This is my absolute favorite of the James Bond stories, even though the book inevitably gets tangled up in my head with the iconic movie adaptation. Personally, I’ve always preferred the Cold War storylines.Movie: I loved the Aston Martin DB5 and all its gadgets. I loved Shirley Bassey’s legendary title track, John Barry’s brilliant score, and Sean Connery’s definitive performance. Bernard Lee was the perfect M, and Honor Blackman was fantastic. The plot is timeless, and honestly, who could ever...

Boredfinger! He’s the man, the man with the boring touch! A boring… zzz…Auric Goldfinger, a man so obsessed with goooooold that Mike Myers’ caricature of the character was actually understated, wants to rob Fort Knox because it’s full of goooooold. Only one man can stop him: James Boooooond! I’ve never read an Ian Fleming novel before and, after this, I’m not sure I ever will again! This book is so BORING—and it’s supposed to be an action spy thriller, which sounds exciting, until you read Flemi...

Another classic Bond adventure that became world-famous thanks to its legendary film adaptation. In Goldfinger by Ian Fleming, 007 investigates the mysterious Auric Goldfinger—a wealthy tycoon with suspicious ties across the globe, yet no concrete criminal record to his name. The book also features the iconic, if delightfully named, Pussy Galore. It definitely feels dated, but it remains a fascinating read, especially to see how masterfully the screenplay adapted the original source material. A ...

“The glamour isn’t worth the price”—Ales KotWell, I think I am just about done reading Ian Fleming’s stories of Agent 007, James Bond, thank you very much. This is in spite of my being a completist; I set out to read the series and usually, I would read them all. But I think I’ve caught on to the pattern: Bond meets a villain, meets a “girl,” and defeats the villain. You do what you can to ignore the (casual?) racism and misogyny in exchange for the glamour, and well, the best of James.This one ...

A good old-fashioned ego-driven showdown between Bond and his villain of the hour, Auric Goldfinger. Ever the master of creating comic-book-style villains, Ian Fleming has crafted a true gem with Goldfinger—a hyper-capitalist who lives to win at everything. In his world, if you aren’t cheating, you aren’t trying. We also get a double dose of menace thanks to his henchman, Oddjob, who serves as a terrifying, nearly superhuman enforcer. Great sports writing is an underappreciated art form, and i...

"Fear, Mr Bond, takes gold out of circulation and hoards it against the evil day." - Ian Fleming, Goldfinger A very enjoyable read, though it comes with a few nagging complaints. I hate Fleming’s attitude toward Asian characters (Koreans in this book, as opposed to the Chinese characters in Dr. No) and his portrayal of women—specifically the lesbian characters here. It simply doesn't age well. While I wasn't around in the 50s and suspect these views were more "normal" 60 years ago, it still r...

Great Reading, Truly!GOOD AS GOLDOnce is happenstance, twice is coincidence, the third time it’s enemy action.This quote from the novel is incredibly fitting, as Goldfinger by Ian Fleming is divided into three distinct parts named exactly that: “Happenstance,” “Coincidence,” and “Enemy Action.” These sections perfectly map out the escalating clash between James Bond and the iconic villain Auric Goldfinger, mirroring the narrative’s own high-stakes progression.Goldfinger is the seventh original J...

It was going to be fun playing hare and hounds across Europe. The sun was shining out of a clear sky. Bond felt a moment's sharp thrill down his spine. He smiled to himself, a hard, cold, cruel smile. Goldfinger, he thought, for the first time in your life you're in trouble - bad trouble.Bond is drinking bourbon in the Miami airport, philosophizing about life and death. He has just neatly taken care of a heroin distribution ring. You may think of Bond as a cold, hard killer, but in the books by ...

(A-) 83% | Very Good
Notes: In Goldfinger, Ian Fleming peels the snakeskin from a card-cheating villain to reveal a true dragon in disguise, all while complex romantic entanglements make things difficult for 007. A must-read classic for any fan of spy thrillers looking for the definitive James Bond experience.

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars. The 1964 film gets nearly five stars. I highly doubt the book, Goldfinger by Ian Fleming, would even get one. First, let's talk about the theme song. *Swoon.* If you don’t like the song, don’t ever tell me. I will unfriend you and make a voodoo doll to do awful, awful things to you. Ever read The Wasp Factory? Yeah, that’ll sound like Sunday school compared to what I’d do. Clear enough? Good. Then there’s Connery beefcaking around in a skimpy swimsuit. There’s a pa...