Review: Now we know where Fleming got the idea for Bond
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 26, 2013
Whether every single thing in this book happened is beside the point (although Admiral Darlan did die under mysterious circumstances in 1942, and Fleming did work for the Naval Intelligence Unit during World War II). Even if every word were fiction, Stevenson tells a story pinned onto enough history that you won't have to worry about having to suspend disbelief too many times.The British are trying to secure the sophisticated French fleet for the British in the middle of the war; more importantly, they're also trying to keep the Germans away from it. Although even at this point the smart money is betting against a German victory, the question is how quickly they can bring about an end to the war. Keeping the French fleet away from the Germans will help it end that much sooner. Fleming's role is to pay Darlan in British gold to turn over the fleet. Unfortunately, he parachutes into France just as the Germans are securing their hold on the country. Suddenly the mission is much more interesting.If you enjoy James Bond stories, you'll enjoy this one: there's fast-paced adventure, high-stakes international intrigue and lots of on-the-fly ingenuity- all while floating through elite society and bedding beautiful women. As a life-long fan of James Bond movies, I found a lot to enjoy here. However, I'm taking off a point because there were several action sequences that simply lost me, even after multiple re-reads. (For the record, I have the same problem with the movie versions.) Still, I enjoyed the book, especially because the plot was plausible and I could relate to the conflict.Recommended for James Bond fans.