I've been meaning to get around to this book since I bought it on Kindle years ago. Shorter than I expected, but it got the story told without a lot of fluff. A bit darker and rougher than you expect from the movies. The age of the novel does show a bit, but not nearly as I had worried. The age of the book does lead to some thoughts and things said that would make us cringe in present day. As for Bond, he is fresh and not completely sure of himself just yet as a Double 0 agent. This basically sets the stage for his attitude going forward. I look forward to reading more down the line. 3.5 out of 5