Reviews

Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks, Rodrigo Corral, Mark Stutzman

jmgustaf's review against another edition

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5.0


As I was reading this, I realized that I had read it before, but didn’t think I finished it. When I got to the end I realized I had finished it. That should tell you how little of an impact it had on me. I feel like it is very uneven. There are very well-written, well-thought out parts and then some very shallow, nonsensical parts that seemed rushed. Much of the good stuff seems underdeveloped and lackluster.
The story plot is basic and, not bad, but there’s nothing to hook you. The main villain is serviceable and I like both his and his main henchman’s physical deformity. In the beginning we are more told about the main Villain’s, Julius Gorner, evil than shown it. He plays a competitive, but not diabolical game of tennis with Bond. I love Gorner’s reasoning for his plan and how each component of what he wants to do the England has a reciprocal component to it. He wants to bring upon England the evils they have brought upon others. This is intruiging and a great idea, but it is mentioned over and over and NEVER acknowledged or argued by Bond. It would have been great to hear Bond’s response, even if just in his thoughts. This, I feel, is what Fleming would’ve done. He would not have let the slander towards England go unanswered!! This missed opportunity bugs me, especially for a book supposed ‘written as Ian Fleming.’
I go back and forth on the leading lady bit. The false twin that ends up being the new 004 seems like too many ideas crammed in one underdeveloped story. It is an interesting twist that I feel was wasted, and may be how filmmakers got the idea to do that with Moneypenny in “Skyfall,” which was done much better.
I just feel disappointed because there was a lot here that could’ve been a great novel, but it was just underdeveloped and wasted potential. I will read it again at some point, and maybe, I’m being too harsh on it, but I am disappointed by it.
Let me know what you think, if you have read it.

bbboeken's review against another edition

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3.0

Gisteren gekocht, vandaag al uitgelezen. Aangename lectuur, weinig diegang, en volgens een vast stramien. Ik weet niet in welke mate het boek van Faulks past binnen de Bondstijl van Fleming, en ik weet niet of dat hoeft. Ik heb de indruk --afgaande op de films dan-- dat dit een iets softere Bond toont.

Benieuwd naar een volgend boek, want Faulks heeft een paar nieuwe elementengeïntroduceerd, en ik ben benieuwd hoe die verder zullen worden uitgespeeld.

Voor de rest heel klassiek, voldoende retro of vintage om het behaaglijk te noemen, en modern genoeg om het niet saai te maken. Of het volstaat zal een volgende episode moeten uitwijzen. Ik ga alvast op zoek naar de oudere boeken van Fleming zelf. Die worden herdrukt bij Penguin, als ik mij niet vergis.

Oh, en FWIW, Bond is voor mij altijd Roger Moore. (Ik moet dringend Casino Royale zien, voor het vervolg in de zalen komt.)

rachel_burgess's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

miruna_bezi16's review against another edition

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adventurous informative medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

rmichno's review against another edition

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3.0

weak characters, including Bond

ja_hopkins's review against another edition

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3.0

Bond is recovering from the trauma of The Man with the Golden Gun and is on sabbatical when the call from M drags him back to the service. Despite doubts about his fitness, Bond is dispatched to investigate Dr Julius Gorner, and polymath industrialist. Bond manages to bump into Gorner at a Paris tennis club (reminiscent of his first encounter with Goldfinger) to set the ball rolling, and after some further action in Paris, Bond is off to Persia to try to find out what Gorner’s plans are, and what they mean for Britain. The descriptions of the locations, food and people are very much in keeping with the Fleming style, and the story moves along briskly enough to keep the interest levels high.

The ending seems a tad rushed, and the tennis match does seem a bit too close to the Goldfinger golf match. However, these are minor quibbles - very much enjoyed and a good addition to the series.

thebeardedpoet's review against another edition

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3.0

Perhaps I've outgrown reading James Bond novels. Generally this story bothered me because Bond failed to demonstrate ingenuity in his investigation, combat skills, and survival techniques. He gets in tough fixes way too easily (walks smack into traps) and gets out of them by convenient circumstances and with too much help from others. Most of what happens seems completely implausible. We learn in the end that Bond has been duped by a completely unnecessary deception. The only parts I really liked were the dialogue sparring with the main villain. The bad guy is one those you love to hate. His demise was somewhere between black humor and slapstick. I suppose the travelogue aspects were something I enjoyed as well.

vela_the_great's review against another edition

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5.0

never read a bond novel before this. its ok nothing great action or twist

genreguy's review against another edition

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adventurous tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.5

imyerhero's review against another edition

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2.0

This is one of the newest books in the James Bond series – written by Sebastian Faulks, who is a famous modern novelist. I am not an enormous Bond fan, but I do enjoy reading the books about him every once in a while. Kind of like I enjoy a big cup of cider sometimes. Not all the time, and just because at the time it sounds enjoyable.

This Bond novel finds 007 on a mandatory sabbatical after a rough assignment. He is lounging around in Paris, trying not to work and very nearly failing. When M calls him back after MI6 is alerted to a frightening new player in the illicit drug market. Julius Gorner is a man with a passion for opium and all of its derivatives, not for personal pleasure but as a business investment. Bond is assigned to learn as much about him as possible. Along the way, 007 picks up a woman (of course) whose sister has been taken captive by Gorner – the lovely Scarlett Papava. Unsurprisingly, what Bond learns about Gorner shows there is much more to be concerned about than simply the increase in opium sales. Gorner has plans to change the face of the planet forever, and will kill anyone who gets in his way. Which is precisely where 007 is standing.

It’s definitely not to be disputed that the 007 novels are cheesy in the best sense of the word; elaborate plots, cool gadget weaponry, beautiful and willing women, and a main character that oozes cool. They are novels written for men and play to every weakness of the male gender. This book is no different. However, it was a bit rough for me to grasp that this was still taking place in the 1970′s. I’m not sure if it was balancing between the new Bond movies set in the present and the book, or if it was the writing style of Faulks. Something kept making me feel it was set in present day. Other than this, Faulks’s homage to Fleming is flawless. He completely understands Bond and can tell a dramatic suspenseful spy story with the best of them. It’s slightly less tongue-in-cheek, with action every other page and a willingness to harm any and every character. If you enjoy the rest of the novels about 007, you’ll enjoy this one.