After studying and reviewing Casino Royale, and Live and Let Die, and after a couple of yr’s hiatus attributable to ‘real life stuff’ getting in the best way, I proceed my James Bond Challenge with Moonraker, the third Bond novel written by Ian Fleming, in 1955. 

As ever, my ebook assessment fashion is only a mind dump of my ideas and feedback while going via the ebook. Moonraker is a movie that I keep in mind being a bit ‘out there’ so I used to be curious to see how the ebook in contrast.

  • Interestingly this ebook doesn’t have a Contents web page with all of the chapters on it
  • Also attention-grabbing that the primary Chapter is preceded by “Part One: Monday”. This made me suppose it is perhaps fairly a brief timeframe story and due to this fact fairly motion packed. It truly all occurs in the midst of 5 days
  • p6 – Fleming writes that the Secret Service headquarters are close to Regent’s Park, which is totally different from the present location of MI6 on the river in Vauxhall
  • p9 – We be taught that 008 known as Bill
  • p9 – There can be a 0011. When you see a quantity like 007 or 008 you’re feeling prefer it ought to go as much as 100. But we then uncover there’s a 0011 which simply makes the numbering system really feel a bit bizarre! We additionally hear that there are solely three 00s and Bond is the senior. So I suppose they only give new individuals the next 00 quantity and don’t change outdated ones. I really feel like somebody ought to write a prequel story about 001. Maybe somebody already has!
  • p9 – It sort of feels bizarre Bond having a desk and an workplace and a non-public secretary. But I suppose he can’t spend day by day out on project. The man can be shattered!
  • p10 – There is a few fascinating info right here about Bond’s on a regular basis life. He solely has two or three assignments a yr. His workplace hours are ten to 6. He has lunch within the canteen. His evenings are spent both enjoying playing cards, or “making love, with rather cold passion, to one of three similarly disposed married women”. Weekends enjoying golf. He doesn’t take holidays. He earns £1,500 per yr however can spend no matter he needs on assignments.
  • p10 – It additionally states that he can be taken off the 00 listing on the age of 45. Interestingly this was Roger Moore’s age when he STARTED enjoying Bond
  • p20 – M says Bond is one of the best card participant within the secret service and MI6 paid some huge cash to place him on a course in card-sharping earlier than a job in Monte Carlo! He then lists an enchanting listing of names of card-sharping methods
  • p25 – Absolutely fascinating details about the Blades playing cards membership. It’s a fictional place. I’m wondering if it was a spot Fleming had as a fantasy of his or whether it is primarily based on wherever that truly existed. There is a rule that each member has to win or lose £500 a yr on the membership premises, in any other case they pay a superb of £250. The meals and wine are one of the best in London. The money paid out is all model new notes and cash. Every newspaper is ironed. The waitresses are all younger and delightful and infrequently recognized to frequent members’ bedrooms upstairs.
  • p28 – We be taught that M is an Admiral
  • p33 – M says “Bond, James Bond”
  • p35 – We be taught right here that M’s identify is Miles! (I’ve subsequently learnt by way of the web that we be taught in Fleming’s last ebook that M’s identify is Vice Admiral Miles Messervy)
  • p37 – Bond ordering meals is wonderful. “I’ve got a mania for really good smoked salmon,” stated Bond. Then he pointed down the menu. ‘Lamb cutlets. The same vegetables as you, as it’s May. Asparagus with Béarnaise sauce sounds fantastic. And maybe a slice of pineapple.” He sat again and pushed the menu away.‘
  • p41 – Bond using Benzedrine to stay alert!
  • About a third of this book is the Bridge game at Blades. I love that. Feels like a real in-depth intimate read.
  • It’s encouraging to learn that even James Bond will get hangovers
  • p60 – Bond deduces “with some irritation” he should discover a new place to cover his gun on planes and at airports!
  • p62 – So intercourse maniacs had been a recognized factor within the 50s too apparently
  • p68 – In a gathering with M, Bond is extra involved about shopping for his new Bentley. I actually do love this ebook for displaying us a extra actual aspect to Bond, his life and his day by day considerations
  • p75 – Bond is perusing the lady’s very important statistics on her file. Including Hips, Waist and Bust measurements, and a mole on higher curvature of proper breast. “Hm! thought Bond”
  • p76 – Black and White whisky is talked about on this ebook, not Haig or Old Grandad like earlier books
  • p79 – There is a Peter Lorre reference. Interesting as he performed Le Chifre within the Casino Royale TV particular a yr previous to this
  • p83 – When Bond first meets Miss Brand he appears virtually equally impressed by her magnificence as by her authority as a policewoman. Almost unusual remark although when he says “Altogether, Bond decided, she was a very lovely girl and beneath her reserve, a very passionate one. And, he reflected, she might be a policewoman and an expert at jujitsu, but she also had a mole on her right breast. With this comforting thought Bond turned the whole of his attention to the conversation between Drax and Walter…“. Does this mean that the mere presence of a mole on someone’s right breast makes them a seductive object of desire rather than an impressive professional peer? Also interesting that Fleming chose to reference Jujitsu. I thought Karate and Judo were much more popular until the late 70s or early 80s.
  • p85 – There’s a typo here where Drax is spelt Drex
  • p90 – I loved the conversation between Bond and Drax about moustaches!
  • p91 – “On Wednesday morning Bond woke early in the dead man’s bed.” I really like that opening line to the chapter. The disarming particulars concerning the day and early make the actual fact it was the mattress of a lifeless man so stunning.
  • p95 – I really like that Bond makes use of the psychological alarm clock technique of visualising a clock within the place of 7am earlier than he falls asleep to let his physique clock wake him up on time. I’ve performed that myself many occasions.
  • p100 – Another Hoagy Carmichael reference
  • p120 – “Bond turned away and was rackingly sick“. I’ve never heard that word before but I totally know how sick Bond was.
  • p135 – “There was a flash of wonderfully releasing pain.” This is a standard theme within the books, some individuals say suggesting that Fleming was a little bit of a masochist
  • p164 – Bond saying to Drax “And now let’s get on with this farce, you great hairy-faced lunatic” made me giggle. “Hairy faced”? Wash your mouth out with cleaning soap, James.
  • p165 – The phrase “brainstorm” is used right here to counsel anger and frenzy
  • p167 – Bond is close to demise, severely overwhelmed and about to explode himself or the entire of London, however… outcome! He finds some Haig & Haig whisky!
  • p169 – Nice reference of “The boy stood on the burning deck“
  • I really like the entire chat with M concerning the aftermath and the way M has to cope with the press and the Prime Minister and the way it will likely be lined up and many others. I discovered that fascinating.
  • Nice ending, with the scream of a rose callback, and the goodbyes between them.

I’ve to say, I completely loved this ebook. Already Fleming is proving he isn’t simply following a cookie cutter construction for every ebook. I discovered Casino Royale had fairly an odd/attention-grabbing construction in some methods, and Live and Let Die was pretty regular. And Moonraker, as talked about above, has a couple of third of the ebook nearly a got here of playing cards. But I like the range, and specifically on this one I really like how a lot we find out about Bond. The intricacies of his life, and what makes him tick.

Current and rating and scoring
Moonraker – 9
Casino Royal – 8.5
Live and Let Die – 7