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136th out of 485 books
—
402 voters
Octopussy & the Living Daylights (James Bond (Original Series) #14)
by
Ian Fleming
Whether it is tracking down a wayward major who has taken a deadly secret with him to the Caribbean or identifying a top Russian agent secretly bidding for a Fabergé egg in a Sotheby’s auction room, Bond always closes the case—with extreme prejudice.
This new Penguin edition comprises four stories, including Fleming’s little-known story “007 in New York,” showcasing Bond’s...more
This new Penguin edition comprises four stories, including Fleming’s little-known story “007 in New York,” showcasing Bond’s...more
Paperback, 120 pages
Published
April 6th 2004
by Penguin Books
(first published 1966)
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"Look my friend, I've got to commit a murder tonight. Not you. Me. So be a good chap and stuff it, would you?"
1966 saw the release of the final publication from Ian Fleming, the short story collection Octopussy & The Living Daylights. Originally published with the two title stories, a third short story was added upon the release of the paperback edition, The Property of a Lady. When the tome was reprinted by Penguin in the early 2000's, a fourth tale was added to the mix, 007 in New York. Al...more
1966 saw the release of the final publication from Ian Fleming, the short story collection Octopussy & The Living Daylights. Originally published with the two title stories, a third short story was added upon the release of the paperback edition, The Property of a Lady. When the tome was reprinted by Penguin in the early 2000's, a fourth tale was added to the mix, 007 in New York. Al...more
Final book in the James Bond ouvre, a collection of wide-ranging short stories: he acts as a sniper, tracks down a British soldier who stole Nazi gold, goes to an auction at Southby's, and wanders around New York City.
Definitely a downbeat to end the series, as was the final novel (Man with the Golden Gun), which were both published after Fleming's death. Overall the books are interesting, and at some points thrilling, but held to modern standards very slow, and held to the movies at times prett...more
Definitely a downbeat to end the series, as was the final novel (Man with the Golden Gun), which were both published after Fleming's death. Overall the books are interesting, and at some points thrilling, but held to modern standards very slow, and held to the movies at times prett...more
The last Bond book to have anything to do with Ian Fleming, and it's a short story collection, the second in the series. The first one, 'For Your Eyes Only' was quite good, so I'd had some hopes for this one as well. And what do you know -- it doesn't disappoint.
'007 in New York': 2 stars. The worst story in the book, makes an impression of its being a beginning for a scrapped up novel, and a rather trite beginning at that. On its own it's just flat and pointless.
'Octopussy': 4 stars. A solid st...more
'007 in New York': 2 stars. The worst story in the book, makes an impression of its being a beginning for a scrapped up novel, and a rather trite beginning at that. On its own it's just flat and pointless.
'Octopussy': 4 stars. A solid st...more
* The fourteenth Bond book.
* The last Bond book by Ian Fleming, published posthumously but including three short stories originally published (by Playboy and Argosy) between 1962 and 1965 (roughly between The Spy Who Loved Me and The Man With the Golden Gun). (Later editions than mine include a fourth story, "007 in New York.")
* Bond here gets to demonstrate an unattractive yet very human failing: having rather more sympathy for a beautiful woman than a plain one. And perhaps it is too bad: if t...more
* The last Bond book by Ian Fleming, published posthumously but including three short stories originally published (by Playboy and Argosy) between 1962 and 1965 (roughly between The Spy Who Loved Me and The Man With the Golden Gun). (Later editions than mine include a fourth story, "007 in New York.")
* Bond here gets to demonstrate an unattractive yet very human failing: having rather more sympathy for a beautiful woman than a plain one. And perhaps it is too bad: if t...more
Meh, it was OK. There are 4 short stories in this book. The first one Octopussy hardly featured James Bond at all. Instead it was a story about a retired WWII British Military man who does some bad things and ends up in Jamaica where James Bond is sent to question him. A very detailed and interesting story even if James Bond had a small part.
The second story, Property of a Lady, was about identifing a Russian secret agent in the British government. Not a bad story but somewhat anticlimatic. The...more
The second story, Property of a Lady, was about identifing a Russian secret agent in the British government. Not a bad story but somewhat anticlimatic. The...more
This is a short book with three enjoyable stories. "Octopussy" has nothing to do with the Bond movie, other than there is some action in the ocean. I enjoyed the character with a secret who is pursued by Bond. The backstory is interesting as well. The ending is not what the reader would expect. It is a neat little story with an ironic ending.
"The Living Daylights" is much more familiar if you have seen the movie, although it is just the beginning of the movie. Still, the big screen took Fleming'...more
"The Living Daylights" is much more familiar if you have seen the movie, although it is just the beginning of the movie. Still, the big screen took Fleming'...more
Again a solid 3 stars for Fleming and the end of my intensive read-through of all 14 Fleming Bond books. This - the second posthumous publication - is, like For Your Eyes Only, a short story collection. However, as the original publcation only contained two stories and must have been about 120 pages of very large type, it's not really good value for money. Even adding "Property of a Lady" only brings it up to about 140 pages.
I think that the short form suited Fleming, because he could indulge hi...more
I think that the short form suited Fleming, because he could indulge hi...more
When I first read through the Bond novels (32 years ago!) I didn't have much time for the short stories. I found them dull and I couldn’t wait to get back to the “real” action of the novels. But, having spent the last eighteen months or so re-reading the entire series of Fleming’s Bond books, the short stories are now among my favorites pieces in the canon.
Those collected here are tight and paced well and provide some sharp focus to the character that is often missing among the later novels.
I l...more
Those collected here are tight and paced well and provide some sharp focus to the character that is often missing among the later novels.
I l...more
This is a rag-bag of stories that screams of a collection put together posthumously. It’s amazing how little excitement there is within these four tales; indeed they all just drift aimlessly into each other. But then, to be fair, I can’t now remember any detail about the adventures in ‘For Your Eyes Only’ either. Perhaps it’s the case that Fleming was a much better long-distance runner than he was a sprinter, as these tales – which mostly lack sex and dramatic tension – seem far removed from eve...more
A collection of four short stories, this was Ian Fleming's last James Bond book, and to my mind, the weakest. Besides the two title stories, the book contains "The Property of a Lady" and "James Bond in New York," but the last is more a vignette than a story. The stories are interesting, but I've found only one of them, "The Living Daylights," suspenseful. Even in that story, there was no sense of danger to Bond, and I read Bond stories for that sense of danger. Bond is at his best when his deat...more
The last book of James Bond stories published by Ian Fleming. These four stories (The first time 007 in New York was published in the UK is this volume) actually fit in Bond's chronology somewhere around On Her Majesty's Secret Service rather than after the Man with the Golden Gun. All are better than the final couple of Bond novels - even if Property of a Lady has the biggest plot hole that Fleming ever allowed in any of his stories.
Octopussy sees Bond chasing up a crime committed at the end of...more
Octopussy sees Bond chasing up a crime committed at the end of...more
Jan 23, 2011
Zee
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
booksread2011,
mysterythriller
"Whether it is tracking down a wayward major who has taken a deadly secret with him to the Caribbean or identifying a top Russian agent secretly bidding for a Fabergé egg in a Sotheby's auction room, Bond always closes the case—with extreme prejudice."
Ahh, the world of international espionage. Thanks to Fleming, being a spy has never been so attractive. He single-handedly painted the otherwise secret world of Mi5 operatives in gold gilt. The genre itself became synonymous with the Christian Dio...more
Ahh, the world of international espionage. Thanks to Fleming, being a spy has never been so attractive. He single-handedly painted the otherwise secret world of Mi5 operatives in gold gilt. The genre itself became synonymous with the Christian Dio...more
Octopussy, like several of Felming's short stories ostensibly featuring James Bond, is largely an unrelated drama with a mere cameo by Bond. It is a well written tragedy of corruption and lust for gold. In contrast, The Living Daylights is the most representative, out of all Fleming's short stories, in showing us a snapshot of who James Bond is and his attitude towards his job. We see what he reads to pass the time, how he feels about killing, and his rather silly crush on a cellist he happens t...more
The last of the original, Ian Fleming-written James Bond books, Octopussy &the Living Daylights is made up of four short stories. Coming in at under 130 pages, this is a very slight book, and there's very little room for any of the usual stuff found in the other books (there are no lists of delicious foods, and with a tiny exception, James Bond does not fall in love with any ladies immediately after meeting them). There is, however, a recipe for scrambled eggs and an octopus named "Octopussy...more
Another short story collection by Fleming and also another Bond book to be published after the author's death. It contains both the worst of and the best of the Bond short stories.
Octopussy: Told from the point of view of Dexter Smythe; Bond comes along to arrest him for treason but actually gives Smythe some time to commit suicide so as not to be shamed. Smythe even privately thanks Bond for this respect. Classic Fleming chill. The story has almost nothing to do with the 1983 movie of the same...more
Octopussy: Told from the point of view of Dexter Smythe; Bond comes along to arrest him for treason but actually gives Smythe some time to commit suicide so as not to be shamed. Smythe even privately thanks Bond for this respect. Classic Fleming chill. The story has almost nothing to do with the 1983 movie of the same...more
I hardly cared for Octopussy. That was just another short story; this one without that much meaning or context. Unlike the previous short stories I have enjoyed from Fleming, this lacked a lesson worth remembering. I am thinking especially of Quantum of Solace.
Living Daylights was the interesting gauge we needed into Bond's character. We see him think for himself, disregard orders, and do things his way. He will get in trouble - plenty of it - and he might even be discharged. From the very littl...more
Living Daylights was the interesting gauge we needed into Bond's character. We see him think for himself, disregard orders, and do things his way. He will get in trouble - plenty of it - and he might even be discharged. From the very littl...more
The book is a collection of exciting short stories. While all stories in the book are cleary enjoyable, I personally felt the short story in the book called "The Living Daylight" was most interesting one. The story is about Bond's mission to help British agent from the sniper. While Bond waited three nights for the sniper to come, Bond soon afterwards realized that the sniper is beautiful cellist... The story was truly recommenadable to see Bond's personality as a human, and it was really enjoya...more
This collection took me all of one morning to read. Two relatively short stories that inspired two of the movies from the 80s, as with all of Fleming's novels/stories it is really neat to see how they played into the movies. Octopussy is used as the back story in the movie by the Octopussy. And the Living Daylights cleverly used the short story as the setup for my favorite of Dalton's movies. In the end, both stories were less flawed than their film counterparts, but both probably have their sho...more
A short story collection which was released after the death of Ian Fleming.
'007 in New York': Is more a bit of tourist information than an actual short story. But it shows Flemings skill of description, but here it lacks his usual strength which makes boring stuff come alive.
'Octopussy': This story is not a 007 adventure but more a tale of WOII where a soldier steals from the Nazi's. But while doing that he makes a mistake which brings 007 on his doorstep. An impressive little tale well told. (...more
'007 in New York': Is more a bit of tourist information than an actual short story. But it shows Flemings skill of description, but here it lacks his usual strength which makes boring stuff come alive.
'Octopussy': This story is not a 007 adventure but more a tale of WOII where a soldier steals from the Nazi's. But while doing that he makes a mistake which brings 007 on his doorstep. An impressive little tale well told. (...more
OPINIA Z 30 MARCA 2011
Ostatni tom przygód 007 jest niestety zbiorem opowiadań. Na dodatek bardzo krótkim, bo zawiera 100 stron na które przypadają cztery niewielkie historie.
W rok po opublikowaniu "Człowieka za Złotym Pistoletem", stwierdzono, że powinno się wydać opowiadania, które nie zostały umieszczone wcześniej w żadnym zbiorze. I tak w 1966 roku opublikowano dwie historie w tomie pod tytułem Octopussy & The Living Daylights, w którym znalazły się oba wymienione. W 1967 roku został powi...more
Ostatni tom przygód 007 jest niestety zbiorem opowiadań. Na dodatek bardzo krótkim, bo zawiera 100 stron na które przypadają cztery niewielkie historie.
W rok po opublikowaniu "Człowieka za Złotym Pistoletem", stwierdzono, że powinno się wydać opowiadania, które nie zostały umieszczone wcześniej w żadnym zbiorze. I tak w 1966 roku opublikowano dwie historie w tomie pod tytułem Octopussy & The Living Daylights, w którym znalazły się oba wymienione. W 1967 roku został powi...more
This was my first Ian Fleming (and therefore my first James Bond), and I enjoyed it, mostly. The stories just seemed to...end with no real conclusion, almost as if Fleming didn't feel like writing past the climax. None of the stories really stood out to me, but I liked "The Living Daylights" (even if I figured out the identity of the KGB gunner as soon as Bond is first watching out the window). Not a bad collection, and I'l probably go back and read more of the Bond novels.
3/5 on here, 7/10 for...more
3/5 on here, 7/10 for...more
Well, I guess I shouldn't be too harsh on this because it was compiled from unfinished documents after Fleming died. Still, these stories are not nearly as compelling as the shorties in For Your Eyes Only.
The title story, Octopussy, really doesn't contain much of Bond at all. Now, that alone doesn't mean it's a bad story (I loved the Quantum of Solace story even though Bond was merely an audience member), but there really was nothing Bond-like to grab your attention here. It is just not that gr...more
The title story, Octopussy, really doesn't contain much of Bond at all. Now, that alone doesn't mean it's a bad story (I loved the Quantum of Solace story even though Bond was merely an audience member), but there really was nothing Bond-like to grab your attention here. It is just not that gr...more
Aug 05, 2011
Mark Wilson
added it
As I said after reading "For Your Eyes Only", I'm not the biggest fan of the short story format. However, I did enjoy this slightly more than "For Your Eyes Only". There were some great little snippets in these 4 short stories. "Octopussy", like "Quantum Of Solace", removes Bond from the centre of the plot, which works well for a short story. However "The Living Daylights" is my favourite out of the four short stories.
Four stories in the last of Fleming's Bond work. Although there is a lack of the intrigue and action of the full length works, I actually like these stories: a touch of the more routine espionage work makes the whole seem more realistic. I particularly enjoyed the distate for the East Germany assassination that Bond exhibits. Whether I would have made the effort to read these if not for the films is another question.
Not as godawful as some of the Bond entries but really still pretty poor. A collection of 4 short stories, one of which 'The Living Daylights' is actually pretty good. The other three though, still terrible. Bond goes to arrest someone, Bond does Bargain Hunt and then Bond rambles on about New York before giving us his recipe for scrambled eggs (I kid you not). Thankfully these books are finally done!
An odd assortment of Bond stories, from a variety of sources such as Playboy magazine and Sotheby's in-house magazine, goes to show how pervasive the British icon had become at the end of Ian Fleming's life. The stories are very straight-forward, and could be summed up as goading a former agent into remorse, spotting another spy at an auction, taking out a sniper before the "Trigger" takes out one of his friends, and a daydream about 24 hours in New York - which ends up being a joke about the Ce...more
If you ignore "007 in NYC," the three remaining stories in this collection are great and paint James Bond as Ian Fleming always intended (though altered by the movies): as a conflicted, cynical agent who hates his work, though who is extremely good at it. "The Living Daylights" is especially good, as is "Property of a Lady." The Cold War stuff is where Bond shines. I am also pleased with Fleming's writing; it is clean and precise.
Proof that to enjoy a book, you have to be in the right mindset. This is not my first time reading a Fleming/Bond short story collection. I read For Your Eyes Only last year and was disinterested. This time through, I discovered how rich these stories are. Maybe the stories in this collection are just better. I don't know.
4.25/5 Stars
4.25/5 Stars
Don't be afraid of the title. This is a compilation of three different James Bond stories and only one of them gets slightly raunchy about a girl and a cello. For me I can only complain that these stories were short. It makes me want to read more James Bond. Audio book
Bond. James Bond. This is the series of books that launched the classic movies. However, the books are quite different than the movies and certainly not politically correct. Fleming wrote these books in the early '60's, and Bond reflects that in his character.
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| Not Impressed | 11 | 11 | Jul 21, 2012 02:37pm |
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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
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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
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“Look my friend, I've got to commit a murder tonight. Not you. Me. So be a good chap and stuff it, would you?”
—
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