“Bond’s right hand flashed out and the face of the Rolex disintegrated against the man’s jaw.”
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is the tenth James Bond novel by Ian Fleming, and was originally published in 1963. It is the second book in the Blofeld/ SPECTRE trilogy, which began with Thunderball and concludes with You Only Live Twice.
Following the events of Thunderball, Bond has been tasked by MI6 to find Ernst Stavro Blofeld, and the members of his criminal organisation, SPECTRE. His mission is to pose as a genealogist at the College of Arms and travel to Blofeld’s alpine base in Switzerland to stop a plan that will destroy Britain from the inside. Little does he know that victory will bring tragic consequences…
I was interested to see where Fleming would take the organisation of SPECTRE and its chief mastermind Blofeld, having really enjoyed Thunderball. Thankfully, overall this is one of the stronger Bond novels with some minor detractions.
Firstly, this is one of the best portrayals of the character of Bond and his story. Fleming dedicates a serious chunk of the novel in developing a more caring, reserved and human side of his character that is rarely explored in the previous novels. We also get a rare glimpse into Bond’s childhood and origins which is fantastic to read.
The book also introduces the character of Tracy (Teresa di Vicenzo) and her father Marc-Ange Draco, who play prominent supporting roles in the novel. The interactions and relationship between Bond and Marc-Ange always feel warm and joyous (akin to his relationship with Felix Leiter) and Marc-Ange plays a prominent role in supporting Bond in his mission to take down Blofeld and his criminal associates. Unfortunately the character of Tracy is sadly underdeveloped (she makes brief appearances in the book), and Bond’s subsequent attraction and relationship with her feels a tad unbelievable in some ways. Nevertheless, there are some wonderful scenes of them together though, with some fantastic dialogue and banter.
Of the other supporting characters, Bond’s chief M also plays a larger role than in other novels, with some fantastic insights into his private life when Bond visits his house during Christmas.
The best aspect of the book however, are the action scenes. Fleming manages to tone down some of the more obnoxious aspects of his previous novels (racism, sexism, snobbery, etc) and fully dedicates the book to some gorgeous and fantastic scenes of action and violence. In particular, the ski chase and skeleton bobsled sequences down the Swiss Alps are some of the best chapters of the entire series. There is real tension and danger here, and a high likelihood that Bond will not make it out in one piece.
Here is a brief except:
“First there came a deep boom from high up the mountain, and a speck of flame, that wobbled in its flight, soared into the sky above him. There was a pause at the top of its parabola, a sharp crack, and a blazing magnesium flare on a parachute began its wandering descent, wiping out the black shadows in the hollows, turning everything into a hideous daylight.”
Which brings me to the final aspect of the review – of Blofeld, SPECTRE, and the antagonists. Unfortunately this is a bit of a letdown. Whilst Blofeld, his henchwoman, Irma Bunt, and the girls at Piz Gloria are all developed well, his meeting with Bond and his ‘master plan’ are a tad underwhelming and ridiculous. In particular, it is unlikely that a character as private, unseen and reserved as Blofeld would simply agree to a meeting with a government official to assume some family titles and inheritances, given his extraordinary wealth already from SPECTRE. His master plan to destroy Britain is also ludicrous (without going into spoilers), whilst the first meeting with Bond is also a tad anticlimactic, given what we’ve previously been told about this incredible man.
Regardless, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is still a fantastic novel in the James Bond series and is highly recommended for the action/crime fan. The action sequences in particular are the peak of the series.
Rating: 8/10
Also some brief thoughts on the 1969 film: Absolutely marvelous. Truly one of the best and most underrated Bond films of all time. George Lazenby and Diana Rigg are excellent. The ski chases and action sequences are beautifully shot, with some gorgeous cinematography. The film even manages to improve some aspects of the book (e.g. Tracy’s character gets a major upgrade). The soundtrack by John Barry is also arguably the best in the series. Just listen to the opening theme!
Andrew Reviews 