James Bond is as much of a weapon as his Beretta 418, although he’s more of an agent by chance than by choice, a weapon as sleek as his 1933 Bentley convertible. He has his vices: gambling, martinis, cigarettes, and sex. Ian Fleming may not have painted women in the most favorable light, may have used a different writing style for a thriller than I’m accustomed to—the agency brief, plenty of inner dialogue and thoughts, and only a dusting of intense action sequences—but this was an enjoyable read for me from the first page to the last.

Having watched and enjoyed all the Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig James Bond films, along with a few other films from previous James Bond actors, I wanted to look at the man behind the mask, and I must say I’m rather glad I did. This was a quick read, although I wouldn’t necessarily call it light, and while I won’t rush to read the rest of the Ian Fleming novels, I do want to see how both his main character and writing style develop.

Cross-posted at Robert's Reads

3 Stars *Spoilers if not seen the film*

The Bond vs Le Chiffre part of Casino Royal only lasted 50% of Casino Royale and I felt that so much more could have been added.

There was a lot of gambling and casino jargon which I did not understand but after reading about it a few times I came to understand how their high stakes game came to work.

I can definitely tell that Casino Royale was written half a centenary ago Bond himself was quite sexist to fellow spy and Bond girl Vesta. He called her bitch several times and expressed how she should be working in a kitchen and not doing a mans job. This and the fact he couldn't make up his mind between not liking her and wanting to have sex with her did irritate me and made that part of Casino Royale rather unenjoyable.

Personally I prefer and will stick to the Daniel Craig films.

Everyone's heard of James Bond I'm guessing. I've seen a few of the movies over the years but can't say I'm a big fan; I can take them or leave them. But I thought I would add a few of the Fleming novels to my read list and I always like to read the debut novel of any author, especially if it's a series. Casino Royale is not considered one of the best of the novels by critics, and I can't say I concur because I haven't read any of the others yet, but I can understand after reading it. I gave it 4 stars, but 3.5 is closer to my thinking. About what I expected although there was more "serious" romance than I thought there would be. I think I'll read From Russia With Love next and see where to go from there.

There is a time for every man and this man is of his time.

I might go a step further and say, a profession for every man and this man is of his profession, for James Bond is a psychopath and one would need to be in order to do the things his job requires of him. He is a controllable psychopath. He's not the loner, loose cannon type. He's the loner, well-aimed cannon type. He's not going to fill up his closet with the severed limbs of his random victims, because the voices in his head told him to. He's going to fill up his closet with the severed limbs of his victims, because his boss told him to, and the victims won't be random.

Bond objectifies women, often referring to them as "bitch," seeing them only as a sexual commodity, and so many complain that they simply do not like this literary version of Bond. The movie versions of the books have conditioned people to like James Bond, portraying him as a dashing man's man who takes what he wants and discards the remains when he's done. It's cold-hearted, but we realize he's got a job to do...and gosh darn it, he's so dang handsome and charming! I can't deny the difference between the two. One is lovable, the other is loathsome. One is exciting to watch, but is otherwise a boring person. The other is exciting to watch and is an intensely interesting person. You watch the movies for fun and come away with a warm-fuzzy. You read the books for fun and come away leery of humanity.

I'll put it simpler. Movie Bond likes to make ravaging love to his women. Book Bond has rape fantasies.

I don't deny anyone's subjective tastes to like or dislike one over the other. I see good reason to hate Book Bond. But I wouldn't read Ian Fleming's work for pure fun. He's created a singular character type. In his work with Intelligence during WWII, Fleming must have come across numerous spies that fit Bond's description: cold and calculating cut-throats with anti-social tendencies and a warped world-view. James Bond is not a hero. He's a man paid to do a job. What you think of the man and your opinion of the job is entirely up to you. But real versions of these things have existed in our world and they are horribly fascinating.

my first james bond experience! how exciting! this book lived up to my expectations - there was danger, and mystery, and romance. the whole package!

n  4 starsn  n

Not part of 2023's James Bond movie/book project, but I've decided to read all of Fleming's Bond books anyway.

For the sake of completeness in all things, here's... Oh, that video isn't available in my country because it "contains content from SESAC." Sea sack? What is that, a sperm whale scrotum? Well, since I can't give you Chris Cornell's "You Know My Name," which is the theme song to Daniel Craig's Casino Royale, here's HD Film Tribute's The Look of Love by Dusty Springfield which is nowhere near as good as the Cornell song, but whatcha gonna do? (There was another Casino Royale movie from 1967 starring David Niven as Bond, but it was a spoof put out by some other production company that wasn't EON, so it's not considered canon.)

Preread note:

I've seen Casino Royale once, and I'm pretty sure it was in the theater. I remember an impressive parkour opening, a card game that went on for approximately three years that bored me to catatonia, a ball busting scene, and Bond convalescing on a beach. Not bad for something I haven't seen in 18 years.

Postread review:

You know, Bond isn't a very good agent in this, but it was just his first book. Seriously, alarm bells should've been going off in his head in multiple situations. Some don't even ping on his radar, and he ignores those that do and blindly walks through them. He only comes out of this alive through sheer, dumb luck! That doesn't mean he doesn't have the skills to be a double-0; he handled himself well in a couple of scenes, but...

n  n

Thankfully he gets better at his job in subsequent novels.

I kind of wish I'd read this book first so I could watch Bond grow because there is character development as the series goes along, but coulda, shoulda, woulda. As for this book, eh... It was okay. I've never been a fan of the big climax happening in the middle of the book. The main action is over at page 124, but the book is 181 pages long. That leaves an entire third of the book to serve as denouement, mostly. A couple more things happen, but they're not action packed. In fact, they're not all that active at all, and that's primarily what I want out of a James Bond spy story. The last section is a bit of sex, recuperation, a chapter or two of philosophy junk, and like I said, eh...

I looked up the plot for the movie since I didn't remember it, and while there were plenty of departures, some major elements from this were used. There was a long-ass card game, though I think it was longer in the movie.

n  n

You and me both, buddy. There's also the convalescence on a beach. Vesper Lynd, the Bond girl, has a similar story in both, but it's more involved and nuanced in the film. And speaking of Bond recuperating and dealing with Vesper, wow. He is a straight up sexist dog, though I confess that's one of the things that makes him fun to read about. Don't misunderstand; I'm not condoning his behavior or attitudes, and I don't behave that way myself, nor would I encourage anyone else to, but it certainly is entertaining.

Case in point: The ball busting scene happens in the book also. Bond is torn up down under for a while, but the doctor assures him he will make a full recovery. He purposefully doesn't let Vesper visit him until he thinks he's better in man-land. Why? He wants to see if he can pop a hardon the first time he sees her... Yep. He doesn't care that she's apparently distraught at what happened to him, he just wants to make sure he's gotten the zippity back in his doo-dah and doesn't want a boner to rip apart everything that's just stitched itself back together. Priorities.

If you're planning to read the entire series, I'd suggest starting here since it was the first book. (Reading them in movie order like I did gets confusing, not to mention it spoils the hell out of some of the stories). If you want to cherry pick a few Bonds, you can skip this one.

Bond, James Bond. Over the years I have enjoyed watching the action movies starring England's favorite 007 spy, yet, until now, I had not read any of Ian Fleming's classic books explaining Bond's origins. In Casino Royale, a tale of stealth, lust, and treachery, we see where Bond's 007 career begins.

It is the years following World War II, and the Cold War has emerged from the ashes of Europe. The Russian intelligence agency SMERSH with backing of Arabian oil money has become a threat to take over the west. Spies and double agents abound, and newly minted 00 agent James Bond is sent to the Casino Royale to track agent Le Chiffre back to SMERSH and foil the Russian's plot. What ensues is high jinx and high money stakes that are sure to leave one on the edge of their seat.

Alongside supposed ally Vesper Lynd and foreign friends Mathis and Leiter, Bond takes the case. Because this is Fleming's first Bond story, the novel is more about Bond's background in the service and less about chasing the villains across the globe, as fans of the movies are familiar with. We discover how Bond earned his 00 stripes, his role in the Service during the war, and that he is never without a drink or cigarette. The Bond in Fleming's novel is the same Bond who has appeared on the silver screen all these years and is a thrilling to read about.

In the end there abound chases, girls, and double agents. Bond saves the world from the spread of communism, and his career as a 00 agent lives to see another day. There will be further tales of high jinx espionage, which Fleming gleaned from his own years in the British service. In a documentary, it has been revealed that the character James Bond was created as a composite of people Fleming came across while serving during the war; however, the real James Bond still remains shrouded in mystery.

Casino Royale was a fun read for a gloomy Sunday afternoon. Knowing the cast of characters, it was fun to read about them in print form. I am looking forward to reading more of Ian Fleming's classic Bond tales to see if the films hold as true to them as they have this first one. James Bond will indeed be back, as I rate this introductory story a solid 4 stars.

This was my first contact with the infamous 007 and it certaintly wont be my last. Really wanted to see what the big deal was and now I know.
007 is a dignified badass who knows how to swing and swindle.
Never trust bitches and this is why hes a ladies man and wont settle down. But he thought about it. Double agent ruined her chance.

I finally got to read a Bond novel...

Yes, so far I had not read any of his books, but had religiously seen almost all the movies (especially the ones released during the late seventies and the early eighties - my teens and twenties). I enjoyed the movies for their goofy speed, silly plots, the imperturbability of Bond and all those lovely ladies (MMMMM!). But somehow, I never got around to the material where these films took off from.

And now I realise that I am too late. There is absolutely no suspense: one has seen it all. The Soviet Union is long since defunct, so its demonisation is not even objectionable now, only laughable (especially when one considers what the "good guys" are doing nowadays). And Bond's attitude to women should have been objectionable even in those days - he is only interested in how to get them to bed. In fact, he is interested in finishing the mission quickly so as to get down to the serious business of sexually exploiting the pretty girls in the story.

In this book, Bond comes as surprisingly naive. His only positive contribution is his luck at Baccarat (Ian Fleming somehow attributes it to his gambling prowess, but I failed to see the connection). He does not win a single fight, and lets himself be captured by acting like the hero of a third rate melodrama. In fact, the story moves on despite Bond, not because of him.

However, I liked the human face of the character. James Bond is not the cool and super-efficient murderous automaton of the movies here - he is very human and vulnerable (too vulnerable where ladies are involved). Also, the novel is not entirely black and white with regard to heroes and villains: and the violence is graphic and the sex explicit for a book written in the fifties, which bespeaks boldness on part of the author.

I have decided to read all the original stories one by one, if only to see how the movies compare with the written word.

Update 2018 - This is still a very well written book that introduced us to the world most famous secret agent. It is so well written by Ian Fleming his skill of descriptive writing have always been the best part of his writing. While I am no fan of a game of baccarat the man writes so well you can actually participating in the fun and games. Fleming as a writer deserves much more credit than he has been given. Always a pleasure re-reading a Fleming novel. They remain some of my favorite rereads. Nostalgic as well. My dad being in the claws of Dementia did recently tell me that is was alright that I took some books form his bookshelves, he did refer to Casino Royale among them. I still have that copy he bought as a young man.

This is the book where the character of James Bond is being introduced to the world. The plot is essentially an idea that the writer Fleming had during the war when he was involved with the intelligence service, where he was involved in an idea to play in a casino against the opposition and make them lose all their money. Fleming did it not as well as his hero.

Casino Royale is IMHO one of the better books with James Bond as main character. In 1953 with the movies still more than a decade away Fleming introduces his hero:

The scent and smoke and sweat of a casino are nauseating at three in the morning. Then the soul-erosion produced by high gambling - a compost of greed and fear and nervous tension - becomes unbearable and the senses awake and revolt from it.
James Bond suddenly knew that he was tired. He always knew when his body or his mind had had enough and he always acted on the knowledge. This helped him to avoid staleness and the sensual bluntness that breeds mistakes.

The story is highly improbable but the very entertaining. It is a story about gambling, which is very aptly described by Ian Fleming and does transport you to the smokey casino where Bond plays for high stakes. (Fleming has the skill to write very good about card games and golf, no-one could ever interest me for these activities but Fleming).

The plot is very simple but it is all about the gentleman hero/spy and how he plays the game. The mood is very well written by Fleming as are the actions of the secret agent.

In my humble opinion this is one of the more exciting spy-novels written. And well worth a read before any of the modern day thrillers on that subject.

It comes as no surprise that this is one of the best spy books I have ever read. I had me so gripped I didn’t want to put it down. At times I lost my focus a little, bit within a paragraph or two it garnered all of my attention again. I’m really excited to read more of the James Bond series.