You Only Live Twice

You Only Live Twice is the aftermath of the tragedy Bond suffered in OHMSS. As the story opens we find that Bond is off his game, the cold killer agent messing up missions as his grief clouds his abilities. M is thinking of dismissing him when he's given the idea of presenting 007 with an “impossible” mission in the hope it will jolt him out of his doldrums. So Bond finds himself sent out to Japan, under the tutelage of Tiger Tanaka, head of the Japanese secret service.

Tanaka reveals that a certain Dr. Shatterhand (truly one of Fleming's worst names for a villain), has created a “garden of death” atop a huge castle on the coast of Japan's southern island. A vast array of the deadliest plants and snakes in the world attract a steady stream of suicides and the authorities seem helpless to stop it. Tanaka tasks Bond with killing Shatterhand and destroying the garden. Strictly off the books, complete deniability.

Fleming packs the first half of the book with Bond being a fish out of water and stereotype is piled upon stereotype when it comes to the Japanese character, women and lifestyle. It's borderline racist stuff and does leave a bad taste in the mouth.

Bond here is a broken man, his cruel streak to the fore, especially when he learns the true identity of Dr Shatterhand.

Given a crash course in how to be Japanese, Tanaka makes Bond adopt the disguise of a mute, deaf miner from Fukuoka and deposits him on the small fishing island of Kura, in sight of the looming castle of death. Of course there is a romantic interest, which this time comes in the form of Kissy Suzuki, a young woman who dives for awabi but who also happens to have made one Hollywood movie and speaks perfect English. Ahem!

The denouement is packed into the final few chapters and is a little perfunctory. Signs that Fleming was growing bored of his creation perhaps. He's tying up loose ends from the last few novels and perhaps he was seeking and ending for Bond's adventures. Whatever the case YOLT is a step down from the heights of OHMSS. A good, efficient spy thriller, if a little frayed around the edges.