All 14 James Bond Books By Ian Fleming, Ranked Worst To Best

Though the James Bond movies have somewhat overshadowed the books they’re based on, Ian Fleming’s original 007 works are still very much beloved to this day. The first Bond novel was published way back in 1953, with Fleming penning 11 further novels and 2 short story collections in his lifetime. Each depicting a separate adventure, Fleming’s novels helped to catapult the character of James Bond to the popular culture icon he is today.

Fleming’s original James Bond books have not only inspired a multi-billion-dollar film franchise, but have also led to numerous continuation novels and radio adaptations. In the way every James Bond movie differs in quality from the one before it, so does each novel. In fact, throughout his writing career, Ian Fleming proved that he was capable of some of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.

14

The Spy Who Loved Me (1962)

A Total Misfire

With The Spy Who Loved Me, Fleming chose to stray from the formula he had established in his nine previous Bond novels. Unfortunately, this decision didn’t pay off. A contained story told from the perspective of a young Canadian woman, the novel doesn’t feature Bond himself until two-thirds of the way in. Needless to say, Fleming, who wasn’t exactly known for his progressive views towards women, struggled to write convincingly for a female protagonist. It’s messy, odd, and at times cringe-inducing. At least the film version of The Spy Who Loved Me improved on the book.

13

The Man With the Golden Gun (1965)

Incomplete, But Understandably So

The Man with the Golden Gun shouldn’t be treated too harshly, given that it was Fleming’s last Bond novel and was released eight months after he sadly passed away. Because of this, the book feels half-finished, almost like an early draft of something that Fleming intended to do rewrites on before sending it off to be published. And while there certainly is a decent novel in there, unfortunately, the version that made it to bookstores is a limp and lackluster imitation of Fleming’s earlier 007 works.

12

Octopussy And The Living Daylights (1966)

Struggles To Justify Its Existence

Another of the writer’s works that was released posthumously, Octopussy and The Living Daylights is the second of Fleming’s two short story collections. As well as the title stories, the book also includes “The Property of a Lady” and “007 in New York”. By far the best of the bunch is “The Living Daylights”, which centers on Bond working on an assignment as a sniper tasked with killing a KGB assassin. The other three offerings are rather unexciting, and as a result, the book as a whole struggles to justify its own existence.

11

For Your Eyes Only (1960)

A Mixed Bag

Fleming’s first short story collection, For Your Eyes Only offers five original James Bond tales; “From a View to a Kill”, “For Your Eyes Only”, “Quantum of Solace”, “Risico”, and “The Hildebrand Rarity”. Of them, “Risico” – a story based around Bond investigating a drug-smuggling operation in Italy – is the strongest, while “The Hildebrand Rarity” – a half-baked idea involving a rare fish – is the book’s weakest entry. Despite being the superior 007 short story collection, For Your Eyes Only demonstrates that Bond is better suited to long-form storytelling.

10

You Only Live Twice (1964)

Well-Written But Light On Story And Action

On one hand, You Only Live Twice is a sentimental and vividly written love letter to the country of Japan. On the other hand, however, it lacks the excitement, action, and thrills of a good 007 story. For the most part, You Only Live Twice adopts a travelogue-like style, exploring many aspects of Japanese culture in great detail. While this allows Fleming to show off all he knows about the country and its ways, it means that the story doesn’t really kick in until late in the novel. Nevertheless, the book ends on an excellent cliffhanger.

9

Dr. No (1958)

A Solid Story Hampered By Strange Choices

The James Bond books are generally considered to be more grounded and realistic than their cinematic equivalents. Nonetheless, Dr. No is the 007 book series at its silliest. After a fellow MI6 agent disappears in the Caribbean, Bond is sent to investigate and soon comes face to face with the titular villain, an ingenious scientist working with the Russians. The overall plot of Dr. No is fairly standard, but certain elements, such as Dr. No dying among a mound of bird poop and Bond wrestling a giant squid, make the novel hard to take seriously.

8

Diamonds Are Forever (1956)

Interesting Ideas Held Back By Sub-Par Villains

Diamonds Are Forever sees Bond investigating a diamond smuggling operation that leads him to Las Vegas. There, he encounters the Spangled Mob, a ring of diamond smugglers led by brothers Jack and Serrafimo Spang. While the novel contains some inventive action sequences and some vivid side characters, Diamonds Are Forever‘s unexciting setting, unnecessary subplots, and underwhelming villains stop it from sitting among the best Bond novels. In one of the best Bond book to movie changes, the movie version of Diamonds Are Forever ditched the Spang Brothers in favor of Blofeld.

7

Live And Let Die (1954)

A Decent Sophomore Outing

Live and Let Die had the tough job of following Fleming’s excellent debut, Casino Royale. Though it doesn’t quite rise to the challenge, there are still plenty of things to like about the 1954 book. The plot sees Bond on the trail of Mr Big, a SMERSH agent and practitioner of voodoo. For this reason, Live and Let Die is one of Fleming’s darker, grittier, and more violent works. Though the novel isn’t lacking in intrigue or stakes, it ultimately doesn’t pack the same kind of emotional or exhilarating punch as its predecessor.

6

Moonraker (1955)

Small In Scale, But Big On Thrills

Unlike its big screen adaptation, which eschewed much of the novel’s plot in favor of an elaborate space adventure, 1955’s Moonraker is a grounded and small-scale affair. While its predecessors portrayed Bond traveling to exotic locations, Moonraker takes place entirely on British soil. The plot of the novel is straightforward – a Nazi industrialist named Hugo Drax builds a missile to fire nuclear warheads at London as an act of vengeance. However, there’s enough humor and twists, as well as crafty back-and-forths between Bond and Drax to keep the momentum going.

5

Thunderball (1961)

A Good Old-Fashioned Spy Thriller

In many ways, Thunderball is arguably Fleming’s most straightforward novel, though that’s not a bad thing. The plot involves Bond investigating the disappearance of two nuclear weapons, which eventually leads him to the Bahamas and the home of SPECTRE agent Emilio Largo. While it offers very few surprises in the way of plot – Bond saves the day and gets the girl once again – Thunderball is, nevertheless, a charming and well-paced thriller that brings a fresh burst of energy and wit to the series.

4

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1963)

A Surprisingly Tender Affair

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service followed the disaster that was The Spy Who Loved Me and, therefore, marked a return to form for both Fleming and the James Bond series. Though it contains much of the action and thrills of Fleming’s other works, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service offers a gentler and more tender approach than the previous entries. It all culminates in a gut-wrenching climax that once again proves that Fleming is far from a one-trick pony. An intriguing conspiracy and a worthy opponent in the form of Blofeld help make OHMSS a classic.

3

Goldfinger (1959)

Epic From Start To Finish

Like its movie counterpart, which is widely considered to be one of the best James Bond films of all time, Goldfinger’s success is largely down to the strength of its villain. Auric Goldfinger is a greedy and narcissistic brute who hates to lose. He’s sinister, Trump-like, and easily one of Fleming’s most well-sketched antagonists. His interactions with Bond are a delight to read. Add to that a well-constructed plot, edge-of-your-seat action sequences, and a Bond girl who gives 007 himself a run for his money, and Goldfinger is a highly entertaining thrill ride from start to finish.

2

Casino Royale (1953)

A Rollicking Debut

The first appearance of the character in any form of medium, Casino Royale introduced the world to James Bond in breathtaking style. The novel establishes many of the conventions of the Bond series that would feed into both the films and almost every 007 novel after. With Casino Royale, Fleming tells a high-octane yet heartbreaking story of betrayal. It’s meticulously constructed, expertly paced, and filled with memorable moments. Straight out of the gate, Fleming nails the character of Bond and the stylish world of espionage in which he dwells. It’s a masterful debut and very nearly Fleming’s best.

1

From Russia, With Love (1957)

A Near Perfect Spy Thriller

From Russia, with Love is the quintessential spy novel. By the time Fleming came to write the 1957 work, he had already proven that the James Bond formula worked. With From Russia, with Love, therefore, he decided to tinker with the structure to excellent effect. The story is a Soviet-centric one, focusing on the attempts of SMERSH member Rosa Klebb to bring Bond down by luring him into a honeytrap. The first chunk of the book offers a peek behind the Iron Curtain, with Bond not entering the fray until a few chapters in.

Yet, Fleming’s grasp of his supporting characters here, as well as his ability to carefully lay out the stakes, mean that Bond’s absence during the first part of From Russia, with Love is far from an issue. While Casino Royale established the Bond formula, From Russia, with Love showed what fun can be had when the formula is broken. Intelligent, suspenseful, and not for a second dull, From Russia, with Love is Fleming’s greatest James Bond work.