Fun Fact: Red Grant was already alluded to in the second chapter of Casino Royale as one of the British servicemen who defected to the Soviet Union.

Kronsteen’s appearance in the film was so much better. Definitely Loved reading about Grant’s backstory. Wish Fleming had written a book just about him.

For your next top 10 video : Top 10 Bond DVD menus

I like in the book how Grant constantly says "old man" to Bond and how much it irritates 007, they didn't do this gag nearly enough in the film.

Yes, a great spy novel, and wisely structured between SMERSH's point of view and Bond's point of view. The planning of the operation by SMERSH is, so far, my fav part of the book. It was indeed supposed to be both the magnum opus and the end of the series, yet Fleming was convinced otherwise. Legend has it that it was Raymond Chandler who supposedly encouraged Fleming to go on.

Write What You Know: The Spektor machine used as the bait for Bond was not a Cold War device, but had its roots in the Second World War Enigma machine, which Ian Fleming had tried to obtain while serving in the Naval Intelligence Division. Fleming had returned from an Istanbul conference via the Orient Express in 1955, but found the experience drab, partly because the restaurant car was closed.

Fun Trivia Facts - After filming the first Bond film Dr. No (1962), producer Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman were unsure of what Ian Fleming Bond book to adapt next to the big screen, until they both came across an article in the March 17th, 1961 issue of LIFE magazine containing then US President John F Kennedy summer reading list of books that he read and enjoyed - sure enough, 'From Russia With Love' was on it & Kennedy said he greatly enjoyed the spy thriller (sadly though, the film would be the last motion picture President Kennedy ever saw, in a private screening held for him, on November 20, 1963 before his death in Dallas, Texas) Author Ian Fleming makes a brief cameo appearance in the film as one of the patrons waiting to board the Orient Express as it passes by him and passes by one of Ali Kerim Bey's sons that Bond was supposed to meet up with. Ian Fleming did publicly state in many interviews that he thoroughly enjoyed the film adaptation of his novel & thought everyone did an excellent job with it. Although he had his reservations about the choice of Sean Connery for the part of James Bond in the beginning and still was having them a little bit after DR. NO was completed, after seeing his performance in this film, Ian Fleming was completely won over by the actor & was quoted as saying "Sean Connery is James Bond" - a quote used as a tagline for the posters & promotional materials of 'You Only Live Twice' (1967). Although he was on many of the sets of Goldfinger (1964) during it's production, this movie would be the final completed film Ian Fleming saw before his death on August 12, 1964. In 1950, a U.S. naval attaché was assassinated and thrown from the Orient Express train by a Communist agent. This real life story inspired Ian Fleming's novel "From Russia With Love" along with Fleming's own experience at an Interpol Conference in Istanbul, Turkey (which also provided the setting as well). The film 'To Paris With Love' (1955) provided inspiration for the tile of this book. The Royal World Premiere of From Russia with Love (1963) was held on October 10, 1963 and attended by John Russell and The Duchess of Bedford. It was held at multiple venues in London which included the London Pavilion with the Odeon Theatre, Leicester Square being the main venue for the occasion. This was the final James Bond premiere attended by Ian Fleming before his death. Sean Connery himself often quoted that the novel was one of his favorite of the Bond books & short stories as well as the film itself also being one of his own personal favorite of all the Bond films. In this film, James Bond/Sean Connery does not exactly say the iconic line "My name is Bond, James Bond" despite the fact that Bond does say it in the book. In many of the Bond books, Bond often drives his beloved Bentley. The car appears in this film for the only time in the regular series... However the Bentley does also make an appearance in the non-EON produced unofficial Bond film 'Never Say Never Again' (1983) At one point, Sir Alfred Hitchcock showed interest in adapting the novel to the big screen, with him as the director in the late 50s (this was before producers Broccoli and Saltzman had acquired the film rights to the Bond books & short stories) but chosed to make 'North By Northwest' (1959) instead. The helicopter sequence in 'From Russia With Love' was an homage to that film. From Russia with Love (1963) James Mason was once set to star as James Bond in a 1958 television adaptation of this book, that was never made, however Mason did appear as one of the main villains in Hitchcock's North By Northwest (1959). Colonel Rosa Klebb is based on an actual Russian colonel that Ian Fleming once wrote about in the Sunday Times. Katina Paxinou was the producers' first choice for the role who was unfortunately unavailable before Austrian actress & singer, Lotte Lenya, took the part. Director Terence Young cast her after hearing one of her musical recordings & thought she had a great forceful voice. In the book of the same name, Rosa Klebb is described as sadist who is an expert at inducing extreme pain and enjoys the act of torturing (which is slightly hinted at in the final film). The posioned knife shoe used by Rosa Kleb in both the book & the film was an actual weapon that was used by spies working for the SS in WWII & also by KGB during the cold war. Ian Fleming, having worked for British intelligence in WWII, would have seen reports of such a weapon being used by spies and would later be inspired to include it in his novel. Both the book & the film's storyline deals with the Lektor Decoding Machine, which was called the Spektor Decoding Machine in the original Ian Fleming novel. Its name was changed because of its similarity with the name of the fictitious criminal spy organization "Spectre" and the producers felt the similar names might confuse audiences thus the name change of the device was done. Fleming based this device on his knowledge of the Enigma Decoding Machine from World War II. Fleming was involved with the Ultra Network who cracked the Enigma Code in 1939. The Ultra Network's activities were not released until 1975 in a book called A Man Called Intrepid (1979), written by Fleming's friend Sir William Stevenson. By the time it was published, the closed period on wartime secrets had expired, and the records were finally declassified.

The first third didn't bore me, exactly, but it did try my patience. I set the book aside after it was done (not because I disliked it, but because life got in the way). Then I picked it up again a few weeks later, started fresh with Bond entering into the story, and couldn't put it down. So richly atmospheric, such a thriller. I liked Tatiana, though my feelings were more akin to pity than either admiration or affection. She lost sight of the mission and came to believe her own fantasy so fully. I'm certain Bond did not fall for her. He recognized her for the pawn she was and, while protective of her, held her at arm's length, knowing she would need to be sacrificed in the end. She never gets mentioned again. Most women in these books never get closure, but a few of them at least get a passing thought far in the future. Not this one. (Unless "What happened to the Russian woman?" "She died" refers to Tatiana? It seems to be referring to Rosa pretty clearly.) When Red Grant reemerged I barely remembered who he was. He seemed much less compelling at the end than at the beginning. Fleming could have ended it here. I think it might be better if he had. There _are_ some very good books ahead, don't get me wrong; but this ties the series up thematically in ways that no later book can. This is for all intents and purposes the end of SMERSH. There's one more battle with them ahead, but it gets aborted halfway through in favor of the villain going rogue and embarking on a private scheme that is ridiculous in its outlandishness. I like SMERSH as the enemy much better, and having them obliviated from the film series in favor of Blofeld becoming responsible for EVERYTHING is one of the most damning things I have to say about _The Adventures of Oversexed Inspector Gadget._

The "From Russia with Love" book was great. Bond used Red Grant's "war and Peace book to kill him. The book was invented by the Russians for Grant to fire bullets to kill people.

The omens were probably because Fleming intended for Bond to stay dead at the end of this novel.

I think the weird thing in the movie is that Bond falls in love with Tania by looking at her photo, but I also think the filmmakers knew that, which is why they let M and Bond speak about girls falling in love with film stars, but a Russian cipher clerk falling in love with a British agent is mental.

During the Second World War Fleming devised Operation Ruthless, a plan instigated to obtain details of the codes of the Enigma machine used by the German navy. The attempt to obtain the enigma was the inspiration for this story. In the end Alan Turing cracked the machine's code.

Reading the book now. I’m at the part where Bond and Kerim Have entered the gypsy camp. Pedro Armendariz captured the essence of the character in a most fantastic way.

Calvin, if you read 'Picking Up The Pieces' by Paul Britton (a British criminal psychologist), he recounts a story of a patient of his who suffered from lycanthropy - the psychological transformation into a werewolf (I think his was at a certain time of the day). Red Grant's background isn't all that supernatural or rare!

5:36 Darko Kerim, owner of the most badass sounding name imaginable.

I’ve been a fan since 2011 and I’m 18 so I started when I was 11 years old and I love Bond and I love your reviews... greetings from America

Just got home from work to find a new Calvin Dyson upload. Life is good!

Interestingly, Bond films were one of the few western franchises that were well-known on my side (eastern) of the Iron curtain. the ending to the book was still a shocker. while reading it i was dumbfounded. they killed bond!

Digging the constant updates, Calvin!

I have almost entirely agreed with your ranking so far it’s uncanny. Great content, keep it up

Great review, Calvin! FRWL happens to be my favorite book and my favorite film. I think Fleming took a bold risk that paid off by focusing on SMERSH and Grant for the first third saving Bond for later in the book. He was looking at new ways to tell a Bond story that might defy reader's expectations. The Spy Who Loved Me book was a less commercially successful attempt at this, but I think Fleming was at his best when he tried to think outside the box. When you get to The Spy Who Loved Me, you'll see what I mean. I don't know if he ever fully intended to kill Bond in the same manner that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle intended to kill Sherlock Holmes only to bring him back out of necessity to earn money for more stories. Fleming clearly wanted Bond to transition to other mediums like either film or TV. After FRWL, The Daily Express contacted Fleming about adapting the preceding novels as comic strips. Obviously, in order for the character to make the transition to other media, it would have been a liability for Fleming to kill Bond off or stop writing Bond stories completely at least until after a deal had been reached. My feeling is that he was in a spot where he had to stay productive during this period in the mid to late 50s in order for Bond to remain a desirable commodity. If I'm right about that, then it kind of fits with what unfolded with Thunderball.

Because of my beloved Calvin, I've been reading and just finished this novel in the series. Favorite read in the series so far. Always love checking in on your opinions and commentary.

I'm glad you're enjoying the books, even the lessser ones have some moments that are really memorable and fun. From Russia With Love is definitely one of the high points and the ending is a hell of a cliffhanger.

Actors I imagine for some characters in the novel: Bond - Timothy Dalton Tania - Kari Wahlgren Kerim - Pedro Armendariz Klebb - Lotte Lenya Grant - Robert Shaw Kronsteen - Vladek Sheybal

I can finally watch video video after just finishing it two seconds ago. I really, really loved it. Might be my favourite until now, together with CR. Great review overall Cal, I agree with almost everything!

Write Who You Know: Rosa Klebb was partly based on Colonel Rybkin-a real-life member of the Lenin Military-Political Academy about whom Fleming had written an article for The Sunday Times. Darko Kerim was modelled after Fleming's Turkish friend, Nazim Kalkavan. Fleming met the Oxford-educated shipowner in Istanbul whilst doing research. Red Grant was based on a Jamaican river guide who Fleming's biographer Andrew Lycett described as "a cheerful, voluble giant of villainous aspect".

God I miss you calvin , I've binge watch your videos since I become a bond fan . I really love your reviews but what happen to some of the review (live and let die , for your eyes only and skyfall part 2) , will you reupload them or remake them ? Anyway I really love your videos and keep up the good work ! (can't wait for the blofeld trilogy)

Will you ever review the post-Fleming Bond novels? Or even the Young Bond novels by Charlie Higson (just bought the complete set myself)?

I think the use of spectre in the film makes the whole story a lot more interesting, but a great book overall!

Ok I’m late for this I haven’t read this book as I’ve gotten many more books for Christmas. And I can’t wait for Dr. No it’s probably my favourite except it does go off the top towards the end. Keep up the good work!

Hi Calvin I've listened to most of the radio version of from Russia with love and it is also my favourite sean Connery bond film. I haven't read the book but I have listened to all the audio book I think.

Besides doing a Book Ranking after completing reading all of them, also do a bond girl ranking, bond allies, and bond villains ranking from the books.

It was after this book that Ian Fleming achieved success and that is why he never stopped writing.

Fun fact - From Russia With Love movie was never actually released in Russia itself until like late 80-s or early 90-s. So I don’t know why they removed SMERSH from the movie, since SMERSH was disbanded shortly after the war ended. Sooo when Bond movies started to pop up in Russia, only one movie became super-hit in this country. It’s GoldenEye of course. Just fun trivia fact from me, since I’m from Russia :D

Good evening Mr. Bond fans cracks me up every time

Are you going to do another Bond 25 discussion video? Or are you just waiting until March 4th when it finally gets into production?

I totally understand why John F Kennedy loved this book. It was probably the best of Ian Flemings novels at this point. I love the changes that were made to suit the movie making the movie my favourite Bondfilm.

In quarantine two years later, I'm reading all of the Bond novels in a somewhat random order (although I'll making sure to read LALD, Thunderball, OHMSS and YOLT in the correct order as I've heard those tie in to other books). So far, I've read Casino Royale and From Russia With Love. Casino Royale I thought was really great, although just like in the film I would've appreciated a bit more from Le Chiffre's character, especially considering that From Russia With Love spends a third of the entire book setting up it's villains. And some more setting up in general would be helpful, with Gettler's character too. From Russia With Love I thought was a masterpiece, and it will go down as one of the best novels I've ever read. Just like the film, the story is so deep and windy that it constantly keeps my attention, and I can draw a lot of similarities between both adaptations and the first Mission Impossible movie. It's so tense and unpredictable that it pushes all of the right buttons for me, even if I knew what was going to happen. My only issue was that I thought that the book slowed down from in between once they got on the train and the time red Grant boards. Everything there just got a little boring, and it became kind of a slog for me to get through that one short bit. But like I said, everything else is genuinely fantastic, and I think I preferred it to Casino Royale. Thanks for the awesome review that has been re-watchable since it's publication!

I always thought the scene between Tatiana and Rosa Klebb should've been shot the way it was written in the book. Instead we get a real watered down version.

Hey Calvin how about a list of your top 10 bond trailers?

Love the 007 Mission in Progress tune in the background. They should bring it back. I dont think it has been used since Moonraker

Love you're reading the books Calvin, wait to you get to the one Bond saves Margaret Thatcher

Great videos keep it up

my favorite bond novel. I think what gives it significance is the fact that the story is inspired by fact. It is not a fantasy like Moonraker. However there are some flaws that the film version does improve on. One being Smershes reason for going along with the operation. A man who has caused us trouble in the past. Lets have him eliminated.

Might be a stupid question but will you be covering the short story collections? (For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy and the Living Daylights)

I've read this book 20 years ago and the only things I remember was Grant shooting Bond with a War and Peace gimmick novel and the Darko Kerim's chained woman to a table story.

Now It’s laughing picturing Bond seeing Grant on the train and just believing he’s an ally like, “Buddy!”

Calvin I read somewhere saying that Jeremy renner would be a great Blofeld , I actually think he'd be great , what do you think ?

A great video!!!!!!!!! Question: Which future Bond book are you looking forward to read the most???????

What I like about this novel is that it is fairly realistic as far as spy stories go this is a type of plot the Russians could have devised in real life and therefore the plot works very well

omg that ominous music change when you start talking about superstition. nice! 😂😂

Read this forty years ago on a similar train journey across eastern Europe. Scared the shit out of me.

Indeed an excellent book (and review).

I would love to see "From Russia with Love" given a second film. They should follow the book exactly and set it in the proper time. Leave Spector out except as the name cipher machine. Imagine the scene with Klebb and Tatyana in Klebb's apartment. Have Kenneth Bragnah (sic) or Tarrentino direct. Film in black and white.

So, Calvin, apparently Rami Malek is being eyed by the producers to play the villain for Bond 25. I think that is a fantastic casting choice, even if it DOES turn out to be a rumor. What do you think?

Yo Calvin! From one Bond fan to another I think you would enjoy my book, Sanction Blue, since it has much in common with the Bond series.

If you're enjoying the books, you might want to read The Man with the Golden Typewriter. It's a collection of Fleming's letters pertaining to the publication of Bond

Top 2 or 3 in the book series for me.

We have a Calvin sighting.

This is completely random but i was watching the transporter yesterday and i thought why don't you review the 3 transporter films excluding the 4th one cuz it doesn't have Jason Statham in it and in a odd way they are like James Bond films. Just saying it's an idea.

I would love to see a film adaptation of license renewed by john Gardner I honestly think John Gardner was just as good as Ian Fleming and he’s the only person I like continuing the books

Doctor No the novel goes crazy near the end.

How funny, it was also my first one. Then I discovered a Bond sometimes naive, vulnerable in front of an enemy, capable of admiring someone else, more human, and consequently more skilled. When I watched the movie I knew Kerim Bay must have been someone stronger than in the film

Kerim has some interesting views on the wants of women! Certainly views from another time, thankfully.

So far through my chronological read through of Bond I’ve found myself less interested in this book, not because it’s a poor story. To the contrary, it’s just that it’s so similar to the film, beat for beat almost…there was no really suspense or drive, except for the ending. However, knowing there are several more subsequent novels that is neutered. I do think it would have been shocking at the time of publication though.Through From Russia with Love, Moonraker is still my favorite Fleming novel as it is so vastly different from the film!

Calvin, it's not a supernatural element: Red Grant suffered from bipolar disorder in the novel, and so at the time, they believed the condition to be influenced by the moon.

This is the best book of the series

Sorry I haven't been watching these. I only read 3 of them so far and I don't want spoilers.

it is 27th.. where is dr no book review

I had to view this review as I’ve just finished the book and was like “did he die? I don’t get it”

Was a view too a kill a book?

I would give the edge the the film, just.

The cover looks like Dalton with Brosnan hair style.

Fact: From Russia With Love is President John F. Kennedy’s favourite book

I pausedd this video and went on a tangent (to my self of course) and then forgot weather sean Connery was bold while he was bond lol

have you ranked the actors of bond ? you should do a video on that mine is Sean Connery Roger Moore Pierce Brosnan Timothy Dalton George Lazemby Daniel Craig

So many people say "it's my favorite book" oder "it's great". I had a real struggle with it and needed 5 days to finish it. Even Diamonds are forever didn't make me fall asleep and I needed 4 days for that book. The only good thing in my opinion is Darko Kerim and I had the feeling from russia with love would work without Bond and just with Darko Kerim as an agent even when he is killed. Bond is so bland and naiv that I couldn't belive that I read about the same bond I left in diamonds are forever. And finally I felt Flemings incapability for writing women. I'm really disappointed of that book but that's just my opinion. There can't be something everyone likes and loves

I wonder why Calvin mispronounces “Kerim” over the course of this review. He seems to pronounce it correctly in every other FRWL video 🤔

I'm surprised you liked this book because I remember reading it - and really HATING it. The idea that smersh would have a meeting that goes, "Hey, what EVIL PLAN should we do today!?" and then come up with a plot that's based on the idea that one of their staff (I think she was a secretary?) would fall in love with Bond after viewing his file seems like an extremely weak thread to hang a plot on. Bond also seems outmanoeuvred for most of the story. OTOH, I did like idea that M was a little uncomfortable suggesting that Bond should "take one for the team" (he even checks that Bond had broken up with Tiffany) to get the decoding device and Red Grant makes a good antagonist for Bond. Yes, the film is pretty true to the book, but that doesn't help as I didn't like the film either!

Surprised he didn’t mention the gypsy sequence. In both the book and movie it goes on too long and the woman fight and giving them over to Bond was embarrassing and cringe worthy. Despite this, From Russia With Love, the book and movie are my favorites.

Always the book for me, I disagree that the film version improves the story with the inclusion of Spectre because it convoluted the story, as with the book its simply Bond against Smersh. Love the book, full Fleming delight.

John J. Kennedy's favorite novel

Glad you are doing more reviews especially the James Bond books now. Of course you have slowed down when there aren't many James Bond movie ideas out there however how about a James Bond ripoff review like In Like Flint with James Coburn or even my favorite Matt Helm with Dean Martin as he had a heck of a car that could be made into a small bedroom complete with drinks bed and pillow. I'm sure you do know there is another Johnny English movie out. Another idea is I know how you were very sadden with Roger Moore passing on. It was a bummer for me to but maybe watch or rewatch a movie where he wasn't James Bond and the best and my favorite was ffolks or rather North Sea Hijack as it is called on youtube, well here it is: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/q6uEpLh_mb7anqc.html It's a different kind of James Bond sporting a beard, vs a mean mf Norman Bates bad guy (Anthony Perkins), also with David (Felix Liter) Hedison and James Mason, superb and the ending will give you goose bumps I think unless you hate cats and kittens of all sorts. I would have loved to see the ffolks character make sequels, I actually love him in ffolks better then James Bond. Another one is called The Wild Geese an all star cast war type of movie with Richard Burton, Richard Harris and Stewart Granger. Great movie even when 2 famous critics Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel gave a dog of the week I could not believe it. Not only did ffloks and The Wild Geese entertain, the characters are all so memorable. Here also on youtube: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/aaiea9Bpr9TWc3U.html The beginning feels like a James Bond movie with the beginning title sequence done by the same guy who did the James Bond title sequences and the music feels like a different James Bond movie but it isn't. There's also Shout Of The Devil with Lee Marvin, of all people teaming up with Roger Moore. Also on youtube: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/p7CKf9Z7z7avdo0.html. One more however a very rare and hard to find Roger Moore movie is The Naked Face, here's a trailer of that movie kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pZefhrSelb-tgWw.html Has an all star cast as well and very different for Roger Moore, well watch the trailer to get a bit of that as he tries not to play a fighter or an action hero as he gets into a sort of fight scene in it and he fails miserably as you would believe his character would. Good reviews by the way.

Please give me this book

Who already uploaded this

There is a reason you liked this book as a 15 year old! Read it a gain! 🤣

This channel is heavily under subbed.

Mathis getting killed by SMERSH in FRWL? Man, that's significantly different from him getting shot by corrupt Bolivian police in 2008 (Though I guess they do technically work for Spectre through Quantum).