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Quantum of Solace |  | Author: Ian Fleming
Creator: David Rintoul
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks Ltd
Category: Book
List Price: £8.99
Buy New: £1.84
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Seller: tonysdiscs
Rating:  9 reviews
Sales Rank: 248448
Format: Audiobook
Media: Audio CD
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
ISBN: 1408410532
EAN: 9781408410530
ASIN: 1408410532
Publication Date: November 6, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 9
 An excellent colection of short stories which shows another side of Bond. August 7, 2009
Random
A fantastic collection of short stories which I found very different to the longer Fleming books. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Bond in different settings. Well written, fast paced and engaging throughout.
A Great Compliment to the full stories!! April 20, 2009
Mr. Alwyn J. Royall (England - UK)
This book contains the collection of short Bond stories. I have been reading the full books and was interested in the short stories for a quick fix. These are quite absorbing and fully in the vein of the regular books. Very enjoyable read. As with the other books these bear very little relation to the films.
Solace indeed March 11, 2009
Barney McGrew (UK)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Ian Fleming's various short stories featuring his suave super-spy have been collected in this bumper volume. Quantum of Solace (the recent film only has the title in common with the story) centres on an intriguing little anecdote that Bond is told by his friend the former British consul to the Bahamas; it is a tale of repressed passion, betrayal and revenge. From a View to a Kill is the taut and suspenseful tale of one of Bond's minor assignments and The Hildebrand Rarity (which was plundered for 1987 movie 'The Living Daylights') focuses on a rich playboy and his sadistic relationship with his beautiful wife. These stories show that Fleming had some range and are all well-crafted and absorbing studies of human nature; as such they provide a welcome counterpoint to the full-length 007 books and show a more thoughtful and human side to the legendary secret-agent.
Wuantam of Solace January 29, 2009
A. Waheed (United Kingdom)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
all the bond short stories together in beautiful bounded book.very enjoyable adventures stories.worth the money
Surprisingly enjoyable December 14, 2008
Mr Smith (UK)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is quite an eclectic collection of stories giving Fleming the opportunity to play with themes and voices which might not have fitted into the novels. Despite the story titles, the film links are almost non-existent.
I hadn't read any of the Bond novels since school, so picked this up without any real expectations and have been charmed by the world and the characters he has created. The ability to switch from the sniper on a tree branch, to the colonial dinner party, to the raid on the machine gun-toting smugglers, to the high-society auction, without a false note, is what makes Bond the character stand out and it is also what makes this collection so enjoyable.
The majority of the stories are written in a simple, almost brutal prose, appropriate to their content, which zips them along nicely. Some of the more descriptive passages about snorkelling in coral seas or climbing in the mountains, and the title story which is mostly told through the eyes of an elderly colonial civil servant, show an ability to effectively switch styles and bring out a more reflective and human Bond than the films ever would.
The stories also feel thoroughly authentic - the casual low-level undertones of post-war nationalism, racism and misogyny ground the writing in its era in a way modern writers wouldn't dare. If you're unable to accept the mores-of-its-time aspect you may find this does grate at times. Fleming's natural and understated descriptions of the world of politics and espionage of that time have that authentic whiff of real experience and he doesn't feel the urge to unload patronising explanations of them on you in a way many modern writers - having put all that effort into extensive research at significant cost - seem intent on doing.
Several of the stories feel like they could have been developed further, I wondered if they were scenes edited out of the novels, but others including the title story stand up well on their own.
Overall I would recommend this collection and wouldn't say that you would need to have read the novels or enjoyed the films to get something out of it.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 9
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