Octopussy and The Living Daylights by Ian Fleming

Why read the book?

In Ian Fleming’s Octopussy and The Living Daylights, the last book in the James Bond series, readers get four short stories: Octopussy, The Living Daylights, The Property of a Lady, and 007 in New York. These stories show Bond’s many talents, from hunting a war criminal in Jamaica to sniping a KGB agent in Berlin, outbidding a Soviet operative at a fancy auction, and thinking about a quick mission in New York.

Each story mixes espionage, tough choices, and exotic places, with characters like the sad Major Dexter Smythe and the mysterious sniper “Trigger.” This short collection brings Fleming’s usual mix of exciting action, deep thinking, and Cold War mystery.

Favourite quote

The frontier is where the real test of a man lies, not in the safety of the known.

What I Loved

Octopussy and The Living Daylights are both fantastic movies with short but exciting stories. Each one has a unique setting, from the beautiful coral reefs of Jamaica to the tense border of Berlin. The Living Daylights is especially great, with its intense sniper duel and moral dilemma.

Octopussy is also really good, showing Major Smythe’s struggle with guilt and redemption. Fleming is a master of creating complex characters and exciting situations in a short amount of time, and this collection is a perfect way to end the Bond series.

Key Takeaway

In espionage, every move counts—courage and conscience are the keys to being a true spy.