CalvinS

Suspenseful

Revisado: 12-04-19

Anyone who has seen the film version will enjoy the original novel that inspired it. The premise is the same, but the story is more involved, and adds a Whodunit element that was edited out of the screenplay. Well read by Jonathan Oliver whose voice reminds me a little of Patrick Mcgoohan. Well done!

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Fascinating reading

Revisado: 10-01-19

Lord's narrative of the late stages of the War of 1812 shines a light on both British and American motives and actions as th conflict reached its climax. It paints a picture of conflicting ambitions that ultimately led to a new chapter in North American history as the US emerged as the undisputed master of the East, and soon the West central continent.

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An entertaining read

Revisado: 09-19-19

Reading this in 2019, as Hurricane Dorian tears it's way through the Caribbean, you realize how little has changed. Isaac's Storm vividly brings to life what a major storm was like in an era when advance warning was unlikely and there was little you could do to save yourself. Larsen writes so much like a novelist his books are routinely mistaken for fiction but his account of the deadly 1900 Galveston Storm is well researched and hard to put down .

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Bond from a woman's point of view

Revisado: 06-20-19

Fans of the 1977 feature film will quickly learn that the only thing this novel has in common with the movie is the title. Actress Rosamund Pike may seem like an unlikely Bond narrator, but she gives an electrifying account of herself in this suspenseful, violent and surprisingly sexual explicit Bond outing. The most unusual of Bond novels, The Spy Who Loved Me is told in the first person by the principle female character, and relates a tale where 007 does not appear till the third of three acts. Apparently, Fleming wrote it as a cautionary tale to chasten anyone from seeing Bond as a true-blue hero, but it may not have worked quite out as intended. The Bond from this novel is the heroic man of action, albeit with the soul of a gigolo. Nonetheless, The Spy Who Loved Me is quite entertaining, and Pike is quite effective voicing a wide variety of colorful characters, mostly male, who populate the life of this self reliant, and resilient female heroine.

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The debut of an icon

Revisado: 06-20-19

Dan Steven's lively interpretation of Ian Fleming's Casino Royale, the debut of 007, will surprise some readers in that the James Bond at work here is a less confident, much more fallible agent than the super-spy from the film series. Stevens gives his Bond a little more soul, and his fluid narration prevent one from hitting the stop button voluntarily. His memorable characterization of not only Bond, but CIA buddy Felix Leiter, the French spy master Mathis and villain Le Chiffre are especially effective. He even does quite well with Vesper Lynde, Bond's principle love interest - no small feat for a male actor. Fans of the film series will recognize many similarities with the Daniel Craig feature, as it follows the book's plot fairly closely. However, do not expect much of the Bond lore here such as the gadgets and food and drink snobbery. This is all plot and suspense, and a lot of fun.

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007's Jamaican finale

Revisado: 06-20-19

As I listened to Kenneth Branagh play out the numerous colorful characters in Fleming's final James Bond novel, I forgot that it was the same actor doing all the voices, at times. No surprise really when you consider it is one of the world's finest actors doing the reading, but his performance really brings the proceedings to life. He is especially good with the two principal villains, the assassin Scaramanga, and the KGB agent Hendricks. As some critics have pointed out, this novel is less well developed than the four or five preceding it, but the plot, situations and the character details leave a tantalizing record of what might have been if Ian Fleming had lived long enough to finish it properly. As it is, it is great fun, and significantly different from the Roger Moore film version.

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lively reading of Fleming's adventures

Revisado: 04-16-19

Fans of the movie will enjoy Martin Jarvis' amusing and at times moving read of You Only Live Twice. The story is very different from the outlandish 1967 film.,and quite an endearing in many ways. A very human Bond.

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A endearing adventure

Revisado: 04-13-19

David Tennant brings a humorous and sentimental Bond to life in this exciting and strange adventure. Bond falls in love while on the hunt for Blofeld, leading to a tragic outcome.

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Bond in Jamaica.

Revisado: 04-02-19

Dr. No is generally similar to the movie, but has enough surprises to keep you turning the page. Bond is considerably more human than the film. Wonderful reading by Hugh Quashie. Love the accents.

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Bond takes on the mob

Revisado: 03-28-19

A lighter adventure than some of the other Bond entries, with more humor and some bizarre plot twists. Different from the movie in most respects. Great job by Damien Lewis

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