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| Devil May Care | 
 enlarge | Author: Sebastian Faulks
Publisher: Doubleday
Category: Book
Buy Used: £1,644.12
Avg. Customer Rating:  81 reviews
Media: Leather Bound
Edition: Limited
Pages: 416
Shipping Weight (lbs): 7.7
Dimensions (in): 17.5 x 12 x 6.3
ISBN: 0385528671
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780385528672
ASIN: 0385528671
Publication Date: May 28, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW, DISPATCHED FROM ENGLAND, USUALLY JUST 4-5 DAYS FOR DELIVERY.
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| Customer Reviews:
 True to the original... September 12, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Don't expect the Bond of the films, you will be disappointed. This book follows the path of Fleming's original 1960s spy thriller formula, replicating it to perfection.
The evil Dr Julius Gorner is the classic Fleming villain, complete with grotesque deformity and ugly hatred of humanity. I loved the refined gastronomic descriptions, the tasteful sartorial elegance, as Bond and love interest eat and sleep their way across continents.
'Devil May Care' is an explosive mix of gourmet food, tailored clothes, beautiful women and 1960s espionage as Bond confronts evil, escapes its clutches, saves the world and gets his girl.
 Dreary and over-hyped September 9, 2008
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
Faulks has done a fine job mimicking Ian Fleming's style of writing - but other than the fact Devil May Care celebrates the centenary of Fleming's birth - why on earth bother? Without the link to Bond or the Fleming heritage, this thriller wouldn't have made it to anything other than the remainder bin - it's pedestrian, dated and poor in terms of plotting and style.
Things start well enough, but the plot deteriorates the moment the action moves to the dreary setting that is the Middle East. Faulks seems to have tipped his hat to most of the Bond titles, but seems less sure-footed describing food, drink and things in general that made Fleming stand out in his day. It's also a bit flakey when it comes to describing technology - Fleming gave the impression he knew his stuff - Faulks doesn't.
Most interesting of all perhaps - Faulks does capture accurately the boredom that crept into Fleming's writing. About half way through most of his books, Fleming grew bored with proceedings and tended to rattle off highly unconvincing endings. So it is with Devil May Care - with a rush to ludicrously outlandish action sequences that wouldn't have been out of place in the films. The Bond franchise continues to draw us in as an audience - but for all the hype and gloss surrounding the publication of this new novel - it's mediocre at best -a triumph of style over content, which was pretty much the Fleming way.
A poor effort September 8, 2008
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
I am a huge admirer of Sebastion Faulks, and I remember reading Birdsong and finding it one of the most moving books that I had ever read. However, this is in a different league altogether. I received the book as a present and was delighted until I started it. Honestly, I am having trouble finishing it and have put it aside several times.
Bond is pompous - not at all like the title - and appears as a shallow character with the 'formula' female spy alongside. Is she real? Will she betray him? Will he have to rescue her from some megalomaniac stroking a white pussycat? I am not really in a hurry to find out.
A great pity, as I remember well reading the original books with great anticipation as a schoolboy - deliciously naughty for those days and full of true adventure with a real hero.
 Great Bond story September 5, 2008
If you like James Bond stories, this is a good one.
Forget whether it's Fleming or Gardiner, Connery or Moore, literarature or film. The Bond franchise now transcends all media formats but at it's heart is a good yarn and a number of expected ingredients-the megolamanic adversary, double agents, gadgets, women plus Leiter, Moneypenney etc.
But pay attention Bond. Faulks mixes film with facts and fiction. Q Section only appears here and in the films, and George the fifth apparently instigated the 'Entente Cordialle' (and not Edward the seventh).
But who cares? This is a just a classic Bond story , and as such a very enjoyable read.
 A Disappointing Pastiche September 5, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Sebastian Faulks is a very talented writer so why did he do such a lackadaisical job on this book? He mimics the style of Ian Fleming accurately but adds nothing to it. Many of the scenes in the book are copies of famous scenes from other Bond novels - e.g. the tennis match is like the golf match in Goldfinger. The action moves along in predictable ways, the characters all conform to stereotype but there is no humour or sparkle or surprise. It is a pale imitation of Fleming with no added value. The title seems to reflect the attitude of the writer.
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