Why all the useless details about equipment? Kingsley Amis called it "The Fleming Effect." Of course, with Ian Fleming, some of the things being described were consumer goods and ladies boobies. But the briefing was a standard part of the novels before it was a standard part of the movies, "What do you know about diamonds, 007?" And Fleming, with a background in journalism, loved to fill notebooks with facts about marine engines and clutches and the street address of SMERSH. A funny thing Amis discovered? Half the time Fleming was telling the reader things that were true but useless -- showing all his work, for full credit -- and half the time he was just making shit up. This yacht was made at so-and-so boat yard in Hamburg... except the boatyard doesn't exist.
Amis thought Fleming thought if he grounded everything that could be grounded you'd have an easier time with the science fiction elements.
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