Gurglings of a Putrid Stream

* The second Bond book.

* Second appearance of Leiter and SMERSH, first of Strangways and Quarrel.

* Not quite as interesting or entertaining as Casino Royale, perhaps because the villain, Mr. Big, is identified more with old pirate treasure than SMERSH. (Bond's vendetta against SMERSH is perfectly understandable, yet vaguely amusing in the sense that if it weren't for SMERSH, Bond would be dead.) Also partly because the story is less personal.

* Solitaire makes a wonderful femme fatale; unfortunately, we don't get enough of her in her voodoo element.

* Saw some comments that the book is racist. It's not. In fact, on at least two occasions it is pointed out how blacks have risen to the highest levels in all fields of endeavor. You want racism, read Edgar Rice Burroughs.



* The eighth Bond movie (Roger Moore).

* If Live and Let Die had been made in the last few years, what with the popularity of Depp's Pirates of the Caribbean movies, perhaps its original plot, involving a pirate's buried treasure, would have survived. As it is, that aspect is tossed overboard in favor of drug smuggling.

* Yet, as with Diamonds Are Forever, taken on its own level, this is an entertaining movie. Roger Moore (with seven years of playing Simon Templar on "The Saint" behind him) is quite comfortable in the role of Bond.

* Great title song, in spite of the fact that the phrase "in which we live in" is infuriating.