A Literary Martini

With the 23rd/25th James Bond movie "Skyfall" being released this year, once again a renewed interest in Britain's suavest spy occurred.  As a die-hard Bond fan, I felt it was appropriate to read the original Ian Fleming novels. I had just finished reading George R.R Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire saga and needed another series to dive into, so the timing was perfect.

Sexy, sexy re-issue cover.

I fired through "Casino Royale" within a few hours, partially because of it's gripping storytelling and partially because it is a damn short book. So I'm going to a damn short summary of it:

• The 2006 movie adaptation is surprisingly faithful to the novel. Right down to the infamous torturing of testicles. (The 1967 movie version...not so much.)
• Bond is an asshole. And it is awesome. My favourite actor to play 007 is Timothy Dalton, so yeah go figure. 
• I never once mentally pictured the literary Bond like the actors. I could only see Fleming's version. (Which coincidentally is a mash up of Daniel Craig and Timothy Dalton, which just a touch of Sean Connery)
• "The bitch is dead." is badass last line and how more books should finish. 

Another sexy re-issue cover.

I also read the second novel "Live and Let Die" pretty much straight after Royale. It's longer than the first but  I'm going to summarize just as short. Because I'm a lazy, lazy man.

• Mr Big is a waaaaaaay better villain in the novel than in the film.
• It is uncomfortably dated with regards to race. I know it was a different time and all that. But still with chapter titles like "Nigger's Heaven", I still felt a lil' awkward. 
• The relationship between James Bond and Felix Leiter borders on homoerotic at times.
• There is a lot more 'FUCK YEAH' lines in it. 
• The plot is much more complicated but never confusing. Perhaps not as gripping or page turning as Casino but, and I can't stress this enough - Mr Big is a much better character than Le Chiffre.

Next on the shopping list is 'Moonraker'. I do intend to read through all the Fleming books and maybe the continuation novels, depends on the standards of those books.

Peace out

KRS