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For Your Eyes Only (1960)
Author: |
Ian Fleming |
Published: |
11th April 1960 |
MI6 Rating: |
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Capsule Synopsis
The destruction of a Russian hideout at SHAPE headquarters
near Paris; the planned assassination of a Cuban thug in
America; the tracking of a heroin ring from Rome to Venice
and beyond; for Bond it is just routine. For anyone else
- certain death.
Official Blurb (Penguin 2002 Edition)
"Bond watched her as she reached the edge of the tables
and came up the aisle. It was hopeless. She was coming to
meet someone – her lover. She was the sort of woman
who always belongs to somebody else.What damnable luck!
Before Bond could pull himself together, the girl had come
up to his table and sat down. ‘I’m sorry I’m
late. We’ve got to get moving at once. You’re
wanted at the office.’ She added under her breath:
‘Crash dive.’"
Sudden emergencies and beautiful girls who aren’t
quite what they seem and are the stock-in-trade of James
Bond. And when 007 is on the case there’s only one
thing you can be sure of – the result will be thrilling.
And whether he’s dealing with the assassination of
a Cuban thug in America, the destruction of an international
heroin ring, or sudden death in the Seychelles, Bond gets
the job done. In his own suave and unmistakable style …
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Above: 1st edition Jonathan Cape hardback (UK). Artwork
by Richard Chopping. |
"For Your Eyes Only" is a collection of five short
stories. Data Stream information for each individual story can be
found below.
Contents
1 / From A View To A Kill
2 / For Your Eyes Only
3 / Quantum of Solace
4 / Risico
5 / The Hildebrand Rarity
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Extract
"Tension was building up in him. In his imagination
he could already hear the deep bark of the Savage. He could
see the black bullet lazily, like a slow flying bee, homing
down into the valley towards a square of pink skin. There
was a light smack as it hit. The skin dented, broke and
then closed up again leaving a small hole with bruised edges.
. . Who was this man he was going to do this to? What had
he ever done to Bond?"
Trivia
"For Your Eyes Only" is a collection of five short
stories that Ian Fleming had originally written for one
hour television shows for CBS in mind. Two of the short
stories contained in the "For Your Eyes Only"
collection had been previously published. "Quantum
of Solace" had been published in the May issue of Cosmopolitan
magazine in 1959, and "The Hildebrand Rarity"
had been published in the March issue of Playboy magazine
in 1960.
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Above: British Pan paperback 1st-4th editions (1962
onwards). |
From A View To
A Kill
Villains: |
Russian spies |
Plot: |
Theft of SHAPE intelligence from motorcycle couriers. |
Bond Girls: |
Mary Anne Russell |
Allies: |
Colonel Schreiber, Commander Rattray |
Locations: |
Paris and surrounding areas, France |
Highlights: |
Assassination of Russian motorcyclist. |
Synopsis
A motorcycle dispatch rider is shot and killed and his documents
stolen. Bond goes to investigate, and near the crash site
he discovers and underground base of Russian agents. Dressing
up as a dispatch rider, he shoots his Russian trailer and
takes his place. This exposes the whole operation.
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For Your Eyes
Only
Villains: |
Von Hammerstein; Gonzalez |
Plot: |
Blackmail/murder of Havelock's to forcefully buy Jamaican
estate. |
Bond Girls: |
Judy Havelock |
Allies: |
Colonel Havelock, Mrs. Havelock, Agatha, M |
Locations: |
Jamaica; London, UK; Ottawa, Canada; N. Vermont, USA |
Highlights: |
M briefing, meeting with Judy |
Synopsis
This is another forgettable short story, in which Bond does
a favour for M by arranging to kill Nazi war criminal von
Hammerstein, who killed M’s friends the Havelock's
in order to get their property. In a strictly secret mission
Bond goes to Canada to carry out the mission, but he is
beaten to it by Judy Havelock, the dead couple’s daughter.
Bond shoots von Hammerstein’s henchmen, and the pair
escape.
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Above: Triad/Granada
movie tie-in paperback edition (1981); American
Signet paperback 2nd - 21st editions (1962 onwards);
British Pan paperback 6th-16th editions
(1963 onwards)
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Quantum of Solace
Villains: |
N/A |
Plot: |
Governor's anecdote regarding his dinner guests |
Bond Girls: |
N/A |
Allies: |
Phillip Masters, Rhoda Masters, The Governor |
Locations: |
Nassau, The Bahamas |
Highlights: |
Final twist revealing dinner guest's identity |
Synopsis
Bond, following a mission in Cuba, is stuck at what seems
a boring dinner with the Governor of the Bahamas and
his dull guests. However, Bond eventually leaves very
interested,
realising that there is more to the world than his spying.
The governor told him a story of a man who once worked
for him and got married, but shortly after his wife
had a well-known
affair making him the laughing stock of Bermuda’s
British community. But the governor’s old friend
managed to ruin her socially and financially before divorcing
her
and leaving the island. The story ends with a nice twist
when Bond discovers the identity of one of the dinner
guests. |
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Risico
Villains: |
Kristatos |
Plot: |
Russian funded operation to smuggle drugs into Britain
to demoralize population |
Bond Girls: |
Lisl Baum |
Allies: |
Columbo, M |
Locations: |
Rome, Itale; Venice; Santa Maria; Albania; |
Highlights: |
Beach chase, warehouse gun battle |
Synopsis
Bond is sent to Rome to investigate drugs smuggling, and
his contact Kristatos tells 007 of ‘Mr Big’,
Enrico Columbo. Bond gets close to Columbo’s mistress
by posing as a researching author, but then is captured
by Columbo, who explains to Bond that Kristatos is the actual
villain and is smuggling drugs for the Soviet Union to undermine
the West.
Bond and Columbo raid Kristatos’s warehouse,
and Bond kills the villain in the process. |
The Hildebrand Rarity
Villains: |
Milton Krest |
Plot: |
Catching a rare fish to sell to Smithsonian Institute |
Bond Girls: |
Liz Krest |
Allies: |
Fidele Barbery |
Locations: |
Chagrin Island, Indian Ocean |
Highlights: |
Catching the fish, death of Krest |
Synopsis
Holidaying in the Seychelles, Bond is persuaded by Milton
Krest to join an expedition seeking a rare fish, The Hildebrand
Rarity, which he must find to satisfy the authorities that
he should be exempted from taxes. Krest not only beats his
wife, but kills hundreds of other fish with poison in order
to get his one specimen.
One night Krest is found murdered, killed
either by Liz Krest or Bond’s friend Fidele Barbey.
Bond disposes of the body of the millionaire, who had been
killed when the Hildebrand Rarity was stuffed down his throat.
Right: British Pan paperback 19th-21st
editions (1973 onwards)
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Above: British Pan
paperback 17th edition (1969); British Coronet paperback
3rd edition (1988); British Penguin paperback edition
(2002)
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Quotes
"It seemed to Bond that there was an extra small cleft
of worry between the frosty, damnably clear, grey eyes."
"She could have been a model - probably had been before
she became a hotel receptionist - that respectable female
calling that yet has a whiff of the high demi-monde
about it - and she still moved her beautiful body with the
unselfconscious grace of someone who is used to going about
with nothing, or practically nothing on."
"She had the gay, bold, forthcoming looks the Viennese
are supposed to have and seldom do."
"The best things in America are chipmunks and oyster
stew."
"The fat man was grinning delightedly. he came up
and with Bond and, to Bond's horror, threw open his arms,
clutched Bond to him and kissed him on both cheeks.
Bond said: 'For God's sake, Columbo.'"
"James Bond said: 'I've always thought that if I ever
married I would marry an air hostess.'"
"Bond put ice into his drink, filled it to the top
with soda and took a long pull at it. He sat back and lit
a Laurens jaune. Of course the evening would be a disaster."
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Above: Penguin USA paperback 1st edition
(2003) |
Reviews
"Mr Fleming's licensed assassin is in good form... Few me
can have been able to mix business with pleasure so successfully
as Bond."
- The Times Literary Supplement
"Urban savagery...smooth tale spinning."
- New York Herald Tribune
"Admirers of Bond will find him in top form"
- Listener
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