Casino Royale by Ian Fleming

Casino Royale (James Bond Novels)

I'll admit that I read this book because I liked the movie so much. Casino Royale was so much more a movie than 007 movies of recent past that I found myself wanting to see what the book was like. As with most books that are made into movies, the story is either truncated, embellished or otherwise changed for the screen, but the general concept of the story is similar.

James Bond is a young agent in the British Intelligence Service and is assigned to gamble at the casino in Royale. He is attempting to uncover and neutralize a high-stakes Russian spy known as "Le Chiffre".

There are other agents involved from different countries but another British agent from another section, the beautiful Vesper, shows up at the casino. Bond begins to fall for her when he knows he shouldn't. But Vesper is different from the other romantic flings he's had in his fast-paced life in service.

The pace ramps up as both Vesper and Bond are captured. Bond is tortured by Le Chiffre in a way that will make all men cringe in pain. This torture scene, by the way, is quite the same in the movie. As his recovery progresses, he states that he is quitting the service, embellishing on his take on the nature of evil. Bond and Vesper go off to a secluded villa and spend time together but it is quickly spoiled by distance and Bond finds out that Vesper is not all she seems to be.