Thunderball by I Fleming

Thunderball by I Fleming

Upon M's insistence, James Bond takes a two-week respite in a secluded natural health spa. But amid the bland teas, tasteless yogurts, and the spine stretcher the guests lovingly call The Rack, Bond stumbles onto the trail of a lethal man with ties to a new secret organization called SPECTRE. When SPECTRE hijacks two A-bombs, a frantic global search for the weapons ensues, and M's hunch that the plane containing the bombs will make a clean drop into the ocean sends Bond to the Bahamas to investigate.

On the island paradise, 007 finds a wealthy pleasure seeker's treasure hunt and meets Domino Vitali, the gorgeous mistress of Emilio Largo, otherwise known as SPECTRE's Number 1. But as powerful as Number 1 is, he works for someone else: Ernst Stavro Blofeld, a peculiar man with a deadly creative mind.

The ninth novel in Ian Fleming's James Bond series, Thunderball marks the beginnings of one of the most iconic villains in history, and the only match for the wits of James Bond.

The text in this edition has been restored by the Fleming family company Ian Fleming Publications, to reflect the work as it was originally published.

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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.