Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

  • Apple
  • Android
  • Windows Phone
  • Android

To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number.
Download to your computer
Kindle Cloud Reader

Octopussy

by
Ian Fleming (Author)
› Visit Amazon's Ian Fleming Page
Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
See search results for this author
Are you an author? Learn about Author Central
Ian Fleming (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars 101 customer reviews
ISBN-13: 978-0848810061
ISBN-10: 0848810066
Why is ISBN important?
ISBN
This bar-code number lets you verify that you're getting exactly the right version or edition of a book. The 13-digit and 10-digit formats both work.
Scan an ISBN with your phone
Use the Amazon App to scan ISBNs and compare prices.
Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

List unavailable.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest <Embed>
More Buying Choices
1 Used from $2,000.00
1 Used from $2,000.00
See All Buying Options
Free Two-Day Shipping for College Students with Prime Student Free%20Two-Day%20Shipping%20for%20College%20Students%20with%20Amazon%20Student

Insidious (An FBI Thriller) by Catherine Coulter
"Insidious" by Catherine Coulter
FBI agents Savich and Sherlock are back in the 20th book in the New York Times best-selling An FBI Thriller series by Catherine Coulter. Learn more | See series page
Available from these sellers.
click to open popover
NO_CONTENT_IN_FEATURE
The latest book club pick from Oprah
"The Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead is a magnificent novel chronicling a young slave's adventures as she makes a desperate bid for freedom in the antebellum South. See more

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 126 pages
  • Publisher: Amereon Ltd (October 10, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0848810066
  • ISBN-13: 978-0848810061
  • Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 0.6 x 8.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (101 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,616,104 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsLook Cubby! Bond with no gadgets and no women.
By john purcell on August 26, 2005
Format: Paperback
Ian Fleming penned 14 Bond adventures before his death in 1964. He lived to see the first few movies made, was hopelessly smitten with the young Ursula Andress, and fortunately did not live to see the excesses of his sucessors.

This book is a compilation of three short stories in Octopussy, The Living Daylights, and Property of a Lady. There is no real resemblance to the similarly titled films, but some of the scenes and characters from the short stories made it to the big screen.

These stories show what Bond would do on a slow day, no gadgets or romance involved. Bond does not entertain three women per story, in fact, he meets none. He is smitten at a distance with a cello player, but nothing develops romantically, and the female lead of the third story is described as unattractive.

Bond simply closes out a few files, as one might do in a short week before heading out on holiday. Of course, M and Ms. Moneypenny appear here, with M and the unnamed Chief of Staff providing Bond with his orders and accoutrements.

Octopussy is the best of the lot here. In fact, Bond barely appears in the story set in Fleming's beloved Jamaica about 15 years after the war. A British army major comes into a treasure in the closing chaotic days of the war in Europe. His techniques included murder and eventually he is tracked down by 007 who had been an acquaintance of the "Good German" victim.

The Living Daylights features a challenge between two trained assassins, which will be familiar to viewers of the Timothy Dalton film. Fleming very cleverly sets the scene at Checkpoint Charlie just before the Wall went up. Both sides use innovative cover to muffle their killer's sounds and movements.Read more ›
Comment 16 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
4.0 out of 5 starsBond's "regular" assignments
By Amazon Customer on January 5, 2005
Format: Paperback
Octopussy and the Living Daylights is a terrific collection of stories that show some of James Bond's smaller, more ordinary assignments. Of course since he's Bond even his more routine stuff is thrilling reading. First out is Octopussy which has nothing to do with the horrible Roger More movie. This story was really about a retired English major who once had a fine career in military inteligence. At the end of the war the major makes a terrible decision and years later in his middle age a man named Bond shows up at his Jamaican home and makes him pay for it. This story is very well written and shows that Ian Flemming had a real knack for characterization.

Property of a Lady shows Bond on a pleasant but serious assignment. For a change he never has to leave London or even break a sweat but he manages to expose one high ranking Russian spy and wryly observes a low level double agent playing the spy game badly.

Living Daylights in my favorite of the stories. Bond has been ordred to Germany to take out a sniper so an agent can escape to the West. This is not a nice job and Bond spends a surprising amount of time considering his distaste about the job. The little details about Bond's preparations, his school marmish old contact, the velvet snipers uniform and walking and eating around Germany are all fascinating. And in the end Bond makes a decison about the Russian sniper and his fellow agent whom he's been sent to save.

The last story and the shortes is Bond in New York. He's been sent on a mission of mercy and plans to enjoy himself in Manhattan. We learn of Ian Flemming's opinion of frozen food and that Bond once had an apartment in Manhattan!

I wouldn't buy this short story collection first. Try the full length novels and then this one because it's all so much about showing the other side of Bond. This is a treat for serious Bond lovers, old and new.
1 Comment 11 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
4.0 out of 5 starsA Decent Short Story Collection
By David I. Williams on June 19, 2013
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
Octopussy and The Living Daylights is a short story collection by Ian Fleming. It was collected and published after Fleming's death. The book is very short and only contains four stories. "Octopussy" Is a story about a former British officer who is now in retirement. All seems to be well until a man named Bond shows up and exposes an old crime. "The Living Daylights" has Bond using his skills as a sniper to protect a spy who is trying to escape from East Berlin. In "Property of a Lady" Bond has to trap a mole inside the office. Finally in "007 in New York" Bond spends an evening in the Big Apple.

The stories are short and are not exactly his best work. Fleming was a great writer of novels. His novels were never long, almost all coming in at under 200 pages. Somehow that format better fits his style. "Octopussy" is an interesting morality tale of murder and greed. "The Living Daylights" is an interesting story because it shows Bond at odds with his duties as a 00 agent. The other two stories are below par for Fleming's work. Overall the two title stories are alright. If you want to own all of Fleming's Bond Books then you will need to get this book. Don't make it your first Bond book though.
Comment 5 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
4.0 out of 5 starsFleming's least known 007 book
By A Customer on February 3, 1998
Format: Hardcover
As Conan Doyle did in the late 1890's (and as others like Ellery Queen and Agatha Christie followed), Ian Fleming seemed to has suscribed the theory that sometimes "less is more" in writing a story, thus chosing a short tale instead of a long one for more impact. This book comprises, in its final form, three novelettes a la "For Your Eyes Only". The book was first printed in 1966 (being the last release of a Fleming original), but the stories were written and fictionally occur after "The Spy Who Loved Me" and before "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". The title episode is another showcase for Fleming's ability to write a story in the true sense, picturing a tale of a man's life since the WWII up to his last days in the Caribbean. Bond is merely an excuse for a dramatic tale of greed, murder and treachery. This story is highlighted by another excellent underwater frame-sequence. "The Living Daylights" is pure Bond, from his practice with the rifle outside London to the tense climax at Berlin. This story is another twist of the plot of "For Your Eyes Only", showing 007 as an assassin questioning about his job but doing it the best he can. Excellent surprising villain(ess). "The Property of a Lady" is a brief example of the author's master touch for describing with great detail and gusto parts of recent history and all kind of things and subjects, in this case jewels and auctions. The development itself is direct and simple, too short indeed, with an ending that doesn't matter as much as the description of the events. By the way, this episode refers to another traitor in the Service. A collection of odd but varied 007 missions.
Comment 7 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse

Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsIan Fleming at his best technique

At the end of his life, Ian Fleming gives a real proof that he was a great and versatile novel writer, no matter story's size. Read more

Published 18 days ago by Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Awesome books

Published 1 month ago by Chris
3.0 out of 5 starsI thought this was not up to Flemings standards. ...

I thought this was not up to Flemings standards. He should have stuck with novels, short stories were not his forte

Published 1 month ago by Charles
2.0 out of 5 starsBond deserved better.

This is not a novel. It is a series of four stories. Maybe Fleming was going to turn them into novels, maybe not. Read more

Published 3 months ago by Craig Wellnitz
4.0 out of 5 starsVery entertaining...

I listened to the audio version and found the book as real three short stories. They were well written and very entertaining. Read more

Published 3 months ago by Amazon Customer
1.0 out of 5 starsLast and worst of Fleming's Bond books...

Nnegative, anticlimactic and thin plot...I've read all 14 and enjoyed doing so despite this book boring the Living Daylights out of me!

Published 4 months ago by Greg O'Hare
4.0 out of 5 starsThis collection of 'James Bond' short stories is good, but not Ian...

"Octopussy and The Living Daylights" was published after Ian Fleming's death. The book originally contained just two stories, "Octopussy" and "The Living... Read more

Published 5 months ago by Stephen P. Lopez
5.0 out of 5 starsA masterpiece of short story

Ian Fleming does it again. Setting the standard for short-story by building characters and scenes as detailed as the man's own life. Never a disappointment.

Published 6 months ago by Erin
5.0 out of 5 starsThis one was fine and I liked the short stories for a change

I've read all the Bond novels by Fleming. This one was fine and I liked the short stories for a change.

Published 7 months ago by William D. Hause
5.0 out of 5 starsExcellent job of storytelling

The crisp, lovely baritone voice of Tom Hiddleston truly worth every penny of buying this CD Audiobook. Excellent job of storytelling. Read more

Published 7 months ago by susi079

There's a problem loading this menu right now.

Learn more about Amazon Prime.