Rating: 
Summary: From the 50s with Love
Review: FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE is generally considered to be the very best James Bond book. In this case, conventional wisdom is right. I recently re-read the book, originally published in 1957, and it was even better than I remember it being.First, the flaws: Like most Flemming novels, much of the plot is implausible. The story revolves around a scheme by the Soviets to embarrass the British Secret Service by killing James Bond in a compromising position. Perhaps it is because we live in a post-Monica Lewinski world, but this doesn't seem to be that much of a big deal. The movie version of FRWL seems to acknowledge the weakness of the reasoning behind the sequence of events that make up the story. The movie makes Bond's planned embarrassing death a secondary consequence of the villains' (this time SPECTER, not the Soviets) plot to steal the Russian decoder, which in the book is merely used as bait. Another common problem with Flemming's Bond, which is again on display, is that he is rather gullible and pretty much goes along for the ride without using his wits to solve mysteries or get out of jams. In FRWL he misses obvious clues, believes a thinly disguised enemy agent enough to hand over his gun without much of a thought, and fails to ever put "two and two together."
Despite all the flaws, FRWL is a great book. If the plot has holes, the collection of words are beautiful in themselves, from Flemming's detailed description of food and drink, to the combat scenes that really come to life in this book. The character of Bond is more interesting here than in previous books - he demonstrates a sense of humor and playfulness, shows emotion and even has moments of reflection. The series of villains, while cartoonish, are fun. The lurking presence of Red Grant is menacing. Bond's interactions with the villains forms the basis for the series of events that make the story flow. Once the silly premise is accepted, the rest of the sequence of events makes a certain amount of sense. This internal coherence (which was missing to some degree in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER) added with a fast pace makes the book hold together and never seem slow or dull. What separates FRWL from the other books, however, is that it contains some genuine surprises, including its truly unexpected ending. The ending is even more unexpected because it is explained away in DR. NO. But the ending should be read for what it is in the context of the book itself, not in the larger context of the series. Finally, one of the things I enjoy about Flemming's Bond books is that because they were written in the 1950's, they have a feel for a different world, with different values, assumptions, and cultural icons. This differentness is on full display in FRWL. While I have no illusions of the world depicted in Bond books having any resemblance to actual history, the transportation into another world is achieved more purely than could be by a contemporary author writing a period piece. I love it!
Rating:
Summary: From the 50s with Love
Review: FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE is generally considered to be the very best James Bond book. In this case, conventional wisdom is right. I recently re-read the book, originally published in 1957, and it was even better than I remember it being. First, the flaws: Like most Flemming novels, much of the plot is implausible. The story revolves around a scheme by the Soviets to embarrass the British Secret Service by killing James Bond in a compromising position. Perhaps it is because we live in a post-Monica Lewinski world, but this doesn't seem to be that much of a big deal. The movie version of FRWL seems to acknowledge the weakness of the reasoning behind the sequence of events that make up the story. The movie makes Bond's planned embarrassing death a secondary consequence of the villains' (this time SPECTER, not the Soviets) plot to steal the Russian decoder, which in the book is merely used as bait. Another common problem with Flemming's Bond, which is again on display, is that he is rather gullible and pretty much goes along for the ride without using his wits to solve mysteries or get out of jams. In FRWL he misses obvious clues, believes a thinly disguised enemy agent enough to hand over his gun without much of a thought, and fails to ever put "two and two together."
Despite all the flaws, FRWL is a great book. If the plot has holes, the collection of words are beautiful in themselves, from Flemming's detailed description of food and drink, to the combat scenes that really come to life in this book. The character of Bond is more interesting here than in previous books - he demonstrates a sense of humor and playfulness, shows emotion and even has moments of reflection. The series of villains, while cartoonish, are fun. The lurking presence of Red Grant is menacing. Bond's interactions with the villains forms the basis for the series of events that make the story flow. Once the silly premise is accepted, the rest of the sequence of events makes a certain amount of sense. This internal coherence (which was missing to some degree in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER) added with a fast pace makes the book hold together and never seem slow or dull. What separates FRWL from the other books, however, is that it contains some genuine surprises, including its truly unexpected ending. The ending is even more unexpected because it is explained away in DR. NO. But the ending should be read for what it is in the context of the book itself, not in the larger context of the series. Finally, one of the things I enjoy about Flemming's Bond books is that because they were written in the 1950's, they have a feel for a different world, with different values, assumptions, and cultural icons. This differentness is on full display in FRWL. While I have no illusions of the world depicted in Bond books having any resemblance to actual history, the transportation into another world is achieved more purely than could be by a contemporary author writing a period piece. I love it!
Rating:
Summary: Love it
Review: From Russia With Love was written in 1957 and what was common knowledge back then may offend sensitive people today. Deal with it and keep on reading because this is going to be fun. All of Fleming's books were fast paced fun but Russia stands out among them. The characterizations are brilliant. The description of the vicious and dreadful woman, Rosa Klebb goes on for more than a page. By the time Flemming is finnished you KNOW this woman and you're afraid of her. Tatiana, the beautiful innocent caught in a web of lies, Kerim Bey, the tough half wild head of T branch and psychotic Irish giant, Red Grant are all beautifully brought to life. The Russian scenes are written with such tautness you'll wonder how anyone survived life in the Soviet Union with thier sanity in tact. If you're used to the Bond lite presented by Roger Moore' in his last two films or Pierce Brosnon's version, the Bond of the books will be a surprise. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Love it
Review: From Russia With Love was written in 1957 and what was common knowledge back then may offend sensitive people today. Deal with it and keep on reading because this is going to be fun. All of Fleming's books were fast paced fun but Russia stands out among them. The characterizations are brilliant. The description of the vicious and dreadful woman, Rosa Klebb goes on for more than a page. By the time Flemming is finnished you KNOW this woman and you're afraid of her. Tatiana, the beautiful innocent caught in a web of lies, Kerim Bey, the tough half wild head of T branch and psychotic Irish giant, Red Grant are all beautifully brought to life. The Russian scenes are written with such tautness you'll wonder how anyone survived life in the Soviet Union with thier sanity in tact. If you're used to the Bond lite presented by Roger Moore' in his last two films or Pierce Brosnon's version, the Bond of the books will be a surprise. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: S.M.E.R.S.H. vs. BOND -THE FIGHT FOR POWER
Review: FRWL IS ONE OF THE MASTERPEICES OF FLEMING.s.m.e.r.s.h. -the russian organisation headed by rosa klebb & dreaded for it's methods of torture & murders has BOND as it's next target.the aim is to kill two birds with one shot- kill their most hated enemy -bond - & in the process, make the british secret service look scandalously adulturous. the trap is laid- a beautiful russian smersh agent out to seduce bond with the lure of the most sought after machine -the spektor-. the story dashes from russian smersh headquarters to the hq of the british secret service . the meeting place is istanbul where the suave bond meets the sexy tatiana romanov .they move in accordance with the master plan of smersh.& board the orient express. the leisurely pace of the luxury train is a sharp contrtast to the fast pace of the action that takes place inside it. people from both the sides are killed and eventually after a tense encounter between bond and the chief of operations of smersh (where as evident bond is the victor) he lands in paris. here he has a rendezvous with rosa klebb herself . she is overpowered by the brains of bond and is taken prisoner with the help of the french govt.but before parting she renders bond her final gift of wrath. a kick with a hidden knife laced with poison all through the book we are kept on the edge of our seats guessing on the next move by bond & the smersh. fleming's portrayal of the asexual head of assasinations is a chilling one. he convinces us of the innocence of tatiana and her vulnerability. the smersh is made to look both sinister as well as ridiculous at times ... but ther suspense remains as we wonder whether bond is the victim of the hated rosa klebb's poisonous knife...a fact that would be revealed to us in fleming's next novel.till then we could just wait and watch and hope all is well with our beloved english spy. all in all a great book to have in hand . a book definitely not to be missed. a sure treat for james bond fans.
Rating:
Summary: "From Russia With Love" never fails to deliver
Review: I CAN NOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THIS BOOK!!! Ian Flemming has such a flair for writing that his ultimate gentleman spy character, James Bond, doesn't appear until after the first 80 or so pages and the book NEVER falters. Extremely rich character and story plot. The maniacal villian, Red Grant, whose only objective and ultimate desire is killing. The drop dead beauty, Tania, whose job is to seduce 007. The toad like female villan, Rosa Klebb, who lives for cunning and torture. The organization, SMERSH, and their deadly plan of mayhem and destruction towards the British Secret Service. One of the best spy stories ever written, also one of the best James Bond movies translated form an Ian Flemming book. A spy story to the extreme. Simple premise yet hard to forget even months or years later. I have read this book 3 times in the last 12 years. It has never failed me yet. For those reading this fine novel for the first time, I am jealous. You are in for a good time. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Wow! Not Just a Movie Script
Review: I grew up being taken to the Bond flicks by my parents. I guess that made me think that the books they were based upon were mere vehicles for screenplays. I do not remember much of this movie (except the final scene) but I can not imagine it was nearly as good as the book.
I was amazed at the quality of writing. Fleming can portray bad guys as well as anyone, if not better. He built suspense from the first page and never let it diminish. Amazingly, we do not see James Bond until the book is about a third of the way through. Once we do, he is classic Bond. Fleming throws a bit of tongue-in-cheek to add to the charm of the hero.
The gambit as devised by the Russians is terrific and nuanced. Bond's floundering then overcoming then....well can't give the end is classic, yet still "delicious".
My one disappointment is that Bond never ordered a martini.
A fun and terrific read. Fleming does spies as well as anyone, including LeCarre, but he does it with excitement and a bit of humor. Highly, highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Flemings best
Review: I just really didn't like this book. I read it in the James Bond Omnibus, and it was definately the one of the three books to forget. It didn't even have Bond in it for about half the book! It was just talking about some Smersh guy who failed miserably in his mission. Compared to any other of Fleming's books, it's a disaster. But hey, a James Bond book is a James Bond book, so it has to have some good parts
Rating:
Summary: Great Book!!!
Review: Ian Fleming did a wonderful job with this book. Not only does the plot and mystery intrigue you, but the descriptions of the locations make you fell like you're acctually there. If you are a fan of the James Bond novels, or any other mystery or adventure novels for that matter, you must read this book!
Rating: 
Summary: Solid and suspenseful Bond novel.
Review: Ian Fleming's fifth James Bond novel, "From Russia, With Love" (1957), remains one of the most popular and exciting in the series. Here we see all the attributes that made Fleming such a remarkable thriller writer--the brilliant descriptive passages, the superb characterization, the ability to inject tension and suspense into the narrative until the inevitable explosion of violence. "From Russia, With Love" has it all, and then some. The plot is among Fleming's most ingenious. SMERSH, the Soviets' dreaded counterintelligence agency, hatches to a plot to kill Bond and humiliate the British Secret Service. Using an unwitting girl and a valuable piece of Russian hardware, the Russians lure Bond to Istanbul, setting the plot in motion. Along the way, we meet the grotesque Rosa Klebb, head of torture and murder for SMERSH, and Red Grant, SMERSH's chief executioner. Grant, in particular, is a chilling character, a bloodthirsty psychopath with a lust for killing. When Bond crosses his path, Fleming produces some of the most gripping writing of his career. Fantastic stuff. All in all, "From Russia, With Love" is a superb thriller, though I found the narrative rather slack during Bond's time in Istanbul. That minor quibble aside, this is a must-read for Bond fans and one of Fleming's finer accomplishments.
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