There is never any doubt that Bond will triumph in Goldfinger; the only question is the degree of his victory. In some other tales, he thwarts the schemes of the chief villain, such as 1732 Ernst Blofeld, but the villain himself escapes. The attraction of a James Bond story is not suspense. Instead, it is twofold: the contest between characters and the anticipation of thrills to come.

Goldfinger is an elaborate working out of the battle between the well-matched pair of hero and villain. The golf match between Bond and Goldfinger in chapters 8 and 9 illustrates their battle of wits. The pleasure for the reader is in watching the two skilled players compete. Anticipation is created in two ways. The first is by showing Goldfinger's remarkable imagination. The archvillain is capable of creating surprising and elaborate schemes. Each step of the novel reveals more about his crimes; each is a...