A brainwashed James Bond has tried--and failed--to assassinate M, his boss. Now Bond has to prove he is back on form and can be trusted again. All ...
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reviews
Apr 20, 2009
Otis
rated it: 
I read a bunch of Bond books in High School and hadn't read one since, so I really enjoyed this one. As I remember a few of them being, it was very different from the movie. Though the main players - Scaramanga, Goodnight, and Felix Leiter - were all still there - but there was no midget! Bond books are simple, yet somehow still very compelling. The way Flemming wrote, Bond seems much more human and susceptible, yet determined and focused him - in the movies he seems more superhuman. I thin
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Dec 10, 2011
Danny
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AM I A FAN OF THE JAMES BOND BOOKS? YES I AM. MY MOTHER DURING THE 1960'S PURCHASED THE COMPLETE SET OF IAM FLEMINGS BOOKS IN THE JAMES BOND SERIES FROM A SIGN UP OFFERINGS OF A BOOK CLUB FOR $1.99. IN MY EARLY TEENS I READ EVERY BOOK AND IT STARTED ME AS AN AVID READER OF SPY AND SUSPENSE NOVELS. I HAVE PROBABLY READ THE COMPLETE SET ABOY 6 TIMES FROM 1960. I AM GOING TO WRITE A GENERIC REVIEW OF THE JAMES BOND SERIES AS EVERYONE PROBLY KNOWS THE STORYLINE FROM EITHER READING THE BOOKS OR
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Dec 09, 2011
Sean
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The least satisfying of Fleming's Bond books, likely because it wasn't quite done when the author died. Bond, presumed dead after the climax of You Only Live Twice but brainwashed by the KGB, reappears and attempts to assassinate M. Re-programmed, Bond is then sent on a purportedly low stakes assignment, to eliminate the flamboyant criminal Scaramanga, who has become inconvenient to MI-6. A plot involving American gangsters teaming up with the KGB to commit all manner of organized crime and comm
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Jun 27, 2011
David
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The Man With the Golden Gun achieves what it sets out to do, which is to provide a short, entertaining story that can be read in a day or two. I have now read all of the Bond novels, some of which I had read thirty years ago in my teens, and most are quite good. On the negative side, there is a lot of racist, sexist, macho stuff that can be a bit jarring. On the positive side, these books are written with fun and adventure in mind, and if you approach them with those expectations, they all en
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Jul 13, 2010
Erik
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While at Lincoln Junior High School I had two sets of friends. Ralph Bloomdahl and his younger brother, Steve, were the ones in the neighborhood, Ralph having been in class with me since I moved to Park Ridge, Illinois in fifth grade. Like me, he wasn't popular, but at least he wasn't unpopular. In school he was quiet. Outside of school he, Steve and I were into drawing and invented role-playing games involving homemade scooters consisting of old roller skates nailed to pieces of wood and a
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Mar 15, 2010
brian
rated it:
The book was fine, but not special. How did this series and this character grow into the huge film franchise?
First, it is interesting to recall what the "00" means. These men are licensed to kill, they are assassins. It's hard to make a hero with that source material.
Anyway, Bond is sent to the Caribbean to kill Scaramanga, the man with the golden gun. Once he finds Scaramanga, he passes up two chances to kill him and the way Scaramanga dies (I'm not giving More...
First, it is interesting to recall what the "00" means. These men are licensed to kill, they are assassins. It's hard to make a hero with that source material.
Anyway, Bond is sent to the Caribbean to kill Scaramanga, the man with the golden gun. Once he finds Scaramanga, he passes up two chances to kill him and the way Scaramanga dies (I'm not giving More...
Sep 24, 2009
Edward
rated it: 
Last night I closed the back cover of the final Bond adventure. I have now read all of the novels and short stories of 007, have you? You ought to if you haven't. I started out with Goldfinger, jumping into the middle of the saga on the strength of Anthony Burgess' claim that it is the best in the series. (I wound up preferring Moonraker myself.) Goldfinger was good enough to lead me all the way through the 12 novels and the two books of stories in the past few years.
About TMWTGG its More...
About TMWTGG its More...
Sep 28, 2011
Brian
rated it:
* The thirteenth Bond book.
* Sixth appearance of Leiter.
* The last Bond novel by Ian Fleming, published posthumously. (The fourteenth and last Fleming Bond book is the anthology Octopussy.)
* Perhaps the shortest novel, it begins with a Manchurian Candidate-like opening (that, unfortunately, isn't terribly exciting) then moves into more familiar territory as Bond takes on "Pistols" Scaramanga, the head of a cooperative of criminals that includes Mob-types More...
* Sixth appearance of Leiter.
* The last Bond novel by Ian Fleming, published posthumously. (The fourteenth and last Fleming Bond book is the anthology Octopussy.)
* Perhaps the shortest novel, it begins with a Manchurian Candidate-like opening (that, unfortunately, isn't terribly exciting) then moves into more familiar territory as Bond takes on "Pistols" Scaramanga, the head of a cooperative of criminals that includes Mob-types More...
Oct 10, 2010
Andrew
rated it:
The finale to Fleming's James Bond novels, and a worthy one. After the devastating events of "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" and "You Only Live Twice," James Bond is sent on his most straightforward, yet dangerous, assignment yet to reclaim his honor and prove his worth to the Service. His assignment is to utilize his license to kill by eliminating Francisco Scaramanga, a vicious and brilliant assassin who is frequently employed by the KGB. Scaramanga is one of Fleming's mo
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Jul 19, 2011
F.R.
rated it:
This is a strange, sad, little novel.
Apparently there’s some debate as to whether this posthumously published book was actually finished by Fleming before he died, or completed by other hands. To me it does seem far less polished than any of the other James Bond adventures (but then the same could be said about Phillip Marlowe’s swansong ‘Playback’ and Chandler was alive when that came out). After a bizarre opening where is a hypnotised Bond tries to kill M (suggesting that ‘The Manc More...
Apparently there’s some debate as to whether this posthumously published book was actually finished by Fleming before he died, or completed by other hands. To me it does seem far less polished than any of the other James Bond adventures (but then the same could be said about Phillip Marlowe’s swansong ‘Playback’ and Chandler was alive when that came out). After a bizarre opening where is a hypnotised Bond tries to kill M (suggesting that ‘The Manc More...
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Apr 21, 2010
Howard
rated it:
One of the worst Bond movies turns out to be one of the better Bond books. After unsuccessfully trying to assassinate M, Bond is sent out to kill Scaramanga - the assassain of several British spies. Bond trails his quarry to pre-Bob Marley Jamaica where an alpha-male duel to the death proceeds to its inevitable conclusion. The book is short and sharp. There's not much sex (plenty of innuendo, tho...) and not even a lot of spying. The book is focused almost entirely on the chess match betwe More...
Oct 31, 2011
Akira
rated it:
This fantastic novel is the direct continuation of You Only Live Twice, in which Bond loses his memory. The story’s beginning is action-packed, with James Bond attempting to kill his boss, M, after having disappeared and being declared dead. He is given treatment to wear off the brainwashing and his neurologist, sir James Molony, tells M to send him on another mission: to kill Francisco Scaramanga, ‘the man with the golden gun.’
Something I like a lot about Fleming’s style is his way More...
Something I like a lot about Fleming’s style is his way More...
Jan 31, 2012
Tim
rated it:
This is one of two Fleming/Bond books I read in the last couple of years that I had not three decades ago. First, i have to admit I like the Roger Moore film of this since it came out - it's a decent version of Bond for a movie. Second, the stories are world's apart. Aside from the title and the name of the villian and his competency with firearms, that's all the two stories have in common. Each has its good and bad points compared ot each other. One of the things I like about the book is that w
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Aug 03, 2011
Steve
rated it:
This is not the best Bond novel that Ian Fleming ever wrote - it is probably the worst - but allowances should be made for Fleming's rapidly deteriorating health.
Following Bond's return from the dead at the end of You Only Live Twice, he is brainwashed by the KGB into an attempt to assassinate M. Rather than have Bond arrested, M decides to encourage his top agent's recovery and send him out on what is in all probability a suicide mission: Bond has to hunt down and eliminate the notorious More...
Following Bond's return from the dead at the end of You Only Live Twice, he is brainwashed by the KGB into an attempt to assassinate M. Rather than have Bond arrested, M decides to encourage his top agent's recovery and send him out on what is in all probability a suicide mission: Bond has to hunt down and eliminate the notorious More...
Jul 22, 2009
Jeff
rated it:
This Bond novel was published after the death of Ian Fleming in 1964. This was a direct sequel to You Only Live Twice, and many felt (and I agree) that the series did not need to move on from this point.
Due to the poor quality of the writing, many have accused this book of being tampered with by the publishers, however, there is no real evidence of this and we can only assume that this was one of Fleming's first drafts, and he died before he had a chance to develop the plot and char More...
Due to the poor quality of the writing, many have accused this book of being tampered with by the publishers, however, there is no real evidence of this and we can only assume that this was one of Fleming's first drafts, and he died before he had a chance to develop the plot and char More...
Jan 02, 2011
Steven
rated it:
This review completes my examination of Ian Fleming's James Bond series of novels. It is one of the slighter works, not up to earlier volumes such as Goldfinger, Live and Let Die, From Russia with Love, and Dr. No. Scaramanga is a passable villain, but not particularly compelling. The Bond Woman is Mary Goodnight, a staff member at Bond's agency, but she is not up to the standard of other females in the series. The beginning of the novel, with Bond programmed to kill M doesn't convince me a whol
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Dec 14, 2008
Jason
rated it:
I'd only ever read a Fleming novels years ago--Casino Royale. I thought I would try another one.
Now, having finished it, I remember why I only read the one book years ago. One diminsional plots and two-dimensional characters left me wishing there was more to the book. Yes, there is interesting flavor from the old Cold-War days, but not much else. Bond is far more vulnerable and human in the book, which should be good. But since he is a killer who is also a womanizer, he needs icon sta More...
Now, having finished it, I remember why I only read the one book years ago. One diminsional plots and two-dimensional characters left me wishing there was more to the book. Yes, there is interesting flavor from the old Cold-War days, but not much else. Bond is far more vulnerable and human in the book, which should be good. But since he is a killer who is also a womanizer, he needs icon sta More...
Jul 17, 2009
Stacey
rated it:
I had to think on this review for a while. It has the essential elements of any James Bond story. Foreign location + getting saved by Felix + group of mobsters meeting + women = Bond book
The problem with this book was that most of it was not Bond doing anything. It was the conversations that he was listening to. The other thing that was missing was the sense of humor. Usually Bond has a few laughs and jokes that are played as well as some great observations about certain things More...
The problem with this book was that most of it was not Bond doing anything. It was the conversations that he was listening to. The other thing that was missing was the sense of humor. Usually Bond has a few laughs and jokes that are played as well as some great observations about certain things More...
Oct 11, 2009
Jmassa
rated it:
The last Bond novel by Fleming, written when he had had one heart attack and would soon die of a second. Some say it was finished by another writer, but this is disputed. Fleming himself is purported to have said, "This is, alas, the last Bond and, again alas, I mean it, for I really have run out of both puff and zest." (quoted in Wikipedia article on the novel.)
Sadly, it shows. Highly implausible plot, rehashing much of the material from earlier books, without the puff and More...
Sadly, it shows. Highly implausible plot, rehashing much of the material from earlier books, without the puff and More...
Jan 06, 2009
Everett
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Aug 05, 2011
Whilst it is true that this is not one of Fleming's best books, we have to remember that whilst he was writing it, his health was rapidly failing. This was to be the final novel Fleming wrote before his death in 1964, and keeping that in mind, this book still contains enough action to satisfy. It is evident that Fleming is starting to tire, however, and to me it appeared as though he has recycled elements of "Diamonds Are Forever" and "Goldfinger". It also lacks the some of t
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Mar 25, 2009
russell
rated it:
Not quite as unintentionally funny as Live and Let Die, although Felix turns up having previously been eaten by a shark, the one concession to continuity being his metal hook. He has grown back a leg mind.
Weirdly I think the film version is way better, possibly because it doesn't bear any resemblance to the book, which is a bit less gritty than Live and Let Die - which is the only other book I've read. Octopussy is more a short story so it doesn't count. More...
Weirdly I think the film version is way better, possibly because it doesn't bear any resemblance to the book, which is a bit less gritty than Live and Let Die - which is the only other book I've read. Octopussy is more a short story so it doesn't count. More...
Jan 11, 2010
Erik
rated it:
One of the weaker books in the series, though much like the other titles, much better in the beginning before sputtering towards an unsatisfying end. After YOLT, Bond comes back to England a victim of Russian brainwashing and tries to kill M. Then Bond heads to Jamaica where he must get rid of the Man with the Golden Gun. The most interesting aspect of the book isn't the hackneyed plot but Ian's not-too-subtle portrait of America. Scaramanga, the man from the title, was educated in Nevada an
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Sep 03, 2011
James
rated it:
The final, and widely regarded as weakest of the Bond novels. Published after his death, it is also widely believed to have been 'finished' by Kingsley Amis. That said, while the book is a little easier going that previous Bond novels it's still an enjoyable book.
Bond returns to London a damaged man, attempts to kill M, but is given one last (again) chance to redeem himself. A suicide mission to assassinate Scaramanga: the man with the golden gun. More...
Bond returns to London a damaged man, attempts to kill M, but is given one last (again) chance to redeem himself. A suicide mission to assassinate Scaramanga: the man with the golden gun. More...
Nov 21, 2011
Matthew
rated it:
What can I say? Despite the utter ridiculousness of the book (Bond's decision making borders on the insane), the racial slurs (octoroon? Seriously?)and the ridiculous slanders against homosexuals ( official intelligence documents stating that overtly states that DESPITE THEIR BEING NO SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE, an inability to whistle makes someone a likely homosexual)this book was an easy and somewhat enjoyable read.
To be honest, it only earned that third star with the climax, which I found More...
To be honest, it only earned that third star with the climax, which I found More...
Dec 31, 2011
While I've seen plenty of James Bond movies, this was actually my first book of the famous spy. I know there's always a difference between the book and the movie based on the book, but I was surprised how little the two had in common besides the title and a handful of character names.
Bond isn't the suave, dry-witted ladies man we've all come to know. In fact I don't think he gets laid once in the book. He doesn't have one martini, shaken not stirred, although he does drink alot. That More...
Bond isn't the suave, dry-witted ladies man we've all come to know. In fact I don't think he gets laid once in the book. He doesn't have one martini, shaken not stirred, although he does drink alot. That More...
Jan 19, 2012
Brett
rated it:
This one starts out with promise but doesn't quite deliver. I understand that Fleming was not well during the writing of this final installment and that the author died before completing the usual prepublication revisions. It is a shame. I think the opening act of the book which reveals what Bond has been up to since You Only Live Twice ended, could have been savored a little more. And the antagonist Scaramanga was not quite up to Fleming's standards--really rather bland compared to a Blofe
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Mar 17, 2011
MajinFox
rated it:
OPINIA Z 10 LUTEGO 2011
Tytuł "Człowiek ze Złotym Pistoletem" od wielu lat kojarzy się wyłącznie z czymś niedobrym, zarówno jeśli chodzi o film, jak i książkę. Ten z Moore'em był według krytyków tak słaby, że na kilka dobrych lat przestano myśleć o kręceniu nowych części. Potrzebna była zmiana formuły, dzięki czemu powstały takie "potworki", jak "Szpieg, który mnie kochał" i "Moonraker".
Mi osobiście z Rogerem podobał się wyłącznie " More...
Tytuł "Człowiek ze Złotym Pistoletem" od wielu lat kojarzy się wyłącznie z czymś niedobrym, zarówno jeśli chodzi o film, jak i książkę. Ten z Moore'em był według krytyków tak słaby, że na kilka dobrych lat przestano myśleć o kręceniu nowych części. Potrzebna była zmiana formuły, dzięki czemu powstały takie "potworki", jak "Szpieg, który mnie kochał" i "Moonraker".
Mi osobiście z Rogerem podobał się wyłącznie " More...
Apr 05, 2008
Kyle
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
May 01, 2011
Christopher
rated it:
Ian Fleming's final Bond novel, published a year after Fleming's death, is an empty affair that seems to do little more than go through the motions. That those motions can be of interest for the duration of the novel is a credit to Fleming and the character he created. However, the writing feels rushed and lacks the detail, humor and character interaction that one has come to expect from a James Bond story. In the end, The Man With The Golden Gun stands as a cardboard epitaph to the Bond series.
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