The 2018 Reading Challenge - #37 - A Book you meant to read in 2017 but you didnt get to

Hello bookworms :)

I can´t think of an introduction I did not have so far...I´m feeling creative like a brick today ;)
So a new book review it is and today its for -A Book you meant to read in 2017 but you didn´t get to- and the book is

Casino Royale
by Ian Fleming

Casino Royale is the first novel by the British author Ian Fleming. Published in 1953, it is the first James Bond book, and it paved the way for a further eleven novels and two short story collections by Fleming, followed by numerous continuation Bond novels by other authors. 

The story concerns the British secret agent James Bond, gambling at the casino in Royale-les-Eaux to bankrupt Le Chiffre, the treasurer of a French union and a member of the Russian secret service.

Bond is supported in his endeavours by Vesper Lynd, a member of his own service, as well as Felix Leiter of the CIA and René Mathis of the French Deuxième Bureau. 

Fleming used his wartime experiences as a member of the Naval Intelligence Division, and the people he met during his work, to provide plot elements; the character of Bond also reflected many of Fleming's personal tastes. 

Fleming wrote the draft in early 1952 at his Goldeneye estate in Jamaica while awaiting his marriage. He was initially unsure whether the work was suitable for publication, but was assured by his friend, the novelist William Plomer, that the novel had promise. 

Within the spy storyline, Casino Royale deals with themes of Britain's position in the world, particularly the relationship with the US in light of the defections to the Soviet Union of the British traitors Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean.

The book was given broadly positive reviews by critics at the time and sold out in less than a month after its UK release on 13 April 1953, although US sales upon release a year later were much slower. 

Since publication Casino Royale has appeared as a comic strip in a British national newspaper, The Daily Express. It has been also adapted for the screen three times: a 1954 episode of the CBS television series Climax! with Barry Nelson as an American Bond, a 1967 film version with David Niven playing "Sir James Bond", and a 2006 film in the Eon Productions film series starring Daniel Craig as James Bond. ¹

Again a little summary from goodreads:

*

"Introducing James Bond: charming, sophisticated, handsome, chillingly ruthless and licensed to kill. This, the first of Ian Fleming's tales of secret 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. It seems that lady luck is taken with 007 -- le Chiffre has hit a losing streak. But some people just refuse to play by the rules, and Bond's attraction to a beautiful female agent leads him to disaster and an unexpected savior..."

*

I´ll give it a 6 out of 10

And I had the highest hopes for this and this really does not mean that I did not like Casino Royale but I really had pages and pages I had to fight my way through...like that chapter when Bond explains the game Baccarat he play later on and it almost takes a whole chapter...yes that might be interesting and somehow important for the plot...but I did not realise any importance ;)
I really liked the way this book is written, the style of it and of cause I am a James Bond fan, especially of the old movies ;) so I were excited to finally read a original book..but I was a bit disappointed...At the moment I am between seats whether I´ll read a book or two more from the series or not...what do you think?

Inspiration wise you gonna have to check your own shelves guys ^^

But I´d love to hear about your choice and what you thought about your book!

And when you do that let me know if you read Casino Royale or any other book of the James Bond series and what you thought about them and do you prefer the books or the movies and which actor was your fave James Bond?

With lots of love

♥♥♥