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You Only Live Twice (with Interview)
- Narrated by: Martin Jarvis
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
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Summary
James Bond seems unable to function after the death of his wife. Determined to restore 007 to the effective agent he used to be, M sends him on a mission to Japan, to the mysterious ‘Castle of Death’ and into the lair of an old and terrifying enemy. For Bond and Blofeld, this will be their final encounter. Only one of them can survive.
Includes an exclusive bonus interview with Martin Jarvis.
Ian Fleming was born in London in 1908. He was educated at Eton and worked as a journalist in Moscow and a banker and stockbroker in London before becoming personal assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence during the Second World War. He wrote his first Bond novel, Casino Royale, in 1952 at Goldeneye, his home in Jamaica. Since then James Bond has gone on to become a global phenomenon.
Martin Jarvis OBE has recorded more than 150 Just William stories for the BBC. These have become international audio bestsellers. He won the Theatre World Award for his starring role on Broadway in By Jeeves; his West End appearances include works by Ayckbourn, Frayn, Pinter and Wilde. Screen successes include everything from Stargate Atlantis, Dr Who and Numb3rs to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the Oscar®-winning Titanic.
Critic reviews
"As damnably readable as ever." ( Daily Herald)
"Rich, wonderful stuff, Fleming at his flaming best." ( New York Times)
"Fleming doesn’t waste a word… his sense of surprise is perfect" (BBC)
"Escapism in the grand manner." ( Boston Globe)
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What listeners say about You Only Live Twice (with Interview)
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- P McGuinness
- 21-01-23
Dubious accents
The story is good, very different from the rest of the bond novels. However the language is very dated and some dialogue made me cringe albeit it was considered appropriate for the era. The reading I felt was poor. some really dodgy accents that I'm surprised you could get away with. Bonds narration also didn't seem to fit with his character. Too upper class. 50 years since I originally read the book, some I have re-read and some audiobooks listened too. On general presentation and an experience I had to give it a low score. But the narration I found the worst.
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- Dr Caterpillar
- 07-12-14
The last of the good Bond books
What did you like most about You Only Live Twice (with Interview)?
The sympathy shown towards Bond by his superiors. The positive depiction of Japanese culture, especially in contrast with our own. The aftermath - especially the thing Bond doesn't know because Kissy doesn't tell him.
What other book might you compare You Only Live Twice (with Interview) to, and why?
Apart from the other Bond books, I can't think of any. At times it feels like a fantasy novel, and at other times like a Saturday morning serial from long before I was born.
What about Martin Jarvis’s performance did you like?
Nothing in particular. He did the job well, as always.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No, I'm never going to do that with an unabridged novel.
Any additional comments?
It's very pleasing the way the closing volume of a trilogy leads straight into the next story. Shame The Man With The Golden Gun isn't very good.
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- LMC
- 10-11-22
Another winner from this fantastic series
The series of Bond audiobooks is one of the best in the catalogue. Each one is brilliantly cast, enhancing Ian Fleming's superb prose. Martin Jarvis is one of the finest audiobook narrators around, and he does a fabulous job here (though it is a little disconcerting having recently listened to him narrating the Just William books). Highly recommended.
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- Stephen Grandison
- 18-03-24
Not watch I was expecting.
Another Bond book that was different to what I thought it would be, but in a good way. It bares some similarities to the film, but this was great.
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- Carl McC
- 25-04-21
Bond in Japan. Need I say more?
Reeling from 'the death' , Bond must be re energised. Thus, M sends Bond on an impossible mission to Japan.... the rest is well worth a read, or a listen! Classic Bond at his best. Very well narrated by Jarvis.
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- Stephen
- 18-01-21
Happy I read this
I was originally put off purchasing this title due to some of the reviews. However I eventually got it on during a 2 for 1 promotion.
Very happy with it, and sorry the bad reviews had put me off.
The story is very much the penmanship of Fleming, though the subject is not so much Bond in action as a view inside Bond’s mind.
Martin Jarvis does an excellent treatment of this subject matter in my opinion. I think some of the negative reviews are criticising the reader for this books difference in tone, but it is written differently.
Synopsis:
Bond on the loss of his wife is in a dark place. This adventure pits him against a physical place and villain that embody these dark thoughts.
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- SjC
- 14-01-20
A series of missed opportunities
A disapointing end to Blofeld trilogy. This had so much going for it 1) Bond is a broken man out for revenge for Tracy, 2) a new setting in Japan that we haven't seen before, 3) Blofeld has gone full cartoon supper villain and is living on a privet island at the centre of a 'garden of death', 4) Erma Bunt is back and 5) Tiger is a fantastic new allies for Bond to have adventures with. But non of this goes anywhere and instead we spend the bulk of the book living with a group of scantily clad fisherwomen (not that I mind the scantily clad part mind you) And it's not that the story is bad, it's still better then Diamonds are Forever but as the conclusion to the greatest rivalry of Bond's life, the one that has taken so much from him that has see the most character development since Casino Royal it's a bit of a let down is all.
Also this should really have been read by a woman (preferably a Japanese woman) Martin Jarvis dose his best and If it weren't such a big part of the story it wouldn't matter but it is and it dose.
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- Nicky Ramone
- 30-07-23
Enjoyable again
Another good Bond story with quite a lot of info about Japanese culture that I assume must be true. The Japanese accent didn’t feel to me to be as offensive as the accents in Live and Let Die, but I still wonder if it is strictly necessary to do the accent. When I read it I don’t create an accent in my mind’s ear. Ignoring that, I really enjoyed another in the Bond series.
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- Michael C.
- 04-09-20
Another Great Bond
Though this is far from your typical Bond and far from the movie I cannot but reccomend it. Jervis gives a truly great performance and the more human Bond out for revenge makes for a truly gripping tale.
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- T. Keates
- 02-05-21
A fascinating portrait of country Japan in the 60s
Martin Jarvis creates wonderful voice caricatures that greatly assist in the telling of this most colourful story. The more i become accustomed with Fleming's work the more I realise the Bond movies are a stepping stone towards the books. The books use language of their time and yet Fleming writes empathetically towards his lead female characters. Bond is a flawed and thoughtful protagonist most of the time. This and others in the series debut villains that set the high-water-mark for movie badies to be measured to, for decades.
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