Devil May Care

by Sebastian Faulks

book data

376 ratings, 3.17 average rating, 122 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		7%
4		29%
3		40%
2		18%
1		4%

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published

May 28th 2008 by Doubleday

binding

Hardcover, 304 pages

literary awards

Galaxy British Book Awards Popular Fiction Award (2009)

isbn

0385524285 (isbn13: 9780385524285)

description

Devil May Care is the newest installment in the iconic James Bond series. The book will be released worldwide on Ian Fleming’s birthday, May 28. Writt...more

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07/11/08

Daniel rated it:

(review of isbn 0718153766)

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 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 description in the above premise. There are two reasons for this: the first is that, on the whole, I try to avoid plot spoilers, and, this being a Bond novel, these are too easy to commit when describing the latest installment of a series that relies on formula; the second is that the plot that Mr. Faulks has created for Bond's return does not, unfortunately, warrant any positive mention. There is Bond (tired after a string of trying exploits), a girl (beautiful, mysterious), a villain (deformed, insane, intelligent), and a plot to undermine Western society (megalomaniacal, ludicrous, shallow). These are mixed in recognizable proportions, shaken (not, of course, stirred) and displayed upon the page.

To Mr. Faulk's credit, his handle on 1960s dress, music, food, and locations feels authentic - at least it does to this reader, who was born a decade later. A few characters comment on current events - Vietnam, drugs, changing sexual mores, the Stones - and these asides are a nice atmospheric touch, though little used. Mr. Faulks sends Bond to numerous countries and establishes the continental feel that Fleming cultivated in his own works and filmmakers realized on the silver screen. Overall, Devil May Care has the look and texture of a Bond tale, complete with long descriptions of sitting at table and walking busy urban streets.

It is what Mr. Faulks misses that made this a disappointing read. The most glaring oversight is his take on Bond's psyche. Readers of Fleming will know that, throughout each tale, Bond suffers a growing amount of trauma, until he has reached his limit and lost touch with his own personality. This was Fleming's greatest accomplishment in the series, and I had high hopes that Faulks would continue this development and take it further. At first, he seems to be setting Bond up for this: mention of past missions is made, and Bond constantly reflects upon his fatigued state of mind. But once the new mission queues up and M calls Bond in for the usual talk, all mention of these frailties is dropped, and Bond falls into the role of tough, arrogant, resourceful spy without comment or reflection.

Were this outing in itself interesting, then this take on the series could be admissible as a new adventure for devoted followers; as mentioned previously, the plot of this tale is poor, and unworthy of our beloved character. Moreover, Faulks incorporates elements that do not work well in the attempt: the true story of our mystery woman is one that Bond should have figured out on his own; the use of a Middle Eastern locale feels more like an unnecessary attempt to reference the present; and the book's sole homosexual is made out to be an underhanded, traitorous crook. This latter choice inspired the only emotion (anger) I felt in the entire reading, and in reaction I have but one comment, in the key of Bond: bad form, Mr. Faulks. (less)

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06/29/08

Ron Irwin rated it:

Read in June, 2008

recommends it for: very bored people

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 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? M doing Yoga? A damsel in distress named Poppy held captive by a heroin kingpin?

Penguin? Hello? Edit much?

Granted, the past books were pretty flimsy but still, I would have to say that hitchhiking out of the Urals is a pretty tall order for Bond, and the main villain's uncanny ability to find him on--wait for it--a riverboat named The Huckleberry Finn in Paris, is simply impossible. Never mind the Oddjob knockoff who, despite not being able to feel pain, "bellows" in pain when Bond breaks his little finger.

I'm a very, very soft audience for this stuff, but even I have to wonder how Faulks thinks we'll react when we have Bond smoking dope and drinking scotch naked with some other naked "virgin" nubiles in an opium den/unisex bathhouse in Tehran called Paradise.

Other problems crop up in the last 35 pages or so as Faulks tries to move his characters across vast distances in minimal time restricted by the technology of 1969 and trusting them to the good faith of utter strangers. But things really fall apart when Bond and the love interest finally make it back to Paris free and clear only to separate to pull themselves together after the long trip--Bond retires to a seedy Gare du Nord hotel while the woman he has jumped out of a plane with and traveled across Eastern Europe with disappears into the night looking longingly at him through the taxi cab glass. Um, hello? Ritz? Place du Concorde? Bollinger? But of course we have to have James alone so he can decide to take the ill fated steamboat ride rather than get ridden by ...oh, forget about it. If anyone wants to but a slightly thumbed and furiously tossed version of this book, email me.

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05/29/08

Turi rated it:

Read in June, 2008

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

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03/09/09

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 pron...more

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06/08/09

Debbie rated it:

(review of isbn 0718153766)

Read in June, 2009

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 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 was one of many beautifully written books I read, and yet my Bond books remained on my bookshelf and '007' remained carved on a part of my heart.

These books have a special place in my life, so it was with some distaste that I heard that Sebastian Faulks was writing a new James Bond novel. I don't like books written as spin-offs of another author's character, even fully sanctioned spin-offs. Sebastian Faulks' writing was the cheese to Ian Fleming's chalk. This could never work and I wasn't going to betray James Bond by reading this presumptious book.

Then it started getting good reviews. Reviews from people who love Ian Fleming's Bond. A frisson of curiosity started to undermine my resistance. Then, a few weeks ago, there it was, in the library where I work. Just asking to be picked up and taken home and read. Who am I to resist the clarion call of a lonely book? I started it yesterday.

And finished it today. And loved it! Sebastian Faulks has captured the very essence of Ian Fleming's writing and he has written this book with love. All the little nuances that brought Fleming's novels to life are here alongside the main plot themes. The detailed description of food, clothing, place. A deformed villain and high technology. A plot of gargantuan proportions. A beautiful woman and fast cars. Pain and torture and death. And Faulks has very cleverly added a twentieth century sensibility to this novel, even though it takes place immediately after the last of Fleming's novels ends. The villain holds a grudge against Britain, and the litany of imperialistic wrongs he despises Britain for are not invented. Thus Faulks's book is not a black and white case of good vs evil, but the moral greyness is very subtle and enhances rather than detracts from the story.

In the words of M himself, "Come in 007, it's good to see you back."

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02/05/09

Bookmarks Magazine added it

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

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06/25/09

Linda rated it:

(review of isbn 0718153766)

Read in June, 2009

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

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06/24/09

Bryan Waters rated it:

Read in June, 2009

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

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06/05/08

Michael rated it:

bookshelves: read-in-2008

Read in June, 2008

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.

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04/29/09

Ed rated it:

Read in June, 2008

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

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01/07/09

Patrick rated it:

Read in January, 2009

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 sce...more

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06/08/08

Martin rated it:

Read in June, 2008

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.

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07/20/08

Randy rated it:

Read in May, 2008

recommends it for: Bond fans

This book is the first new adult James Bond novel in a few years. I've been a Bond fan for a long time and have read all the novels by other authors.
I didn't have the problems some critics seemed to have with this one.

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01/07/09

Stop added it

Read in May, 2008

Read the STOP SMILING review of Devil May Care:

In the build-up to publication, I confess I had begun to find the moniker “Sebastian Faulks writing as Ian Fleming” really quite annoying. It just seemed a pointless non-pretence, a double-the-publicity gimmick. But I have had to eat my words: Faulks has indeed produced 295 pages, unfalteringly, as though he were Ian Fleming. Their styles are indistinguishable. What’s more, Devil May Care is a good thriller on its own merits: a dou...more

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06/03/09

Kerry rated it:

Read in June, 2008

In honor of Ian Fleming's 100th birthday (he died in the 1960s), his publishing company commissioned a direct sequel to "The Man with the Golden Gun." I'm not sure if this is a companion piece to "Colonel Sun" which was the direct sequel to "The Man with the Golden Gun" that was written in the early 1970s or if it is intended to replaced it. It does, however, return James Bond to the correct time period. The James Bond books of the last decade or so have magicall...more

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08/29/08

Kyle rated it:

(review of isbn 0385665520)

Read in March, 2009

Sebastian Faulks does a good job passing himself off as Ian Fleming, and continuing the series as it was meant to follow the Man with the Golden Gun, with a few hints at how the present-day troubles in Iran were the result of too many imperialist nations having their way in the Middle East. The Persia that Bond visit is an exotic mix of insufferable and pleasurable. Darius makes for a gracious host, along the lines of Darko Kerim (with a similar warm, dry handshake), and a few other throwbacks...more

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06/25/08

Richard Ahern rated it:

I know, I know ......what is a 56 year old doing reading this kid's stuff??? Actually, I read it precisely because it is what I enjoyed most as a 12 and 13 year old, when the cold war was hot, girls were beyond a mystery, and Bond was all the rage. God only knows how many kids my age were seared for life in secret admiration of the 007 archetype. It is very hard to explain the impact of Ian Fleming's creation to anyone who didn't live through this period--or to explain why one would read someo...more

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06/14/08

Simon rated it:

Read in June, 2008

Written to commemorate the centenary of James Bond creator Ian Fleming’s birth, Sebastian Faulks’ Devil May Care picks up where the original Fleming canon left off. Taking place in 1967, the novel is a throwback to the days of East versus West. When the story begins, we find Bond still reeling from the death of his wife and his brutal encounters with Scaramanga (The Man with the Golden Gun) and arch-nemesis Ernst Stavro Blofeld (You Only Live Twice). M has sent his most famous secret agent o...more Written to commemorate the centenary of James Bond creator Ian Fleming’s birth, Sebastian Faulks’ Devil May Care picks up where the original Fleming canon left off. Taking place in 1967, the novel is a throwback to the days of East versus West. When the story begins, we find Bond still reeling from the death of his wife and his brutal encounters with Scaramanga (The Man with the Golden Gun) and arch-nemesis Ernst Stavro Blofeld (You Only Live Twice). M has sent his most famous secret agent on a three-month sabbatical, giving 007 a chance to decide whether or not he wants to remain in the spy business.

Bond’s mind is made up for him when he’s called back to London and asked to investigate Dr. Julias Gorner, a pharmaceutical giant with plans to inundate the United Kingdom with cheap heroin and destroy the fabric of British society (there’s also a scheme entailing nuclear annihilation). From there the story takes off and sees Bond traveling to Paris, Iran and Russia. Like the supervillain’s in Fleming’s wonderful gallery of rogues, Gorner is not with a physical/mental defect. In this instance, Bond’s adversary has a rather grotesque deformity: his left hand is actually that of ape. Unfortunately, the simian limb serves no other purpose other than to shock the reader. Naturally, every Bond villain needs an evil henchman. Here, it’s a brutal Viet Cong soldier dubbed Chagrin, who enjoys pulling tongues out with pliers and bursting ear drums with a pair of chopsticks. Devil May Care would not be a Bond novel without a sultry female companion. In his current quest, 007 is accompanied by the exotically named Scarlett Papava—a woman who harbors her own secret.

All these ingredients Faulks mixes into an enjoyable tale. The idea of Devil May Care was to present Bond fans with a book as close to Fleming’s magnificent originals as possible. Fleming has long been one of my favorite authors; his powers of description and ability to convey dread and atmosphere are, I think, phenomenal. While Faulks—of course, a brilliant writer—does an admirable job of returning Bond to his literary roots, the writing is not on par with Fleming’s. Indeed, the story at times seems a bit contrived at points and the descriptions of food and locales are not as extensive as those found in the original Bond outings. That said, Devil May Care is still a worthy addition to the Bond line . . . and it’s good to see our favorite spy once again serving at the hands of a talented author.

Faulks has said Devil May Care is a one-off event for him. Hopefully, the executors of the Ian Fleming estate will find another worthwhile scribe to continue Bond’s literary adventures. Recent Bond novels prior to Devil . . . have been quite atrocious.(less)

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04/29/08

Alice rated it:

(review of isbn 0718153766)

bookshelves: spies

Read in August, 2008

Penguin's selection of Sebastian Faulks, author of Birdsong and Charlotte Gray, to write a sequel to Ian Fleming's James Bond novels for the centenary of their creator's birth was perhaps an unusual one, but made the project much more interesting than if it had been given to some modern-day equivalent of the chain-smoking old hack.

Devil May Care is set soon after The Man With The Golden Gun. In this, Fleming's last Bond novel, our hero returns brainwashed from Russia with instruct...more

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02/21/09

Robert rated it:

A pretty worthwhile extension to the bond series. I read most of the Fleming books and then alot of the Gardner books. While they were Ok, he tended to overdo it on the twists and double crosses. Someone else - can't think of the authors name - did a bunch more but I never read them.

This actually feels a bit like the Fleming books but updated. And with Daniel Craig as Bond, you get a decent visual of, perhaps, him going through it. Very enjoyable

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