Ian Fleming’s final James Bond novel, *The Man With The Golden Gun*, completed as a first draft in early 1964, has long been considered one of the weaker entries in the series. Fleming passed away in August of that year, precluding the extensive revisions he typically made before publication. This circumstance fueled speculation that another author, notably Bond enthusiast Kingsley Amis, may have played a significant role in finishing or substantially altering the novel.

In reality, Amis was sent the unrevised manuscript by Fleming’s editor specifically to provide notes and suggestions. Over time, however, analysis of Amis’s marked manuscript, which surfaced publicly in 2017, demonstrated that only a handful of his proposed changes were incorporated into the final published version. This evidence has largely dispelled claims that Amis made major contributions to the text.

Among Amis’s critiques was his concern regarding the novel’s villain, Francisco Scaramanga, who was later portrayed by Christopher Lee in the 1974 film adaptation. Amis argued that Scaramanga’s character lacked the depth and menace seen in previous Bond antagonists, describing him as thin and unconvincing. He also questioned the plausibility of Scaramanga hiring Bond as a security guard without knowing his background, given Scaramanga’s established intelligence and calculating nature.

Amis further suggested that one way to enrich Scaramanga’s character might be to introduce a sexual attraction toward Bond, even speculating that this could have been Fleming’s original intention. Nevertheless, this idea was never incorporated into the book.

Following the novel’s release, Amis reviewed it himself, describing the work as “lifeless.” Despite his criticisms, Amis maintained a strong interest in the Bond series. In 1968, he was commissioned to write the first official James Bond sequel after Fleming’s death, publishing *Colonel Sun* under the pseudonym Robert Markham, thereby continuing the legacy of the iconic British spy in print.