matt4hire's review
4.0
Probably my favorite Bond book. The scene where Bond's racing away from the ski resort while under fire and being chased by an avalanche? Sheer awesome. And I loved the constant tension throughout the book, brought, I believe, by Bond now being in love. I really felt the pathos in the scene where Tracy dies, too; I actually felt bad for Bond.
Just fantastic stuff.
Just fantastic stuff.
jdglasgow's review
4.0
Despite having possibly the most boring title of the bunch, ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE is one of the better Bond books… it’s still got the requisite amount of misogyny and James Bond being a moron, because it’s Fleming, but the action set-pieces in particular are exciting.
It starts with Bond at the casino of CASINO ROYALE, absolutely plowing Tracy, a suicidal mafia heiress (but he won’t discover that she’s connected to the mafia ‘til Chapter 3!). She had asked him to treat her “like the lowest whore in creation” because of course she does, it’s Fleming. We later find out that she’s the product of rape, but her mafia father assures Bond that it’s cool because Tracy’s mom told him candidly that she guesses she kinda *wanted* to be raped, subconsciously. Given how often Fleming writes that “women actually want to be raped, you know”, I’m starting to worry this is some kind of sick confession a la Woody Allen or Louis C.K.
Bond gets taken at gunpoint to see Tracy’s dad, Marc-Ange Draco, who knows exactly who Bond is (i.e. knows he’s a secret agent) and claims he’s totally cool with Jim railing his daughter—we’re all just animals anyway! Bond takes all of this at face value because, like Kerim Bey or Enrico Columbo in “Risico”, Bond easily falls in love with terrible men if they are charming enough. Marc-Ange asks him to keep his interaction hush-hush from the guys at Her Majesty’s Secret Service and Bond readily agrees. Now, surely anybody can see that Marc-Ange is *livid* about Bond’s, er, “activities” with his daughter and… oh, I’m sorry, nope, nope, it turns out he is completely sincere and acts as Bond’s accomplice later in the book because they’re such good friends.
It starts with Bond at the casino of CASINO ROYALE, absolutely plowing Tracy, a suicidal mafia heiress (but he won’t discover that she’s connected to the mafia ‘til Chapter 3!). She had asked him to treat her “like the lowest whore in creation” because of course she does, it’s Fleming. We later find out that she’s the product of rape, but her mafia father assures Bond that it’s cool because Tracy’s mom told him candidly that she guesses she kinda *wanted* to be raped, subconsciously. Given how often Fleming writes that “women actually want to be raped, you know”, I’m starting to worry this is some kind of sick confession a la Woody Allen or Louis C.K.
Bond gets taken at gunpoint to see Tracy’s dad, Marc-Ange Draco, who knows exactly who Bond is (i.e. knows he’s a secret agent) and claims he’s totally cool with Jim railing his daughter—we’re all just animals anyway! Bond takes all of this at face value because, like Kerim Bey or Enrico Columbo in “Risico”, Bond easily falls in love with terrible men if they are charming enough. Marc-Ange asks him to keep his interaction hush-hush from the guys at Her Majesty’s Secret Service and Bond readily agrees. Now, surely anybody can see that Marc-Ange is *livid* about Bond’s, er, “activities” with his daughter and… oh, I’m sorry, nope, nope, it turns out he is completely sincere and acts as Bond’s accomplice later in the book because they’re such good friends.
reginamea's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
kevin_coombs's review
3.0
I don't even know how many times I have read through the Fleming books in order. Every 7 or 8 years since I was in my teens, I believe. It's interesting to me that each time I have done this, I prefer different titles. I don't recall caring for OHMSS a great deal in times past, and in fact, it used to be one of the few that I preferred the movie to the book. This time around, I enjoyed the read more. It's not a great book, by any means; not even great Fleming. However, the character of Bond is fleshed out a little more than in the books which precede it. Other characters are not given their due. For example, Tracy is little more than a prop - which in a Fleming title would not be notable, except for the fact that it is clearly not what the author intended. Yes, the book ends with famous tragedy, but the Tracy character is not given very much of a role. She hurtles from a troubled individual on the brink of suicide to a resourceful, charge-taking woman, to a faithful wife (which would have been a spoiler 50 years ago, but anyone interested enough to read a review of a Fleming work surely knows this story by now), with scant description of how the character changed and grew. (Even this is likely the author's intent. We are to assume that the influence and company of Bond was the curative. It would be a better book if better details were given and, in fact, there is almost no time left in the written chronology of the story for Bond to have even spent much time with her.) One character who was better in the movie (and this is rarely ever the case), is Draco. In the book, he is unintentionally comic.
All of that being said, the book was enjoyable. It is written with a greater maturity on Fleming's part, than most which preceded it. The story is absurd (and the exposition of the criminal plot, cottoned to by a minor character, is even more absurd!), but it is intentionally absurd. Fleming abandoned most hopes of plausibility after the first novel (with the single exception of his best work, From Russia With Love.)
If you enjoy Fleming, it is certainly worth your time. If you believe the movies tell the best story of the Bond character, then you certainly should read any of the books. If you enjoy spy or Cold War fiction, and can suspend disbelief without sacrificing enjoyment - then try one. You won't be much improved by the experience, but you should enjoy it. (While doing so, bear in mind that these books were written in the 50's and 60's by a man not terribly enlightened even for his time. There is a great deal of implied misogyny and a lot of racial stereotypes - and some overt racism - throughout Fleming's work.)
All of that being said, the book was enjoyable. It is written with a greater maturity on Fleming's part, than most which preceded it. The story is absurd (and the exposition of the criminal plot, cottoned to by a minor character, is even more absurd!), but it is intentionally absurd. Fleming abandoned most hopes of plausibility after the first novel (with the single exception of his best work, From Russia With Love.)
If you enjoy Fleming, it is certainly worth your time. If you believe the movies tell the best story of the Bond character, then you certainly should read any of the books. If you enjoy spy or Cold War fiction, and can suspend disbelief without sacrificing enjoyment - then try one. You won't be much improved by the experience, but you should enjoy it. (While doing so, bear in mind that these books were written in the 50's and 60's by a man not terribly enlightened even for his time. There is a great deal of implied misogyny and a lot of racial stereotypes - and some overt racism - throughout Fleming's work.)
caroparr's review
3.0
I haven't read a Bond novel since I was a teenager but picked this up thanks to the wonderful Backlisted podcast (https://unbound.com/backlisted). Pluses: more thoughtful than I remembered and less filled with technology, plus a setting in my part of Switzerland. Minuses: women are only objects in his world, although he does fall in love and marry in this one.
mr_sosotris's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mrgale's review
4.0
Back to the formula, alpine sports in lieu of the usual snorkelling or casino games is a good meat. Tracy returning to a little of the idea of Vesper, and the ending works well. Not sure I needed the chapter of just listing out bioagents.
laurax06's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0