| | Like This Store? Don't forget a Gift Card For Your Favorite Person ! | |
|
|
Casino Royale (James Bond Adventures) |  | Author: Ian Fleming
Publisher: Chivers Audio Books
Category: Book
Buy New: $44.75
Rating:  130 reviews
Sales Rank: 6272980
Format: Audiobook
Media: Audio Cassette
Number Of Items: 1
ISBN: 0745159273
EAN: 9780745159270
ASIN: 0745159273
Publication Date: January 1996
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
| |
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
In the first of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels, 007 declares war on Le Chiffre, French communist and paymaster of the Soviet murder organization SMERSH.
The battle begins with a fifty-million-franc game of baccarat, gains momentum during Bond's fiery love affair with a sensuous lady spy, and reaches a chilling climax with fiendish torture at the hands of a master sadist. For incredible suspense, unexpected thrills, and extraordinary danger, nothing can beat James Bond in his inaugural adventure.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 125 more reviews...
 BOND BEGINS September 25, 2008
It's always interesting reading the first book dealing with a popular character, whether it be Conan, Tarzan or Sherlock Holmes.
The same is true with James Bond.
Two things strike me as really fascinating about this book.
First of all, the first half of the book deals with the card game of baccarat, which hardly sounds like an action-packed setting. Yet Ian Fleming did a good job of explaining the game so that even those like me who have never played baccarat will understand Bond's reactions when he holds 2 Queens in his hand or sees a 9 on the table.
The second is that, despite his profession, Bond does not fire a single shot throughout this novel. At that rate, no shots are fired at him, either.
With such little action, how could this first Bond novel have possibly become a series-starting hit? The answer lies not in the action, but in the rest of the book. For one, we get to see where Bond's attitude towards women comes from, why he orders such complicated drinks and meals, his meticulous methods of ensuring his room has not been disturbed and of his first two assignments that gave him his "00" status in the first place. All these make Bond a very mysterious, almost eccentric, character.
I enjoyed the latest Casino Royale movie with Daniel Craig, and although I felt the movie did some scenes better (the chase scene and torture scenes, especially), the original book is just as good and definitely worth a spot on your bookshelf.
 Too slight and inconsequential September 15, 2008
Fleming's first Bond book, and my last. They are not awful, just too slight and inconsequential to be worth reading, and I suspect bear little relation to the movies made from them.
Awesome Book! June 24, 2008
Ian Fleming did a great job with his first James Bond book and I highly recommend it! If you're expecting the Daniel Craig movie (which was very good, mind you), this is not the same story (it's similar, but very, very different).
 Just Ok May 19, 2008
I don't know if it's where I have already seen the Daniel Craig Casino Royale film or not. When I usually see the film before the book, I love the book so much more because it has way more details. This book I felt didn't. I wanted more explanation about the events and the characters' thoughts and feelings. I didn't get that. I realize that the movie took a lot of liberties especially with the ending but I just thought the book would be so much more. In the book, I never understood why James Bond would fall for Vesper. Their sexual tension was downplayed and she didn't verbally spar with him. I'm not sure why he was interested. I understand after the kidnapping incident why he would fall for her since they had 3 weeks together. I liked the book ending better than that movie ending because it was more realistic and more painful to Bond. However, I didn't get totally why Bond's comrades left him alone. I just thought this book was so so. It wasn't great. I definitely wanted it to be great. I was left very disappointed.
Great read! May 9, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Do you want a long review? Well too bad, you're not going to get one here. The first Bond book is great for fans of sensationalist literature. It is not always quick-paced but it sets the tone for suspense and unexpected and much wanted action. Tense moments are the card game with Le chiffre, the bomb assasination attempt, the car chase, and the torture scene. The romantic beach getaway between Bond and Vesper may bore you, but Bond's last words in the novel make up for it. Thank God, for books like this because it was a breeze to read. Back when this book was published they had paperback fiction, where the average paperback book was around 55,000 words. What do you get when you see the average paperback book released nowadays and Barnes and Noble? You see huge Bible-sized books. No thank you. I bought the old paperback edition that can fit inside my pocket. It was great reading it on the light rail to and from work each day for a whole week. I like this book and I hope you will too.
|
|
|
 | |
