First UK edition, first impression of Moonraker by Ian Fleming from 1955 in near fine condition. No internal markings, pages clean. Binding firm, boards are clean, corners sharp. The jacket has some minor chipping to tip and tail of the spine and corner folds. ‘Shoot’ is spelled correctly on page 10.
About
Moonraker is the third novel by the British author Ian Fleming to feature his fictional British Secret Service agent James Bond. It was published by Jonathan Cape on 5 April 1955 and also featured a cover design conceived by Fleming. The plot is derived from a Fleming screenplay that was too short for a full novel so he added the passage of the bridge game between Bond and the industrialist Hugo Drax. Then, in the latter half of the novel, Bond is seconded to Drax’s staff as the businessman builds the Moonraker, a prototype missile designed to defend England. Unknown to Bond, Drax is German, an ex-Nazi now working for the Soviets; his plan is to build the rocket, arm it with a nuclear warhead, and then fire it at London. Also, Moonraker is set entirely in Britain, which is unique for a Bond novel and raised comments from some readers, complaining about the lack of exotic locations.
