Publication
Vintage (2012), 304 p.
Original publication date
1964-03-16
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Description
Fiction. Thriller. HTML: Is this the end for Agent 007? Bond, a shattered man after the death of his wife at the hands of SPECTRE founder Ernst Stavro Blofeld, has gone to pieces as an agent, endangering himself and his fellow operatives. M, unwilling to accept the loss of one of his best men, sends 007 to Japan for one last, near-impossible mission with the hopes of bolstering his spirits. But Japan proves to be Bond's downfall, leading him to a mysterious residence known as the "Castle of Death," where he encounters an old enemy revitalized. All the omens suggest that this is the end for the British agent and, for once, Bond himself seems unable to disagree..
User reviews
LibraryThing member AltheaAnn
I'd only read one of Ian Fleming's 'Bond' books before, and I really didn't like it. (It was 'Goldfinger', I believe). But, since I like all the movies so much, and I came across this book for free somewhere or other, I thought I'd give another try.
Well, although this one didn't actively offend me,
First, it was UTTERLY different from the movie of the same name. I wouldn't have recognized one as being based on the other. The bad guy creates a poisonous garden which lures Japanese citizens to suicide, hoping to create a big enough social disturbance to get kicked out of the country and be able to demand a big payoff, all the while satisfying his psychotically sadistic urges... It's ridiculous, over-the-top - and Very, Very Bond-esque!
As I indicated above, the majority of the story is set in Japan. It was VERY VERY obvious that Ian Fleming went on a typical first-time vacation to Japan, and jammed most of the things on the must-see tourist list into the book, along with a few of his own observations. As I also did a similar trip, I found it fascinating - and surprisingly accurate, in some regards, although not wholly so (for example, Japanese people disrespecting and shoving old ladies? From my observance, the opposite is true! The elderly women Demand respect and are quite pushy themselves!).
Some bits of the book are quite dated... especially the concept that Bond could masquerade in Japan as a Japanese man by dying his skin darker and shaving his eyebrows. Very weird concept, since many Japanese have lighter skin than your average Brit, and I've never noticed anything remarkably distinctive about the Asian Eyebrow. It does make me suspect that people in the 50s and 60s who saw movies with Westerners playing Asian roles in movies might have thought they were somehow convincing, however... ???
Well, although this one didn't actively offend me,
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it's still not the best-written example of literature. However, it was quite interesting to me for a couple of reasons.First, it was UTTERLY different from the movie of the same name. I wouldn't have recognized one as being based on the other. The bad guy creates a poisonous garden which lures Japanese citizens to suicide, hoping to create a big enough social disturbance to get kicked out of the country and be able to demand a big payoff, all the while satisfying his psychotically sadistic urges... It's ridiculous, over-the-top - and Very, Very Bond-esque!
As I indicated above, the majority of the story is set in Japan. It was VERY VERY obvious that Ian Fleming went on a typical first-time vacation to Japan, and jammed most of the things on the must-see tourist list into the book, along with a few of his own observations. As I also did a similar trip, I found it fascinating - and surprisingly accurate, in some regards, although not wholly so (for example, Japanese people disrespecting and shoving old ladies? From my observance, the opposite is true! The elderly women Demand respect and are quite pushy themselves!).
Some bits of the book are quite dated... especially the concept that Bond could masquerade in Japan as a Japanese man by dying his skin darker and shaving his eyebrows. Very weird concept, since many Japanese have lighter skin than your average Brit, and I've never noticed anything remarkably distinctive about the Asian Eyebrow. It does make me suspect that people in the 50s and 60s who saw movies with Westerners playing Asian roles in movies might have thought they were somehow convincing, however... ???
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LibraryThing member Molly1221
I have to say , this is a bit breathing and exciting book which wrote by Ian Fleming . I think everyone will love this book if you read it .
It talks about james Bond did another thing ---- expose the United States and the Soviet union , which had been snatched secret ,and stopped it . James was a
Not is seems like a dangerous task , but it is a beautiful and has a little love story as well . James met a girl who came from Japan , and that girl fell in love with him , but they cannot be together because of thier identities. wo can sudied his brave and he was optimistic when he was in teouble , of course his everything .
It talks about james Bond did another thing ---- expose the United States and the Soviet union , which had been snatched secret ,and stopped it . James was a
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007, and he was clever and brave . He posted to Japan ,to survey this thing for USA . In the end , he won . Not is seems like a dangerous task , but it is a beautiful and has a little love story as well . James met a girl who came from Japan , and that girl fell in love with him , but they cannot be together because of thier identities. wo can sudied his brave and he was optimistic when he was in teouble , of course his everything .
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LibraryThing member Stevil2001
This starts good, with a broken Bond reeling from the death of his wife at the end of On Her Majesty's Secret Service. It continues okay, with Bond traveling to Japan, and Fleming doing an unusually good job immersing one in the local color. (Fleming is often decent at this kind of thing, but this
Where it all falls down for me is that basically Bond bumps into the man who killed his wife by complete coincidence! There's no feeling of comeuppance or vindication here; Bond just happens to discover a plot by Blofeld. And though I love the idea of Blofeld's garden of poisonous plants, it's like: that's it? He's just hanging out there? Where's an even more dastardly plot? Fleming tries to explain this by saying Blofeld's gone totally insane... but that's not really satisfying. Imagine if after killing Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader went nuts off screen so that when Luke met up with him again, killing him was a doddle. Meh.
And what's the point of the epilogue where Bond loses his memory?
There's a really good "Bond's wife was killed and now he's angry" novel to be written, but this isn't it. And of course, the films didn't deliver on that potential either, thanks to the departure of George Lazenby.
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is one of his better takes in terms of how interesting it is. On the other hand, I somehow suspect it is reductive and not entirely inaccurate!)Where it all falls down for me is that basically Bond bumps into the man who killed his wife by complete coincidence! There's no feeling of comeuppance or vindication here; Bond just happens to discover a plot by Blofeld. And though I love the idea of Blofeld's garden of poisonous plants, it's like: that's it? He's just hanging out there? Where's an even more dastardly plot? Fleming tries to explain this by saying Blofeld's gone totally insane... but that's not really satisfying. Imagine if after killing Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader went nuts off screen so that when Luke met up with him again, killing him was a doddle. Meh.
And what's the point of the epilogue where Bond loses his memory?
There's a really good "Bond's wife was killed and now he's angry" novel to be written, but this isn't it. And of course, the films didn't deliver on that potential either, thanks to the departure of George Lazenby.
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LibraryThing member Stahl-Ricco
"You are to enter this Castle of Death and slay the dragon within."
SPOILER ALERTS!!!
I really enjoyed this book! It begins with Bond in mourning over his wife's assassination at the end of the previous book. He's in pretty bad shape. Then he's off to Japan to do some spy stuff, but he must exchange
Again, this was a good book, though it was hard for me to read the part about the blowfish dinner without hearing Homer Simpson's voice bellowing "Fugu me!" :-) I also liked chapter 21, "Obit:" quite a bit! It is M.'s obituary of 007 and reveals quite a lot of Bond's biography and background! Of course he isn't "Bond" at the end of it all, is he? Gotta read the next one!
SPOILER ALERTS!!!
I really enjoyed this book! It begins with Bond in mourning over his wife's assassination at the end of the previous book. He's in pretty bad shape. Then he's off to Japan to do some spy stuff, but he must exchange
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a favor and kill Dr. Guntram Shatterhand. Turns out - it's Ernst Stavro Blofeld! And Irma Bunt is there too! The two enemies who killed his wife! Woo hoo! THEN, he, 007, becomes an amnesiac! And he gets Kissy Suzuki pregnant to boot! The book ends with Bond on an island, with no memory of who he is! Again, this was a good book, though it was hard for me to read the part about the blowfish dinner without hearing Homer Simpson's voice bellowing "Fugu me!" :-) I also liked chapter 21, "Obit:" quite a bit! It is M.'s obituary of 007 and reveals quite a lot of Bond's biography and background! Of course he isn't "Bond" at the end of it all, is he? Gotta read the next one!
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LibraryThing member drneutron
My second favorite Bond book after On Her Majesty's Secret Service, which just happens to be the previous book. The combination of his devastation after the events of the last book, another battle with a memorable villain, and the wistfulness of the ending give just this book just the right note.
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The plot isn't as deep as other books, but the characters and the prose are Fleming near the top of his game. Show Less
LibraryThing member antiquary
Bond in Japan, still in pursuit of Blofeld. He composes a quite striking haiku, an suffers amnesia but is fortunately nursed by the delectable Kissy Suzuki. The point at which she reintroduces him to sex by way of a Japanese erotic book is amusing.
LibraryThing member cinesnail88
Wow, just wow. For a while there Fleming was in a real slump, but starting with the last one he really picked things up and this one is easily beat only by Casino Royale. Blofeld is fascinating in his newest incarnation, and again Fleming leaves us wondering what will become of James Bond. Kissy
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Suzuki was one of my favorite Bond girls so far as well, and all in all this made for a really excellent addition to the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookswamp
Bond No. 11, 1964; The book was published in 1966, two years after Fleming's death. This book also is underlaid with a special tenderness and feeling. Bond resigns to life after the desaster with Tracy and is sent to Japan by M on a mission mainly to relieve him from his melancholia and to give him
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new vigour. But It's getting worse than one thinks because Blofeld - now the ultimate fiend - turns up again and smashes Bond into oblivion, and he is believed killed. On the last few pages only the pearl fisher Kissy can live out her dream of romance while trying to lure Bond back from his amnesia knowing that the dream will end instantly the moment he recovers. As it does, to our regret... Probably Fleming planned on bringing Bond back to action in his next books, as the ending of this volume promises, maybe he would just have lead him to a another way of life, we will have to use our own imagination. Show Less
LibraryThing member JBreedlove
As usual well written but the story dragged a bit toward the middle. A little less time fishing w Kissy and more time dodging the bad guys in th ecastle would have been more entertaining. The ending w Bond losing his memory is interesting. Looking forward to the next book
LibraryThing member polarbear123
An interesting adition to the Bond novels. There are some highly confusing sections at the start, either that or my knowledge of various things is not up to scratch. Good story and an interesting denouement make this essential Bond reading.
LibraryThing member PilgrimJess
“You only live twice:
Once when you're born
And once when you look death in the face.”
Having watched all the Bond films more than once I felt it was about time that I actually read one of the books on which the films are supposedly based. Having lost his wife tragically Bond has gone to pot
Most of the book seemed to deal with Bond being taken under the wing of the head of the Japanese Secret Service Tiger Tanaka and being introduced to Japanese culture and mindset. Although this was well written and showed an obvious understanding of the subject matter it had more to do with what was to happen after the mission rather than aid the mission itself.
On the whole I enjoyed Fleming's writing style and found the book an OK read it was not for me a really memorable one but then perhaps it is just showing its age. Then again maybe it was just missing some of the movie magic, a fast car and a great visual effects.
Once when you're born
And once when you look death in the face.”
Having watched all the Bond films more than once I felt it was about time that I actually read one of the books on which the films are supposedly based. Having lost his wife tragically Bond has gone to pot
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hitting the bottle, messing up missions and generally getting badly out of shape. So he is sent to Japan on what is meant as a diplomatic mission only to find that his old enemy Blofeld is also living in the country in a 'castle of death'. The plot was very thin to put it mildly and having benn brought up on Bond's gadgets was disappointed to see none of them in presence and not even a mention of Q. He did not even bed the girl until after the mission was completed and even then needed a little help to do so.Most of the book seemed to deal with Bond being taken under the wing of the head of the Japanese Secret Service Tiger Tanaka and being introduced to Japanese culture and mindset. Although this was well written and showed an obvious understanding of the subject matter it had more to do with what was to happen after the mission rather than aid the mission itself.
On the whole I enjoyed Fleming's writing style and found the book an OK read it was not for me a really memorable one but then perhaps it is just showing its age. Then again maybe it was just missing some of the movie magic, a fast car and a great visual effects.
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LibraryThing member auntieknickers
I read this a very long time ago, shortly after it was published.
LibraryThing member BooksForDinner
Later Bond. Have been reading these in order, each year I take one on our winter vacation. Went to the local used book store last minute and this was the only one they had. I enjoyed this one a great deal. On the shorter side I believe, read quickly anyway. The usual issues to grapple with here, as
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always there is at least a hint of intolerance/stereotyping/racism in his books, but it usually seems like 'of the time' as they say. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jaylabelle
James Bond, depressed after the murder of his wife is sent to Japan on a diplomatic assignment. Great introduction to Japanese culture. Step back into history to the days of the TELEGRAM!! An quick enjoyable read.
LibraryThing member comfypants
There are two or three chapters towards the end where things actually happen. The other 90% of the book is completely terrible. And it might beat "The Spy Who Loved Me" as the most offensive James Bond book (that one for misogyny, this one racism).
LibraryThing member benuathanasia
So much build-up for very little reward. This book was *mostly* James learning to hide himself via yellow-face in Japan and living an amnesia-tic double life with the Bond-girl du jour.
LibraryThing member gregdehler
Other than involving Blofeld and taking place in Japan, the movie has little resemblance to the book.
LibraryThing member TomDonaghey
You Only Live Twice (1964) (Bond #12) by Ian Fleming. Bond is in mourning after his bride Tracy was ruthlessly murdered by Blofeld on his previous assignment. Back at work he is not the man he was and M is faced with a tough decision. Should he let Bond continue down the wasteful path he has chosen
The assignment it is. Bond is sent to Japan to negotiate with the their secret service for vital information, the Magic decodes, that are going to Washington but not to England. In Japan he is hosted by “Tiger” Tanaka, the head of the secret service. They do the dance of the relationship where each man tries to get the measure of the other. Tanaka, beyond all his other accomplishments, was to be one of the last Kamikaze pilots, but obviously not getting his chance. Bond matches him drink for drink, story by story and evening after evening until his time in the islands is almost gone. Tanaka does not want anything from the British but there is one small favor Bondo-san might do that would have the Japanese secret service look favorably upon the request for the decodes.
There was a certain Doctor Guntram Shatterhand that had come to Japan more than 6 months before. A Swiss botanist, he finagled a massive castle/fortress on the island of Kyushu where he, at rather great expense, began a huge botanical center. He imported many plants and some foreign animals to his small kingdom, with the government’s approval, but now the government no longer wants him. But they feel that can not stop him as he has all the proper approvals both domestic and from foreign governments and he has done nothing wrong.
It seems Dr. Shatterhand has dedicated his exhibit to all forms of death. The plants are toxic in one form or another. The animals, be they spiders or snakes or piranhas, deadly in their own right. Even the land itself contributes to the availability of death in the form of 1000 degree volcanic geysers and sulfurous fumaroles that abound in the delightful garden.
And in the few months since the operation was set up, the rate of suicide at the castle has skyrocketed to at least 500 people so far. Japan, which had an abnormally high rate of suicide, is very dismayed by the doctor’s Garden of Death, yet they feel their hands are tied. But if a foreigner were to step in and take action, that would mean Japan would owe a great deal to that man’s country.
There follows a cross country trip as Bond is instructed in the ways of Japan. He is bathed in a special darkening solution so as to appear more Oriental, and his hair and eyebrows are worked at to give his face a similar look. Finally he is taken to a Ninja school and given fundamentals of the craft including a suit loaded with the tools of the Ninja, but no guns. They are taboo.
The final destination is the island of Kuro where we are introduced to “The Bond Girl” in the form of Kissy Suzuki, one of the girls who dive for the awabi shells. He is to stay with her family and learn the ways of the village, but he has only a few days before he has to assault the castle.
You Only Live Twice is as much a travelog as an adventure story. We are given a mid-60’s look into the people and culture of Japan. The ideology of the people is examined, in fact it sets up the reason for the story. And the details are supplied slowly allowing the reader to immerse themselves in the culture just as Bond does.
And the book explains why Bond inevitably heads off to Russia at the end.
It is just that we never learn what happened to the child that Kissy was going to tell Bond about when Bond mentioned Vladivostok.
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or be given a tough assignment that seems impossible.The assignment it is. Bond is sent to Japan to negotiate with the their secret service for vital information, the Magic decodes, that are going to Washington but not to England. In Japan he is hosted by “Tiger” Tanaka, the head of the secret service. They do the dance of the relationship where each man tries to get the measure of the other. Tanaka, beyond all his other accomplishments, was to be one of the last Kamikaze pilots, but obviously not getting his chance. Bond matches him drink for drink, story by story and evening after evening until his time in the islands is almost gone. Tanaka does not want anything from the British but there is one small favor Bondo-san might do that would have the Japanese secret service look favorably upon the request for the decodes.
There was a certain Doctor Guntram Shatterhand that had come to Japan more than 6 months before. A Swiss botanist, he finagled a massive castle/fortress on the island of Kyushu where he, at rather great expense, began a huge botanical center. He imported many plants and some foreign animals to his small kingdom, with the government’s approval, but now the government no longer wants him. But they feel that can not stop him as he has all the proper approvals both domestic and from foreign governments and he has done nothing wrong.
It seems Dr. Shatterhand has dedicated his exhibit to all forms of death. The plants are toxic in one form or another. The animals, be they spiders or snakes or piranhas, deadly in their own right. Even the land itself contributes to the availability of death in the form of 1000 degree volcanic geysers and sulfurous fumaroles that abound in the delightful garden.
And in the few months since the operation was set up, the rate of suicide at the castle has skyrocketed to at least 500 people so far. Japan, which had an abnormally high rate of suicide, is very dismayed by the doctor’s Garden of Death, yet they feel their hands are tied. But if a foreigner were to step in and take action, that would mean Japan would owe a great deal to that man’s country.
There follows a cross country trip as Bond is instructed in the ways of Japan. He is bathed in a special darkening solution so as to appear more Oriental, and his hair and eyebrows are worked at to give his face a similar look. Finally he is taken to a Ninja school and given fundamentals of the craft including a suit loaded with the tools of the Ninja, but no guns. They are taboo.
The final destination is the island of Kuro where we are introduced to “The Bond Girl” in the form of Kissy Suzuki, one of the girls who dive for the awabi shells. He is to stay with her family and learn the ways of the village, but he has only a few days before he has to assault the castle.
You Only Live Twice is as much a travelog as an adventure story. We are given a mid-60’s look into the people and culture of Japan. The ideology of the people is examined, in fact it sets up the reason for the story. And the details are supplied slowly allowing the reader to immerse themselves in the culture just as Bond does.
And the book explains why Bond inevitably heads off to Russia at the end.
It is just that we never learn what happened to the child that Kissy was going to tell Bond about when Bond mentioned Vladivostok.
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LibraryThing member aadyer
In some ways, this is one of Fleming‘s best books. Obviously written at a Magdalene time in his life, it reflects the spark on the hero, James Bond. It’s part, travelogue, part, cultural exposition, part reflection, on the philosophy of life and death. Obviously bonds obituary and the haiku
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that he creates Very famous parts of this book for the bond enthusiast. It’s here that it’s confirmed that bond has a child with Kissy Suzuki. Unusually sad and wistful. This is Bond at hiis philosophical best. Show Less
LibraryThing member gothamajp
If you’re only familiar with You Only Live Twice from the movie then this may be something of a disappointment. There’s no giant hollowed out volcanoes, or capsule swallowing spacecraft. Nor does Bond have a cool missile firing autogyro.
This starts a low key story of Bond being promoted to the
Fleming uses the first two thirds of the book as a travelogue on 1950s Japan, an opportunity to sound off as a conservative critic about the state of British and American culture, and act as an amateur psychologist.
It’s only really in the later stages when the vengeance plot kicks in that we get some good old-fashioned Bond action.
This starts a low key story of Bond being promoted to the
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diplomatic service and given an impossible mission to get the Japanese to share their intelligence sources; a task that takes a surprise turn into a mission of personal vengeance.Fleming uses the first two thirds of the book as a travelogue on 1950s Japan, an opportunity to sound off as a conservative critic about the state of British and American culture, and act as an amateur psychologist.
It’s only really in the later stages when the vengeance plot kicks in that we get some good old-fashioned Bond action.
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LibraryThing member NicholasPayne
The first of the movies to compltely depart from the book's storyline, and a damned pity it is. Bond is one sad puppy in this next to last novel. Demoted and deeply depressed over his wife's murder, he finally avenges her death and kills Blofeld, who is masquerading in Japan as Dr. Shatterhand, a
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nefarious nutjob who accomodates the suicide-prone Japanese by maintaining a garden in which every poisonous plant and animal on earth is cultivated. True villainy opposed to do-or-die heroism. Show Less
LibraryThing member jklugman
Simultaneously the most and least interesting of Fleming's bond novels. The most interesting because Fleming acknowledges the eclipse of the UK's standing in the world by the US. I think this is the closest he ever got to Le Carre territory (although he is still quite far away). Fleming's weird
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hangups about sex also are dialed down, mercifully. On the other hand, it is the most boring because apparently Fleming did some kind of newspaper travel writing about Japan and decided to incorporate that material here and I am frankly not interested in Fleming's limited worldview about Japan. The plot with Blofeld is frankly even sillier than the film adaptation, and that's saying something. Show Less
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
0099578042 / 9780099578048
Physical description
304 p.; 7.8 inches
Pages
304