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You Only Live Twice (with Interview)

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You Only Live Twice (with Interview)

By: Ian Fleming
Narrated by: Martin Jarvis
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About this listen

James Bond seems unable to function after the death of his wife. Determined to restore 007 to the effective agent he used to be, M sends him on a mission to Japan, to the mysterious ‘Castle of Death’ and into the lair of an old and terrifying enemy. For Bond and Blofeld, this will be their final encounter. Only one of them can survive.

Includes an exclusive bonus interview with Martin Jarvis.

Ian Fleming was born in London in 1908. He was educated at Eton and worked as a journalist in Moscow and a banker and stockbroker in London before becoming personal assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence during the Second World War. He wrote his first Bond novel, Casino Royale, in 1952 at Goldeneye, his home in Jamaica. Since then James Bond has gone on to become a global phenomenon.

Martin Jarvis OBE has recorded more than 150 Just William stories for the BBC. These have become international audio bestsellers. He won the Theatre World Award for his starring role on Broadway in By Jeeves; his West End appearances include works by Ayckbourn, Frayn, Pinter and Wilde. Screen successes include everything from Stargate Atlantis, Dr Who and Numb3rs to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the Oscar®-winning Titanic.

©1964 Ian Fleming Publications Ltd (P)2013 Ian Fleming Publications Ltd. © AudioGO Ltd, 2012. James Bond and 007 are registered trademarks of Danjaq LLC, used under licence by Ian Fleming Publications Ltd.
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Critic reviews

"Must rank among the best of the Bond tales." ( Bookman)
"As damnably readable as ever." ( Daily Herald)
"Rich, wonderful stuff, Fleming at his flaming best." ( New York Times)
"Fleming doesn’t waste a word… his sense of surprise is perfect" (BBC)
"Escapism in the grand manner." ( Boston Globe)

What listeners say about You Only Live Twice (with Interview)

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

The last of the good Bond books

What did you like most about You Only Live Twice (with Interview)?

The sympathy shown towards Bond by his superiors. The positive depiction of Japanese culture, especially in contrast with our own. The aftermath - especially the thing Bond doesn't know because Kissy doesn't tell him.

What other book might you compare You Only Live Twice (with Interview) to, and why?

Apart from the other Bond books, I can't think of any. At times it feels like a fantasy novel, and at other times like a Saturday morning serial from long before I was born.

What about Martin Jarvis’s performance did you like?

Nothing in particular. He did the job well, as always.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, I'm never going to do that with an unabridged novel.

Any additional comments?

It's very pleasing the way the closing volume of a trilogy leads straight into the next story. Shame The Man With The Golden Gun isn't very good.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Another winner from this fantastic series

The series of Bond audiobooks is one of the best in the catalogue. Each one is brilliantly cast, enhancing Ian Fleming's superb prose. Martin Jarvis is one of the finest audiobook narrators around, and he does a fabulous job here (though it is a little disconcerting having recently listened to him narrating the Just William books). Highly recommended.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Not watch I was expecting.

Another Bond book that was different to what I thought it would be, but in a good way. It bares some similarities to the film, but this was great.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Dubious accents

The story is good, very different from the rest of the bond novels. However the language is very dated and some dialogue made me cringe albeit it was considered appropriate for the era. The reading I felt was poor. some really dodgy accents that I'm surprised you could get away with. Bonds narration also didn't seem to fit with his character. Too upper class. 50 years since I originally read the book, some I have re-read and some audiobooks listened too. On general presentation and an experience I had to give it a low score. But the narration I found the worst.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Last book

This book was very well read by Martin, I felt it took a very long time ,up 12 chapters before the story really began follow just like the old James Bond books.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent story and superb narration

This is a classic Bond and far better than the film. This is a faithful unabridged version with a superb narrator. You really get a feel for the ‘true’ Bond in this ‘book’- one of Flemings best!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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A more unusual Bond

This is definitely a more unusual Bond novel. Fleming begins with a demotivated depressed Bond, who with flashes of his past is able to rediscover himself and face his nemesis. This isn’t a spoiler but I do like the uncertainty and the dramatic irony of the ending, thinking .….”Don’t do it James !”
There are no surprises in Fleming’s imperial view; however they carry accurate insights of a changing political world.
Jarvis’ narration is good but I would have preferred a younger voice

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Fleming knocked it out of the park again

Fleming transports us 1960s Japan and gives us a surprising look into depression and PTSD with Bond who has been left a shell of his former self after the murder of his wife.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great listen, well presented and very different from the film

I've been working my way through the James Bond audiobooks over the last few months and I was not expecting this story to have anything original to grab my attention. I was pleasantly surprised to find it contained a great many new ideas, was as beautiful as the earlier books and seemed rather less racist to boot. It's still not politically correct but it is certainly less unkind than the previous books.

I enjoyed listening. The action takes a little time to bring but the build up is interesting and Bond's exploration of and immersion in Japanese culture is quite deep and thoughtful. There's nothing worth skipping over and I highly recommend this book.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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This is of course why I am here.

I never read the books when I was younger, I was too much into 2000AD, Marvel and SciFi generally. But I have seen ALL the movies they inspired, so now I am catching up on all I missed out on.

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