From Russia With Love (Paragon Large Print) [LARGE PRINT] (Paperback)

by Ian Fleming (Author) "The naked man who lay splayed out on his face beside the swimming pool might have been dead..." (more)
Key Phrases: head gipsy, Rosa Klebb, Comrade Colonel, Comrade General (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The arrival of James Bond in Modern Classics at last acknowledges Fleming's remarkable place in British fiction. The creator of an entire genre and the inventor of the most widely recognised figure in British literature since Sherlock Holmes, Fleming has a presence and flair now denied to most other writers of the 1950s. These three novels show Fleming at his peak - it would be hard to argue whether "Rosa Klebb", "Dr No" or "Goldfinger" have greater grandeur or repulsiveness - with three plots ofderanged implausibility and many of the dazzling set-pieces that made the early films so memorable. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author
Born in London in 1908, Ian Fleming worked variously as a banker and journalist before serving in the British Naval Intelligence during World War II. He published his first novel CASINO ROYALE in 1953 and thus started the astoundingly successful James Bond novels and films. Fleming died in 1964. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Sound Library; Lrg edition (December 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0792712684
• ISBN-13: 978-0792712688
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,978,956 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This is item 5 in The James Bond Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From the 50s with Love, June 23, 2002

By	John B. Maggiore (Buffalo, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: From Russia, With Love (Hardcover)

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE is generally considered to be the very best James Bond book. In this case, conventional wisdom is right. I recently re-read the book, originally published in 1957, and it was even better than I remember it being.

First, the flaws: Like most Flemming novels, much of the plot is implausible. The story revolves around a scheme by the Soviets to embarrass the British Secret Service by killing James Bond in a compromising position. Perhaps it is because we live in a post-Monica Lewinski world, but this doesn't seem to be that much of a big deal. The movie version of FRWL seems to acknowledge the weakness of the reasoning behind the sequence of events that make up the story. The movie makes Bond's planned embarrassing death a secondary consequence of the villains' (this time SPECTER, not the Soviets) plot to steal the Russian decoder, which in the book is merely used as bait.

Another common problem with Flemming's Bond, which is again on display, is that he is rather gullible and pretty much goes along for the ride without using his wits to solve mysteries or get out of jams. In FRWL he misses obvious clues, believes a thinly disguised enemy agent enough to hand over his gun without much of a thought, and fails to ever put "two and two together."

Despite all the flaws, FRWL is a great book. If the plot has holes, the collection of words are beautiful in themselves, from Flemming's detailed description of food and drink, to the combat scenes that really come to life in this book. The character of Bond is more interesting here than in previous books - he demonstrates a sense of humor and playfulness, shows emotion and even has moments of reflection.

The series of villains, while cartoonish, are fun. The lurking presence of Red Grant is menacing. Bond's interactions with the villains forms the basis for the series of events that make the story flow. Once the silly premise is accepted, the rest of the sequence of events makes a certain amount of sense. This internal coherence (which was missing to some degree in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER) added with a fast pace makes the book hold together and never seem slow or dull.

What separates FRWL from the other books, however, is that it contains some genuine surprises, including its truly unexpected ending. The ending is even more unexpected because it is explained away in DR. NO. But the ending should be read for what it is in the context of the book itself, not in the larger context of the series.

Finally, one of the things I enjoy about Flemming's Bond books is that because they were written in the 1950's, they have a feel for a different world, with different values, assumptions, and cultural icons. This differentness is on full display in FRWL. While I have no illusions of the world depicted in Bond books having any resemblance to actual history, the transportation into another world is achieved more purely than could be by a contemporary author writing a period piece. I love it!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SMERSH battles against 007 with their deadliest plan yet...., December 30, 2002

By	Devin Zydel (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: From Russia with Love (James Bond Novels) (Paperback)

Considered by many to the be the best James Bond 007 book of all time, From Russia With Love delivers the perfect formula for a James Bond novel. Originally, Ian Fleming's tales of 007 were not going so good, so he intended with this book to kill off James Bond once and for all. The end of this novel is quite a surprise to a first time reader.

The book begins by telling of the commanding rule of SMERSH. The leader of this organization is General Grubozaboyschikov. Also working is Colonel Rosa Klebb and director of planning Kronsteen, who treats real people as if they were chess pieces. The muscle of the group is a homicidal madman, who follows orders, and is in practically perfect physical shape, Donovan "Red" Grant. These evil minds have planned the perfect way to destroy the life and reputation of James Bond. Their plan is to lure 007 with the beatiful Tatiana Romanova and a Spektor cipher decoding machine as bait. Then Grant will meet up with them eventually and kill them both. However, SMERSH will take it a step further to lie to the public that Bond and Tatiana were in an affair, and that Bond commits suicide. It's a perfect plan.
Bond indeed does travel to Istanbul, believing that this girl wants to defect, and will give him the Spektor machine only if he personally helps her. 007 meets Darko Kerim, and a wonderful gypsy fight adds to the fun of the story. Bond and Tatiana travel on a train back to Europe, where he meets Red Grant and is told of the plan to kill him. An extremely bvrutal gun and fist fight breakes out between the men with 007 shooting Grant. 007 goes to Paris with Tatiana to catch Rosa Klebb in a meeting. However, Klebb releases a poison knife from her shoe and kicks 007 in the leg, before being taken away by the police. The story ends with 007 lying on the floor of the hotel room...

Perhaps the finest story of Ian Fleming, filled with the excitement and adventure to give this book it's reputation as on of the best 007 novels ever!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fleming at his Best, June 1, 2000

By	Terry Anderson (Littleton, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: From Russia, With Love (Hardcover)

The very first Ian Fleming novel that I read is also, in my opinion, the best of Fleming's novels. Red Grant is by far one of the best villians in the series. The book also features one of the series' best 'sacrificial lambs', the character of Darco Kerim Bey. I absolutely loved the ending. It is not one to miss.