200 copies sold out in 2 hours
Only 100 copies left, available only in USA at RandomHouse.com
It is with the greatest delight that... read full description
Only 100 copies left, available only in USA at RandomHouse.com
It is with the greatest delight that... read full description
reviews
Feb 25, 2011
Sandybanks
rated it: 
First, I have a confession to make: I’ve never read anything by Ian Fleming, or anything by Sebastian Faulks, for that matter. All I know about “the name is Bond, James Bond” I learned from the movies, specifically the ones starring Messrs. Dalton, Brosnan and Craig --- and a couple of half-remembered early 80’s Moore films. It’s not that I’m a particularly ardent fan, but somehow, over the years, I have managed to see more than a half dozen of them (having action-starved boys/men in the house c
More...
21 comments
like
(5 people liked it)
Jul 11, 2008
Daniel
rated it: 
From genrebusters.com:
THE PREMISE
This year marks the one-hundredth anniversary of Ian Fleming, the British writer who created the character of James Bond. What better way to celebrate than to contract a respected British writer of historical, WWII-era novels to concoct a new Bond tale, set in 1967, immediately after Fleming's last, posthumously published Bond book, The Man with the Golden Gun?
IN REVIEW
You will note that I did not give any plot descri More...
THE PREMISE
This year marks the one-hundredth anniversary of Ian Fleming, the British writer who created the character of James Bond. What better way to celebrate than to contract a respected British writer of historical, WWII-era novels to concoct a new Bond tale, set in 1967, immediately after Fleming's last, posthumously published Bond book, The Man with the Golden Gun?
IN REVIEW
You will note that I did not give any plot descri More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jun 29, 2008
Ron
rated it:
What can one say? A book that was hyped up beyond belief, a book we all waited for and hoped for, is pretty much a B- if you feel generous, but it is really a C. Yes, lots of good period pieces and it is good to have James back, but the architecture is a mess, the plot lurches back and forth like Bentley needing oil, and certain transgressions have been made here that will have Fleming flip flopping in his grave. Right off the bat: pitchers of martinis (which have to be stirred)? Bonking a 004?
More...
0 comments
like
(2 people liked it)
Jun 19, 2008
Turi
rated it:
From the way the cover is worded, "Sebastian Faulks writing as Ian Fleming", I assume that Faulks was trying to write a real, Fleming-style Bond book. I think he succeeded - he definitely did his homework. The whole book is peppered with references to Fleming's books, from Bond's wardrobe preference to workout routines to cars to scrambled eggs. The overall plot structure felt pretty authentic, too - he even ends the book similarly to Fleming's. I thought it was thouroughly enjoyab
More...
0 comments
like
(2 people liked it)
Mar 09, 2009
Ann
rated it: 
Bog-standardly enjoyable Bond – ‘tinis, ‘tude, ‘splosions – and I really do think that anyone claiming to divine significant differences between IIan Fleming and Sebastian-Faulks-as-Ian-Fleming is full of it. But am I the only one who gets the willies from this whole “writing as” thing? Not that I want a wholesale re-imagining of the franchise (though I was looking forward to a Bond novel where I wasn’t secretly hating myself for so enjoying something written by someone so prone misogyny and b
More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jul 25, 2011
Matthew
rated it:
The literary 007 finally makes a return for the first time since Raymond Benson's exit with the novel The Man With The Red Tattoo back in 2002. With a new author, not known for thriller writing, taking the reigns there was much hope for Devil May Care. So what is the verdict on the new 007 adventure?
Well it is not a perfect book by any means though and I won't claim it as such. Author Sebastian Faulks tries too hard at times to make his style Fleming's style and the plot seems to be More...
Well it is not a perfect book by any means though and I won't claim it as such. Author Sebastian Faulks tries too hard at times to make his style Fleming's style and the plot seems to be More...
Jul 05, 2011
Dave
rated it:
2008 marked the 100th birthday of the late Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond. Fleming died in 1964 at the age of 56.
Since his death, several writers have taken turns churning out 007 adventures, most notably John Gardner and Raymond Benson.
Now, to celebrate the 100th birthday, Sebastian Faulks, writing as Ian Fleming, of course, takes a turn at Bond with his new novel "Devil May Care".
Unlike Gardner and Benson, who both put Fleming's Bond in modern More...
Since his death, several writers have taken turns churning out 007 adventures, most notably John Gardner and Raymond Benson.
Now, to celebrate the 100th birthday, Sebastian Faulks, writing as Ian Fleming, of course, takes a turn at Bond with his new novel "Devil May Care".
Unlike Gardner and Benson, who both put Fleming's Bond in modern More...
May 31, 2011
Sarah
rated it:
This is one of the newest books in the James Bond series – written by Sebastian Faulks, who is a famous modern novelist. I am not an enormous Bond fan, but I do enjoy reading the books about him every once in a while. Kind of like I enjoy a big cup of cider sometimes. Not all the time, and just because at the time it sounds enjoyable.
This Bond novel finds 007 on a mandatory sabbatical after a rough assignment. He is lounging around in Paris, trying not to work and very nearly faili More...
This Bond novel finds 007 on a mandatory sabbatical after a rough assignment. He is lounging around in Paris, trying not to work and very nearly faili More...
Sep 09, 2010
David
rated it:
Do you remember that classic line from "Goldfinger?"
Bond: Do You expect me to talk?
Goldfinger: No, Mister Bond, I expect you to die!
This novel captured the feel of the old original Ian Fleming "cold war" bond that other writers have attempted to capture without much success. John Gardner's "License Renewed" came close, but in subsequent novels Gardner seemed to rejoice not in true Bond action, but rather in Bond's sexual escapade More...
Bond: Do You expect me to talk?
Goldfinger: No, Mister Bond, I expect you to die!
This novel captured the feel of the old original Ian Fleming "cold war" bond that other writers have attempted to capture without much success. John Gardner's "License Renewed" came close, but in subsequent novels Gardner seemed to rejoice not in true Bond action, but rather in Bond's sexual escapade More...
3 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Mar 23, 2010
Marcos
rated it:
I've never been a fan of James Bond movies, but I found this book out on the street and read it out of curiosity. I wanted to get a glimpse of James Bond on paper, in hopes of learning a bit about why he's such a well-loved character. This book didn't give me that glimpse. Sebastian Faulks puts an honest effort into capturing the spirit of Bond's original author Ian Fleming, but DEVIL MAY CARE felt largely uninspired, and unexciting. The action scenes were decent, and the Bond Faulks gives u
More...
Nov 20, 2009
Tony
rated it:
A few years ago I read about half of the original Ian Fleming 007 series and generally found them quite enjoyable and different than I had expected based on the film franchise. Don't get me wrong, they're not great literature, but they are ripping yarns that reflect their era and are much darker than one might expect. Since Fleming's death, there have been several writers authorized to continue the franchise (including Kingsley Amis!), but I'd never been that interested in trying any of them. Ho
More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Dec 24, 2011
Richard
rated it:
I’m a huge James Bond fan! I’ve seen all the films. And some of the movies, (“Goldfinger,” and the most recent version of “Casino Royale,”) I’ve seen dozens of times.
My enthusiasm isn’t the same for the books.
I’ve only read three of the original Ian Fleming novels (“Goldfinger,” “From Russia with Love,” and “The Spy who loved me”). And I must confess, reading all three were a chore. I kept looking around for the teacher who had assigned the homework. I had to remind myself t More...
My enthusiasm isn’t the same for the books.
I’ve only read three of the original Ian Fleming novels (“Goldfinger,” “From Russia with Love,” and “The Spy who loved me”). And I must confess, reading all three were a chore. I kept looking around for the teacher who had assigned the homework. I had to remind myself t More...
Jun 09, 2009
Debbie
rated it:
I first met James Bond as a young teenager recently graduated from children's books and starting to explore the wide world of adult fiction. And of course I fell in love. Who doesn't at 14? Bond became the benchmark by which all heroes should be measured and I lapped up every adventure Ian Fleming had written.
As my literary tastes matured over the years (not to mention my feminist awareness) I began to read more widely, more deeply and more intelligently. Sebastian Faulks' Birdsong w More...
As my literary tastes matured over the years (not to mention my feminist awareness) I began to read more widely, more deeply and more intelligently. Sebastian Faulks' Birdsong w More...
Feb 05, 2009
Though several critics questioned the Fleming estate's choice of author, literary novelist Sebastian Faulks does a passable job of mimicking the master and his straightforward, action-packed style. Bond, the unapologetic playboy and quintessential secret agent, still relies on wit, charm, and quick reflexes to carry the day. Bond enthusiasts will encounter old friends like M and Moneypenny, and new characters will seem strangely familiar, having been closely modeled on Fleming's former creations
More...
Jul 28, 2009
Kelley
rated it:
As others have pointed out, Sebastian Faulks is the 4th author to carry on the Bond series since Fleming died: Kingsley Amis, John Gardner, Raymond Benson, and now Faulks. Gardner's novels had a character named James Bond, but the style was all wrong. Benson was closer, but still not quite right. Faulks has managed to capture much of the "Fleming Sweep" and style and may very well turn into the best "continuer" of the series. He shows great promise.
The best a More...
The best a More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jun 30, 2009
LindyLouMac
rated it:
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/7244...
A quick fun read for fans of James Bond. Set back in the late sixties during the cold war we are treated to all the elements of an exciting Bond story, exotic locations, incredible stunts and a sinister villain of course not forgetting a beautiful heroine. This time the heroine is Scarlett who turns out to be not quite what Bond had expected!
Sebastian Faulks is an author whose novels I have always enjoyed reading. As for the char More...
A quick fun read for fans of James Bond. Set back in the late sixties during the cold war we are treated to all the elements of an exciting Bond story, exotic locations, incredible stunts and a sinister villain of course not forgetting a beautiful heroine. This time the heroine is Scarlett who turns out to be not quite what Bond had expected!
Sebastian Faulks is an author whose novels I have always enjoyed reading. As for the char More...
Jun 24, 2009
Bryan
rated it:
I enjoy the Bond series and am fan of Ian Fleming. Sebastian did such a phenomenal job at recreating the Bond mystique that I was hooked from the beginning. The writing style was smooth enough that I would lose track of the mechanical act of reading and become immersed in the story.
But I'm confused. Maybe i'm making too much of it but the novel is set during the days of the Vietnam war and there are quite a few references to Tehran being in Persia with not a single reference to Ir More...
But I'm confused. Maybe i'm making too much of it but the novel is set during the days of the Vietnam war and there are quite a few references to Tehran being in Persia with not a single reference to Ir More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Feb 02, 2011
Jason
rated it:
Not entirely bad. There were a few parts that were a little dry...
Case 1: In Devil May Care, Sebastian Faulks writes as Ian Fleming. "as Ian Fleming?" Personally, I don't think this novel read like a Fleming. Some parts, maybe; others, certainly not. Faulk's Bond's dialect didn't truly capture Fleming's Bond's dialogue(just something about it). He's not a bad writer, he's actually good, he just should have not tried to force himself to write with Fleming's style.
More...
Case 1: In Devil May Care, Sebastian Faulks writes as Ian Fleming. "as Ian Fleming?" Personally, I don't think this novel read like a Fleming. Some parts, maybe; others, certainly not. Faulk's Bond's dialect didn't truly capture Fleming's Bond's dialogue(just something about it). He's not a bad writer, he's actually good, he just should have not tried to force himself to write with Fleming's style.
More...
Aug 03, 2011
Steve
rated it: 
The latest James Bond novel by Sebastian Faulks takes place about two years after the events that Ian Fleming wrote about in The Man With the Golden Gun. Faulks's style is pretty close to Fleming's; he even manages to get in some ridiculous plot devices with gaping holes that really do not make sense. He also manages to capture Fleming's brilliant prose style that made the reader eager to turn every page and not dwell on how silly things were until the end. (Fleming and Faulks both started life
More...
Nov 04, 2010
Zare
rated it:
Although I agree with reviewers stating that this is not Ian Fleming original novel - from the writers point of view (I mean only person capable of writing like Ian Fleming is Ian Fleming himself, right) - this book has that Bond-like touch :) It reads very fast (I finished it in couple of hours) and has a very interesting story (villain seems to be somewhere between dr.No and Bloefeld IMHO :). Story takes place where Fleming has stopped (Bond has avenged the death of his wife and is still consi
More...
Aug 16, 2010
Tyler
rated it:
About a year ago, I powered my way through all of Ian Flemming's James Bond novels. And, then immediately tried to read this. Unfortunately, when directly compared to Flemming's work, something seemed a little off. So, I stopped after maybe only 20 pages.
A week or so ago, I figured I'd give it another try. And now, with some distance between me and the original books, I found that this held up a little better and more satisfying. That said, my 4-star rating is in comparison to the o More...
A week or so ago, I figured I'd give it another try. And now, with some distance between me and the original books, I found that this held up a little better and more satisfying. That said, my 4-star rating is in comparison to the o More...
Jul 14, 2009
Corey
rated it:
Faulks, while closely adhering to Fleming's streamlined style, works more of a 21st sensibility into the proceedings. Fairly absent is the casual racism that marred Fleming's works, a product of their time that always left me a little queasy. Faulks' take on the secret agent shows a little alteration as well. This Bond is slower to anger, more aware of others. Less of a sociopath, I'd guess you'd say, and a little closer to the movie Bonds in spirit. This has its good points and less-than-good p
More...
Aug 08, 2011
Sean
rated it:
This is old school Bond written by a modern day writer. Does a really good job of picking up the threads of the story where Ian Fleming left off. Although the writing is just not quite as good as Ian Fleming, and this writer has the disadvantage of having 40 years worth of films that have altered the character of James Bond from the original stories. As you would expect the characters and the plot are unique and over the top (the Villain's left hand is a monkey paw for example). Certainly a
More...
Jul 08, 2008
Michael
rated it:
With the blessing of Ian Fleming's estate, "Devil May Care" picks up where the Fleming Bond novels left off. And despite creating a potentially intereting adversary for Bond, the novel seems to be trying too hard to recapture the writing style and the time piece instead of what made the Fleming written Bond novels a pleasure to read.
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Aug 11, 2011
Derek
rated it:
Just alright. Bond by the numbers. Nothing like as good or as interesting as the original Fleming books. (Even The Spy Who Loved Me is better). The tennis match between the middle aged Bond and Gorner near the start was just ridiculous - nothing like as good as Bond's golf game with Goldfinger.
The locations are handled well, and the pace is about right.
Bloody awful twist at the end. And I don't know why he bothered to include Leiter if he couldn't think of a less contrived way to get him in.
Over More...
The locations are handled well, and the pace is about right.
Bloody awful twist at the end. And I don't know why he bothered to include Leiter if he couldn't think of a less contrived way to get him in.
Over More...
Aug 11, 2009
Bob
rated it:
A bit more than ok, but flawed. I got the twist before Bond did (at least I knew things weren't what they seemed) and I really felt that he'd have been dead long before Faulks got to him if he couldn't spot the obvious.
That being said, I loved the trick of having a villan who could say so many truthful things about the British Empire and make it so clear what kind of world Bond actually worked in. There is a story that a BBC reporter first explained to Tony Blair who Mossadegh was and that More...
That being said, I loved the trick of having a villan who could say so many truthful things about the British Empire and make it so clear what kind of world Bond actually worked in. There is a story that a BBC reporter first explained to Tony Blair who Mossadegh was and that More...
Apr 29, 2009
Ed
rated it:
The idea of setting a James Bond book in 1967, a year after the last book was published, was an inspired one. And the first third of Devil May Care recalls not so much Ian Fleming as the old Bond movies. Great. But the book goes on to crib from the things from the Bond films that fans like me would like to see left out in the cold for good. The villain here has a monkey's paw for a hand which just gives ammo to all the Bond haters out there. It doesn't help. The bad guy's plot is not wholly orig
More...
Aug 04, 2011
Pretty cool Bond novel. Since it is the newest Bond novel, thought it would take place after the last movie, but it seems hard to figure out the Bond timeline. Bond remembers things from older movies, but the fact that Felix has been wounded by a shark is pretty noted, so again, not sure where we were. The action is pretty good, but the twist is somewhat predictable. There is a heavy emphasis on food and drink, which makes you feel like you are there hanging out with Bond. The villain is ve
More...
Jan 07, 2009
Patrick
rated it:
This is an Official James Bond novel and it's harmless enough. Very formulaic — Sebastian Faulks creates an Evil Genius (with Weird Defect) and an Evil Henchman of Sinister Ethnic Origin, and sets up an early Battle of Wits (a tennis match in which the Evil Genius cheats but Bond beats him anyway, a la Goldfinger).
And, of course, a beautiful girl.
There is far too much plot getting in the way of the story; too many peripheral characters doing things far away from the scene More...
And, of course, a beautiful girl.
There is far too much plot getting in the way of the story; too many peripheral characters doing things far away from the scene More...
Jun 10, 2008
Martin
rated it:
A pretty good romp in the Bond tradition. Faulks said following Fleming's lead he churned out 2000 words a day for 6 weeks, but abstained from the cocktails that fueled the original works. A pity, as Devil May Care could have benefited from a little less restraint. Good summer fun though.
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
