Since the publication of his first novel in 1984, Sebastian Faulks has been carving out an impressive career as a writer of literary novels, including the much-admired Birdsong and the well-received Engleby. It is this literary pedigree that many felt made Faulks an unusual choice to write the latest Bond novel; even the author himself expressed surprise that he was the choice of the trustees of Ian Fleming’s estate, rather than someone known for writing thrillers.
Sales Figures for Devil May Care
The novel has been an enormous success, however. The combination of Faulks’ involvement and the publicity surrounding the centenary of the birth of the original creator, Ian Fleming, meant that the book really caught the imagination of the reading public, and the arrival of the novel at booksellers was surrounded by the kind of secrecy and hysteria normally reserved for Harry Potter stories.
Indeed, in terms of sales figures the book has performed almost as well as JK Rowling’s output: Devil May Care sold 44,093 copies in the UK in the four days following its release, making it the fastest-selling fiction book after the Harry Potter titles and Penguin’s fastest-ever selling hardback. The book has continued to sell extremely well: at the time of writing, sales have now reached 130,125 copies and the book is still in the top 10 best-sellers for hardback fiction, where it has taken up permanent residence since its release at the end of May.
Plot of Devil May Care
The novel is set in 1967, during the Cold War. The execution of an Algerian drug runner in the outskirts of Paris leads to Bond being recalled from a sabbatical in Rome, and sets in motion a chain of events which take 007 around the globe. Assigned to shadow the enigmatic pharmaceutical magnate Dr. Julius Gorner, Bond becomes involved in averting a series of potential disasters: a British airliner goes missing over Iraq, war threatens in the Middle East, and a tide of lethal narcotics threatens to engulf Britain.
There are few surprises here. Faulks has chosen not to update the character of Bond, and he remains as old-fashioned and charming as ever. There is, of course, an attractive woman involved: a glamorous Parisian called Scarlett Papava who lends her support to Bond’s quest against Dr. Gorner who, in turn, is a classic Bond villain – wealthy, greedy and evil – the “Devil” of the title.
Critics’ Reaction to Devil May Care
The book has received a very mixed reaction from the critics on publication: Faulks has admitted writing the novel in just six weeks, and some feel that this is evident in the quality of the work, with Toby Litt of the Guardian saying that “the final 50 pages, describing Bond's escape from Soviet Russia, are totally anticlimactic” and that “Faulks's plotting becomes sloppy”. Other readers have praised Faulks’ efforts, feeling that he has successfully captured the style and spirit of Fleming’s prose: “From the elaborate descriptions of Bond's meals to the colourful summaries of his various ports of call, Faulks has clearly worked hard to emulate the master's distinctive, journalistic style” (Neil Smith, BBC).
So it may be best to read the book yourself and make up your own mind or – bearing in mind that, well-written or not, the book will certainly make a great movie – just wait for the film version!
Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks is published by Penguin (2008), 320 pages, £18.99, ISBN 9780718153762.
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