h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Good to see another researcher referring to the novels of Mr. Fleming. I written an article on the Other Double O Agents in the films and Fleming's books only which has just got past the Sub Eds stage. Keep up the good work.

"Bond, will return...."

Gosh, and I thought I was the only one who has read the books.

"The Spy who loved me" is my favorite, perhaps because it stands out in style so completely from the other novels.

I like comparing "For Your Eyes Only" with the movie. The book was a collection of short stories but they combined it smoothly into a movie. I've read one of the Gardner books and it was absolute garbage, but recently my sister got me 'Zero Minus Ten' by Benson and it was a pretty good read. It didn't have the same feel as Fleming's books, but it was interesting.

I have seemed to notice that the later authors rely rather heavily on the cool high tech stuff from "Q" department. In "For Special Services" Bond is driving a Saab instead of a brittish car.

That's even worse than him driving a BMW. What self respecting spy would drive a Saab? They're not a terrible car, but they are pedestrian compared to Aston Martins and Lotuses. Put Bond in a DB7 or an Esprit, heck, even an Elan or new Jag. Keep him out of the Saabs!

Yes I agree I can't even envisage Bond in a Saab. When was that written though cause I know they once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away had some sort of status.

Yes, The Spy Who Loved Me is an excellent book. That's probably why they just kept the title for the film. They even changed the name of the spy: in the book, it is Bond (opens with the words: "The spy who loved me was called James Bond" or words to that effect, whereas someone once commented to me tha it is fairly clear in the film that Anya Amasova is the "spy who loved me". I felt unable to comment, being biassed from reading the book.

Incidentally, OHMSS is virtually unchanged for the film. Are there any others that are really close?

Dr. No is fairly close to the book until the ending. The underwater monster would have been a bit hokey, and Bond's escape from his cell is different.

The plot of Moonraker is pretty similar, but how the filmmakers did it was really different. The Space Shuttle was new and different, so they felt it necessary to incorporate it, and I think it was a little more exciting than the book's take.

I've only read these two and For Your Eyes Only, so I'm not sure of any more, but I thought OHMSS was one of the best movies. Guess I'm gonna have to read the book now.

I've read all of Ian Flemings, "Colonel Sun" and about 11 of John Gardner's.

What strikes me is that Ian Fleming made a mistake when it comes to Bond's description of SPECTRE in "The Spy Who Loved Me". It completely contradicts everything else, and now stands for something different. Sadly I do not have the book with me, so I cannot say what.