Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Diamonds Are Forever (James Bond (Original Series) #4)

3.52 of 5 stars 3.52 · rating details · 5,237 ratings · 230 reviews

"Listen, Bond," said Tiffany Case. "It’d take more than Crabmeat Ravigotte to get me into bed with a man. In any event, since it’s your check, I’m going to have caviar, and what the English call “cutlets”, and some pink champagne. I don’t often date a good-looking Englishman and the dinner’s going to live up to the occasion."

Meet Tiffany Case, a cold, gorgeous, devil-may-c...more

Paperback, 229 pages

Published 2003 by Penguin Books (first published March 26th 1956)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

I Only Watched the Movie!

192nd out of 757 books — 3,431 voters

Best James Bond Books

10th out of 44 books — 29 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Jun 11, 2010 Bookworm1858 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2009

I tried to read Casino Royale some time after seeing the movie-I enjoyed the movie but not the book. But I decided to give Fleming another chance and I chose Diamonds Are Forever mostly based on the cover.

Summary: James Bond is sent to investigate the smuggling of diamonds from South Africa to America.

I really liked the description of the airplane on page 50 of my copy: the passengers are served cocktails and caviar on the two hour flight from London to Ireland. I feel lucky to get two drinks an...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 16, 2008 Matt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review: Diamonds Are Forever

Maybe you can strike a blow for Freedom, Home and Beauty with that rusty old equalizer of yours. Is it still the Beretta?
-Felix Leiter to James Bond, Diamonds are Forever

With diamonds as the catalyst for action and adventure in Ian Fleming’s fourth James Bond novel, Diamonds are Forever features Bond investigating the diamond smuggling pipeline between Africa, the United States and Britain. When the British government realizes that over two million pounds worth of di...more

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 08, 2009 Aaron rated it 3 of 5 stars

Either Fleming is stuck in a rut or I am. The fourth novel in the 007 series follows the formula that the third (Moonraker) avoided. Bond scouts out his mission, flashes back to Bond's interview with M, infiltrates the villain's organization, meets the girl, etc. As with Live & Let Die, the job is a treasure hunt (diamond smugglers) rather than actual espionage. But because it involves the Mafia, the spy element feels slightly more authentic than it has in previous novels.

Or it would if Flem...more Either Fleming is stuck in a rut or I am. The fourth novel in the 007 series follows the formula that the third (Moonraker) avoided. Bond scouts out his mission, flashes back to Bond's interview with M, infiltrates the villain's organization, meets the girl, etc. As with Live & Let Die, the job is a treasure hunt (diamond smugglers) rather than actual espionage. But because it involves the Mafia, the spy element feels slightly more authentic than it has in previous novels.

Or it would if Fleming bothered to give his villains depth. These are yeggs right out of central casting, grimacing goombas in loud suits. I get the sense that Fleming spoke with a contact in the FBI, but that he only recalled what confirmed his stereotypes.

Bond himself is a terrible terrible spy. He can't keep a low profile: after a week on the case, he pals around with a Pinkerton agent (recurring char. Felix Leiter) & stirs up trouble that gets a G-man killed, himself tortured, & the girl raped. That girl, a streetwise American named "Tiffany Case" is frigid until Bond melts her with his tough, forceful love. I haven't even mentioned the pair of homosexual hit men. My god, this is conservative writing!

And yet, it's not bad writing, not quite. It's got a momentum that pushes you through the novel. Bond himself is compelling, partly because he's such a cad & partly because he's authentically smart (except when he isn't). And Fleming's getting better as a writer: previous novels have had one or two nice set-pieces that kindle the imagination (gambling scenes, usually). Here, there are several good ones, most importantly an apocalyptic climax involving Bond derailing a steam locomotive in the desert. The opening chapter's downright poetic.

After enjoying Moonraker, I figured I'd read a few more 007 novels. Since I've already got the next volume, From Russia with Love (I picked it & Diamonds up on discount at the Strand), I'll follow through. But while I'm enjoying 007, I find the racism, the sexism, & most of all, the sadism kind of disgusting. There's also a pleasure to reading Fleming's series - in the tight, confident style and, yes, in the conservative sense of righteous violence - but it diminishes with each return. But my greatest disappointment is that 007 isn't actually a spy. I'm crossing my fingers that From Russia has bona fide espionage. That'll be enough to carry me through.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 14, 2013 Clark Hallman rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime

Diamonds Are Forever, first published in 1956, was the fourth James Bond novel written by Ian Fleming. James Bond is a British Secret Service agent in the MI6 (Military Intelligence, Section 6) agency that deals with foreign intelligence. In this novel James Bond (007) goes undercover to investigate a diamond-smuggling operation moving uncut diamonds from Sierra Leone to the United States. It turns out that the smuggling is headed by two mobsters, the Spang brothers. Bond infiltrates the smuggli...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 18, 2012 Frank Hughes rated it 3 of 5 stars

Possibly the weakest of the James Bond novels, written (it seems) to finance Fleming's trip to America that included New York City, Upstate New York (later the setting for "The Spy Who Loved Me"), and Las Vegas. More a travelogue than a novel, which is its singular joy. Early in the novel Bond flies to America, in the days before jetliners. Fleming's detailed account of the crossing on a prop driven Stratocruiser is a masterpiece, dripping with atmosphere and detail that now seems unbelievable,...more

like · see review

Jul 11, 2012 Arjun Mishra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: literature

I was fondly enraptured by Fleming on this one. The debates go both ways, but it seems that readers mostly enjoyed this one. It was fun to travel with Bond back to the United States, where Felix emerges (disabled and all) to befriend him once again.

The male confidante remains the same, but the female interest makes this the most compelling read of the first four Bonds. We not only have an intriguing Bond girl; we have a Bond girl who has character, who gives Bond further character, and actually...more I was fondly enraptured by Fleming on this one. The debates go both ways, but it seems that readers mostly enjoyed this one. It was fun to travel with Bond back to the United States, where Felix emerges (disabled and all) to befriend him once again.

The male confidante remains the same, but the female interest makes this the most compelling read of the first four Bonds. We not only have an intriguing Bond girl; we have a Bond girl who has character, who gives Bond further character, and actually seems - dare I say - stable? There seems to be a real prospect of Bond settling down with this woman, Tiffany Case, though hopefully not in his London flat. She has a back story and true to Fleming form, she appears in the beginning only to feature heavily towards the end. Evidently, Bond is just as smitten as I am, impressed by her dexterity as a cards dealer and obviously excited over future prospects with her. Their conversation on the Queen Elizabeth reveals much about both characters, but especially with Bond, as it reveals that he might not be the machine pressed for service and duty forever. He does seem genuinely interested in enjoying a life outsider the service, even though the service is his all-encompassing life.

M provides a great deal of stock into the story, as well. Once again, he is pulling the strings that lead Bond into a diamond chase that originates in Sierra Leone and features in the United States. It is amazing that blood diamonds were a topical issue in the 1950s because their prominence remains today as a tainted but beautiful entity. The shibboleth of diamonds are forever features heavily into the language of the story and into its narrative, while also portending that Bond is the carrier of death.

The main gripe is that the villains were just not constructed. It seems as if they are not even considered. They were given zero psychological interest. It is as if Fleming can only focus on two out three: Bond, girl, and villain. One of the three has to be sacrificed for the sake of the other two and in this case, unfortunately, it is the villain. Bond and the girl are developed satisfactorily and given depth. The villains might as well be nameless because they certainly were uninteresting. A story of this genre and caliber should be made by the evil, psychology, and interest of the villain. That aspects lacks here entirely and that truly hurts the story. Bond's disposal of the villains makes sense; his means justify their uninteresting and unimportant nature. (less)

like · see review

Jun 30, 2012 Jerome rated it 2 of 5 stars

Not much can be said about the literary merits of "Diamonds are Forever". You read it because it's the original conception of an iconic fictional character. You read it for a quaint romp through 50s America as imagined by an Englishman. You read it to draw comparisons with the movie. Yet be warned, Bond doesn't really do much. The reader gets more details on Bond's eating, drinking, showering and napping habits than anything else. The "mystery" is on par with, say, a "Rockford Files" episode, co...more Not much can be said about the literary merits of "Diamonds are Forever". You read it because it's the original conception of an iconic fictional character. You read it for a quaint romp through 50s America as imagined by an Englishman. You read it to draw comparisons with the movie. Yet be warned, Bond doesn't really do much. The reader gets more details on Bond's eating, drinking, showering and napping habits than anything else. The "mystery" is on par with, say, a "Rockford Files" episode, conveniently solved before the final commercial break, the dialogue no more than a risque episode of "Leave it to Beaver". Overall it's a goofy and cute book, a harmless way to spend an afternoon.

"They've got a good machine, even if they do have funny names," warns Bond's old friend from Texas, former CIA agent Felix Leiter.

Leiter's words of warning turn out to be exaggerated. The "Spangled Mob" Bond does battle against are amateurs, and only with help from Bond in terms of some lunkish decision-making do they even come close to threatening him. It is a singularly dissatisfying element in a novel that never gels, and in terms of plot, represents a step back from the engagingly visceral storylines of previous Bond adventures.

What Fleming does get right, beyond an interesting beginning which presents a scorpion stalking a beetle before the narrative moves up the food chain, are the settings. Whether describing mud baths in Saratoga, N.Y. or dining out in Manhattan, Fleming makes sure his prose bathes you with atmosphere. His ability to make minutia diverting is almost a thing of amusement in itself. Las Vegas gets the blunt end of Fleming's pen, described as a noisy, gnashing place where old ladies clutch mindlessly at slot machines and every casino is mobbed up. Nothing wrong with writing the truth.

You only wish Fleming allowed his book more space to capture all this and room enough for Bond to have a decent case. Alas, 007 is largely a mule in this one, pretending to be a diamond carrier in order to get to the heart of the smuggling operation. He gets so bored he decides to flip things over with some sudden improvisation work that exposes him as a potential risk to the Spangled Mob. Since Fleming seems to share Bond's contempt for the situation, this doesn't succeed in making things more interesting.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 24, 2012 John Wilson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-fiction, ian-fleming

Ian Fleming can sure be gabby about cities. He eventually did write a travel guide in '63. But before that, he was the Steve Reeves of spy fiction. Wanna know about Brittony - the region of France that Casino Royale is predominantly set in? No? Well, you're going to get a page-and-a-half rundown anyway.

Part of this book is set in a small town in upstate New York well known for its horse racing culture. To prep Bond for this experience, his pal Felix Leiter hands him a newspaper clipping detaili...more

like · see review

May 08, 2010 Matt rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-and-espionage

'Diamonds Are Forever,' although the weakest of Ian Fleming's James Bond series to this point, is the second consecutive Bond novel to be far superior to the later film version. 'Diamonds' suffers from a sub par plot and a nearly non-existent and overwhelmingly boring villain.

Where the novel does have a redeeming quality, however, is in Tiffany Case, the Bond girl. Case is a stone cold fox straight out of a Depression era noir, and by far the most interesting and capable Bond girl of the series...more

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 14, 2012 Ray rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had just finished reading Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks writing as Ian Fleming. I hadn't read any Fleming books for at least 40 years but I knew I had this one sitting on a shelf somewhere. My deceased father had left his footprint inside the cover - July 1957. I could remember reading the very same book when I was about 12 without letting my parents know.

It's a quick and easy read with dollops of Fleming's usual sexism and homophobia - something which Faulks has replicated in his book. I...more

like · see review

Mar 17, 2013 Paul Lyons rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. My least favorite Ian Fleming James Bond book so far (of the four I've read). Despite the fun return of Felix Leiter (now a detective with the Pinkterton Agency), the camradarie he shares with 007, not much happens in "Diamonds Are Forever." With a plot centered around the American mob and international diamond smuggling, the stakes felt fairly low (especially compared to Fleming's previous novel..."Moonraker").

In "Diamonds Are Forever"...Bond seems bored, and wants to get the job over with soon...more

like · see review

Aug 03, 2012 Cameron Hackett rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of James Bond, People wishing to continue the series

James is ordered to investigate, an illegal diamond "pipeline" originating from Africa. Once a carrier of the pipeline is recovered, James takes over and makes his way to the U.S. carrying the diamonds with a devil-may-care blonde, Tiffany Case. He arrives in the U.S. and gets to meet the leader of the Spangled Gang, that goes by several names as James eventually finds out including, ABC, Mr. Spang, and Rufus Saye. He delivers his goods and is ordered to be paid but in a very secret way, using...more James is ordered to investigate, an illegal diamond "pipeline" originating from Africa. Once a carrier of the pipeline is recovered, James takes over and makes his way to the U.S. carrying the diamonds with a devil-may-care blonde, Tiffany Case. He arrives in the U.S. and gets to meet the leader of the Spangled Gang, that goes by several names as James eventually finds out including, ABC, Mr. Spang, and Rufus Saye. He delivers his goods and is ordered to be paid but in a very secret way, using horse racing. James then makes his way to Saratoga with his long time friend Felix Leiter, who has been investigating the "doping" and other cheating of some of the Spangled gang's horses. After a penalty, caused by the jockey of this horse, Shy Smile, James is sent to pay him for doing what Felix wanted him to do. The man ends up in the Saratoga mud baths, and this is where James first comes into contact with Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd, a pair of hitman working for the mob. They make short work of the Jockey and James is left unpaid. Mr. Spang, then orders James to Vegas so that he can earn his money there by cheating at a game of blackjack. Ms. Tiffany Case deals him the cards where he eventually lands his $5,000 he was promised. Although told that he is not to gamble anymore of his money because the gang owns the casino, James lands a mere $20,000 playing roulette. Mr. Spang obviously find out about this incident and are outraged so they take James in after a frantic car chase. James is then introduced to the famed hitmans work and is badly injured. Tiffany Case saves James and escapes the gang's hideout. The pair then meet up with Felix where they attempt to leave the country. Once on a boat across the Atlantic Ocean, the pair advance their relationship until after a very romantic night, Tiffany is captured by the hitman, who just so happen to have been on board tailing the two. James sneaks into the room where he makes short work of the two and save the girl. He then makes his way back to London where M orders 007 to finish the job and take care of Mr. Spang. He has been busy shutting down the pipeline and killing everyone involved. James makes his way to Africa where Mr. Spang is making his final kill, when James shoots him down in his own helicopter.
One of the major differences I notice that the English, or at least Bond seem to do, is be a little "classier". By this I mean they always smoke and have drinks before they eat, they eat very fancy food, and have a post meal drink with coffe. James also always appeared to be dressed very nicely, unlike the Americans who always seemed to be wearing cowboy attire. James also had better grammar than most of the Americans, especially when he went to Saratoga.
I feel that Ian Fleming's purpose in writing this novel was for entertainment. There is no deep storyline to follow and it is not a "tear wrencher". There are many action scenes involving shooting and fast cars and vehicles. The story follows a charming hero ho has an attractive counterpart. This novel is also a continuation of a series that follows James.
There is a standout theme of this novel that was very apparent to me as I read the novel. The first is closely related to Ms. Tiffany Case, because she was sexually abused by the gang. The Theme is that anyone can find love no matter how traumatic life has been, there is always someone out there for you. She had said that she would never love anyone again and was sworn against men, but of course, James breaks her heart and they fall in love.
Finally, I would recommend this novel to any action fans, and also any fans of James Bond himself. This novel is the fourth in the series so I would encourage people to start from the beginning of the series as there are some breif references in this novel to the other books. Overall, this novel was a great quick read that continued James Bond's legacy. (less)

like · see review

Jan 20, 2012 Robert Szeles rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: did-not-finish

So far, the most boring Bond book. I'm on page 135, which is more than halfway through and almost nothing has happened. I'm not complaining of a lack of melodramatic action or violence, but much anything at all. Fleming often takes time with description and character building and I'm fine with that. He's a good descriptive writer. In From Russia With Love, Bond doesn't even appear till around page 100, but it was a really absorbing book.

In Diamonds Are Forever, he gives endless descriptions and...more

like · see review

Jan 19, 2011 Suna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bond

Good but not brilliant.
The writing is excellent in itself: Wickedly wonderful descriptions of locations, Americanisms and the Las Vegas gambling culture in particular.
The story is reasonably interesting, although it all attains a sense of pantomime in the Wild West section.

I liked Tiffany Case; I would say she's the first woman since Vesper where we're given a more than perfunctory peek into the woman's background.
The reference to Vesper through the jazz record is a nice and bittersweet touch.

B...more

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 10, 2011 Keri ★TX rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, james-bond, spies, espionage, fiction, challenge-spring-2011-read

I know from some of the other reviews I've read, this book had mixed reviews. Overall, I really enjoyed the book as a separate entity and not as a comparison to the movie. As it happens, Diamonds are Forever was the very first Bond movie I saw when it came out in the theatre. There were certain parts of the movie which gave me some nightmares even. As for the book, if I had been old enough then to read it, I doubt it would have frightened me as much. That is where my comparisons of the two end.

I...more I know from some of the other reviews I've read, this book had mixed reviews. Overall, I really enjoyed the book as a separate entity and not as a comparison to the movie. As it happens, Diamonds are Forever was the very first Bond movie I saw when it came out in the theatre. There were certain parts of the movie which gave me some nightmares even. As for the book, if I had been old enough then to read it, I doubt it would have frightened me as much. That is where my comparisons of the two end.

I think that some of the transitions could have been written more smoothly, but it still didn't take me too long to figure out what was going on. Some of the descriptions were just wonderful, but some also dragged on a little longer than other parts, which I thought might have done well with a little more narrative/description. I actually enjoyed that fact that the book dealt with the American gangs and showed just how tough they were for Bond (minus his Q gadgets from the movies). Bond was required to do some quick thinking and his wits--again, qualities which I found highly appealing for the story. The character of Tiffany Case was very well developed, in as much, as there was some good backstory for her and she actually posed to be a good counterpart to Bond--especially considering the time period when this novel was published (1956). Felix Leiter was delightful as always, and was a good aide to Bond as he needed information and assistance. Without giving away any of the story, I must say, that like some other reviews I saw, I have to agree, the "train" scene was fun and probably one of my favorite parts of the novel too.

Now for the narrator, Simon Vance. A new voice to add to my list of favorite narrators. Without him, I think the story would have been a little boring, but with all his accents and dialects, the characters really came to life for me. That's why I'm going to go back and re-listen to Casino Royale, just so I can enjoy the story as read by Vance more than the first time when I reading it in hard copy.(less)

like · see review

Jan 29, 2013 Krzysztof rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was pretty good. I was happy to see Bond doing some actual spy work - taking on the guise of a smuggler to infiltrate a diamond smuggling operation... and meeting strange and dangerous personas on his way.

If there's one thing I felt wasn't done very well, it's the character of Tiffany Case. She's a damaged girl, who's got a past consisting of gang rape (!) and selling her body to make a living, and so is very agressive with her sexuality but doesn't let any man get near her (understand...more

like · see review

May 28, 2012 Phil rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The best of the Bond books so far, for me. The opponents are more believable. The bad guys are nasty and brutish and would rather shoot or stab you quickly than sit you down and talk you to death about how they're the greatest criminal mastermind in the world and soon everyone will find out mwahahaha.

Tiffany Case is also the most appealing Bond girl so far. Of course she's going to fall into Bond's arms - that's what she's there for - but she gives as good as she gets for most of the book and al...more

like · see review

Sep 16, 2010 James rated it 3 of 5 stars

Not as good as the first three novels of the Bond series. A lot of unnecessary stuff about horse races and Leighter's new position and role. Bond wasn't quite the Secret Service man he's made out to be in the previous novels, being unable to resolve the blindingly obvious, to which Flemming mildly explains away with the fact that love blinded him... It's almost painful for the readers who can figure it out in a heartbeat, before Bond is even involved with his new girl Tiffany mind you.

The action...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 16, 2012 Jacob rated it 4 of 5 stars

There is an unmistakable shift in tone between Moonraker and Diamonds are Forever. Diamonds has a more globe-trotting, fast-paced vibe that most would readily associate with the James Bond brand. In point of fact, aside from Casino Royale, it is the first of the early Bond novels to really feel like a "spy" novel. Live and Let Die came close but Mr. Big and his criminal empire felt very isolated. While the villains in Diamonds are still more organized crime than espionage, the expanse of their e...more There is an unmistakable shift in tone between Moonraker and Diamonds are Forever. Diamonds has a more globe-trotting, fast-paced vibe that most would readily associate with the James Bond brand. In point of fact, aside from Casino Royale, it is the first of the early Bond novels to really feel like a "spy" novel. Live and Let Die came close but Mr. Big and his criminal empire felt very isolated. While the villains in Diamonds are still more organized crime than espionage, the expanse of their empire makes the scope of the novel feel more broad than previous installments. Especially when you consider that Moonraker basically took place in a single location. This feels like the biggest of the Bond novels thus far. Following the pipeline from Africa to New York to Vegas, there is a density to Diamonds are Forever that works heavily in its favor.

When reading Moonraker I found myself fascinated by the female companion to 007, thinking that she was almost an equal to him in most respects. The female entanglement in Diamonds are Forever, Tiffany Case, seems less effective for the most part but she is the first character since Vesper in Casino Royale that affects Bond in any real way. The subject of marriage is bandied about quite seriously. This isn't built with any real degree of organic storytelling, and I admit that it felt a bit off, but it is only a slight misstep in an otherwise fun story.

I must also admit that the western motif of the villainous Spang mob is somewhat jarring, but in a series that would come to be known for overblown antagonists and eccentricities, they seem cute in comparison. The effectiveness of the henchmen Wint and Kidd works to overshadow the strangeness of the gimmick.

In contrast, the film adaptation is a major letdown. Being adapted later in the series and having to incorporate the elements of the film franchise into the movie hamstrings it greatly. If the character of Tiffany Case was weak in the book she is moreso in the film. It is easy to see why it is not so well regarded in certain circles.(less)

like · see review

Apr 13, 2013 Kahn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

And so we reach number four in the Bond series, and this one lacks the punch of it's predecessors.
For the uninitiated, Bond is asked to infiltrate an American gang who are smuggling diamonds out of a mine in Africa and selling them through their very legit high-end retailers.
So far so good.
Unfortunately, Flemming struggles to hold the reader's attention, and when he decides to bring in horse racing (and the fixing thereof), the story starts to feel a little stretched and thin.
There is also a pro...more

like · see review

Sep 26, 2011 Brian rated it 3 of 5 stars

* The fourth Bond book.

* Third appearance of Leiter.

* Bond starts the book by telling M that America is a civilized country, then spends the rest of it proving otherwise.

* He's up against the Spangler Gang here, the Mob. Not really his cup of tea and he knows it. So did I. The Mob is beneath Bond.

* Tiffany Case makes an interesting Bond girl. Bond is remarkably sentimental. Whenever he hooks up with a girl on a case, thoughts of marriage enter his mind. Fleming shows just how subtle he can be in...more

like · see review

Feb 22, 2009 F.R. rated it 4 of 5 stars

One of the strengths of Fleming - which I'm discovering on re-reading these books - is his descriptions of locations. Mid-way through Diamonds Are Forever, Bond goes to Vegas. The portrayal of the desert town with sand blowing over the strip is incredibly well done and really places the reader there. I suppose it isn't just his sense of location, he is also good at capturing the time in which he is writing, really bringing the fifties to live. As oppossed to say a Mike Hammer novel (a character...more

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 10, 2008 Dave Russell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novels, crime-and-thrillers

This was much better than Live and Let Die. The sadism was more sadistic, the suspense more suspenseful, and there's a kick ass chase scene involving a fricking train. Although the main bad guy (actually bad guys--twins) weren't as interesting as Mr. Big from LALD, the two henchmen--Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd (gay hitmen!)--more than made up for it.

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 08, 2013 Joe Vanfleteren rated it 4 of 5 stars

As an avid James Bond film fanatic, I thought it only proper that I should give the novels a try as well. I have enjoyed every single one so far (I have now read through Diamonds after starting with Casino Royale). I love the depth that Fleming gives bond, that, quite frankly, is absent in 80% of the movies. Reading these novels gives me an enhanced appreciation of Timothy Dalton and Daniel Craig, because they are the two Bonds who truly represent that depth (Sean Connery shows this depth in som...more

like · see review

Mar 05, 2012 Joel Simon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Joel by: Jerry Rosen

Shelves: fiction, spy

I took a break after tearing through the first three James Bond books, and happily picked up number 4, "Diamonds Are Forever". I found this one to be interesting throughout, but it lacked some of the excitement of the previous books. Once again, Ian Fleming did a great job of capturing the scene at whatever game Bond was engaged in (in this case, the racetrack, the blackjack tables and the roulette tables). One of my favorite characters was Tiffany Case, and I especially got a kick out of how he...more

like · see review

Aug 19, 2012 Seth Madej rated it 2 of 5 stars

Diamonds are Forever is the first of Ian Fleming's 007 books to read like a 1950s men's novel -- a hardpack shamus clobbers a bunch of mobsters while trying to unpants a foxy, sassmouth broad. (Or does that broad, Tiffany Case, qualify as a dame? I should ask my friend Dixie Laite.) That's pretty much the whole story right there. James Bond isn't doing any world saving, any Cold War upkeep, not even any revenging. The Brits are just peeved that American gangsters are stealing their diamonds, so...more Diamonds are Forever is the first of Ian Fleming's 007 books to read like a 1950s men's novel -- a hardpack shamus clobbers a bunch of mobsters while trying to unpants a foxy, sassmouth broad. (Or does that broad, Tiffany Case, qualify as a dame? I should ask my friend Dixie Laite.) That's pretty much the whole story right there. James Bond isn't doing any world saving, any Cold War upkeep, not even any revenging. The Brits are just peeved that American gangsters are stealing their diamonds, so they send Bond to make them quit it, and he does and on the way gets laid and a haircut in Vegas.

Fleming doesn't leave us much to remember along the way. Even the hitmen Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd, so memorable from Guy Hamilton's 1971 film version of the novel, in the book are dull thugs seemingly lifted from an Abbott and Costello movie. (Though interestingly Fleming makes a point of noting that Wint and Kidd are gay, without using that fact to inform their characterization any more than their brand of pomade.) The two are accompanied by a series of equally boring bonehead trigger monkeys, all at the command of Seraffimo Spang, a villain that contributes nothing to doubleohseveniana other than a name so terrible that one suspects Fleming dubbed him after his chiropractor in exchange for a 15% discount. Oh, and Felix Leiter shows up again, now with a hook for a hand from being fed to the sharks in Live and Let Die and a cushy new job chasing down horse-racing cheats for the Pinkertons.

The only real morsel Diamonds are Forever offers Bond-likers is a new focus on -- or possibly the debut of -- 007's arrogance. Fleming's hero makes clear his utter disregard for American mafioso and the unworthiness of those "teen-age pillow-fantasies" to even take up space on his timesheet. While posing as a smuggler trying out for mob gig, Bond gets bored and irritated, thinking

He resented having been ordered to Saratoga and then to this hideous sucker-trap at the say-so of a handful of big-time hoodlums. Here he was, eating their dinner and sleeping in their bed, while they watched him, James Bond, and sized him up and debated whether his hand was steady enough...

Eventually the crooks a get a few licks in, and it's unclear whether we're supposed to think that 007's been humbled by them. Because in the end, of course, Bond gets the girl and saves the diamonds and kills every single one of the bad guys. He pointedly notes that it's really nothing but another day on the job for him, the kind of thing that "reads better than it lives." Nope.(less)

like · see review

Mar 02, 2013 Jenny GB rated it 3 of 5 stars

Another adventure takes Bond back to the US to tangle with diamond smugglers and an American gang. As usual, Bond finds a way to do some gambling, finds a troubled girl, and creates havoc as he outsmarts the bad guys. Another enjoyable Bond novel with many typical elements. I liked the old Wild West town idea as well as how Bond escapes. The rescue of Tiffany on the boat was also thrilling. I like that there were some different settings and elements this time around rather than the drawn out gam...more

like · see review

Feb 03, 2013 Benjamin Stahl rated it 4 of 5 stars

After the excellent 'Moonraker', Ian Fleming returned with the famous title 'Diamonds Are Forever', which is just as exciting, smart and stylish as the former. This book is the classic example of how the books are superior to the films. In the movie, our heroine, Tiffany Case, is an annoying but fuckable bimbo - that's all there is to it. But in the book, she is a dark and melancholic character who was the victim of sexual abuse as a child, and she never ceases to interest the reader. And all th...more

like · see review

Aug 17, 2011 Steve Mitchell rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fleming’s fourth Bond novel puts the British intelligence officer up against the Spangled Mob - a Mafia gang based in Las Vegas. Once again you have to try to see past Fleming’s dated stereotypes which are often racist and misogynistic. Felix Leiter delivers one of the most offensive lines when describing the criminal record of one of the heavies: “Larceny, mugging, rape - nothing big.”

Diamonds are disappearing from British-owned mines in Africa and Bond is sent to find the chain of the smuggler...more

like · see review

Sep 20, 2010 William Clay rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: thriller, espionage

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (56)

More editions...

Genres

Thriller

96 users

Spy Thriller > Espionage

77 users

Mystery

56 users

Adventure

40 users

Suspense

26 users

Classics

24 users

European Literature > British Literature

21 users

Mystery > Detective

17 users

Thriller > Spy Thriller

15 users

Action

15 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Ian Fleming

Ian^Fleming
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 the...more

More about Ian Fleming...

Books by Ian Fleming

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Diamonds Are Forever

6 trivia questions
1 quiz

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from Diamonds Are Forever

“Most marriages don't add two people together. They subtract one from the other.” — 13 people liked it

“It reads better than it lives” — 8 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Diamonds Are Forever
avg rating	preview: Diamonds Are Forever Goodreads rating: 3.52 (5237 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3760.Diamonds_Are_Forever?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1311648212l/3760.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3760.Diamonds_Are_Forever?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Diamonds Are Forever by Ian Fleming[/url]

Diamonds Are Forever (James Bond (Original Series) #4)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website