Post by Cyrus Daniels on Jun 19, 2008 6:29:47 GMT -6
Okay some of you might know I'm a huge James Bond fan, but I never did care for the young Bond series of teenage novels because for me they took a right royal piss on Ian Fleming's character.
However, I was amped up for the return of the adult Bond, Bond as he should be in Sebastian Faukes Devil May Care, and I have to say it did not disappoint. It had all the classic elements of women, exotic locations, a larger than life deformed villain and followed the continuity of Fleming's work, set in the sixties, portraying Bond as a darker, hard edged, yet vunerable man who doubts whether he still has what it takes to be a 00 after taking a sabbatical. Bond also no use or desire for gadgets, something the films seem to rely heavily on, as such Q is only mentioned in passing, whilst the flirting with Moneypenny is typically subtle. Nor is Bond as at ease with one liners or as playful as the movies suggest, instead he is a brooding, intelligent invidual who likes his alcohol and cigarettes, whilst being fully aware of women as his one damning weakness.
Bond is also strangely monogomous and falls in love with Scarlett Papava, a banker whose twin sister Poppy is a sexually exploited drug addict by Julius Gorner - the villian with a monkey hand - who has an immense dislike of the British and plans to bring the country to its knees through heavy drug trafficking and international conflict, using the homeless as his factory workers, and they work willingly being paid through their addiction by regular heroin injections and their pick of enslaved addicted prostitutes.
The last minute plot twists are amazing and really not predictable at all, but I don't want to spoil in for anyone who may like me be anxious to see Bond away from a movie setting and as a great literary icon. I highly recommend it, though I don't need to sing its praises to real James Bond or Ian Fleming fans, and I hope this Bond continues, as he has been missed for far too long.
What I will say is the movies have seldom done the character justice, a few notable exceptions are Licence to Kill and Casino Royale, and I for one was relieved that the essence of the character remained true to Fleming's work, and its a nice interlude whilst I wait expectantly for Quantum of Solace.
The release of this novel has prompted all of Ian Fleming's work to be re-released after so many years and I for one couldn't be happier as it means I can finally collect all fourteen of the original novels myself, something I made sure of by reserving the eight remaining novels I have yet to own at Waterstones, amd their three for two offer means they work out at £10 each, not bad, and something I'm easily prepared to pay for the World's Greatest Secret Agent, and hero of mine.
However, I was amped up for the return of the adult Bond, Bond as he should be in Sebastian Faukes Devil May Care, and I have to say it did not disappoint. It had all the classic elements of women, exotic locations, a larger than life deformed villain and followed the continuity of Fleming's work, set in the sixties, portraying Bond as a darker, hard edged, yet vunerable man who doubts whether he still has what it takes to be a 00 after taking a sabbatical. Bond also no use or desire for gadgets, something the films seem to rely heavily on, as such Q is only mentioned in passing, whilst the flirting with Moneypenny is typically subtle. Nor is Bond as at ease with one liners or as playful as the movies suggest, instead he is a brooding, intelligent invidual who likes his alcohol and cigarettes, whilst being fully aware of women as his one damning weakness.
Bond is also strangely monogomous and falls in love with Scarlett Papava, a banker whose twin sister Poppy is a sexually exploited drug addict by Julius Gorner - the villian with a monkey hand - who has an immense dislike of the British and plans to bring the country to its knees through heavy drug trafficking and international conflict, using the homeless as his factory workers, and they work willingly being paid through their addiction by regular heroin injections and their pick of enslaved addicted prostitutes.
The last minute plot twists are amazing and really not predictable at all, but I don't want to spoil in for anyone who may like me be anxious to see Bond away from a movie setting and as a great literary icon. I highly recommend it, though I don't need to sing its praises to real James Bond or Ian Fleming fans, and I hope this Bond continues, as he has been missed for far too long.
What I will say is the movies have seldom done the character justice, a few notable exceptions are Licence to Kill and Casino Royale, and I for one was relieved that the essence of the character remained true to Fleming's work, and its a nice interlude whilst I wait expectantly for Quantum of Solace.
The release of this novel has prompted all of Ian Fleming's work to be re-released after so many years and I for one couldn't be happier as it means I can finally collect all fourteen of the original novels myself, something I made sure of by reserving the eight remaining novels I have yet to own at Waterstones, amd their three for two offer means they work out at £10 each, not bad, and something I'm easily prepared to pay for the World's Greatest Secret Agent, and hero of mine.