How many James Bond films have you seen? I would guess most people have watched at least one or two, especially from the Daniel Craig era. As for me, I’ve seen most of them at least once in my life – my college roommates and I spent a whole weekend binge-watching all the Roger Moore films – but I don’t consider myself a “fan” per se.

A friend of mine, on the other hand, is a huge James Bond aficionado. She knows everything about the martini-sipping spy, including his adventures from both the novels and the movies. Recently, she gave me a copy of Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale, which was the very first novel to feature 007. It was published way back in 1953, and the story is similar to that of the movie. Even the torture scene (if you’ve seen the movie, you know which one I’m talking about!) is taken directly from the book.

Would I recommend it? Unfortunately, it’s hard to give a simple “yes.” On one hand, fans of the series will enjoy discovering Bond’s literary roots. He appears smart and sophisticated, but also more vulnerable and nuanced than he ever does in the movies.

However, the gambling scenes at the titular Casino Royale take up more than half of the book, and they require a very specialized vocabulary. I found myself turning to the dictionary quite often during the long, detailed descriptions of the casino and baccarat, Bond’s game of choice against the villain Le Chiffe. My vocabulary may have improved a little, but it was more frustrating than fun. More importantly, the book can be shockingly old-fashioned in the way it regards women. Bond’s interactions with Vesper, the only important female character in the story, highlight the blatant sexism that was so prominent at the time. Honestly, it’s a bit hard to read now.

In spite of my criticisms, Casino Royale is a fun little time capsule that contains 007 in his original, unfiltered form. It’s informative, if nothing else!

If anyone at NEO is interested in reading it, I’d be happy to loan you my copy.