You Only Live Twice (Nova Audio Books)

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Summary: ..Kill Bond,Now...!!!
Review: That line pretty much sums up You Only Live Twice.As delivered by Donald Plesance as Ernst Stavro Blofeld (and the inspiration to Austin Powers' Dr. Evil)It has menace, but once it's over it seems a bit hollow.
Screenplay written by Willy Wonka author, Roald Dahl(!!!),YOLT starts with the phony demise of 007 in the pre-credits, then takes him to Japan to investigate the disappearence of American and Soviet spacecrafts before both powers declare war.
A bit weaker than the monster combination of Goldfinger/Thunderball,YOLT boast many great moments (the unnessesary arial dogfight with Little Nelly, the finale in Blofeld's awesome volcanic lair), but one can't help but feel a tinge of disappointment as it seemed made on auto pilot.YOLT does feature the best ever 007 theme song.A haunting melodic ballad sung by Nancy Sinatra.
YOLT was to be the last Sean Connery Bond movie(though he would return in Diamonds Are Forever and Never Say Never Again).It also marked the end of an era in the golden age of 007 movies as the latter films of the 70's and early 80's become more tongue and cheek.It was only 20 years later in The Living Daylights that the ruthless, yet suave Bond of the novels and earlier movies would return.

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Summary: IAN FLEMINGs Japan and the Devil
Review: This is Ian Fleming's most mysterious and enigmatic James Bond novel. This is a direct follow up to "On Her Majesty's Secret Service." It starts out as a direct secret service story even though Bond is reassigned to the diplomatic section. As it progresses it becomes almost surrealistic as James Bond tracks down his arch nemesis on the island of Kyushu. This is a very well written and researched novel. The Japanese idioms and depictions of locale are exquisite. When the novel moves to Kuro Island and is on the threshold of Dr. Shaterhand's castle lair, Fleming approaches mythical horizons. I found this absorbing, haunting and prophetic novel very difficult to put down once I started reading it. You get addicted early on to such charismatic characters as Tiger Tanaka and the all too brief Dikko Henderson but it is the narrative of this epic tale that beckons the reader. The new retro-paperback cover is alluring.