Year - 1953

Tease - James Bond declares war on Le Chiffre, French Communist and paymaster of the Soviet murder organization SMERSH.  The battle begins for ace secret agent in a fifty-million-franc game of baccarat . . . gains momentum in his fiery love affair with a sensuous lady spy . . . and reaches a chilling climax with fiendish torture at the hands of a master sadist.

Villain - Le Chiffre, a French man working for Russia.  He is the undercover paymaster of the Communist-controlled trade union in Alsace.  Recently he carelessly appropriated funds to finance a string of brothels for his own profit.  Now, he must repay his debts back to the Soviets.  His target are the baccarat tables at Royale-les-Eaux.

Bond-Girl - Vesper Lynd, a black hair and blue-eyed beauty who is assigned to Bond.  She carries herself with confidence and professionalism.  Although, she offers her body to Bond, she remains an enigma until the last chapter.

Minor Characters - Rene Mathis, Felix Leiter.

Plot - Bond is sent to Royale-les-Eaux to defeat Le Chiffre at baccarat and hopefully cause the collapse of the Communist trade union.

Highlights - The baccarat game between Bond and Le Chiffre, the torture scene with Bond and a carpet beater.

Opening Sentence - The scent and smoke and sweat of a casino are nauseating at three in the morning.

Trivia - The first American paperback edition was titled You Asked For It.

Personal Comment About This Novel - The novel is a great start for Fleming.  Fantastic detail in the gambling scenes and very atmospheric throughout.  Bond is a cold-hearted killer in this book but will eventually act more human in later stories.

Jonathan Cape hardcover edition

Dr. Shatterhand's Scale from 1 - 10

"9"

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