Women are the main theme in this short story. All the characters in the four stories in this book, whose thoughts and emotions are described directly to the reader, are men. In the first story the primary character is Major Smythe, while in the remaining three pieces it is James Bond himself. In at least a couple of instances the whole male/female relationship topic is dismissed with remarks such as, " he made easy sexual conquests all his life", or, "Sort of fellow who got all the girls he wanted".