It seems that lady luck is taken with James - Le Chiffre has hit a losing streak. This, the first of Fleming’s tales of agent 007, finds Bond on a mission to neutralize a lethal, high-rolling Russian operative called simply “Le Chiffre” - by ruining him at the baccarat table and forcing his Soviet spymasters to “retire” him. “Introducing James Bond: charming, sophisticated, handsome chillingly ruthless and very deadly. Teaser from the Penguin paperback edition: “But don’t let me down and become human yourself. They are easier to fight for than principles.“ He laughed. Opening Sentence: The scent and smoke and sweat of a casino are nauseating at three in the morning.īest line: “Surround yourself with human beings, my dear James. Page Count: 218 (UK First Edition), 187 (US First Edition), 228 (UK Paperback), 178 (US Paperback) Story Locations: London (England), Royale-les-Eaux (France) MI6 Personnel: M, Miss Moneypenny, Bill Tanner He was a secret agent, and still alive thanks to his exact attention to the detail of his profession.
