James Bond is back, memory restored after his amnesia in Japan – and brainwashing in Soviet Russia!
He Kills Birds?!
The Man With The Golden Gun was Ian Fleming’s final James Bond novel. There are two more short story collections, but this was Bond’s last longer adventure – and it’s a tight, taut mission that is reminiscent of The Spy Who Loved Me, in that the villain, Francis Scaramanga, is no great meglomaniacal madman, but a gangster gunman. All the same, he’s a scary one, a dead shot and the fastest draw possibly in the world – and he’s a mean, nasty piece of work, the sort of man who kills someone else’s pet birds for fun.
Brainwashed and Electro-Shocked
Bond is lucky to be on the case at all. Having gone to Russia at the end of You Only Live Twice to attempt to recover his memory, he fell (off stage) into the hands of the KGB, who brainwash him into doing a mission for them – to kill M. Luckily, Bond is stopped and given electrotherapy to erase the brainwashing and restore his full memory. Before we know it, he’s off to the Caribbean on the hunt for Francisco Scaramanga, a hitman who uses a gold plated Colt pistol. Scaramanga is up to his neck in murky dealings, attempting to destabilise the region with the help of the American Mafia and the KGB.
When Bond meets Scaramanga, during the bird shooting scene, he stands up to the hitman, refusing to be intimidated. Sort of impressed, sort of intrigued, but also smelling trouble and recognising its best to keep your enemies close, Scaramanga hires Bond to help him run a conference for business associates.
The Egos Have Landed
What follows can best be described as a battle of egos, with Bond unwilling to appear cowed (which would surely be the sensible tactic) in front of Scaramanga’s bluster. The contrast and similarities between the two men is interesting. The battle scene towards the end was very well done – possibly one of the best of the entire series, and marked a great, and very welcome return for Bond’s CIA friend Felix Leiter.
An Ever Changing View
There’s an interesting personal conclusion to the book, when Bond comes to the conclusion that Mary Goodnight, his long term secretary, would be a perfect long term companion – except he knows he would get bored. He needs change, and variety, and so at the end of his final case, we sense that his somewhat lonely existence will continue forever more. The fact this was Fleming’s final novel makes that thought extra-poignant
In conclusion, I really enjoyed The Man With The Golden Gun. It was probably the shortest of the Bond novels, with none of the tour guide expository of You Only Live Twice. That said, one of Fleming’s greatest skills was in describing scenes very evocatively. Jamaica felt vivid, almost a character of its own within the novel. Apparently, Fleming was ill when he wrote the book, so it’s less polished and refined than others in the series, but that adds to the gritty, noirish atmosphere.
Rating: 83%
My Other James Bond Reviews
- You Only Live Twice
- On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
- The Spy Who Loved Me
- Thunderball
- Goldfinger
- Dr No
- From Russia With Love
- Diamonds Are Forever
- Moonraker
- Live and Let Die
- Casino Royale
- Kim Sherwood’s ‘Double 0 Agents’
No Way To Live
My own thriller series, Angel of the South, begins with No Way To Live:
She’s the deadliest person he knows. And now he’s betrayed her.
A ruthless London gang targets an innocent shopkeeper and his daughter, prompting Tom Adams to walk away from the criminal life he never wanted. After all, it’s the season of goodwill. When he warns the shopkeeper of the danger he’s in, Tom betrays Billie, the gang’s boss, and the complicated history they both share.
For Billie, Tom’s desertion comes at the worst possible time. Surrounded by enemies, she’s fighting a war on two fronts and can’t afford to look weak. If Tom had known the full story, he might have stuck around. Fatally, he isn’t even the gang’s only traitor.
And the ‘innocent’ shopkeeper? His past might be darker than anyone’s.
Caught in a clash of love, loyalty and revenge, Tom must choose between Billie, the woman he once trusted, and the possibility of a life worth living.
No Way To Live will be available on Amazon from December 1st, 2025.
Other Opinions
Here are some other reviews of The Man With The Golden Gun:
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