Centenary author and title announced!

zencatzencat Studio City, CAPosts: 224MI6 Agent
edited July 2007 in James Bond Literature
DEVIL MAY CARE, a novel written by British author Sebastian Faulks and authorized by the estate of the late Ian Fleming, is due to come out in 2008, the centennial of Fleming’s birth. According to the Doubleday Broadway Publishing Group, Devil May Care is set during the Cold War and, like so many Bond adventures, moves about a variety of scenic locales.


Full Press Release:
http://web.mac.com/zencato/iWeb/Young_Bond/News/138BA633-0E3A-4BCB-B694-0A84E9FF6BF7.html
www.thebookbond.com - New Look. New Book. Pure BOND.
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Comments

  • 72897289 Beau DesertPosts: 1,691MI6 Agent
    Part of me is very interested, the other part bemoans that a dead horse cannot cry "Uncle!!!".

    Too bad so much money is at stake -otherwise they could have let oo7 die with his creator.
  • TOOTSTOOTS Posts: 114MI6 Agent
    Fantastic title, fantastic choice, fantastic news!
  • zencatzencat Studio City, CAPosts: 224MI6 Agent
    Story #2 (additional details not in the US press release):

    'Devil May Care' 80% Fleming, says Faulks
    www.thebookbond.com - New Look. New Book. Pure BOND.
  • DAWUSSDAWUSS My homepagePosts: 517MI6 Agent
    If only it was present day...
  • HardyboyHardyboy Posts: 5,882Chief of Staff
    Well, I thought it would be Bernard Cornwell, but what do I know? 8-)

    I've never read Sebastian Faulks, but maybe I'll pick up one of his books to see what he's like. I certainly wish him well and I hope the book is great, though I can't say I like the title. Devil May Care? Too flip and cheeky. Then again, I'm glad Glidrose didn't insist he change it to Devil May Kill or some such cheesy title. . .
    Vox clamantis in deserto
  • darenhatdarenhat The Old PuebloPosts: 2,029Quartermasters
    I think this is good news. Like Hardyboy, I'm not familiar wiht Faulks works (and think that Cornwell would have been a good choice). I like the title, however, and feel it's up to par with any of Gardner's stabs ('never send flowers' just didn't work for me).

    It will be interesting to see how it's received. The 1967 setting seems like it might alienate some fans, and also seems to kill the concept of seeing another string of continuation novels anytime soon.
  • LoeffelholzLoeffelholz The United States, With LovePosts: 8,988Quartermasters
    I like the title; don't know the author. I assume this one comes after Colonel Sun, sequence-wise.

    I'll buy this one the day it hits the stores B-)
    Check out my Amazon author page! Mark Loeffelholz
    "I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
    "Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
  • zencatzencat Studio City, CAPosts: 224MI6 Agent
    I like the title; don't know the author. I assume this one comes after Colonel Sun, sequence-wise.

    I'll buy this one the day it hits the stores B-)
    Actually, I believe it's set in between TMWTGG and CS. Faulks says it's set in 1967.
    www.thebookbond.com - New Look. New Book. Pure BOND.
  • bluemanblueman PDXPosts: 1,667MI6 Agent
    Can't wait, sounds like a good read to-be.
  • LoeffelholzLoeffelholz The United States, With LovePosts: 8,988Quartermasters
    zencat wrote:
    Actually, I believe it's set in between TMWTGG and CS. Faulks says it's set in 1967.

    I'm sure you're right...got a bit crossed-up as to when CS came out...
    Check out my Amazon author page! Mark Loeffelholz
    "I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
    "Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
  • Lady RoseLady Rose London,UKPosts: 2,667MI6 Agent
    In this quite an interesting interview with Faulks about the book.

    http://uk.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUKL1017616220070710?pageNumber=1

    I quite like the idea, especially when Faulks says about the book ...

    "Bond is damaged, ageing and in a sense it is the return of the gunfighter for one last heroic mission."
  • scaramanga1scaramanga1 The English RivieraPosts: 845Chief of Staff
    Having Read On Green Dolphin Street by Faulks recently -I can see why he was chosen -for although the book isn't one with a great deal of action -his use of locale's and the way he writes fully rounded characters who are often flawed in some way make his writing style perfect for this job - I am sure he will produce the right pace and amount of action we all require. I for one am really looking forward to this novel. :)
  • emtiememtiem SurreyPosts: 5,686MI6 Agent
    Really rather cracking- he's big news and so's this book (it's on the news and everything!); IFP are really doing a great job with Bond right now.

    And I think it's the best original Bond title in decades; very Fleming without having to resort to sticking 'Die' or 'Kill' in there.


    The only downside is that it doesn't sound like he's likely to do any more what with him being signed to another publisher (although I'm sure they won't mind him getting his name and face all over BBC News!).
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    Speaking of BBC News, they're referring to Our Founder as Sir Ian while discussing the new novel- do they know something we don't :))?
  • John DrakeJohn Drake On assignmentPosts: 2,564MI6 Agent
    I guess Faulks doesn't sell many copies in the US. He's a highly regarded author in the UK. His latest, Engleby, recently came out to rave reviews. I've only read one of his books, The Fatal Englishman: Three Short Lives. It's a non-fiction work, about three young prodigies who all died young. All were undone by their own personal flaws and those of the age in which they lived in. It was outstanding. I think Faulks is an inspired choice to write a Bond novel.
  • TOOTSTOOTS Posts: 114MI6 Agent
    This book is going to be a smash.

    A literate yet story driven novelist, his writing is fine and sometimes exquisite. He belongs to a tradition of contemporary English/Anglo-centric writers that I love (Julian Barnes, Graham Swift, Pat Barker, Kazuo Ishiguru, William Boyd etc). I have not read all of his books, just the famous ones, Birdsong, Charlotte Gray and On Green Dolphin Street. He was too high brow and successful for me to even contemplate him writing Bond but, rest assured, at least IMHO, he is a great choice.

    He is the Daniel Craig of Bond authors.
  • emtiememtiem SurreyPosts: 5,686MI6 Agent
    TOOTS wrote:
    This book is going to be a smash.

    I think you're right- I'm not sure how they've managed to generate this much publicity to be honest, but if they can keep it up it's looking very good for sales. In fact I bet Faulk's sales of his own books will be doing rather well this week.
  • John DrakeJohn Drake On assignmentPosts: 2,564MI6 Agent
    emtiem wrote:
    I think you're right- I'm not sure how they've managed to generate this much publicity to be honest, but if they can keep it up it's looking very good for sales. In fact I bet Faulk's sales of his own books will be doing rather well this week.

    Agreed. I think this will be mutually beneficial for both Bond and Faulks. I haven't read a non-fleming Bond novel in years, not since early 90's. I am definitely reading this one.
  • stevejstevej Posts: 1MI6 Agent
    As a Bond Fan but new to this forum, can I ask: what was wrong with the John Gardner books? I read and enjoyed them and have actually just re-visited them after finding them at the back of my shelves. Have I missed some previous discussion?
  • TOOTSTOOTS Posts: 114MI6 Agent
    edited July 2007
    Welcome, stevej,

    IMO, nothing was wrong with the Gardner books. They were fun and kept literary Bond in focus through the 1980's and early 1990's. He stopped writing them though in 1996 and since then we've had Raymond Benson and Charlie Higson and Kate Westbrook keeping the world of literary Bond alive.

    It's like asking what was wrong with Roger Moore's Bond when Daniel Craig is announced.
  • HardyboyHardyboy Posts: 5,882Chief of Staff
    John Drake wrote:
    I guess Faulks doesn't sell many copies in the US. He's a highly regarded author in the UK.

    No, he isn't a name here, though people are probably acquainted with Charlotte Gray through the movie. As for those who are disappointed that this won't be the start of a new series of continuation novels, well, from the beginning it was planned as a "one-off" to celebrate the centennial of Fleming's birth.

    And I've heard Sir Ian Fleming a time or two myself. I've heard of posthumous honors, but 43 years is a bit much. . .
    Vox clamantis in deserto
  • Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,239MI6 Agent
    Well Gardner's books are not much loved by fans. Guess you can do a search for a thread, but they tended to be Fleming-lite, the character happened to be called James Bond and that's the only similiarity. Nothing sexy about them, either, and rubbish titles, though Gardner insists that the publishers pushed them on him. I gave up reading after the first two.

    The way Craig is ageing, he could make this his final movie 8 years down the line! :D
    "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

    Roger Moore 1927-2017
  • Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,239MI6 Agent
    As for Sebastian Faulks, I have only one response:

    "Lovely! Lovely!"

    ;)
    "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

    Roger Moore 1927-2017
  • zencatzencat Studio City, CAPosts: 224MI6 Agent
  • LoeffelholzLoeffelholz The United States, With LovePosts: 8,988Quartermasters
    edited July 2007
    Lady Rose wrote:
    In this quite an interesting interview with Faulks about the book.

    http://uk.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUKL1017616220070710?pageNumber=1

    I quite like the idea, especially when Faulks says about the book ...

    "Bond is damaged, ageing and in a sense it is the return of the gunfighter for one last heroic mission."

    I didn't think it was possible...but I'm even more excited by by this -{ Perhaps, if it's a big enough best-seller, Eon could be persuaded to pluck a couple of currency bills off the cash mountain upon which they sit...purchase the rights...and adapt it?

    Probably not. But the infusion of some new plasma into 007's literary bloodstream is the best news I've heard since...well, since I heard that Casino Royale was the next movie title... :007)
    Check out my Amazon author page! Mark Loeffelholz
    "I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
    "Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
  • Lady RoseLady Rose London,UKPosts: 2,667MI6 Agent
    I like the idea it is set in 1967 and we have the worn out, burnt out Bond. Reading that short interview it sounds like Faulks has tried to be quite faithful to Fleming.

    Whilst I am not ready for the film series to end I have always liked the idea of a proper final Bond book. One were our hero finally comes to a conclusion and not necessarily a dead one either!

    ( He could just retire and go off and live the rest of his life as The Equalizer :)) )
  • LoeffelholzLoeffelholz The United States, With LovePosts: 8,988Quartermasters
    edited July 2007
    Even if Eon were to adapt DMC, I'm sure they'd 'fudge' the bit about it being Bond's last adventure; perhaps as the final movie in a particular actor's run :D

    There's just something very cool about the possibility (however crazily remote!) of a new Bond novel being adapted to the silver screen...

    [takes a moment of personal indulgence to imagine it...]

    Yeah. It would be cool B-) Ah well...back to reality :#
    Check out my Amazon author page! Mark Loeffelholz
    "I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
    "Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
  • John DrakeJohn Drake On assignmentPosts: 2,564MI6 Agent

    There's just something very cool about the possibility (however crazily remote!) of a new Bond novel being adapted to the silver screen...

    [takes a moment of personal indulgence to imagine it...]

    Yeah. It would be cool B-) Ah well...back to reality :#

    I'm still waiting for Colonel Sun to be adapted.
  • 00-Agent00-Agent CaliforniaPosts: 453MI6 Agent
    I have never read any works by Sebastian Faulks. Does anyone familiar with his work have a recommendation on a novel of his that might be in the same genre as the upcoming Bond novel? I would like to get an idea of what to expect.
    "A blunt instrument wielded by a Government department. Hard, ruthless, sardonic, fatalistic. He likes gambling, golf, fast motor cars. All his movements are relaxed and economical". Ian Fleming
  • John DrakeJohn Drake On assignmentPosts: 2,564MI6 Agent
    00-Agent wrote:
    I have never read any works by Sebastian Faulks. Does anyone familiar with his work have a recommendation on a novel of his that might be in the same genre as the upcoming Bond novel? I would like to get an idea of what to expect.

    Charlotte Gray has elements of spying in it. It's about a young Scottish woman fighting with the resistance in France. They made a film version starring Cate Blanchett. It was bloody awful, and helped bring about the end of C4's involvement in feature films. But the last part of The Fatal Englishman: Three Short lives is the closest to what you're looking for. It's about Jeremy Wolfenden, who turned traitor and defected to Russia. Wolfenden had the same kind of priviledged background as Fleming, worked in British Intelligence, but went in a different direction. Faulks brilliantly describes this world, Oxford, the Cold War and the machinations of East and West. Also his new book, Engleby is supposed to be a fascinating character study into the mind of a damaged loner. I really do think Faulks is going to deliver something special with Devil May Care.
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