437 replies to this topic

[Righty007]

People are beginning to get their hands on Devil May Care which means reviews of the novel aren't far behind. Post your review here! Make sure to give it a rating based on the 1 - 5 star scale:

- I waited for this!?

- It's okay.

- It's a decent Bond adventure.

- It's close but not Fleming!

- It's the best Bond novel since Fleming!

[whiteskwirl]

I bought it and read through it, and I'll probably pay for it in a few hours when I have to get up and go to work. Before I give my review I should qualify myself. I have not read all of Fleming's works. Casino Royale, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, and You Only Live Twice. I've read a few Gardner books and most of the Benson books. My introduction to Bond came from the movies.

So I'm not expert on what is an is not Fleming. I also had high expectations for those books. Anyway, here's my opinion. Spoilers follow, so be warned.

[sharpshooter]

Ouch. It sounds pretty much like a flop after reading that little opinion piece.

[DamnCoffee]

The literary Die Another Day? It cannot be that bad, surely? I'm gonna reserve judgement untill I read the book myself.

[Skudor]

I've avoided the excerpts and probably won't get hold of the book itself until the weekend, but I'm not liking the comments I'm seeing (both on the excerpts and the novel). Sounds like the DAD reference may be close to the mark.

Final judgement obviously reserved for when I've actually read the damned thing!

[Jim]

The attached is quite fun (if spoilerific) - chap on the BBC website reading it in real time (as of now - three days from now this will look ridiculous).

Warning - spoilers...

http://news.bbc.co.u...ent/7422372.stm

[marktmurphy]

I was just about to post that myself! What a fun idea.

Although it doesn't sound great so far...

[Skudor]

I noticed that the model in the fetching red latex jumpsuit didn't wear a lifejacket on the speedboat thingy.

[Marketto007]

You're mean Skudor, meeean.

xxx

[Trident]

Well, unlike Mr Craig she will have outlived her usefulness once the book is delivered and the pics are shot. No use investing (nice pun, btw) in safety where safety isn't actually necessary, is there? (sarcasm off)

Edited by Trident, 28 May 2008 - 01:37 PM.

[whiteskwirl]

The literary Die Another Day? It cannot be that bad, surely? I'm gonna reserve judgement untill I read the book myself.

I compare it to Die Another Day because of all the references to past tales and because the villain's plan is too extreme for what he wants to achieve. Devil May Care is not as silly as Die Another Day, that's for sure. DMC is well-written.

I'm curious how close to Fleming others think DMC is. I haven't read enough Fleming to be any kind of expert on that.

[bleary_25]

Here's my review, originally posted on my LiveJournal:

Devil May Care is a rich, full-bodied tribute to Ian Fleming - on the occasion of his Centenary - and the character of James Bond.

[Jim]

Insofar as my opinion's worth anything

[dodge]

Thank for, gents, for helping me save my hard-earned money. Isn't it interesting to note that the estammed Faulks can't do what the scorned Fleming could do with such brilliance?

[Jim]

Thank for, gents, for helping me save my hard-earned money. Isn't it interesting to note that the estammed Faulks can't do what the scorned Fleming could do with such brilliance?

Oh, do make up your own mind.

[ImTheMoneypenny]

I've been reading it slowly, which is my habit with Bond books, a chapter or two before bed. In this girl's humble opinion, it's enjoyable so far. A good tribute.

[dodge]

Thank for, gents, for helping me save my hard-earned money. Isn't it interesting to note that the estammed Faulks can't do what the scorned Fleming could do with such brilliance?

Oh, do make up your own mind.

[The Dove]

I'm up to Chapter 8 so far and AM LOVING IT!!

[SecretAgent007]

I picked this up last night and am a little more than half way through it. So far it is a little boring. Everything seems to be recycled from past novels and there are too many awkward references shoe horned into the book. There is no urgency when reading this. Some parts are very choppy. Not in any way the "Fleming sweep". Although, I find that Bond's point of view is closer to Fleming than Amis, Gardner, or Benson. But to be fair none of these other authors are Fleming or had the same life experience that he did. It would be very hard, if not impossible for anyone to imitate his writing style without it seeming forced. But as I said, I feel this is the closest to character, if not plot and writing style of any previous attempt. And at least so far there are no gadgets other than a modified Minox.(although one has been eluded to). Hopefully the second half picks up. I can't see me re-reading this for several years.

1/2

Edited by SecretAgent007, 29 May 2008 - 05:29 PM.

[whiteskwirl]

To the moderator(s): Can you add a poll to this thread with the star ratings as choices? That way we can get an idea what the community as a whole thinks of the book, in addition to reading the reviews.

[K1Bond007]

I've been reading it slowly, which is my habit with Bond books, a chapter or two before bed. In this girl's humble opinion, it's enjoyable so far. A good tribute.

[whiteskwirl]

Is anyone else disappointed that...

[Peckinpah1976]

Great prose, with the same really vivid sense of location that Flemings' work had - especially in the Perisan sequences. However as others have mentioned there is far too much recycling of plot elements from the original books, meaning that it either feels like very tired Fleming or straight-out pastiche (which surely wasn't the intention).

[whiteskwirl]

Not a disaster by any means but certainly not in the same league as the better Higson novels.

I agree, it's not a disaster. I can see giving it three stars if you're not bothered by some of the unrealistic motivations/plot points. It's an average affair.

But given that the book was commissioned to commemorate Fleming's 100th birthday, I expected a higher-caliber story. The execution of the story is pretty good, but the story itself isn't. Average just isn't good enough, considering the special event.

[Blofeld's Cat]

To the moderator(s): Can you add a poll to this thread with the star ratings as choices? That way we can get an idea what the community as a whole thinks of the book, in addition to reading the reviews.

NB: Please don't rate the book until you've actually finished it (or in Jim's case, stopped reading it).

Cheers.

[Loomis]

I'm about halfway through. I'm not a particularly fast reader, but this book has a cracking pace and seems to me virtually impossible to read at anything other than lightning speed.

However, I'm also in the Distinctly Underwhelmed camp, and I say that as someone who's a big fan of Faulks as well as a big fan of Bond. While I've only read A FOOL'S ALPHABET and ENGLEBY, I consider both of them among the most unique, brilliant and moving novels I've ever read, and have already re-read the latter mere months after first reading it, and will soon re-read the former. I was blown away by Faulks' imagination and the quality of his writing.

Neither of which, sadly, are evident in DEVIL MAY CARE. And, nope, the writing style has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with Fleming, either.

It's as though one of today's greatest rock bands - Radiohead, say (or pick a rock band you hold in very high regard) - had been asked to record an album of new songs in the style of Led Zeppelin, in order to pay tribute to Page, Plant and co.

Now, imagine if the resulting album by Radiohead Recording AS Led Zeppelin didn't actually sound like Led Zeppelin at all. Imagine if it was much more like a Spinal Tap LP.

Well, that's what we've got here, unfortunately. DMC has its moments, sure, but it's certainly not what it could and should have been, or what it's being promoted as.

Until very recently, I'd honestly believed (based on my slight but wonderful acquaintance with Faulks' work) that DEVIL MAY CARE would be one of the very greatest artistic achievements in the history of James Bond, right up there with Fleming's YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE and FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, and Eon's FRWL, GOLDFINGER, ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE and CASINO ROYALE.

Not even close, I'm afraid.

For now, I'm giving it a somewhat generous 3/5. It's still one of the very best of the continuation novels, but that's hardly saying all that much given the general quality of the competition. It doesn't touch COLONEL SUN or JAMES BOND: THE AUTHORISED BIOGRAPHY (not read the Wood novelizations, but wouldn't be surprised if it didn't approach those two, either).

[MajorB]

I'm a few chapters in, and echo much of what's been said. What struck me is how little narrative tension there is--nothing is pushing me ahead to the next page and the next. Also, one of Fleming's great strengths as a writer was drawing you into whatever scene he was describing, making you feel a part of it. I feel as if everything in DMC is somewhere over there, at a distance.

The more I read other authors' attempts at Bond stories, the more my admiration for Fleming grows. He had his flaws, to be sure, but boy could he tell a story.

Edited by MajorB, 30 May 2008 - 12:54 AM.

[Simon]

Oh dear. My wife was introduced to Faulks' writing via the then imminent DMC and bought Human Traces, which is currently being thoroughly enjoyed.

Following this, she wondered if We would be reading DMC which instigated its purchase.

Hoping she isn't going to be thrown by this once we start it, although she hasn't read any Fleming so maybe the references will not interfere as they would otherwise.

Although the 'engagement' is another matter entirely...

[Scrambled Eggs]

Was up until 3 am reading it. Not necessarily because I was gripped, but because I'd promised myself that I'd read it in one sitting. My thoughts:

[Peckinpah1976]

Was up until 3 am reading it. Not necessarily because I was gripped, but because I'd promised myself that I'd read it in one sitting. My thoughts: