The Man with the Golden Gun - my review.
Posted: Sun May 09, 2010 3:25 pm
Fleming's final novel, and what a novel to go out on. For some, this novel is classed as his weakest tale - not me. I actually think this is one of his best!
Let's begin with the opening. Probably the greatest opening in the entire literary series. Continuing from the cliffhanger ending in YOLT, a brainwashed Bond tries to kill M. The first time I read this I was totally and utterly gripped by each page, wondering what had happened to Bond, and what he was about to do to M. This, for me, is one of the highlights of the entire canon, but for some reason has been criminally ignored by EON to put the scene on film.
Now the villain - Scaramanga. We get a detailed insight into the fastest draw alive when M reads the file on him. Scaramanga is one of the best villains Fleming ever wrote, the dark side to Bond. Someone admirable and fearful in equal measure. EON obviously gave a nod to this in both Lee's character in the loose film adaptation, and in LTK 14 years later with the villain Franz Sanchez (the same initials were no coincidence).
The relationship between Bond and Scaramanga is confusing, maybe even complicated. Why doesn't Bond kill him outright on first meeting, and why does Scaramanga hire a total stranger? It has been hinted at that there were homosexual undertones in this novel. Both men clearly admire each other, and the competitive streak in Bond is brought out in him when he starts to get close to his man. Although this is only hinted at in several moments in the novel, it gives the literary series a new depth, a misleading edge, almost bordering on unknown territory. Bond and Scaramanga are two sides of the same coin, and they both subconciously know this.
The female, Mary Goodnight in this novel is only a bit-part, a side line character. And quite rightfully she should be. The two most important characters in this novel are Bond and Scaramanga. Bond seeking redemption, looking to get his 00 status back, and also pitting his gun skills against the fastest gunman alive. And Scaramanga hires Bond on instinct, smells a rat, admires his gun skills too, then plans a nasty, showcase death for Bond.
The background plot, or scheme that Scaramanga is planning is the weakest part of the novel, and the tale is told to Bond through a glass as he listens in on Scaramanga's plans at a meeting. But this is more than made up with the brilliant ending, Bond hearing his own death being pronounced, then having to keep up the facade of the undercover Mark Hazard character until the last moment, leading to a gripping shoot-out on Scaramanga's train. For me, this was one of the best build-ups leading to the final showdown in the series. The first time I read this, Fleming had this uncanny nack of making your stomach crawl, giving you that uneasy feeling that Bond may not actually get out alive this time round. This was one of his strengths, and he played it to the full here. His swansong moment.
The novel also resurrects the relationship of Bond and Felix Leiter for one last time (last seen in TB). It also wraps up everything once and for all in its final chapter, it concludes the series in a fitting way, almost like Fleming knew it would be the last one. This book was indeed essential. How could we have left the series with an amnesia-ridden Bond in Japan, leaving to go to Russia. This was the only way to conclude the series. For everything that was born in Casino Royale, this novel is the opposite. It is the ending.
10/10 - what a way to conclude the series.
Let's begin with the opening. Probably the greatest opening in the entire literary series. Continuing from the cliffhanger ending in YOLT, a brainwashed Bond tries to kill M. The first time I read this I was totally and utterly gripped by each page, wondering what had happened to Bond, and what he was about to do to M. This, for me, is one of the highlights of the entire canon, but for some reason has been criminally ignored by EON to put the scene on film.
Now the villain - Scaramanga. We get a detailed insight into the fastest draw alive when M reads the file on him. Scaramanga is one of the best villains Fleming ever wrote, the dark side to Bond. Someone admirable and fearful in equal measure. EON obviously gave a nod to this in both Lee's character in the loose film adaptation, and in LTK 14 years later with the villain Franz Sanchez (the same initials were no coincidence).
The relationship between Bond and Scaramanga is confusing, maybe even complicated. Why doesn't Bond kill him outright on first meeting, and why does Scaramanga hire a total stranger? It has been hinted at that there were homosexual undertones in this novel. Both men clearly admire each other, and the competitive streak in Bond is brought out in him when he starts to get close to his man. Although this is only hinted at in several moments in the novel, it gives the literary series a new depth, a misleading edge, almost bordering on unknown territory. Bond and Scaramanga are two sides of the same coin, and they both subconciously know this.
The female, Mary Goodnight in this novel is only a bit-part, a side line character. And quite rightfully she should be. The two most important characters in this novel are Bond and Scaramanga. Bond seeking redemption, looking to get his 00 status back, and also pitting his gun skills against the fastest gunman alive. And Scaramanga hires Bond on instinct, smells a rat, admires his gun skills too, then plans a nasty, showcase death for Bond.
The background plot, or scheme that Scaramanga is planning is the weakest part of the novel, and the tale is told to Bond through a glass as he listens in on Scaramanga's plans at a meeting. But this is more than made up with the brilliant ending, Bond hearing his own death being pronounced, then having to keep up the facade of the undercover Mark Hazard character until the last moment, leading to a gripping shoot-out on Scaramanga's train. For me, this was one of the best build-ups leading to the final showdown in the series. The first time I read this, Fleming had this uncanny nack of making your stomach crawl, giving you that uneasy feeling that Bond may not actually get out alive this time round. This was one of his strengths, and he played it to the full here. His swansong moment.
The novel also resurrects the relationship of Bond and Felix Leiter for one last time (last seen in TB). It also wraps up everything once and for all in its final chapter, it concludes the series in a fitting way, almost like Fleming knew it would be the last one. This book was indeed essential. How could we have left the series with an amnesia-ridden Bond in Japan, leaving to go to Russia. This was the only way to conclude the series. For everything that was born in Casino Royale, this novel is the opposite. It is the ending.
10/10 - what a way to conclude the series.
I agree that You Only Live Twice did not provide a satisfactory ending to the Fleming novels.
As you know I am a waffler on this book.