Dr. No

I just read this aloud with my thirteen-year-old son. It’s a book I remember loving when I read it back in 1969 or ’70 (I read it a few times). The experience has been interesting. First–and this is something I had no clue about in the past–Fleming is incredibly racist. There’s really no getting around it. He’s also, much of the time, a damn fine writer. The descriptions of colonial Jamaica, in particular, are so specific and vivid, it’s just great. The first half of this book is full of wonderful writing. Later, it turns into something more generic and less literary, but it’s never boring. We followed this one up with Goldfinger, which is MUCH slower, and just not as good. It’s hard to know what to say about Bond at this point–the books are so much a reflection of male fantasy in the 1950’s. A lot about that is risible at this point, but if you can get past the ridiculously over-the-top attitudes toward women and minorites and just enjoy the guns and bad guys and post-WWII spy stuff (about which Fleming knew his stuff) it’s a fun ride.

I first met James Bond when this book came out in paperback, and I was immieditly hooked on his adventures and life, I quickly got all of the previously released books and was further immersed in Ian Fleming’s wonderful creations. His writing has always. been so precise and was able to immediately paint a picture in my mind of what was happening. I devoured the earlier books and then I saw a preview of a new movie coming out. DR, NO!!!

Now all these years later I find the same experience as I did in 1960, and I was rather disappointed that the series was not available for the Kindle, until now!!

If you have only followed the movies as I know so many have, I cannot recommend strongly enough that you purchase these books and read them in the order that they were published as they cover in sequence 12 years in the life of the greatest SPY who ever lived.

You will be transported back in time to the cold war very vividly and quite realistically described all without dragging down the story. You will also meet the man James Bond, a very loyal and caring person with a very dirty job that had to be done,

I have had the greatest pleasure over the years and have visited several or the Pubs and places described in this to me wonderful series of books.

Annually and sometimes more than that, I read the series again. I have tried to pickup a book later in sequence to just read that one story again and after about 2 chapters I put it done and dive in once again to the series,

I hope you can find at least a large part of the wonderful experience I have and continue to have with Dr. No and all of the other classic work by Ian Fleming.

More salacious, and erotic than any of the bond films. In particular, more listing in the sun, than the eponymous 1962 Sean Connery. Sure, since 2012, we have the popularity of Shades of Grey, generating its own Bookstore genre section. Ian Fleming, and Matthew Arnold (The Monk), and Diderot (The Nun) were first. I advise reading twice because, the first 2/3 are picking up the story of agent double 007 from and the aftermath of the previous novel in the canon. This. Preamble is an extended preface, setup for 007 being sent to Jamaica in the first place. Consequently, the case of Agent Strangeways and his secretary takes quite a while for its connections to Dr. Julius No. It might help reading the novel of you See the film first, and then read the novel. But definitely do both in quick succession,. You will get maximum enjoyment.

Great title. Short, simple, feels like it is supposed to mean more than one thing, while also just sounding cool. The first Bond movie, but not the first book. I really enjoy how different the books are from the movies. If you were expecting a novelization of the film you will be shocked, but I love it, sort of like an alternate cut of the movie version I know so well.

This was written in 1958 so some of the racial or gender attitudes can be jarring, but dont let that dissuade you from experiencing Flemings unique writing style. Ive never quite come across a writer like him. Hes very detail oriented, almost like he is recalling a true memory from his life, which may be what he was going for. Would you believe there is a giant squid in here? I couldnt, but loved it all the same. Just buy all of these, they are great.

Another enjoyable enough Bond book. The star reductions weren’t for the racism and sexism, there is plenty throughout the book since that is a given with Fleming’s Bond novels. If taking that into consideration the rating would always be much lower.

That being said, this was enjoyable with the infamous Dr. No. Although it didn’t quite live up to the expectation. The dialogue between villains and Bond are among the best parts of these novels. Although it was good with Dr. No, I think it could have been better.

Other parts weren’t that believable and characters didn’t follow the script that was laid out for them. It was enjoyable for a book that takes a few days to read. It had the usual suspense and page turning effect as other Bond novels.

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