my first bond novel, and very entertaining. would have been more so, perhaps, had i not read another goodreads review which spoiled the reveal in its first sentence. alas! ( )

Very slow to get started. The first part (of three) is just a card game, more-or-less unrelated to the plot. Once it gets going there's some fun action, but it's not anywhere near as good as the first two books. This is the point in the series where it turns into the cartoonish melodrama that Bond is now famous for, complete with a monologging evil genius who inexplicably leaves Bond to die a creative death instead of shooting him. That sort of thing can be fun in its own way, but Fleming is still trying to drive the story with suspense, which doesn't work in such a predictable setting. ( )

I didn't think I liked Fleming from the first two books I rfead, but this one is different. It smacks more of a JDM book, with a heavy touch of sophistication thrown in. What can one expect from the British who are always veddy beddy proper, suhl. ( )

This is the forth Bond novel I've read, and consequently the third novel in the series. So far, this is the only one that has made a reference to a past mission, though it's just a small footnote. I have to be honest and say that I enjoyed the book. Of course, I purposefully pick these books because of their light read. I also like Fleming's approach and style. It's sparse without leaving anything out. He develops and shows a scene with just a word. I think anyone else would say that he imparts the aura, essence, the romance of the story. The elemental style allows the reader to soak in the story more than read it.
The spartan style continues to the story itself. The Bond books are nothing like the movies, I think one reason why I like them a little more. The story is not weighed down with gadgetry and stunts, which make for a good movie. Bond makes it on his wits and his wits alone.
Keeping in mind that this is nothing more than another in a long line of hard boiled detective novels, Bond doesn't deviate from the mold of hard manly men. The books, I have discovered, seem to border on masochistic tendencies. In ever story, Bond is captured and graphically beaten. I think this is just to prove that he is a man? ( )

Fleming published Moonraker, the third James Bond book, in 1955. Like the other 007 books, Bond is portrayed as a very competitive, resourceful, adventurous, dedicated, and violent British secret agent. Of course his love of fine cars (especially his Bentley) and beautiful women (in this case an undercover agent for Scotland Yard with whom he shares several life-threatening and a few sensuous hours). The book begins not with an official case, but with M asking Bond for a personal favor. He asked him to determine if a wealthy industrialist, Hugo Drax, was cheating at bridge in the renowned gentleman's club to which M belonged. Of course Bond accepts the challenge and uses his own considerably unsavory card skills, reminiscent of Casino Royale, to determine that Drax was definitely cheating and to take a large sum of money from Drax. In addition to cheating at cards, Drax was an extremely wealthy and internationally know industrialist who was helping the British government develop Moonraker, a missile that would almost guarantee the security of the nation. When the government security officer at the missile site is murdered, M surprisingly assigns Bond to the case. Normally, Secret Service agents work only outside the United Kingdom, but this assignment unfolds completely within England a few hours drive from London. Drax turns out to be a German spy who plans to used Moonraker to attack London. The technology described in this book was certainly not comparable to today's systems. It also does not equal the sophistication of the technology depicted in the 1979 Moonraker movie, which had a much different plot and included outer space. However, I found the technology to be satisfying. Overall, I found this Flemming tale to be exciting, suspenseful and very entertaining. It even showed Bond to be somewhat emotionally vulnerable at times especially in his relationship with his beautiful undercover colleague. ( )