Moonraker by Ian Fleming

Moonraker by Ian Fleming

JAMES BOND INVESTIGATES A VILLAIN WITH THE POWER TO LAUNCH A NUCLEAR WARHEAD

Sir Hugo Drax is a multimillionaire tycoon and war hero, revered by the British public for his new Moonraker missile defense system. But there's more to this enigmatic millionaire than he lets on. When M suspects Drax of cheating at cards, he is baffled that the patriot would risk his reputation and his rocket program on a game, so he assigns Bond to infiltrate Drax's circle.

As 007 probes the activities at the Moonraker base in the days leading up to the beloved rocket's maiden launch, he learns the truth about Drax's battle scars, his wartime allegiances--and his murderous plans for the deployment of Moonraker.

Ian Fleming was born on May 28, 1908, in London. He attended Eton College and afterwards spent a crucial spell in Europe studying languages. He worked as an assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence during WWII and was a major figure in Allied espionage activities. After the war, he worked for the Sunday Times as the international manager, which permitted him to spend two months each year in Jamaica.

In 1952, he created a book called Casino Royale at his residence Goldeneye, and James Bond was born. Within a month, the first print run was sold out. Fleming continued to write a novel a year for the next twelve years, featuring Special Agent 007, the most famous spy of the century. The Bond novels have sold over a hundred million copies worldwide, thanks to the highly successful film franchise that began with the release of Doctor No in 1962.

What he wrote was backed up by his travels, interests, and wartime experience. He wrote two nonfiction works based on his experiences: Thrilling Cities and The Diamond Smugglers. In 1952, he married Anne Rothermere. In 1961, he wrote a narrative about a magical automobile for their only son, Caspar, which became the popular novel and film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

On August 12, 1964, at the age of 56, Fleming died of heart failure.