Reading in the introduction that one Charlie Higson rated this as the best of the Bond books certainly made me sit up a smidge more.
Better than Casino Royale? Better than Moonraker?
Lead on Mr Fleming, lead on...
Written at a time when Fleming genuinely believed the Bond books were never going to sell, From Russia With Love is the one that took off and cemented James in the world of popular modern fiction.
Which is no mean feat given he doesn't turn up until a third of the way through the book.
Which is both, at once, a master stroke and a problem.
It's a master stroke because it allows the plot to be laid out in fine detail - giving the reader total access to the trap Mr B is ambling in to. Rather than spoiling the reveal, it adds a different dimension, as you will our hero not to do the very thing he goes on to do.
The problem lies in the scenes set in Russia at the start of the book. While Fleming clearly knew Istanbul and The Orient Express, life behind the Iron Curtain comes across as slightly more cliched. As does his portrayal of beautiful women.
The positives just about outweigh the negatives, and as with all his previous books the final third is a gripping page turner.
Still prefer Moonraker though.