Devil May Care by Sebatian Faulks

[Joel_Kirk]

That's actually 'Sebastian' Faulks...

****

I just finished listening to this audiobook, and this is a big improvement over a John Gardner novel I just read....

I've heard mixed reviews on DMC, but I think it did pretty well with continuing the Bond franchise, which--in this case--is set in the late 60s/early 70s....

I still envisioned Connery as the Bond in the novel.

There were definite nods (intentional or un-intentional) to other Bond stories such as Thunderball, Dr. No (i.e. Julius Gorner), Live and Let Die (Gorner's hand)...and so on...

Gorner even reminds me of the film version (and literary version) of Le Chiffre...

I will have to revisit this book again, as there are some things that just breeze over, due to it being an audiobook (and playing 'the movie' in my head)...

I'm eager to see what others thought of this novel...and how he compares to Fleming...Gardner..and Benson...

 

[Australis]

Faulks came the closest to Fleming. It was a cool novel. The villain's secret weapon boaty thing was a real machine, brilliant to watch in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUTWWsh6iGA

On the Bond Wikipedia entry is a cartoon pic of how Fleming saw Bond, that's how I imagine him, fairly close to Connery (though Brosnan would be my fave Bond, with the current guy right behind him).

As for Gardner and Bension, while I read most of them, I often found them a bit of a letdown. Faulks's job of recreating the classic Bond style was spot on.

 

[Joel_Kirk]

Cool post...and thanks for the youtube link. {I didn't know it was based on a real machine!}

 

[Starkers]

I wasn't too impressed by Devil May Care. The use of the Ekranoplan was superb but, for me, the novel just seemed to be a succesion of homages to other Bond books/films. A tennis match instead of a game of golf, the local agent was very Karim Bey, the ending on the train From Russia With Love. I dunno, if there'd been more originality in there between the homages I might have liked it better.

 

[Lonemagpie]

As I said in another thread...

It's certainly a better send off than TMWTGG...

The sample they put on the web before publication was crap - "how many Fleming cliches can I squeeze into one chapter?" - which is *why* I waited until I could get one for 50p - about what it seemed to be worth. The book is
mostly better than I expected after that, but frequently annoying as well.

It starts off a bit shakily, with the thing where M is suddenly obsessed with yoga (which never gets mentioned again), then the business with the twins is blindingly obvious (though makes a nice change from Gardner's overused one good one bad formula).

When Bond goes to the Middle East, though, it's great - full-on Fleming style, marvellous stuff. The middle third is better than yer actual Fleming. Except for when Faulks forgets that it's supposed to be 1965 and indulges in a bit of Bush&Blair-bashing, which not only breaches Twain's "covertly preach" rule but does it in an extra standout fashion because its so bloody anachronistic. It's amazing how magically prophetic the characters become...

Unfortunately, the climax comes too early, then you get this extended coda with Bond in Russia, which is annoying because if you're going to make a point of having Bond go to Russia for the first time you should actually have made it the plot, so that it deserves a bigger deal.

Apparently Faulks wrote it for the cash in 14 days - I can't help feeling that if he took a whole month (like Fleming always did- he must have invented NaNoWriMo) he could have produced a real classic...

 

[Captaindemotion]

Given that Eon have said that they have no plans to adapt this novel for a Daniel Craig or other official Bond movie, I'd like to see them hand the rights over to someone else to make their own Bond movie as a one-off. Perhaps give Tarantino his chance to do one at last. Let him cast Brosnan or whoever he wants. With it being a period piece, I can't imagine anyone would confuse it with the official 007 series.

 

[Starkers]

Unfortunately, the climax comes too early, then you get this extended coda with Bond in Russia, which is annoying because if you're going to make a point of having Bond go to Russia for the first time you should actually have made it the plot, so that it deserves a bigger deal.

Yeah, and is it just me or does 007 escape from Russia rather easily? Bond in Russia could have been a novel in itself.

 

[Australis]

It starts off a bit shakily, with the thing where M is suddenly obsessed with yoga (which never gets mentioned again)

Wasn't there a bit in one of the Flemings where M's obsessed with a health kick and sends Bond to a health club? Thunderball, I think? That was dropped too, when M said it was nonsense, he was a bit flighty that way.

 

[DarKush]

I listened to the audio version. Unfortunately I missed out on a good deal of the climax because of a damaged disk. Anyway, I wasn't overly impressed. Gorner had potential as a villain though with the whole monkey paw thing. I didn't care for the twist with the damsel in distress. I thought that was stupid.

The best thing about the book IMO was the title. I hope they lift that one for a film someday. And even the plot, based around Afghanistan-if I recall correctly-and heroin could be updated for the 21st century. Though I wouldn't mind seeing some changes if a version ever made it to the big screen.

 

[Lonemagpie]

And even the plot, based around Afghanistan-if I recall correctly-and heroin could be updated for the 21st century. Though I wouldn't mind seeing some changes if a version ever made it to the big screen.

21st century? They did the Afghan/heroin plot in The Living Daylights, back in 1987!

 

[DarKush]

And even the plot, based around Afghanistan-if I recall correctly-and heroin could be updated for the 21st century. Though I wouldn't mind seeing some changes if a version ever made it to the big screen.

21st century? They did the Afghan/heroin plot in The Living Daylights, back in 1987!

Never saw the Living Daylights. Well, Bond didn't solve the problem then, so why not revisit it if they wanted to? Especially since a lot has changed in Afghanistan since 1987, though some things like the drug trade remain. At least Bond would be dealing with a whole new political minefield.

 

[Starkers]

And even the plot, based around Afghanistan-if I recall correctly-and heroin could be updated for the 21st century. Though I wouldn't mind seeing some changes if a version ever made it to the big screen.

21st century? They did the Afghan/heroin plot in The Living Daylights, back in 1987!

Yeah but this time things would be a little different. Doubt there'd be loads of heroic Afghan freedom fighters this time!

There were rumours they were thinking of using Afghanistan again weren't there? I think they'll steer clear, given that British soldiers are dying there on a weekly basis it would be in really poor taste.

There must be loads of countries where Bond still hasn't visitied/hasn't visted much. I'd like to see him in Japan or India again, and he's never been to Austrailia a Canada. A New York pre-title sequence would be fun.

 

[ClayinCA]

Are we talking movies or books? I think he went to Australia in one of the Benson books...

 

[Joel_Kirk]

As I said in another thread...

It's certainly a better send off than TMWTGG...

The sample they put on the web before publication was crap - "how many Fleming cliches can I squeeze into one chapter?" - which is *why* I waited until I could get one for 50p - about what it seemed to be worth. The book is
mostly better than I expected after that, but frequently annoying as well.

It starts off a bit shakily, with the thing where M is suddenly obsessed with yoga (which never gets mentioned again), then the business with the twins is blindingly obvious (though makes a nice change from Gardner's overused one good one bad formula).

When Bond goes to the Middle East, though, it's great - full-on Fleming style, marvellous stuff. The middle third is better than yer actual Fleming. Except for when Faulks forgets that it's supposed to be 1965 and indulges in a bit of Bush&Blair-bashing, which not only breaches Twain's "covertly preach" rule but does it in an extra standout fashion because its so bloody anachronistic. It's amazing how magically prophetic the characters become...

Unfortunately, the climax comes too early, then you get this extended coda with Bond in Russia, which is annoying because if you're going to make a point of having Bond go to Russia for the first time you should actually have made it the plot, so that it deserves a bigger deal.

Apparently Faulks wrote it for the cash in 14 days - I can't help feeling that if he took a whole month (like Fleming always did- he must have invented NaNoWriMo) he could have produced a real classic...

It starts off a bit shakily, with the thing where M is suddenly obsessed with yoga (which never gets mentioned again)

Wasn't there a bit in one of the Flemings where M's obsessed with a health kick and sends Bond to a health club? Thunderball, I think? That was dropped too, when M said it was nonsense, he was a bit flighty that way.

Yeah, M was suddenly obsessed with the health of his agents in Thunderball (my favorite Bond novel)...

****

I have to say it's a bit more violent than other Bond novels...i.e. the chopsticks in the ears...

*shiver*

Although, I do recall the scene in Thunderball where Petacchi is killed by a stilletto thrusted under the jaw...