Genre: Action Crime Thriller | Author: Sebastian Faulks
Release Date: 2008 | Publisher: Penguin Books
James Bond, older and wearier, is pulled from semi-retirement to investigate Dr. Julius Gorner, a twisted chemist with a vendetta against Britain. With help from the resourceful Scarlett Papava, Bond uncovers a plot to drown Britain in heroin.
Plot
Devil May Care returns to the Cold War-era roots of the Bond series, placing 007 in a mission that feels at once familiar and grounded in gritty realism. The story opens with Bond in a reflective state, unsure if he still fits the role of a double-0 agent. But when a new threat emerges in the form of Dr. Julius Gorner—a pharmaceutical magnate with a grotesque deformity and an obsessive hatred for England—Bond is called back into action.
The narrative centers around Gorner’s heroin operation, a scheme with the potential to ravage Britain’s youth and destabilize its society. Bond is partnered with Scarlett Papava, a refreshingly capable and intelligent Bond girl, who not only brings emotional stakes to the story but also serves as a valuable ally with a personal vendetta of her own. The journey spans familiar Bond territory: glamorous European locales, exotic environments, and high-society settings, but Faulks infuses these with a layer of Cold War paranoia and social commentary, particularly around drug use and imperial decline.
However, while the setup is strong and the writing clean, the novel suffers from pacing issues. Entire chapters go by with little movement, and Bond's internal monologues—though occasionally insightful—sometimes stall the story. That said, key scenes like the tennis match against Gorner deliver sharp psychological tension and unique stakes. The climax delivers Bond-style thrills with shootouts, last-minute escapes, and political brinkmanship, even if it doesn’t quite reach the iconic status of Fleming’s best finales.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Production
Sebastian Faulks steps into Ian Fleming’s shoes for Devil May Care, and in many respects, he honors the style and structure of a classic Bond tale. The prose is sharp and formal, mimicking Fleming’s clipped style without becoming too pastiche. The dialogue is particularly strong, filled with dry wit, cutting exchanges, and a few moments of genuine introspection—especially from Bond, who reflects more on mortality, legacy, and identity than we typically see.
One of Faulks’ strengths is his ability to place Bond within a vivid world. The novel’s setting in the 1960s Cold War era feels authentic, with all the right political undertones: Britain’s waning power, the growing threat of global narcotics trade, and the ideological battleground between East and West. This isn’t just a mission about bombs and bullets; it’s also about a decaying empire and the personal toll it takes on the man who serves it.
The supporting cast is also well fleshed out. Scarlett Papava stands out as a modern update to the Bond girl archetype—more competent, more active, and far more independent than her predecessors. The same can’t be said for the antagonists. Dr. Gorner, though grotesque and ideologically intense, never quite transcends the Bond villain formula. His motivations feel thin—“he hates Britain” isn’t quite enough—and his sidekick Chagrin, while physically imposing, lacks real depth.
Still, Devil May Care is a well-produced Bond entry. It captures the feel of the originals while trying (though not always succeeding) to modernize some of the themes.
Rating: 3 out of 5
The Verdict
In the end, Devil May Care is a solid yet conventional Bond novel that offers strong characters, witty writing, and a fitting return to Cold War espionage. While the villains are somewhat flat and the pacing can drag, Faulks captures the essence of Bond with style and substance. Fans of the series will appreciate the homage, even if it doesn’t redefine the formula. Devil May Care earns 3 out of 5.
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