181 replies to this topic

[Qwerty]

Whoa! What a day for news. New website, new imprint...wow. Thanks Qwerty.

It certainly was!

They did this Penguin 007 thing back in 2002 I think when they relaunched the Fleming books, didn't they? Something similar anyway...

Yeah--I wonder if this means we'll be seeing all the Fleming novels reprinted again. They were just done in the UK in 2002 (as you note) and then again last year with the new author introductions. This isn't even counting the Modern Classics.

[sharpshooter]

Would they publish the Gardner and Benson books you think?

[K1Bond007]

Would they publish the Gardner and Benson books you think?

I think they have the ability to (for most of them anyway), but I don't know if there's a market for it really. Benson's are still widely available and Gardner's well... I don't know. Maybe an omnibus? I don't know. I can easily see a Colonel Sun reprint, but I don't know if they have the rights. It'd be nice.

[TheSaint]

Never heard of the author, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

"Devil May Care" is set in 1967 when Faulks said "Bond is damaged, ageing and in a sense it is the return of the gunfighter for one last heroic mission."

Don't like the sound of that. We'll see what happens.

[Jim]

Oh IFP, how I crave to lick exotic juices from you. I love you, IFP; thank you for showing me a little love in return.

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.

Bond, in all its manifestations, is now something to admire, not simply something to acquire. No longer the chore of dutifully plodding along to the films or buying underwhelming books, being a "Bond fan", we are living in a golden age my darlings. I joined this website at the wrong time and developed a reputation as a capricious, curmudgeonly old whoopsie - I really cannot find anything to moan about at the moment. This new sensation - do they call it "happy"? It's troubling me.

Round these parts (which we will call the comfy bourgeois of the UK), the name Sebastian Faulks is pretty big news so it will sell on his name as well as Bond's name. Business masterstroke - they are tapping into a market that isn't just "spy novel fans" or "Bond fans" and probably people who wouldn't otherwise be seen dead reading (say) Brokenclaw or Never Dream of Dying, or would be aware that they even exist. I expect this to shift in huge numbers and have substantial literary credibility. It could, of course, be rotten but the track record suggests otherwise.

What a coup!

Fab.

(Although it probably counts against a new series of novels - he doesn't need Bond to make his name or his money; also, Penguin are not his usual publishers and I would doubt his regular publisher would be happy with anything other than a one-off).

[David Schofield]

Never heard of the author, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

"Devil May Care" is set in 1967 when Faulks said "Bond is damaged, ageing and in a sense it is the return of the gunfighter for one last heroic mission."

Don't like the sound of that. We'll see what happens.

I suppose somehow a "handle" had to be attached to the project, though I can't see how promoting it as the return for one final mission can help the concept of a new ongoing series...

And I note it is mentioned Bond is damaged and a widower: hadn't Fleming dealt with that and moved on in TMWTGG? Amis doesn't mention Tracy once, I'm sure.

Still, fits in nicely after Colonel Sun, though.

[Santa]

Fab news, and ACE, I'm sure now that you did know in advance

[Joyce Carrington]

Fab.

Now I just have the song stuck in my head.

That's how I live and I'll die... devil may care...

[Trident]

Hey! Seems some of CBn's members hit paydirt when suggesting Faulks. IFP is really aiming quite high. Faulks is considered on a scale with Ian McEwan and Leon de Winter if not quite as famous as yet. Really a surprise to me, but quite a pleasant one. Be looking forward to DMC!

Edited by Trident, 11 July 2007 - 08:00 AM.

[Skudor]

I'm already looking forward to this one. Sounds like they picked a decent author for the job.

I wonder if they'll film it... sounds slightly more likely than with the other continuity novels...

[Mr Twilight]

Looking forward to this event. I don't know anything about Sebastian Faulks but everybody seems to be happy about him. So I have trust in you.

Noticed that his born 1953...the same year Casino Royale was published

Edited by Mr Twilight, 11 July 2007 - 08:54 AM.

[DamnCoffee]

Faulks is a very interesting Choice , i love his work, especially 'Human Traces' and 'On Dolphin Street'. I like the idea of it set after TMWTGG and continuing from Flemings work . And i love the title.

Now wouldn't it be cute if the title of Bond 22 was 'Devil May care' and the novel was a Tie In??

[Skudor]

Faulks is a very interesting Choice , i love his work, especially 'Human Traces' and 'On Dolphin Street'. I like the idea of it set after TMWTGG and continuing from Flemings work . And i love the title.

Now wouldn't it be cute if the title of Bond 22 was 'Devil May care' and the novel was a Tie In??

I'd rather that B23 was actually based on the novel.

[DamnCoffee]

Faulks is a very interesting Choice , i love his work, especially 'Human Traces' and 'On Dolphin Street'. I like the idea of it set after TMWTGG and continuing from Flemings work . And i love the title.

Now wouldn't it be cute if the title of Bond 22 was 'Devil May care' and the novel was a Tie In??

I'd rather that B23 was actually based on the novel.

As 2008 is the 100th Anniversary of Flemings birth, i'd much rather Bond 22 be based on the novel.

[sharpshooter]

The Penguin 007 site is up, with a countdown and register for updates by the way.

[Simon]

Superb news.

As above, Bond appears to have entered a classier arena and I'm all the happier for it.

[Vauxhall]

Wonderful news!! Sebastian Faulks is a brilliant author, and I'm now filled with great confidence about this centenary novel. Cannot wait!

[MarcAngeDraco]

I haven't personally read any of Faulks' novels, but from the comments here maybe I should...

Looks like 2008 will be another great year for Bond fans!

[Blofeld's Cat]

Great news!

I first heard about it on morning radio while at work. So, of course, I had to SMS everyone in the world.

[marktmurphy]

Obviously I've heard of him as he's a very famous author, but I can't say I've ever tried his stuff- can only be good, though.

And the title's fabby; really like that one.

Who'd have thought a Bond novel could make the news? I read it on BBCi earlier today and just heard it on the news; they're really doing a great job with this; well done IFP (and I think Faulks'll do rather well out of it too- not many thriller writers get their names on the news).

[Zorin Industries]

The title could be better. It's a tad John Gardner for my initial liking, but let's not judge a book by its...you know what I mean...

[Simon]

Curiously think the title is rather good.

It doesn't involve all the ramifications of To Die is to Kill Death Tomorrow, etc etc.

[spynovelfan]

Amazing news - I'd never have dreamed they could get someone like this. Love the title (in fact I considered it for a Bond script I wanted to write many moons ago!), love the fact it's in '67 with a damaged Bond, love it all. That reads like a fantasy press release to me. Can't wait to read the book.

[marktmurphy]

Curiously think the title is rather good.

It doesn't involve all the ramifications of To Die is to Kill Death Tomorrow, etc etc.

I think it's excellent- best original Bond title in many, many years.

[Scrambled Eggs]

Just to be a miserable ....

One reservation. Faulks might have treated this as a bit of a parlour game. He might have just tossed "Devil May Care" off on a few wet weekends in between writing more high faluttin' stuff.

In theory, he's perfect. But then, in theory, so was Kingsley Amis and Colonel Sun (most would agree) is on the whole a bit average.

[spynovelfan]

Well, I'm not sure most would agree that, Scrambled Eggs! I take your point, but still... From the press release Faulks seems to have a pretty astute understanding of Fleming (well, so did Amis), but he has also tackled this sort of thing before. CHARLOTTE GRAY is an excellent thriller. How many thrillers had Amis written before CS? THE ANTI-DEATH LEAGUE I suppose, but only just. I'm very much looking forward to reading Faulks's apparently enthusiastic wet weekend work. It might not be as good as Fleming, but I think we have entered a new era. Again.

[David Schofield]

Just to be a miserable ....

One reservation. Faulks might have treated this as a bit of a parlour game. He might have just tossed "Devil May Care" off on a few wet weekends in between writing more high faluttin' stuff.

In theory, he's perfect. But then, in theory, so was Kingsley Amis and Colonel Sun (most would agree) is on the whole a bit average.

Of course, that's the chance you take.

But would one prefer a top quality popular writer, the darling of the literary classes like Faulks slumming it or the more workmanlike, enthusiastic but generally unskilled efforts of a Benson-type?

I would suggest Faulks hs much to lose in terms of credibility if his work is shoddy and therefore is more likely to produce a top-notch effort.

[ACE]

I don't know whether most would agree that Colonel Sun was average. I thought it was superb. Hopefully DMC will be as good as Colonel Sun or even better.

We have no reason to believe that Faulks slummed it - rather it was a challenge and thrill for him. Like Craig, he was cautious before taking on the role, cognizant of the attendant baggage and Kobayashi Maru-ness of it all. However upon reading the existing material, he was surprised, energized and motivated and inspired.

Have faith.

Fail not.

[marktmurphy]

I would suggest Faulks hs much to lose in terms of credibility if his work is shoddy and therefore is more likely to produce a top-notch effort.

Exactly; I'm sure he was very aware of the new exposure this would present him with. It makes no sense to put minimum effort into something which will get you in the headlines.

[Loomis]

Interesting. I know of Faulks, but couldn't have named any of his books till I saw these Bond-related news articles. Not blown away by the title - DEVIL MAY CARE sounds like something you'd read about in a Bond phenomenon book as one of Fleming's rejected titles for LIVE AND LET DIE. It also sounds as old as the hills.

Then again, given that this is intended as the sequel to the 1960s Flemings, perhaps that's very apt!

I wonder why they're releasing this news so "early", though. Wasn't the original plan to keep the author's name secret until "the eve of publication"?

In another news tidbit, it seems that 32.42% of voters in a BBC News poll have read a James Bond novel, while 67.58% haven't:

http://newsvote.bbc....ON#vote_6291652