Bond at His Best

Where does Goldfinger rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's up there among the best. I've listened to this read by Rufus Sewell in the past which was excellent, and I feared listening to the 'Earl of Grantham' do Bond may feel odd, but the narration was great.

What did you like best about this story?

This Flemming at his best. Bond is on excellent form having been on night duty for a number of months and when he gets his chance to head out into the field again he grasps it. The golf scene is a real classic.

What about Hugh Bonneville’s performance did you like?

I liked the fact that I barely noticed it was wasn't Connery. Hugh Bonneville doesn't attempt any awkward Connery impression, he does it in his own style and it works.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Um... The name's Bond, James Bond.

Any additional comments?

Well worth a listen. You know what you're getting if you're a Flemming fan, if you're not, this is a great place to start.

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Better Than The Films

If you could sum up Goldfinger (with Interview) in three words, what would they be?

Exciting, dated, all-the-better-for-it

What did you like best about this story?

The way the reader brought the characters to life. I think the Bond stories are best experienced in this format as it's the reader's imagination that provides the mise en scène.

Have you listened to any of Hugh Bonneville’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No. The interview with Hugh Bonneville at the end of the story is fascinating. In it he revealed that he relished the challenge of reading the chapter about a meeting of eight gangsters.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

These are ridiculous questions – I just want to review the thing in a way that will be of use to potential listeners.

2 people found this helpful

great story great pace

Would you listen to Goldfinger (with Interview) again? Why?

well read, well written really engaging story

What other book might you compare Goldfinger (with Interview) to, and why?

nearly as good as from Russia with love - in my opinion

What about Hugh Bonneville’s performance did you like?

good pace, narration doesn't distract from the story but his performance draws you in.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Bond better than Reacher

Any additional comments?

one of my favourites - if they made the Bond films more like the books we would have much better films

2 people found this helpful

Audible gold!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Most people are familiar with the Bond stories through the films, and probably then compare the book to the film as opposed to the other way round, and i was pleasantly surprised how close in essence the two are to one another.The Seventh Bond novel is very much still a product of the author's era and attitudes to women etc are refreshingly 'un-pc.'Goldfinger was next book written after Dr No is contrastingly different. Where in Dr No we only meet the main antagonist near the end of the book Goldfinger is introduced almost immediately. And Bond struggles to really gain his confidence.The round of golf is very descriptive, although again, maybe the terminology is a little dated, but that adds to the charm of the book.Theres a very mid 20th century feel to the book and certainly for this 30year old listener really captures a time period that has long since gone. You can tell that Fleming is writing about countries and areas he is fond of both in the UK and in Europe.

Who was your favorite character and why?

James Bond for all is faults and out dated opinions is still one the best charters ever written.

What does Hugh Bonneville bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Bonneville's characterisation of Bond and the other main characters really dials into the era and the mood of which Fleming wrote this novel. Having listened to the previous Reloaded releases (I'm doing so in the order or original book release ) Bonneville's reading is definitely, so far, the best reading from the series. Both in his characterisations and emphasis.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The game of golf gave a great in sight to both Bond and Goldfinger,

Any additional comments?

The audio quality of the narration is very good, and doesn't suffer from as much sibilance as a couple of the other Bond reloaded novels do.

2 people found this helpful

Brilliant Bond

Fantastic. The best Bond book I've listened to so far. Bond is the same as in the others, yet completely different. There's something different about this book, Goldfinger is incredible and the narrative is superb. Definite 5 stars.

2 people found this helpful

Superb

A great story, very exciting. Brilliantly read by Hugh Bonneville, one of the best Bond narrations I've heard.

1 person found this helpful

Excellent

Despite knowing the book and film, this reading made it feel like a completely new novel. Brilliant.

1 person found this helpful

Goldfinger superb

Huge Bond fan. 1st book have listened to out of Bond series. Superb, worth reading or listening to.

1 person found this helpful

Surprised by so much here

What did you like most about Goldfinger (with Interview)?

Expecting a very light read to listen to while engaged on mundane tasks, I quickly realised that - perhaps because Fleming wrote this at the end of the fifties - his style here still had a sort of innocence. Even the baddies (with the exception of poor old Oddjob) have their vulnerabilities and their twisted but believable humanity. And Bond certainly does. He is shown worrying about the violence he has to show in his profession and there are moments of real characterisation never seen in the films.The writing too is surprising, with moments of imagery that lift the book way beyond the mere thriller - as too do the lengthy explanations, saved from being boring by little dramatic moments, about the importance of gold to the British economy in the fifties or the intricacies of really good golf. Yes, the treatment of the girls and lesbianism makes us groan nowadays - but it fits the era and adds a lot of colour to this macho tale.

Who was your favorite character and why?

My favourite chacacter, apart from marvellous James Bond himself, is the Bank of England gold expert, Smithers. As Bond himself says, one can listen to a really enthusiastic expert with interest, whatever the expertise is in. And given the mess we are in with our ever more worthless fiat currency, the long chapter on gold couldn't be more relevant.

What does Hugh Bonneville bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

I soon forgot the Downton Abbey aristocrat and even Paddington's Mr Brown. Hugh Bonneville brings all the characters alive. Really impressive.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Definitely. I couldn't - but would have done if I could have found enough free consecutive hours.

Any additional comments?

Don't be put off this audiobook by the awful, heartless modern OO7 brand. This is a really exciting and well written story, beautifully read.

1 person found this helpful

Action Man and Cardboard Women

Not having read Fleming's novels since the '60s, I'd forgotten how faithful the film is to the original book. Lots of action at the start, with a strong plot and the introduction of the intriguing Mr Goldfinger at a rigged card game. Hugh Bonneville has a beautiful voice and a great sense of pace, really bringing the mysterious Goldfinger to life.

However, once the thrilling set-up was done the story started to drag about two-thirds of the way through, during the long-winded and ridiculous section where Bond and his cardboard girl act as secretaries to the villain (what, this mega-millionaire can't afford to hire his own secure staff?) and it went downhill from there and lost its grip. I realise Fleming wrote this in the late 1950s, but his neanderthal views on women in general and lesbians in particular (some rubbish about universal sufferage being to blame) added to my initial 'thumbs down' reaction to the story. But if you can get past that, repeat plays are worthwhile given the great first half and Bonneville's fine narration.

3 people found this helpful