My rating:
add to my books
Loading...
Quantum of Solace: The Complete James Bond Short Stories (James Bond Movie novelization)
by
Ian Fleming
Many of Ian Flemings short stories have been the inspiration for the extremely successful James Bond film franchise, and included in this collection are such stories as Octopussy, The Living Daylights, and For Your Eyes Only. The title story, Quantum of Solace, lends its name to the upcoming James Bond film, slated to release in Fall 2008. This collection will be publish...more
Paperback, 279 pages
Published
August 26th 2008
by Penguin
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is currently not featured on any Listopia lists.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,006)
Tosh
rated it
Recommends it for:
men who read in their bathtub
Recommended to Tosh by:
It's a James Bond world, that is imagined
The ultimate bathtub or plane reading book. It goes from the eyes to the brain, but doesn't stay long there. In fact it's pure air with a promise of something else. But that something else doesn't come along.
I was raised with James Bond in the pop culture background, and it's interesting to read the original source. All the short stories here are enjoyable but at the same time it's crap.
The beauty of 'James Bond' is more important than the actual literature by Ian Fle...more
I was raised with James Bond in the pop culture background, and it's interesting to read the original source. All the short stories here are enjoyable but at the same time it's crap.
The beauty of 'James Bond' is more important than the actual literature by Ian Fle...more
view all 6 comments
If you are curious about the origins of the most successful film franchise in history but do no have the time or interest to read a spy novel, begin here. It reprints the short stories found in "For Your Eyes Only" and "Octopussy and the Living Daylights," along with difficult to find stories featured in some editions of the latter. This edition captures an amazing range of Fleming's writing and numerous insights into the character of Bond.
(the remainder of this rev...more
(the remainder of this rev...more
I'm glad they finally collected all the James Bond short stories into one collection; Ironically, the best stories of the collection are the ones that only peripherally have anything to do with James Bond. 'Quantum of Solace' and 'Octopussy', for instance, have James Bond merely making guest appearances, but his presence is so larger than life his shadow looms over the stories of the main characters. 'The Living Daylights' and 'the Property of a Lady' are good ones, just showing a quick snippet ...more
I picked up this book because I enjoy the Bond films so much. The Bond of the book world, however, is different in some ways from the Bond of the film world. This Bond, although confident and poised, experiences some inner conflict about the things he must do to serve his country. As in the films, he is a ladies' man. The Bond women are always attractive, with just enough spice to make them interesting bed mates, but in the end, they always end up compliant. I find it an amusing portrayal of wha...more
I'm enjoying listening to this collection of James Bond short stories. It's highly entertaining pulp, full of fast cars, beautiful women, and exotic locations, as well as some quieter (but to me, equally interesting) tales about greed and love gone wrong. In a few stories, Bond is only a minor character. A couple of the stories are set in my homeland, Jamaica, where Ian Fleming owned a home and spent much of his leisure time. Those stories clearly express Fleming's love of my country's beauty, a...more
What's good about this book is that it collects every short story Ian Fleming ever wrote about James Bond, including everything from For Your Eyes Only and Octopussy and The Living Daylights. What's not so good is that it's a pretty mixed bag, with some really good mystery stories ("From a View to a Kill" and "Risico") and some fairly ho-hum pieces in which Bond doesn't do anything more than listen to people talk ("Quantum of Solace," for example, in which Bond list...more
Do you like Ian Fleming?
I have liked most all the movies based on his novels since I first saw Gold Finger while I was in high school. I had never read Ian Fleming, which of course Scottish born DH had. I didn't want to be left behind, so when I saw Quantum of Solace on special at Audible.com, and read this publisher's summary, I had to get it. About 8.5 hours long, Quantum of Solace is a compilation of several short stories. I listened to one each night before sleeping.
Narrator, Si...more
I have liked most all the movies based on his novels since I first saw Gold Finger while I was in high school. I had never read Ian Fleming, which of course Scottish born DH had. I didn't want to be left behind, so when I saw Quantum of Solace on special at Audible.com, and read this publisher's summary, I had to get it. About 8.5 hours long, Quantum of Solace is a compilation of several short stories. I listened to one each night before sleeping.
Narrator, Si...more
An interesting and entertaining collection of vignettes which initially left me hankering for the longer narrative of a novel. Indeed, many of the stories, either in part or in whole, have since been adapted into films bearing their names; thus allowing for greater expansion of some quality ideas; however, By the third story I began to see this as "Bond: The T.V. Series" and, in this way, there is much to interest anyone with an interest in Fleming's spy.
The only sour note...more
The only sour note...more
I found these short stories entrancing. I will admit, I was more than willing to be entranced, and I was not disappointed. Mired in the Cold War, but without enough time for a thoroughly complex plot, these short stories give a nice glimpse of James Bond on assignment. Whether he lounging with the governor of some British Caribbean Island or sniping across the border into the DDR, Flemming brings to life the conflict of right and wrong to the forefront of Bond's (and occasionally M's) narrative....more
"
Bringing together all of the James Bond short stories in one volume for the first time, this is the ultimate celebration of suave and deadly secret agent 007. Whether he's making an unexpected discovery in the Bahamas, hunting down a Cuban hit man in wild country, smashing an international drug ring in Rome, or on the trail of a murderous assassin in Berlin's sniper alley, dangerous missions and beautiful women come with the job for James Bond. And this agent is always a consummate profess
...more
The original James Bond stories are an interesting read if you want to see what the character was originally like. Ian Fleming's written style is very easy, but I have to say, the stories are at points hilariously dated due to overt un-PC comments for today's standards. One great example from the short story "Quantum of Solace":
Bond says he wouldn't mind having a flight attendant girlfriend because "...it would be fine to always have a pretty girl tucking you up and ...more
Bond says he wouldn't mind having a flight attendant girlfriend because "...it would be fine to always have a pretty girl tucking you up and ...more
this collection of short stories shows James Bond as a Cold War Spy, dealing with the Soviet Block, cleaning up issues left over from World War II, and having a few side adventures in his off hours. (James Bond finds a rare fish for the Smithsonian.) The book's stories have a mixture of cloak and dagger, some stories are more cloak than dagger. There are no gadgets, evil villains stroking cats, or cheesy one-liners. Instead, there are stories about finding enemy agents, sniping, and a recipe for...more
As the title suggests, "Quantum of Solace: The Complete James Bond Short Stories" has everything but the novels -- and Ian Fleming did write mostly 007 novels, so this is a relatively brief collection. While the stories vary somewhat in quality, they do demonstrate that Fleming was a talented writer with a good eye for description, a sharp wit, and strong sense of pacing, even in the tighter format of the short story.
I'm not sure what's suggested by this, but the two best s...more
I'm not sure what's suggested by this, but the two best s...more
Much different from what I expected. Many of the stories in this collection center around characters other than James Bond. The other characters are fairly well developed for stories of this length. The Bond in this collection is not the same Bond represented in the earlier Bond films. He's much more conflicted, especially about assassination assignments. Much of his time is spent daydreaming about the normal life he does not have. Fleming also dedicates a lot of time to setting the scene, th...more
What a fun little book! It has the expected thrills, foreign travel, high class living, and touches of misogyny one might expect from a collection of stories about James Bond. The real pleasure, however, is in overhearing Bond's thoughts when he is alone: his romantic fantasies, his unease about taking human life, his love of highly specific luxury products, and his nostalgic daydreams about the perfect day in a given city.
Interesting to note: the title story has absolutely nothing to do wi...more
Interesting to note: the title story has absolutely nothing to do wi...more
I want to first say that I love, LOVE, love James Bond. Okay, let me correct myself. I love, LOVE, love James Bond MOVIES. I've never read Ian Fleming before and since I do enjoy short stories I expected this to be the perfect book for me to introduce myself to 007's creator.
Ian Fleming is very dry. I had to drag myself through this book. After the first couple of stories it became work to finish the book. There are some movie titles you might recognize:
A View to Kill
For Your Eyes...more
Ian Fleming is very dry. I had to drag myself through this book. After the first couple of stories it became work to finish the book. There are some movie titles you might recognize:
A View to Kill
For Your Eyes...more
I found Ian Fleming to be an unexpectedly good writer; his short stories are tight and the descriptions are beautifully detailed, especially when it comes to setting and location. Even though these stories were written almost fifty years ago, they're still great classic spy thrillers. However, if you're expecting the James Bond of the movies, you'll be disappointed. There are no high-tech gadgets and no superheroics, just pretty straightforward action and espionage (and usually more of the latte...more
An enjoyable listen - lightweight - dated in a quaint way - almost period pieces
8 hrs and 26 mins
Narrated by Simon Vance
Publisher's Summary
Bringing together all of the James Bond short stories in one volume for the first time, this is the ultimate celebration of suave and deadly secret agent 007.
Whether he's making an unexpected discovery in the Bahamas, hunting down a Cuban hit man in wild country, smashing an international drug ring in Rom...more
8 hrs and 26 mins
Narrated by Simon Vance
Publisher's Summary
Bringing together all of the James Bond short stories in one volume for the first time, this is the ultimate celebration of suave and deadly secret agent 007.
Whether he's making an unexpected discovery in the Bahamas, hunting down a Cuban hit man in wild country, smashing an international drug ring in Rom...more
Nothing too revolutionary here... what I find most interesting is how little the the movies have to do with the original stories and how Bond is almost a peripheral character in a few of them. I haven't seen Quantum of Solace yet, but the original tale is about Bond having a drink with someone who tells him a story about two other people. Bond's mission has already been accomplished and is mentioned almost as an afterthought. The entire thing takes place in the drawing room of a government build...more
The book-Bond has very little in common with movie-Bond. There is very little of the suave, sophisticated martini-drinking Bond as portrayed by countless actors. In fact, the book-Bond is pretty close to the brute enforcer as portrayed by Daniel Craig in the most recent movies. Overall, these short stories bear little resemblance to the movies of the same name (especially the Quantum of Solace story the is used as the title of this collection).
Since these are short stories, they a...more
Since these are short stories, they a...more
This book of James Bond short stories is fun and interesting. Because of the short story format, Fleming has no time to get lost in long and expansive plot twists. Instead, the scene is set, the action begins, and the story is concluded. I enjoyed this collection more than the full-length James Bond novels I've read.
Also, the short story form gives Fleming a little more room to experiment. For example, in two of the stories, James Bond is not even really a main character. So, all in ...more
Also, the short story form gives Fleming a little more room to experiment. For example, in two of the stories, James Bond is not even really a main character. So, all in ...more
Jennifer
added it
The short stories or vignettes that Ian Fleming wrote are definitely different from the movies. The stories show Bond as more introspective than I saw in the movies. This book is great if you're on a long flight because it's so easy to read in one sitting. Or if you just want to take a short vacation from the everyday, you can pick it up and travel to France. Fleming does a great job with creating a mental picture for the reader with his attention to detail. I would definitely recommend this...more
Since there are nine different stories in this collection, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, I shall give each one a review and star rating, then average the ratings out for the collection as a whole.
From a View to a Kill: 4 stars. Top-notch action, definitely kept me in suspense, and left me wanting to know more about the bad guys. I would not be surprised if this were an aborted novel. It seemed to have room for development, but perhaps Fleming was not in the right mind...more
From a View to a Kill: 4 stars. Top-notch action, definitely kept me in suspense, and left me wanting to know more about the bad guys. I would not be surprised if this were an aborted novel. It seemed to have room for development, but perhaps Fleming was not in the right mind...more
Joshua
rated it
Recommends it for:
Any looking for cerebral spy stories
Shelves:
mystery-thrillers,
quote-literature-unquote
The rating reflects only the Penguin addition and not the stories contained inside .
In many ways, the literary Bond is quite different from the film Bond, and liking one doesn't necessarily mean one will like the other. Bond on film is the Bond I know best. He is charming, abrasive, over-the-top, and bullets bounce of him. The literary Bond acts more how a spy should act-- unseen, more human and thoughtful, good with the ladies, but with more misogyny. If you thought the Bond ...more
In many ways, the literary Bond is quite different from the film Bond, and liking one doesn't necessarily mean one will like the other. Bond on film is the Bond I know best. He is charming, abrasive, over-the-top, and bullets bounce of him. The literary Bond acts more how a spy should act-- unseen, more human and thoughtful, good with the ladies, but with more misogyny. If you thought the Bond ...more
A little pulp adventure genre cotton candy rendered even fluffier by the brevity of the pieces. While the literary Bond is a more interior fellow than his film avatar, there's still not a lot going on here. The stories aren't that salacious, though some make reference to more provocative literature, such as a novel Bond reads, the cover of which features a woman bound to a bed. It's always hilarious to see how movies diverge from the story; here, the short story "Octopussy" bears no re...more
Don't ask me why I've a soft spot for Bond, but I do. I suspect it's my inner car-geek (mmm car chases) combined with my inner gadget freak. I read my first Ian Fleming long ago while I was in school, but I can't remember which one. I remember being unimpressed at the time. This time around, however, I enjoyed it. The stories weren't as sexist in the ways I'd expected and yet, they were more sexist in ways I hadn't expected. (Same with the racism.) Anyway, fun in a vintage way--in that it provid...more
This was a pretty decent collection of short stories, several of which were very good. I still can't get over just how terrible "007 in New York" was though. It was anti-American filth, and in the end, it soured me a little toward Ian Fleming; the same can be said for the character of Milton Krest in "The Hildebrand Rarity." All in all, some of the stories were better than others, but "For Your Eyes Only, "Risico," "The Hildebrand Rarity," and "...more
James Bond: more prudish than you'd think. In The Living Daylights, he muses to himself that someone ought to figure out a way for women to play cello side saddle. No joke.
A refreshing change of pace after the increasingly silly villains of the last couple novels. A couple of the stories were lame, but most had something worthwhile, even the couple where it might just as well have been someone besides Bond as protagonist.
A refreshing change of pace after the increasingly silly villains of the last couple novels. A couple of the stories were lame, but most had something worthwhile, even the couple where it might just as well have been someone besides Bond as protagonist.
..but I think its the same with all relationships between a man a woman. They can survive anything so long as some kind of basic humanity exists between the the two people....I have called it the Law of the Quantum of Solace.
When the other person not only makes you feel insecure but actually wants seems to want to destroy you...The Quantum of Solace stands at zero.
When the other person not only makes you feel insecure but actually wants seems to want to destroy you...The Quantum of Solace stands at zero.
It is interesting to see the correlation between the short stories and the films, mostly the Moore/Bond films. How For Your Eyes Only is the combination of three stories where Octopussy, Quantum of Solace and A View to A Kill share little more than titles. The shorter works are largely exposition with glimpses of typical Fleming/Bond action. A curio for fans such as myself, but at times a bit lacking in substance.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Readers Also Enjoyed
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Ian Lancaster Fleming was a British author, journalist and Second World War Navy Commander. Fleming is best remembered for creating the character of James Bond and chronicling his adventures in twelve novels and nine short stories. Additionally, Fleming wrote th...more
More about Ian Fleming...
Ian Lancaster Fleming was a British author, journalist and Second World War Navy Commander. Fleming is best remembered for creating the character of James Bond and chronicling his adventures in twelve novels and nine short stories. Additionally, Fleming wrote th...more
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
