Title Moonraker

A 2002 Penguin Books paperback edition
Author	Ian Fleming
Cover artist	Ian Fleming / Kenneth Lewis (Jonathan Cape ed.)
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Series	James Bond
Genre(s)	Spy novel
Publisher	Glidrose Productions
Released	7 April 1955
Media type	Print (Hardcover and Paperback)
ISBN	NA
Preceded by	Live and Let Die
Followed by	Diamonds Are Forever

Moonraker is the third James Bond novel in Ian Fleming's James Bond series. It was first published by Jonathan Cape on April 7, 1955. Download high resolution version (427x648, 33 KB)A 2002 Penguin Books paperback edition This image is a book cover. ... Penguin Books is a British publisher founded in 1935 by Allen Lane. ... Ian Lancaster Fleming (May 28, 1908 – August 12, 1964) was a British author and journalist as well as Second World War Naval Officer, best remembered for writing the series of novels featuring the character James Bond, as well as the childrens story Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. ... Ian Lancaster Fleming (May 28, 1908 – August 12, 1964) was a British author and journalist as well as Second World War Naval Officer, best remembered for writing the series of novels featuring the character James Bond, as well as the childrens story Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Flemings commissioned image of James Bond to aid the Daily Express comic strip artists. ... The spy fiction genre (sometimes called political thriller) first arose just before the First World War, at about the same time, the first organized intelligence agencies were being formed. ... Ian Fleming Publications is the production company formerly known as both Glidrose Productions Limited and Glidrose Publications Limited, named after its founders John Gliddon and Norman Rose. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... Live and Let Die is the second James Bond novel by Ian Fleming, first published in 1954. ... Diamonds Are Forever is the fourth novel in Ian Flemings James Bond series. ... Flemings commissioned image of James Bond to aid the Daily Express comic strip artists. ... A novel (from French nouvelle Italian novella, new) is an extended, generally fictional narrative, typically in prose. ... Ian Lancaster Fleming (May 28, 1908 – August 12, 1964) was a British author and journalist as well as Second World War Naval Officer, best remembered for writing the series of novels featuring the character James Bond, as well as the childrens story Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. ... Flemings commissioned image of James Bond to aid the Daily Express comic strip artists. ... Jonathan Cape has been since 1987 an imprint of Random House. ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Its title comes from "moonraker", a synonym for moonsail, the highest sail carried by sailing ships. It also refers to a Wiltshire folk story about some people hiding contraband goods from customs officers in a pond but when caught pretended to be simple by raking the pond, claiming to be able to catch the moon's reflection. Also known as a skysail or moonraker. ... Traditional wooden cutter under sail. ... Wiltshire (abbreviated Wilts) is a large southern English county. ... Contraband consists of items of which possession may be illegal, depending on the variety and the country or the age or sex of the possessor. ... A customs officer is generally a law enforcement officer working to enforce customs laws, with duties such as detecting and confiscating contraband, making sure that import duties are paid, and preventing those without legal authorization to do so from entering the jurisdiction. ...

Plot summary

Uncommon 1969 Pan Books paperback edition.

MI6 Chief M, asks James Bond to observe Sir Hugo Drax, who is inordinately winning very much money playing bridge at Blades, M's club; M suspects Drax a cheat. Although M claims indifference, he is concerned why a multi-millionaire, and national hero, such as Sir Hugo Drax would cheat at a card game. Later, Bond confirms Drax's deception, and manages to 'cheat the cheater' — aided by a cocktail of powdered Benzedrine mixed with non-vintage champagne — winning £15,000 and infuriating the out-smarted Drax. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (644x1050, 94 KB)James Bond 007 - Moonraker © 1969 Pan Books (paperback). ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (644x1050, 94 KB)James Bond 007 - Moonraker © 1969 Pan Books (paperback). ... 1961 Pan Books edition of Ian Flemings James Bond novel Goldfinger is an example of the type of publication for which Pan Books became popular. ... M is the title and code letter for James Bonds boss, the fictional head of the British Secret Intelligence Service, or MI6 (or MI7). ... Sir Hugo Drax is a fictional character created by author Ian Fleming for the James Bond novel Moonraker. ... Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game of skill and chance (the relative proportions depend on the variant played). ... 1939 Benzedrine advertisement Benzedrine is the trade name of the racemic variant of amphetamine (dl-amphetamine). ...

As it turns out, Drax is the backer of the 'Moonraker' missile project being built to defend the UK against its Cold War enemies (c.f. the real Blue Streak missile). Essentially, the Moonraker rocket is an upgraded V-2 rocket using liquid hydrogen and fluorine as propellants; it can withstand the ultra-high combustion temperatures in its engine thanks to the use of columbite, on which Drax has a monopoly. Therefore, because the rocket's engine can withstand higher heat, the Moonraker can use more powerful fuels, greatly expanding its effective range. Partly due to the card cheating episode, M orders Bond to infiltrate Drax's missile-building organization on the coast of England. Once inside, Bond uncovers a dreadful, fiendish plot to destroy London — which he foils, assisted by Gala Brand, an attractive, undercover woman agent of the Special Branch. Exocet missile in flight A missile (see also pronunciation differences) is a projectile propelled as a weapon at a target. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... The Blue Streak missile was a British ballistic missile designed in 1955. ... The Vergeltungswaffe 2 (V-2) (Reprisal weapon 2 Propaganda name given by Joseph Goebbels) , also known, in the Development Process as the A4 (Aggregat 1-4), was the first ballistic missile. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... General Name, Symbol, Number fluorine, F, 9 Chemical series halogens Group, Period, Block 17, 2, p Appearance Yellowish brown gas Atomic mass 18. ... Rocket propellants undergo exothermic chemical reactions which produce hot gas which is used by a rocket for propulsive purposes. ... Ferrocolumbite, also called niobite, columbate and columbite [(Fe, Mn)(Nb, Ta)2O6] is a black mineral that is an ore of niobium and tantalum. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London (de facto) Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ... Gala Brand is a fictional character of Ian Flemings James Bond novel Moonraker. ... Special Branch is the arm of the British, Irish and many Commonwealth police forces that deals with national security matters. ...

With the exception of the name "Moonraker" and the character of Sir Hugo Drax, little else from this book made it into the 1979 film, but some concepts that remained included the profession of the Bond girls, both undercover agents inside Drax's organization, and that a launch of a rocket plays a significant role in both the movie and book. The 2002 film Die Another Day, however, used several concepts from this book including the Blades club, and at one point the character of Miranda Frost from the film was to have been named Gala Brand. The villain, Gustav Graves, is also based somewhat on Fleming's original concept of Hugo Drax. Sir Hugo Drax is a fictional character created by author Ian Fleming for the James Bond novel Moonraker. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Die Another Day is a James Bond film made by EON Productions and the fourth and final film to star Pierce Brosnan as Ian Flemings James Bond. ...

Title changes

1963 Pan paperback edition. 190 pages

The title, Moonraker, was not the first choice by Fleming. In fact Fleming first suggested "The Infernal Machine", and later "The Inhuman Element", or "Wide of the Mark". The publishers, however, favoured "The Moonraker Sense", "The Moonraker Plan", or "Bond & The Moonraker". Other titles that are known to have been suggested include: "Mondays are Hell", "Hell is Here", "The Moonraker", "The Moonraker Plot", "The Moonraker Secret", and "Too Hot to Handle". Ultimately, it was Fleming who settled on "Moonraker". Image File history File links Moonraker_fleming. ... Image File history File links Moonraker_fleming. ...

For an unknown reason, Moonraker's title for the first U.S. paperback publication by Permabooks in 1956 was changed to Too Hot to Handle. One possible reason might have been to avoid confusion with the then-current stage play The Moonraker by Arthur Watkin (which was made into a film of the same title in 1958). Similar to Casino Royale, however, the novel was subtitled (Moonraker) on the cover. Too Hot To Handle is notable for being the only Fleming Bond novel that was "Americanized", exchanging American idioms for British ones such as "jack of hearts" for "knave of hearts", "elevator" for "lift", etc.. The title was later changed back to Moonraker in 1960. Discounting magazine publication of some of Fleming's short stories and the novel The Spy Who Loved Me, this was the last time a Bond novel was retitled for American book publication until John Gardner's COLD in 1996. // Events February 16- In the Money is released on this date. ... Casino Royale by Ian Fleming was the first James Bond novel. ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... 2003 Penguin Books paperback edition The Spy Who Loved Me is a James Bond novel by Ian Fleming first published in 1962. ... John Gardner, circa 1984 John Edmund Gardner (born November 20, 1926) is an English spy novelist. ... Categories: Literature stubs | 1996 books | James Bond books ...

Radio adaptation

In 1956, Bob Holness provided the voice of Bond in a South African radio adaptation. Bob Holness (born 1928) is a British actor and presenter. ...

Movie adaptation

Main article: Moonraker (film)

Fleming's novel was later adapted as Moonraker, the eleventh film in the official James Bond series of films by EON Productions in 1979 and the fourth to star Roger Moore as Bond. Albert R. Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson produced the film. The film is mostly an entirely new adventure only using Fleming's character Hugo Drax. Moonraker is a space shuttle, and there is action in space. The screenplay was written by Christopher Wood who had previously co-written and novelised the screenplay for the previous film, The Spy Who Loved Me. Moonraker is a 1979 James Bond film starring Roger Moore, based on the book by Ian Fleming. ... Moonraker is a 1979 James Bond film starring Roger Moore, based on the book by Ian Fleming. ... EON Productions is a film production company known for producing the James Bond film series. ... // Events March 5 - Production begins on Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. ... For other persons named Roger Moore, see Roger Moore (disambiguation). ... Albert Romolo Broccoli, CBE (Hon) (April 5, 1909 – June 27, 1996) known to movie fans as Cubby Broccoli (a nickname used by a cousin), produced more than forty movies, but will be best remembered for his contribution to one of the most successful film franchises in history, James Bond. ... Michael G. Wilson (born 1943) is the stepson of the late James Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli and half brother to current James Bond producer, Barbara Broccoli. ... Sir Hugo Drax is a fictional character created by author Ian Fleming for the James Bond novel Moonraker. ... NASAs Space Shuttle, officially called Space Transportation System (STS), is the United States governments current manned launch vehicle. ... Christopher Wood (November 5, 1935 in London, England, UK) is a screenwriter best known for the James Bond films The Spy Who Loved Me (1977 with Richard Maibaum) and Moonraker (1979), as well as for the two novelizations based upon these films. ... The Spy Who Loved Me is the tenth film in the EON Productions James Bond series and the third to star Roger Moore as British Secret Service agent, Commander James Bond. ...

James Bond and Moonraker (the book of the movie)

The movie Moonraker was novelised in 1979 by Christopher Wood as James Bond and Moonraker. A 2002 Penguin Books paperback edition Moonraker is both a James Bond book by Ian Fleming first published in 1955, and a 1979 movie loosely adapted from the book. ...

Comic strip adaptation

Main article: James Bond comic strips

Fleming's original novel was adapted as a daily comic strip which was published in the British Daily Express newspaper and syndicated around the world. The adaptation ran from March 30 to August 8, 1959. The adaptation was written by Henry Gammidge and illustrated by John McLusky. Titan Books reprinted the strip in 2005 as part of the Casino Royale anthology, which also includes Casino Royale and Live and Let Die. Starting in 1958 and continuing to 1983, James Bond, the fictional character created by author Ian Fleming appeared in 52 comic strips that were syndicated in British newspapers, 7 of which were initially published abroad. ... This article is about the comic strip, the sequential art form as published in newspapers and on the Internet. ... For other uses, see Daily Express (disambiguation). ... March 30 is the 89th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (90th in leap years). ... August 8 is the 220th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (221st in leap years), with 145 days remaining. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... John McLusky, born the son of creole lesbians, lived a life of prostitution and debauchery. ... Titan Books is a UK publisher of graphic novels. ... Casino Royale by Ian Fleming was the first James Bond novel. ...