind of ironic that the title of The Spy who Loved Me evolved into my favourite movie 15 years after it was published.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

Fleming and Raymond Chandler were friends in real life. Similar to Quantum of Solace being his attempt to capture W. Somerset Morgan, I wonder if this was Fleming trying to write a Chandler esq book but if that was the case, he missed by a country mile.

[@locutusdborg126]

Somerset Maugham.

[@jacklugo3085]

Even though our opinions on the book differ, I totally understand and respect your viewpoints here Calvin. For me, TSWLM novel was a failed experiment commercially at the time of release, but I believe it to be a flawed yet bold experimental novel that reads a lot better today making it ahead of its time although admittedly far from progressive. The brutality that Viv experiences is meant to illicit empathy from the reader, and perhaps force men to call into question the sexual experiences of women versus those of men. This experimentation obviously came at the wrong time since at the time of the book's release Eon was in production on Dr No. My theory is that Fleming probably had no idea that the films would be successful and decided at this time to flex some creative muscles by writing from a woman's perspective. Once Dr No met with some measure of success and another film was guaranteed, Fleming probably realized he'd better return the Bond books to form and he decided to go above and beyond with OHMSS.

[@davidjames579]

I think the problem lies in there being a fine line between putting a character through the mill to shine a light on what a horrible time in life some people have, and over-describing. It's a balancing act.

[@MooseWithFleas]

Loving the content on the Fleming book reviews, thank you Calvin! Is there a novel ranking video on the horizon once you wrap-up the Fleming books?

[@calvindyson]

Thanks mate! And yes certainly, have been keeping a list of the Fleming books ranked as I've been reading. I only have two more to read/four reviews to do and then I feel my right of passage for Bond fandom is complete!

[@guowushu]

Compared to your film reviews, Calvin, where you have the video cuts to put into your videos, it is far harder to bring the book to life. I really like your analysis of the books. You know I am writing a Bond inspired thriller, and I can atest that it is one of the hardest things I have ever done. Fleming had built his brand by that point, so I appreciate you give him slack. I do think men are not so great at writing sex scenes even if they are great writers (Stephen King doesn't write great sex scenes in my view but he is still one of my absolute fave authors). The view on rape is interesting - I don't think any woman would ever want that, maybe it was part of Fleming's own fantasy,, who knows? Easily one of your most important videos - considering the lighter tone of the TSWLM movie, the contrast offered in this video review of the book is essential for all Bond fans.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

Good luck with that book !

[@jamesatkinsonja]

15:45 interestingly, the newspaper comic book adaption did exactly that, as well as fleshing out the mission Bond was on [which is different to the one in the novel]

[@clintonrawls]

Someone may have mentioned this already but the motel fire may have been an inspiration for the burning hotel climax in Quantum of Solace.

[@eddixon2015]

Do you think this could work as a film? The idea of putting Bond in a roadside hotel having to combat some low-life criminals could be a really interesting character study.

[@SolarDragon007]

Something like this could work well as a Comic book One-shot.

[@nickhepler533]

Ed Dixon I don’t think it would make for a good Bond film because of what the series is known to be. It’s too much of a departure from what the films have been like for almost 60 years. It might however make for an interesting non-Bond spy film with a generic spy protagonist.

[@davidjames579]

Netflix or Amazon Original, produced by EON. Alongside, rather than instead of a cinema release movie. Maybe EON could do a series of Bond mini-adventures and character studies?

[@ricardocantoral7672]

Nah. This really could never work. An episode of a TV series at best.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

@@davidjames579 I fancy the idea of a Bond TV series.

[@doctorlolchicken7478]

Even though my grandfather had excellent condition original hardcover versions of most Bond novels, I’m ashamed to say I only read two: Dr No and this. When I read this I was a kid, and it really confused me. It put me off the books entirely and I have yet to get back to them, although this review series has rekindled my interest.

[@Borella309]

Great work (again) Calvin! I actually didn't mind Vyvian's back story, but ultimately the whole thing is pretty poor. Fleming had turned out some really memorable names for his characters (Goldfinger, Tiffany Chase, Hugo Drax, Honeychile Ryder, Miss Moneypenny, Dr No, and of course Pussy Galore and so many more) but here we get Slugsy and Horror, this shot part 2 for me. And James Bond's involvement in this story is only brought about by a flat tyre. BUT - what a great title!

[@calvindyson]

Oh the title is fantastic for sure. But good point about the names. Really subpar in this one!

[@matthpotte]

Arthur Hailey did the same in a lot of his books around this time, with the gratuitous sexual violence, it was probably to add to the shock value and drive sales of the book.

[@EntropicDecayGaming]

Haven't read through all of the Bond novels yet but this one almost sounds like a bad fan faction rather than a true Bond novel. No wonder Ian didn't want this one adapted.

[@calvindyson]

EntropicDecay Gaming it’s a strange one. I’d recommend it to a completist but if you’re only interested in reading a selection of Fleming work then I’d definitely skip...

[@davidjames579]

Fleming actually passed it off as a fan fiction at one point! Does make me wonder if there is dodgy Bond fan fiction on WattPad? I really don't want to look!

[@ricardocantoral7672]

It took subsequent readings for me to appreciate it. However, I do consider it an interlude in the middle of the "Blofeld" trilogy so it's not a bad idea to skip it.

[@callummoore6962]

I appreciate what Fleming was trying to do here, but yeah I am with you on this book not really working for me in terms of Fleming's intent at course correction or as an interesting character study in its own right. A shame because his first book "Casino Royale" did a fairly solid job at giving you a somewhat Hitchcock/Raymond Chandler like story/atmosphere.

[@davidjames579]

Interestingly Raymond Chandler was a big fan of Casino Royale. And Hitchcock flirted with doing a Bond film.

[@callummoore6962]

@@davidjames579 I know Chandler was a big influence on Fleming and the two did do an interview once together.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

I honestly consider Casino Royale the best entry of the series. That was Bond's most intense psychological journey.

[@TheGallifreychild]

I remember when I first read this I had to keep checking to see if I was still reading a Bond novel as it felt so different to the earlier novels to me. I know this was by design (given it's the only novel I believe not told from mostly Bond's perspective), but the story still felt weird to me (probably didn't help I'd seen the films before finding the novels).

[@johnkennethwiseman682]

RIP Roger Moore, Shane Rimmer and Bryan Marshall

[@davidshillaker7578]

I haven't read this one yet. No wonder it is called "The spy who loved me"

[@illbuyourniknak]

This novel really showcases how much Fleming was inspired by American hard-boiled detective fiction, such as Chandler’s, Philip Marlowe.

[@jakublulek3261]

They wrote correspondence to each other and admired each other.

[@ALBHOY66]

i agree with you , the next time i read this book i'll start when Bond enters the story , this really should have been a short story

[@nilsmuninsheim4279]

And thanks again. Actually ‚The Spy…‘ was the first Bond novel I read years ago. And thanks to this experience I never touched a book by Fleming since and contented myself with the films. Now I consider giving him a second chance as an author.

[@chilly_jon]

Please give us your top 10 movies of all time, I have a vague idea of what it is from watching your videos over the years. I can take a guess North by Northwest will be in that list lol!

[@donaldwolpert6356]

Calvin, good for you for "muscling" your way through that book! I read it forty years ago and I haven't picked it up since. I also read Christopher Wood's novelization of the movie with the same title. It was more entertaining, and found it a shade more dark than the film. And, there were scenes in the book, not in the movie, which explained some of the awkward dialog between Bond and Anya Amasova, and a background story for Jaws! I really enjoyed your video, Calvin!

[@davidjames579]

If I remember Jaws dies in the novelisation? So I guess the original intention, before they realised, like Sheriff Pepper before him, his commercial-bility?

[@donaldwolpert6356]

It has been over 40 years since reading the novelization of the film. I read the book before watching the film in the theater. I recall Jaws was a bit less "super-human", but for the life of me, cannot remember if he lived or died. (I may need to dig that book up and re-read it). Perhaps it was left ambiguous. The follow-up novel "Moonraker" by Christopher Wood was not as enjoyable. The writing seemed a bit "rushed". And, Jaws was a bit "super-human" in that. I agree. Jaws was a standout popular character and an icon to the two film run.

[@davidjames579]

@@donaldwolpert6356 I checked. Yeah he falls into a furnace on Atlantis! These novelisations tend to be adapted from earlier scripts, so the details don't always tally. In Moonraker, Corinne Defur is named Trudi Parker. Apparently Jaws becoming more of a figure of fun, getting a girlfriend, and becoming a good guy, came from kids loving him in Spy Who and not wanting him to be a baddie!

[@calvindyson]

Thanks very much, Donald! Interesting comment about the Christopher Wood novelization... I plan on getting to that as I work my way through the Bond book chronology after Fleming!

[@nekusakura6748]

@@calvindyson The Raymond Benson penned Novelisations are also an interesting read, particularly with regards to Tomorrow Never Dies.

[@brenoramosmosso]

I love this book. The most boring part of this story is when Bond faces the bad guys.

[@andrewklang809]

"What does a James Bond book without James Bond in it very much...look like?" It can also look like Octopussy. A very good short story that you'll come to soon, if you haven't read it already. Oftentimes, the best thing about the Bond series isn't Bond himself, it's the world he lives in. Larger-than-life villains, complicated schemes, glamor, and oh-so-much drinking and smoking without fear of the consequences. I love the "non"-Bond Bond stories. They paint a wonderful backdrop to his adventures. It's one reason I'm NOT 100% opposed to a Bond Cinematic Universe, with spinoffs for the MI6 regulars, maybe a fun backstory adventure for a young M (any M). Bond can cameo to help sell it to the swells.

[@davidjames579]

Bond Cinematic Universe. Likewise I'm up for that. I think MGM were the only studio not trying to do one, when every franchise wanted to do a shared universe a few years ago.

[@andrewklang809]

@@davidjames579 As long as each movie is standalone, I don't see why it couldn't work. A Q department movie could be gadget-based, we could have a woman-spy-led movie without necessarily having a female "Bond" (with all that could imply about what sort of person she should be), you could give Felix a movie too (any Felix). A big problem with the recent series, and a likely cause of the hideous wait time between installments, is that each Bond movie feels like it has to be all things to all types and levels and ages of Bond fans, and be current (whatever "current" means this year), and still play in China. So much pressure, so much money, so many rewrites, so much producer interference, so many licensing deals. And every time someone makes a change behind the scenes, the movie gets pushed back another nine months. If the producers split their efforts and tried to make three $80 million movies instead of one $250-300 million movie that has to please EVERYONE, they'd get a lot more done, can scratch several fan itches at the same time, and could even afford to take some chances. Any film with a talented and attractive cast, an exciting director, a Bond cameo and the Bond franchise name slapped on it is going to do decently well. One movie per year, maybe two if there's an "official" entry. They won't burn out and won't wear out their welcome. It's better than waiting for three years and getting a Spectre, or five years and getting who know what?

[@davidjames579]

@@andrewklang809 Yeah totally agree. Marvel got it right. If there's something you don't like about this movie, there's another one for you. And it'll be along in five minutes. Rather than just doing Avengers movies. For that reason, you can split the risks, and reap. Plus just keep it varied, so like you say a Q focused story, or M or whatever. Felix def. And even villain stories. Maybe even scratch the itch for a 50's Bond by doing a story set then, either Elseworlds or with a 007 predecessor. Even Kingsman is doing that, with the next one being set just after World War One. In print we already have this with Young Bond, The Moneypenny Diaries, and ahem......James Bond Jnr (both the 1960's novel, and the unrelated 90's cartoon and comic series).

[@ricardocantoral7672]

I would love to see an expanded Bond universe featuring reoccurring appearances of Ali Kerim Bey and Marc-Ange Draco.

[@davidjames579]

@@ricardocantoral7672 Yeah I like the sound of that. I like Bond's pirate like allies, like those guys and Milos Columbo in For Your Eyes Only.

[@samharrison5058]

Love the film version of this.

[@TheAskTrixieChannel]

Also, am I the only one who can picture Barry Nelson's Bond in this story...? I noticed that reading the book, none of the other cinematic Bonds really fit.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

I can see that. By the time Bond appears, the story becomes a pulp thriller. Personally, I always envision a young Jason Isaacs as James Bond. He's a dead ringer for Ian Fleming's commissioned drawing of James Bond !

[@SolarDragon007]

@@ricardocantoral7672 I could totally see him as the literary Bond.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

@@SolarDragon007 On a related subject, I wonder if Cubby Broccoli was thinking of the Pan book covers when he cast Timothy Dalton as Bond. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Peffer#/media/File%3AFrom_Russia_with_Love_-_Pan_cover_designed_by_Sam_Peffer.jpg jamesbond.fandom.com/wiki/James_Bond_%28Timothy_Dalton%29?file=James_Bond_(Timothy_Dalton)_-_Profile.jpg

[@evilubuntu9001]

@@ricardocantoral7672 He probably wasn't but Dalton's hair was probably the closest to how Fleming described it, plus the "cruel mouth".

[@WhiteJarrah]

I don't suppose you plan on reviewing the _Daily Express_ comic strip adaptations of the Fleming novels? They started by faithfully adapting the novels to comic strip, but eventually all they had left was _The Man With The Golden Gun,_ a few short stories, and _The Spy Who Loved Me_ which they initially skipped when adapting. Without delving into spoilers, because of the inadequacies of these stories, _The Daily Express_ pepped them up a bit. You might be more out of the _Daily Express'_ handling of _The Spy Who Loved Me_ than the original novel.

[@WhiteJarrah]

*SPOILER ALERT FOR YOUR NEXT REVIEW* There is some debate as to whether or not The Spy Who Loved Me is even considered canonical. It on, Bond is said to be on the search of SPECTRE. And as you pointed out, there is some referencing to Thunderball. However in the next novel, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, it is implied that SPECTRE has not been heard of since the events of Thunderball. Authors of the Bond Files, Lane and Simpson, believe this was Fleming's attempt to retcon The Spy Who Loved Me out of the continuity of the series.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

At first, I was turned off by this book. However, after subsequent readings, I now find this tale to be a engaging interlude in Fleming's literary canon.

[@evilubuntu9001]

Knowing that the story was written by a 60 year old alcoholic sadomasochist makes the sex stuff even creepier. But I always liked the last chapter ("The Writing on My Heart") for some reason or another, thanks for reviewing Fleming novel.

[@jenniferschillig3768]

That line "All women love semi-rape"...it's cringe city, all right. And it says a lot about how Fleming saw women (which really makes it all the more "terrific" that he tries to write a novel from a female point of view). But that could also be a product of the times. It shows up in everything from Gone with the Wind to the romance novels of the time (which continued long into the 1970s and even the 1980s)...you know, the "bodice-ripper" which seems to have fallen out of fashion, the whole "it isn't rape if she ends up enjoying it" business. It springs from a time when "good girls" weren't supposed to acknowledge they had healthy sexual desires, so if it starts off with her not wanting it, then she can still be a "good girl" but also give in to the hero's alpha-male sex appeal. In short, the heroines (and the reader) can have their cake and eat it.

[@jamesgreen9480]

Disagree with the third person making bond seem more heroic. Bond seems like a psycho in this one. They have plenty of opportunities to just leave, but he continues to endanger viv just to satisfy his bloodlust "because they ruined his shirt"

[@davidjames579]

It's been announced that Christopher Nolan's next film, due out in July 2020, called Tenet, is an international spy thriller action epic (that comes from IMDb). If Nolan's doing a spy film, maybe with franchise potential, does this mean he won't want to do Bond 26 now? He's been reportedly approached by Eon a number of times over the years , and has always said he'd only do it if it's a reboot, so he can start from scratch. As Bond 25 appears to be Craig's last, Bond 26 would be the next available window for a reboot. If Nolan doesn't do it, it could be 10-15 years before the opportunity arises again. Nolan is a self-confessed Bond aficionado, and the Bond films have leaked into a lot of his films (which he admits to). As such, it seems strange that he'd now do a spy thriller. Whether he does Bond after this, some of his Bond ideas must come up in Tenet. So, odd he'd do this so close to his next film possible film being Bond 26. I know a lot of people predicted Bond 26 as coming out in 2022, to celebrate the Bond film's 60th anniversary, but I don't see them meeting that now. That aside, if Nolan does Bond 26, it has to be his next film. The only other thing I can think is Tenet will turn out to be not as clear cut as a spy thriller. Inception was also talked about in this way, until it turned out to be a sci-fi thriller, based around dream scenarios. It just happened to ref Bond, and Tom Hardy felt like a Bond, and Marion Cotillard a Bond femme fatale. Like Bond 25, Tenet will be shot on IMAX film and 70mm. I'll def be watching it, hopefully in an IMAX cinema screening it on film (as I did for Dunkirk), and it'll be interesting to see what Nolan does.

[@davidjames579]

MORE delays on Bond 25: an explosion effect has damaged part of The 007 Stage and closed it down until it can be looked at by a government health and safety inspector. AND, due to Craig's ankle injury pushing back production, Rami Malek isn't available. As such they're going to try and film him and Craig's scenes in Nov, when the film was supposed to wrap in Sept. Does this mean Malek isn't in the film much? Or can they just knock off his scenes across Nov (poss with not much travel involved)? I sure as hell hope this doesn't mean they try and cover his scenes with body doubles, inc for fight scenes. And only drop him in for close ups. That Apr release date could well be put back AGAIN. This is getting worrying. All we can hope is they're taking the extra time to ensure everything's good, but it just seems to be one thing after another, and that press conference didn't inspire confidence.

[@SuperVegitoSSJ2]

You should review No One Lives Forever.

[@TheProfessor529]

Yes, please.

[@calvindyson]

I will certainly get there eventually!

[@garrick3727]

I read this when I was 9. I don't remember but I expect I skipped a lot of it, and what I did read I almost certainly did not understand. That comment about "All women like semi-". There is something about abusive relationships being very appealing to the mainstream. If you look at a lot of the popular fiction concerning relationships, the stories are often about abusive relationships. Clearly, not all women like that, but sufficient numbers of people do to make many of these stories phenomenally successful. For reasons I can't disclose, I've read a few "romance novels" aimed at female readers and many of them have that slant too. I don't understand it, but it is there.

[@Da1Dez]

Am I the only one who wouldn't mind seeing the Vivian Lee storyline and concept of this book be adapted as the next film to creatively introduce the next Bond, either continuing the Craig timeline or as part of a new universe? Obviously they would have to update a lot of the context and character to fit more accordingly with 2020 decade, but it would give the 'female 007 protestors' something to have in place of that and then we can finally move forward with the new bond.

[@StewyAdamRules]

I sort of doubt Fleming had the same ideas you had about Vyvian’s relationship with men and sex. I don’t hold anything against the guy, but I really doubt he had it in him to inject that much nuance into a female character.

[@al007italia]

As you said, the strangest. & i understand why Fleming only sold the rights to use the title. While Moonraker was pretty far from the book, it updated part of the plot for the film, space shuttle v rocket. & the movie kept Drax.

[@sipope70]

I remember reading this for the first time and the insult of Sexbox still makes me shudder

[@MAMoreno]

You know, if Fleming hadn't put the restrictions on this book's adaptation, maybe EON could have used this story to do a low-risk test of their new replacement Bond. George Lazenby cameos as James Bond 007 in Ian Fleming's The Spy Who Loves Me in the Third Act. It's the spin-off you demanded!

[@NelsonStJames]

Sounds like an idea Fleming handled much better in the short story "Quantum of Solace" in which Bond is supporting character, but the story we are being told is much more interesting as is Bond's reaction to it. The Spy Who Loved Me -- the film, is one of those rare Hollywood instances where the adapters of a work went completely off script from the source material, and did a much better job than the creator.

[@davidjames579]

It's also why The Spy Who Loved Me film took so long to develop. It went through lots of writers with original pitches, including John Landis and Anthony Burgess! In the end, they just settled on semi-remaking You Only Live Twice.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

@@davidjames579 I wish Cubby approved of Maibaum's idea of Blofeld and Spectre being destroyed by real life terrorist organizations.

[@davidjames579]

@@ricardocantoral7672 Yeah I liked the idea too. But Cubby thought it was too political for an adventure romp. EON also got got worried about re-using SPECTRE as Kevin McClory's right to remake Thunderball had just come up. So Blofeld became Stromberg!

[@ricardocantoral7672]

@@davidjames579 John Frankenheimer would have been perfect for such a film.

[@davidjames579]

@@ricardocantoral7672 Yeah Frankenheimer was a quality director. His 1960's mystery films were great with tension. And he could sure direct car chases!

[@Alfonzridesagain]

From a literature nerd point of view this is a fascinating oddity. Fleming tells a reasonably compelling story, but he's not great at the first person voice. Her thoughts are very obviously his thoughts as the author and not convincing from her perspective, and he resorts to cliche far too often to describe feelings and images. Also, the reflections of sex may have a certain clear realism to them, but they are most definitely masculine reflections which don't work when articulated from a woman's point of view. The Bond as deus ex machina saviour in the final act thing is definitely a contrivance, albeit quite an absorbing one for fans of the character, given that it plays off his sheer presence a great deal and offers a lot of catharsis. That said, I did actually enjoy some of the novel. The first third is an absorbing 1950s slice of life, if a bit seedy in places, while he does successfully make the gangster villains quite horrifying, burnish the Bond legend, and throw in some quite interesting musings on him as a hero at the end. Overall, it's an interesting curio for a Bond fan even if it is far from the best.

[@jeffmelchior8573]

I’ve read every Fleming Bond at least twice except for this one. Struggled with it the first time and just couldn’t get through it the second. The only thing I like about the book is that Bond is presented as not much better than the villains aside from his smoother demeanour. Otherwise, for all of his “loving” he’s outta there as soon as he gets a good shag and a scrambled egg breakfast. I realize that that’s Bond, but I try not to think about all the women (and possibly illegitimate children) he leaves behind; if I did, I’d never be able to root for the guy. But this book pushes the very heart and soul and naïveté of these women right in your face. Maybe that’s a good thing, but it definitely hampers the escapism.

[@davidjames579]

"he’s outta there as soon as he gets a good shag and a scrambled egg breakfast". Don't we all? Seriously though, you talk about the women he leaves behind as if they have no agency. Maybe they too want a short term thing? The old fashioned idea was of a caddish man having his way, and a woman only agreeing to sleep with a man if she thought it was love, but of course life's not like that. And neither are a lot of the Bond girls. So the Bond Fantasy or Reality can apply both ways, which is why women do like the fantasy of Bond. In the case of Vivienne, she might be be more naive than usual, but it seems disproportionate to put Bond on the same shelf as the men that have abused her (if only emotionally). In this story, Bond is essentially the Knight In Shining Armour, and after he's served his purpose he goes. He saved her, gave her a good time, but he was never going to propose to her. She goes on with her life, maybe unchanged, but it seems a little unfair to hold Bond responsible for that, as she is an adult.

[@jeffmelchior8573]

David James I hear what you’re saying, but the book is called The Spy Who LOVED Me” not “The Spy With Whom I Had a Single Consensual, Empowering Sexual Experience With.” I admit to not reading the novel in a long, long time, so perhaps my negativity is out of place, but Vivienne - far from being a paragon of feminist virtue - struck me as little more than a twit, the kind of woman who actually would think that Bond actually loves her.

[@davidjames579]

@@jeffmelchior8573 Okay, likewise I haven't read the book in a long time, but I don't remember Bond pretending to love her to get her in bed, and if she infers a romance from this then that's her misjudgement. I don't really see that Bond's taking advantage of a child-minded adult. Some people are naive, or expect more from a roll in the hay. However, as long as you're not making false promises. It hardly makes Bond an abuser.

[@dvon1097]

I knew the movie had an original script but I didnt know it was this much COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN THE BOOK! The only thing they share is the title and the fact they have Bond in them

[@davidjames579]

And as Calvin says: Jaws and Shandor type characters

[@crakatoot5480]

Everybody hates this one but i thought it was pretty interesting. The movie would def be different

[@jonathancampbell5231]

I mean, it WAS very different. Fleming even specifically asked for the movie to use nothing but the name when they made it.

[@crakatoot5480]

@@jonathancampbell5231 I don't know. I always thought it was interesting that he wanted to do something different. Just like Quantum of Solace. There was a lot more to Fleming then just Bond

[@jonathancampbell5231]

@@crakatoot5480 Indeed. Like Chitty Chitty bang Bang

[@crakatoot5480]

If you were making the movie who would you cast as Vivienne Michel?

[@crakatoot5480]

I'm thinking Taissa Farminga or Samantha Barks

[@MAMoreno]

I'm guessing that you're thinking of a modern adaptation, based on your suggestions. I'd also be curious as to whom Calvin would choose for a "faithful" 1977 TSWLM film. My choice in that case would certainly be Carole Laure.

[@crakatoot5480]

@@MAMoreno Ohh from the 70s. Thats trickier. I'd think Goldie Hawn

[@locutusdborg126]

Angelina Jolie.

[@crakatoot5480]

@@locutusdborg126 i could see that

[@DarkVador1138]

totally agree

[@spyboy1964]

Your idea that Fleming should have had the section with bond published as a short story as opposed to writing this novel is a great point. That story would have been much better served if it had been featured in a collection of short stories or published in maybe say, playboy magazine.

[@davidjames579]

The story was serialised in Stag Magazine, under the title, Motel Nymph!

[@spyboy1964]

@@davidjames579 - hey, I didn't know that. Thanks for the info.

[@wildsmiley]

I don’t know what to think about Ian Fleming thinking all Americans sound like clichéd mobsters. Should I be flattered or insulted?

[@smallmj2886]

I don't hate this book, but it is very different from the normal Bond stories. I can see how you'd find the early sections dreary and unpleasant though.

[@walter937]

This was the first novel I read, quite a disappointment, although the third chapter was a delicious taste of what Fleming could write on other novels.

[@keithtam19]

I need to listen to the "nobody does it better" song while reading this book , just to ease the pain for how this bond novel is not quite bond and quite uncomfortable for myself

[@Niala8419]

I think Fleming and certainly Gardner were influenced by the critics. To the point where it's called out at times by Gardner. But both were influenced in the shape of, I'll show you!

[@Pootasaur]

Are you remaking the movie version of it too...

[@syndikatehvac]

This was the first Fleming book I read. It was ok.

[@Betta66]

That GoldenEye reference tho

[@mubondfan216]

This was an odd read. Keep it up!

[@niels25chr1]

This novel is really a joker in the series. The producers actually Said That They thought about making a movie With Jinx as a main character after Die Another Day which Would have been very interesting. Putting a woman in the center of the story of a Bondmovie has got to be inspired by The Spy Who Loved Me. The producers then decided to do casino royale instead in 2005 and fire Brosnan.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

I think it was more that they liked the idea of a 'female bond' as there was talk of Wai Lin getting her own movie and the first Lara Croft movie was a big deal [believe it or not] at the time. The 'female Bond' concept might get revived someday but I doubt it had much to do with 'Spy'.

[@niels25chr1]

@@jamesatkinsonja Bond himself Will not be female bit Id welcome a movie With a female main character and where Bonds screen time is reduced signifigantly.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

@@niels25chr1 I'd be all for that. Make her another 00 and have Bond appear to team up with her for a stretch of the film would be cool.

[@niels25chr1]

@@jamesatkinsonja well she doesnt need to be a double 0. She could just be as casual as in the novel.

[@spaceace4387]

I'm reading it right now, almost done with it and it definitely is not your traditional Bond adventure, in fact until Bond shows up it really feels like an erotic romance novel written for women. The second act almost feels like the first half of I Spit On Your Grave (men barge into where a woman is staying and sexually assault her). It's not a bad novel at all just you can't go into it expecting to be like all of the others, it isn't, in fact Bond is almost a supporting character, Vivienne Michel is the main character.

[@codename617]

I found it to be an interesting experiment, but not a well executed one. I did like that there were a female POV and I did find Vivian's character to be likable and sympathetic. That is a cringeworthy line. It goes to show that FLemining, now matter how good a thriller writer he was, never really understood women and clearly had some sexist views. This story could be adapted into a better non-Bond movie if you change up some aspects of it. Actually a lot of aspects. I think that Sluggsy and Horror were supposed to be gangster stereotypes, but maybe not cardboard cutouts of James Cagney.

[@codename617]

To add to my comments. After 3 weeks of pondering I've come to the conclusion that what Fleming could've been implying was that woman liked to be submissive. Not that that makes it any better.

[@youdontknowjack6682]

OHMSS is by far my favourite full fledged bond long form book, its quite a treat and if nothing else, shows how miscast George was and how Sean could’ve done it better

[@TYLRMN8R]

Connery is good but as Bond he shows zero emotion. Lazenby pulled off the emotional scene of Tracy dying perfectly (deleted scenes showed that he shed a tear in the same fashion as the book) but producers screwed him over by trying to make him too much like connery

[@chrisb2116]

@@TYLRMN8R Connery was a far superior actor and whatever was on the page, emotion or not, he could have delivered. It's a crime he wasn't in OHMSS... along with someone else as Blofeld

[@SolarDragon007]

@@chrisb2116 Agreed. Connery complained that Bond was a very one-note character, so I think he'd have been great in a more character focused story like OHMSS.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

I don't think Connery would have been very impressive. He was sick of Bond at that point. I think Lazenby did just fine but I admit an older, seasoned actor would have been superior.

[@chrisb2116]

@@ricardocantoral7672 He was sick of the media circus, but he wanted to be a co-producer and share in the monetary success, so it wasn't the role he was sick of. He had little to do in YOLT. Given OHMSS, he would have been great, because he was always great on screen.

[@SuperWolsey]

And the close as it gets to any iteration of that story is the audiobook readings and this musical composition from the mid 60s: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHmao4GXq85_Z80

[@johnrigs6540]

No question this is the worst of the Ian Fleming 007 novels Good news is that On her Majesty’s Service is next and it is his best!

[@SolarDragon007]

I can't wait till he gets to YOLT.

[@johnrigs6540]

SolarDragon007 Yes that is also excellent with some of Flemings wildest and most imaginative ideas!

[@naughtydog1617]

@@johnrigs6540 I hope Calvin will decide to read Colonel Sun after TMWTGG. It is a much better/satisfying send-off to Bond than the incomplete TMWTGG in my opinion.😊

[@ricardocantoral7672]

@@naughtydog1617 Colonel Sun was decent but not great. The scheme was weak and many of the characters were underdeveloped.

[@edwardwilson7858]

Its possible Fleming might have had Psycho in mind when he wrote TSWLM. Wouldn't it be cool if we had a fantasy novel in which Bond saves Marion Crane by kicking Norman Bates' ass. Then he and Marion get in the shower together!

[@MarvinFalz]

Hitchcock vs. Fleming: Fleming's merit was to invent an universally interesting character and the filmmakers' merit was to turn lead into gold.

[@chrisb2116]

Uh, no... Fleming created gold. He created a universally interesting character, created many great stories and plots, created one of the best collections of villains, merged and pushed forward genre writing, and wrote some truly great books that the films only partially succeeded in capturing: CR, MR, FRWL, DN, FYEO, OHMSS... He was great.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

@@chrisb2116 Agreed. I love the films but they can't beat the books.

[@MarvinFalz]

@@chrisb2116 My mistake. "In 2008, The Times ranked Fleming 14th on its list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945"." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Fleming

[@TheKeesBoerMinistryChannel]

I tend to agree with you on this. How can anyone talk about anything enjoyable about rape.... I'm surprised that it doesn't get more attention. It's a horrific statement.

[@davidjames579]

I think Fleming's messing up his wording. He doesn't say women enjoy rape, he says semi-rape. What that means is known only to Fleming. But if it's not rape, then what? a lesser sexual assault? domination play? rape role play?

[@SolarDragon007]

I mean, you could argue Bond "semi-rapes" Pussy Galore in the Goldfinger film. Most fans don't really complain about that.

[@SolarDragon007]

@@davidjames579 I think it just means women like sexually powerful/aggressive men rather than actual rape. Based on how Fleming typically writes rape to be an emotionally scarring experience in these books, I don't think that's an overly charitable interpretation

[@davidjames579]

@@SolarDragon007 Yeah, there are instances of where Fleming writes about rape as bad. Honeychile Ryder murders her rapist with a Black Widow Spider. In this book, the thugs are going to rape Vivienne. This here is something to be stopped. It's not as if Vivenne wants it. Pussy Galore is an interesting one, as he uses a technique that crops up a few times in the earlier Bond films- kiss the girl until she likes it. Bond essentially sexually assaults a woman, working on the basis they'll eventually like it (or give up resisting!). I suppose in Fleming's mind, this wasn't all out sexual assault, so that's okay.

[@jenniferschillig3768]

@@SolarDragon007 As I said in a comment above, I think it springs from the prevailing mentality of the times, the mentality that gave us "bodice-ripper" romances that were popular even into the 1980s (and before that, novels like The Sheik and even Gone with the Wind to an extent). This was an era when a "nice girl" wasn't supposed to openly want sex, so having her resist it at first while the man pushes himself on her allows her to stay a "nice girl"...then she can give in to the alpha male's overpowering sex appeal because after all, he's the alpha male.

[@johnd8744]

A story that made you uncomfortable did its job.

[@PurushaDesa]

Not if the writer lacks self awareness or is trying to communicate an awful message. For example, Sam Peckinpah and the _Straw Dogs_ controversy.

[@unitedstatesofamericareal]

he said that in a later book as well. it seems to me that he genuinely believes that all women like semi rape, which is odd.

[@davidjames579]

"“All women love semi-rape. They love to be taken. It was his sweet brutality against my bruised body that made his act of love so piercingly wonderful.” As said by Vivienne. Bit weird for her to say that when the thugs were going to rape her. Maybe it's Fleming's attempt at a contrast.

[@unitedstatesofamericareal]

@@davidjames579 according to him rape and semi rape are different, maybe semi rape to him is going rough, either way he believes it.

[@william760]

Do a license to kill movie review 🙂

[@william760]

@JAMES BOND FAN 007 no he hasn't he deleted it and said he would do another one with a more up-to-date opinion

[@technounionrepresentative4274]

Fleming was close but somehow also really far off from the whole rape thing, Women often fantasize about their partners taking complete control during sex and being a bit rough and dominent, Something that the uninitiated might confuse with rape, It is like men fantasizing about pegging, Their partner exerting complete control over the situation, Now the way fleming writes it has no romantic connotations and is a bit too real

[@jamesatkinsonja]

Really don't like this one. If it wasn't written by Fleming, it would have been long forgotten. John Pearson's James Bond: The authorised Biography is quite meta as it makes out James Bond is an actual person and Ian Fleming wrote about him [with Fleming interacting with M too]. This book uses Flemings claim 'spy' is non-cannon by making out Vivienne Mitchell is also an actual person and wrote the book instead of Fleming. Bond of course hates the novel!

[@davidjames579]

John Pearson's book is excellent. Hope Calvin reviews it one day. It's play with Bond might annoy some people, but I found it fascinating.

[@klaudiagrob]

Read this book and I didn't enjoy it too much

[@Frikinautas]

Starts boring, gets interesting, explodes in a burst of wild action and ends, again, boring. A curious experiment.

[@mr.sand7899]

Now I see why Fliming hated this story.

[@Painter19]

It's an original novel by Ian Fleming, let it go. It's was Fleming stretching out stylistically, wasn't well received so wasn't tried again. I like most of your reviews albeit they are placing modern opinion on books written in a different era. Sorry to be critical but when you've written your first best seller you'll be entitled to be a harsh critic on one of the all time great novelists.

[@calvindyson]

I don’t think that’s fair at all. Anyone can have an opinion on a Fleming work and express it how they see fit. This is like saying you can’t critique a film by Steven Spielberg unless you’ve won an Oscar. If an artist creates a work and allows it to be embraced by the world they open themselves up to criticism and praise. Fleming was a great writer but that doesn’t make all his work immune to criticism. Particularly when he writes something that isn’t very good like this.

[@victorguevara9227]

My little sister read this novel in eighth grade and she told me when she read the semi-rape line, she lost it. "No. Just no, Mr. Fleming, I know you were into sadomasochism and you only cared about how a white British man felt and apparently, rape fantasies were somewhat common, but oh, Jesus God, No." She volunteered in our church's garden a month or two ago and there was a woman who brought along her six month old daughter who was also named Vivian. She and a family friend played peek-a-boo with Little Viv during a break. She told me that when she thinks of the name Vivian nowadays, it's "bipolar actresses, childlike punk medical students and rape apologists."

[@Melvinshermen]

Ian Fleming hate this book

[@AnOwlCalledSage]

Fleming was a disgusting misogynist. H.P. Lovecraft was an unrepentant racist. Doesn't make their fiction not worth reading! And yes, you nailed it. The only book item that made it into the film was: "The black eyes were slow-moving, incurious, and the lips thin and purplish like an unstitched wound. When he spoke there was a glint of grey silvery metal from his front teeth…" To be honest, I was incredibly impressed that they managed to create such an iconic character out of so little.

[@JamesBond-ul7bi]

The book was nothing like the movie