Casino Royale
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4.5 • 76 Ratings
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
Read by Richard Armitage
JAMES BOND PLAYS A DEADLY GAME OF CHANCE IN IAN FLEMING’S LEGENDARY FIRST 007 NOVEL
“Le Chiffre” is a ruthless operative and the accountant for a soviet SMERSH cell in France, but he’s on the verge of disaster after gambling away his client’s money. Taking the last of his stash, he lures a dozen wealthy players to a high-stakes baccarat game, hoping to hustle his way whole.
The British Secret Service would like to see this red thorn plucked from the hide of Europe, and sends their best card sharp, James Bond, to bankrupt Le Chiffre for good.
With the cards running against him and SMERSH operatives threatening to kill him and his beautiful ally, Vesper Lynd, 007 needs his luck to turn before he wagers away their lives.
Customer Reviews
Casino Royale
Casino Royale by Ian Fleming marks the debut of James Bond, the world’s most famous secret agent.
While I enjoyed the novel, I have to admit that this is one of the rare cases where the film adaptation—in this case, the 2006 Daniel Craig version—surpasses the source material.
As the first entry in the series, the book feels like it drops readers straight into the action without much setup. The casino and baccarat sequences, which should have been the centerpiece, come across as surprisingly rushed. For a story built around such high-stakes tension, I felt it needed more time to breathe.
Interestingly, the post-casino portion, with Bond and Vesper’s romance, felt far more developed. Once Bond is rescued, the narrative slows down, allowing for more character depth and emotional weight. That section was easily the highlight for me.
Supporting characters like Felix Leiter and Mathis also added strength to the story, with Leiter’s involvement being particularly enjoyable.
Overall, Casino Royale is a solid and enjoyable introduction to Bond, but I found myself wishing the plot and characters had been given more space to develop. For me, it’s a strong 4/5—a good start, but not quite as refined or gripping as expected with later Bond adventures in film.