"Until it is, our policy with Mr Big is 'live and let live'. Bond looked quizzically at Captain Dexter
'In my job,' he said, 'when I come up against a man like this one, I have another motto. It's 'live and let die'."

This quote says it all, both about Bond and about the MAGA that assaulted our capitol today in an attempted coup. We can't "live and let live" with these fascists, who would just as soon see our entire government die for their precious leader.

Anyhow, to the book, Fleming's second Bond book. He works more to introduced the character and his service. This is also Bond's first visit to Jamaica, and he uses many of the characters that later saw life on Bond's big screen debut, Dr. No (the sixth Bond book).

Fleming also worked hard to portray the dialog, which may have worked in 1954, but is cringe worthy cover to cover in 2021. The story drags a bit in the middle, as Bond spends more than a week preparing for his invasion. The film, and later books, skip over this - the Bond character is "ready to go" for any situation, and that's what we the reader expect. His distraction for a fast car, when a damsel is in distress, is also painful to read.

It is a better book than the first, but Fleming hadn't found his voice yet. 3 of 5 stars.