My library didn't have Casino Royale so I picked this title, because the film version is one of my favorite of the series. I was disappointed though, as the book is much less exciting and Bond himself comes across as a secondary, very flat character. If the success of the franchise had been decided on this one story, I seriously doubt we would still be watching Bond flicks 50 years later.

I liked the added back story of the villain, Red Grant, but at the same time he has so little 'screen time' that you practically forget about him, and he doesn't seem as menacing as in the film. Kerim Bey seemed to the the main character of the story, he talks and talks and Bond just follows his lead for a long time.

The sexism exhibited is, I suppose, par for the course given when the book was published, though I did think that Tatiana was a more solid character than women in other stories from the same time.

It may not be fair to compare the book to the film, but honestly the story left me feeling that Fleming had a great idea, but was just not a terribly good writer. I would still like to read 'Casino Royale' but I won't go out of my way to read any of his other Bond novels.