Bond Has a What? A View of the Famous Agent on His Home Turf

Have you ever wondered what James Bond does in between missions? When you think about it, we always think of, and see, Bond in action. We never see him actually living or as an ordinary person who has an extraordinary job. 

In the movies, the most we see him in this capacity is when he comes into the office, hat in hand, smiling at Miss Moneypenny, and going into M’s office to be briefed. In the previous two novels, Casino Royale and Live and Let Die, we join Bond while he is on a mission–far from home.

So, when Moonraker begins, it’s a bit of a shock. We aren’t in the French Riviera, or in New York City. Instead, we join James Bond at the firing range as he trains with his Colt revolver. He’s not on a mission, he’s simply going through his Monday training before going to his office to memorize the contents of the files on his desk. 

Here, the movie has nothing whatever to do with the book. So, the best advice I have is to come in with a clean slate and no expectations except that Bond is going to catch the villain. 

James Bond has a life outside of his missions. 

He’s not got much of one, which is a very comforting thought. He goes to work and then returns to his flat of an evening. Like most of us, when it comes down to it. As anyone who’s worked in any capacity in a government department like the Secret Service (or the military) knows, your life isn’t entirely your own. In Casino Royale, Bond’s French contact refers to him as a “useful tool.” Something the Services can make use of in a supposedly bigger cause. 

In Moonraker, James Bond is a human being. He eats lunch like anyone else, drives to the office, takes dinner, and has the odd affair to keep his romantic proclivities in check. He has a moderate salary that allows him a nice London flat and the occasional indulgence. Nothing too flashy or ritzy like we get to see him while he’s hunting down SMERSH agents. 

We also get to see him on a more personal level with his boss, M, and his secretary, 

Loelia Ponsonby. Yes, Bond has his own office and secretary. Surprised? It’s not all Miss Moneypenny in the novels. Although you have to wonder at the names Fleming gives some women in these books. But then, as many other commenters have noted, James Bond is mostly a fantasy. 

So what’s wrong with outrageous names for some characters? Makes them memorable, at least and secretaries (modern-day administrative or virtual assistants) should be memorable. But then, being an administrative professional, I might be slightly biased. 

If you haven’t read the book and don’t want any spoilers, proceed with caution. I’ve done my best to be as non-committal as possible as to the plot, but there are hints here and there. 

The book’s premise is missile warfare. 

The title of the book refers to the name given to the missile a businessman, Hugo Drax, is building for national defense. No, he doesn’t have a contract. He’s doing it out of the seeming goodness of his heart. And his own pocket, no less. Now, for those of us in the 21st century who have seen business executives use government to line their own pockets, we’re automatically suspicious. 

But that’s part of the mystery here. The press in the book celebrates Drax and the public (as well as most of the government sing his praises. Even with Bond, there’s a sense that Drax should receive gratitude and not suspicion. And Bond never quite lets go of his suspicion. Of course, Special Branch has two agents embedded within the operation to monitor things. 

Part of the mystery revolves around Hugo Drax’s true identity. He seemingly has none. Like Bond, he fought in WWII. But he lost his memory and couldn’t remember anything about who he was, where he came from, or his family. 

HIs true identity is a shock. He’s not even British, as it turns out, and he knew exactly who he was all along. He picked up the name because it was convenient at the time. 

And no, he’s not really a SMERSH agent. It’s more probable than that. Certainly a lot more probable than the megalomaniac eugenist depicted in the movie version. 

The other half of the mystery is around the death of his head of security, one of the embedded agents at the Moonraker facility. That is where Bond gets involved. 

And where I will leave you to read the book for yourself. 

The real hero of the book isn’t necessarily Bond. 

James Bond has a sidekick in this novel. Yes, it’s another “Bond girl” but unlike the two previous “Bond girls” in the books, this one, Gala Brand, is much more of a colleague. She isn’t a secretary, like Vesper Lynd. She isn’t a victim like Solitaire. She’s an active member of Special Branch, a true agent, not a secretary. 

It’s Gala who figures out that the Moonraker’s target isn’t somewhere in the North Sea, as Drax claims. She’s also the one who knows how to reset the missile’s coordinates so that it doesn’t hit its secret target. She’s the one crunching the numbers for the missile launch. And having them summarily dismissed with no feedback. 

This is clever because Drax’s dismissal was normal behavior during this time period. The fact she’s suspicious shows that she’s not just a prettyish face for the Special Branch, she’s earned her place as an agent despite the times. So, if Bond or anyone else asked, they wouldn’t think anything of Drax ignoring a woman’s calculations. Except Bond does believe her. 

As do her superiors. That’s perhaps the beauty of the book. We like to think of all women in these books as being portrayed as objects and treated as such. Seeing her be the real hero is a pleasant surprise. 

Her one limitation is, as it is for many women, her lack of the bodily strength that’s needed to survive a partial cliff collapse, extreme heat, and near liquidation. That is where Bond comes in. He has the brawn and the reflexes she needs to survive and save the missile’s secret target from destruction. He saves her from physical harm at one point when an attempt is made on both their lives. And he’s the one to shield her from the worst of the injuries when the missile launches. 

So, yes, Bond defeats the villain. He unmasks him and riles him enough to to give Gala and him a chance to act. But it’s Gala who ultimately saves the day. 

Slow pacing is perhaps one of the few weaknesses here. 

If you’re still riding the high from Live and Let Die (no rhyme intended), then Moonraker is perhaps going to drag in comparison. There is a drawn-out bridge game here which is hard to understand if you don’t know the game of bridge. How many of us today know there even is a game called “bridge” that you play with cards? 

Most people these days are more familiar with poker. 

Another point in this novel is you see much more of Bond’s regular habits. Now, given that we expect Bond to be a secret agent, we may not be as interested in his day-to-day doings. Why would we be? We want explosions, excitement, and action. 

Not necessarily Bond mulling over Hugo Drax’s personality and why he might be so brutish in his social dealings. But this is the nature of this novel. Fleming is trying to build you a more complete picture of Bond as a three-dimensional person. Not just an action figure or a pin-up. 

Is it perhaps too slow? I think that’s a matter of opinion. It may not appeal to every reader, but it appeals to a reader who perhaps wants something with a little more than what we’re used to seeing. 

Ultimately, Moonraker is the pinnacle of why Ian Fleming’s novels should be read more widely and frequently. I’ve made my opinions on Bond as a literary character more than abundantly clear elsewhere, so I won’t reiterate those here. What I will reiterate is that the books differ from the movies, and give a much more rounded and likable character. 

If you’re interested, I got myself a copy of the Thomas & Mercer edition. I wouldn’t recommend waiting for the 2023 editions to appear in the United States simply because they have been “sanitized” for modern sensibilities. I comment on that elsewhere too! 

 

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