GOLDFINGER [Paperback]

This isn't a bad novel, but compared with the better Bond books, this is pretty weak. The plot seems hastily assembled, is far-fetched, and the ending seems rushed and improbable, even for Fleming.

That said, it does have its good points. The villain, Auric Goldfinger, is one of the most fully realized characters Fleming ever created, and Oddjob is certainly a menacing strongman. The early chapters, where Bond teaches Goldfinger a lesson and then trails him across Europe, are mostly good, but the golf game goes on WAY too long and seems indicative of Fleming's general lack of ideas here. The last several chapters are a mess; the whole idea of robbing Fort Knox wasn't that great to begin with.

All in all, "Goldfinger" is little more than a mediocre addition to the Bond series.

The book begins by telling of as assignment in Mexico to stop the shipment of heroin to England by unofficial means. Arriving in Miami, he meets an American millionaire who wants his advice. Bond finds out why: Junius is losing thousands playing two-handed Canasta. Bond discovers the cheating method, and turns this around; this is his introduction to Goldfinger. [Fleming's detailed observations shows his skills as a former foreign reporter and intelligence agent.] Back in England Bond is assigned to investigate smuggling gold from Britain to India (reversing the effect of 19th century imperialism?). Goldfinger is the suspect; he uses a chain of shops to buy Old Gold (a euphemism for stolen goods?). The problem is to find the method used in smuggling so it can be ended. Goldfinger is also suspected of being a paymaster to Soviet spies, and thus a target for counter-espionage. Bond and Goldfinger play a game of golf. [Fleming shows his skill for details and knowledge of the game and course.] Once again Bond outwits Goldfinger by out-cheating him.

Bond follows Goldfinger to France, and on to Switzerland. There is a complication in "Miss Tilly Soames:, and they are caught spying on Goldfinger. Bond offers to work for Goldfinger to save his life and Tilly's too. To further the plot, this offer is accepted! They are flown to New York to be used in Goldfinger's next bold and illegal project, so audacious as to be unthinkable: robbing Fort Knox of its gold! The rest of the book tells how this plot is put into action, and how it fails through the heroic efforts of James Bond. The story continues with Goldfinger's escape from Fort Knox, and his later reappearance in a hijacked airplane. There is a miraculous escape. Oddjob is rejected, Goldfinger no longer needs his millions. Bond survives the crash of a Stratocruiser at sea. And so ends another fantastic story from the mind of Ian Fleming.

To learn more about Ian Fleming you can read "Ian Fleming The Spy Who Came In with the Gold" by Henry A. Zeiger. His last chapter tries to explain the popularity of the Bond novels. Perhaps Bond is a heroic figure who can always win against adversity [like The Lone Ranger?]. Does Fleming deliberately and systematically excite and satisfy the worst instincts of his readers? Or does Fleming play to the faults of mankind, who like to read about places and activities that would be strange to their lives? John Le Carre (cover name) says that Bond is a mirror of contemporary maladjustments. Ian Fleming seems like a later version of John Buchan. Fleming's politicization of the enemy recalls the novels of E. Phillips Oppenheim. Note how often the Bond villains are parvenus fighting against the Establishment [a reflection of the sun setting on the British Empire?].