Sudden emergencies and beautiful girls who aren't quite what they seem and are the stock-in-trade of James Bond. And when 007 is on the case there's only one thing you can be sure of—the result will be thrilling. Whether he's dealing with the assassination of a Cuban thug in America, the destruction of an international heroin ring, or sudden death in the Seychelles, Bond gets the job done—in his own suave and unmistakable style.

Here are five secret occasions in the life of James Bond, all crucial assignments for Agent 007. For Bond, it's just routine. For anyone else, certain death.

–"From a View to a Kill" – Bond must find the security breakdown at Supreme Headquarters.

–"For Your Eyes Only" – On a personal assignment from M, Bond tracks down the killers of an old friend.

–"Quantum of Solace" – A story of disaffected marriage is told to Bond by his host.

–"Risico" – Bond is assigned to disrupt the flow of heroin from Rome to England.

–"The Hildebrand Rarity" – Bond hires himself out as a fishing expert in the Seychelles.

These five short stories find James Bond facing danger from a variety of sources, all of which he escapes through fast thinking and even faster action.