During the late ’80s and early ’90s, in the throes of a fanatical preteen James Bond obsession, I started reading Bond novels when I got tired of watching the movies over and over. I dutifully made my way through a few of the Ian Fleming originals — but what I was really into were the flashier and trashier contemporary Bond spinoffs by English spy writer John Gardner. Looking over the list of the Gardner Bonds on Wikipedia, I fondly recall tearing through For Special Services; Nobody Lives Forever; No Deals, Mr. Bond; Scorpius; Win, Lose or Die; and a few others — I just wish I could remember the one where Bond makes love to a woman with one breast (who maybe later turns out to be a Blofeld’s daughter, or something else along those villainous lines).
Given all that, the news this week that another English novelist, Sebastian Faulks, has been recruited to write a new Bond novel for early next year was rousing enough to get me to pick up a phone and make some old-fashioned telephone calls. Before I knew it, I had Sebastian Faulks himself on the other line, game for a few questions about James Bond. Faulks, who lives in London, is the highly-successful author of On Green Dolphin Street and Charlotte Gray (the basis of a 2002 Cate Blanchett movie), and his Bond novel, Devil May Care, comes out on May 28, 2008 — Fleming’s 100th birthday. After the jump, the interview!
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: A few writers besides Fleming have written Bond books, but this announcement comes at a good time, now that Casino Royale has re-energized the Bond franchise. What’d you think of that movie?
SEBASTIAN FAULKS: Oh, it was powerful, well-made, and exciting. The girl was great, too.
And everybody pointed out that Daniel Craig’s tougher Bond was truer to the original Fleming creation.
Oh, he was certainly a lot tougher than Roger Moore, who was very soft. You felt that if you punched Roger Moore in the stomach it would be like punching a bag of marshmallows. And Fleming does stress the cruelty of Bond, particularly in the early novels. I think that was one of the things that made the creation appealing and rather shocking when it first came out. But if you actually analyze the way that Bond behaves, both towards his enemies, and towards women, it isn’t actually a sadistic or unnecessarily cruel. He only kills in self-defense, or if absolutely necessary for his mission. Although he is an incurable womanzier, he doesn’t actually treat the women badly. In fact, he frequently falls in love with them and is jilted by them sometimes.
So obviously you’re writing about Fleming’s Bond, not the Bond from the films?
No, mine is the book Bond, and [my book] is set in 1967. Which is just after the last [Fleming] book [1966’s Octopussy and the Living Daylights]. So we pick him up as Ian Fleming’s Bond, and not Roger Moore’s Bond, or Pierce Brosnan’s, or Daniel Craig’s. I’ve just given Fleming’s Bond another chapter.
You even tried to write in Fleming’s style?
That’s right, I did. The idea was that it should read as though Fleming had written it. And indeed that’s what [Bond movie producer] Barbara Broccoli said when my book was sent to her. She said, "If you told me you’d found this in Ian’s desk, I would have believed you." On the other hand, I didn’t want to write an exact imitation, because obviously with James Bond, there’s a danger of parody and self-parody — you only have to think about the Austin Powers films.
The John Gardner books are fun. Did you read the other novelists who’ve tackled Bond?
I didn’t. My commission was from the [Fleming] family, and they strongly believe in Ian Fleming’s value as a writer. And that’s one of the reasons they went to someone like me rather than a genre thriller [writer]. Therefore, I felt that all I wanted to do was immerse myself in Fleming and not be distracted by anyone else’s take on the character.
Any chance Devil May Care could be Daniel Craig’s next 007 movie?
Well, it’s a possibility. It’s been read by Barbara Broccoli and [her fellow Bond movie producer] Michael Wilson. They were both very positive about the book. But I’m sure that their choice of story for the next movie will be dictated by hundreds of other considerations to do with Hollywood and franchise and marketing. I’d be delighted if it works.
I’ve been told you’re not allowed to reveal anything about the book’s plot…
If I tell you, I will be strapped to a chair naked and whipped with knotted rope.
Not in the testicles…
Let’s hope not.
Comments (1-30) of 37 Add your comment
Very cool how this worked out for you! I only know Fleming’s Bond and think it would be amazing if Faulks’ Fleming-esque novel became the next movie.
I remember the one breasted villain in the Bond book. I though I was the only one who read that! I think it was For Special Services. I remember stealing it from my brother’s bookshelf and reading it at age 11 or 12. That was weird.
Kirschling, the Gardner novel with the uni-boobed woman is Icebreaker. I read that book a few weeks before hooking up with a woman who had one boob, and that left me pretty wierded out.
Typical of the Gardner novels, Icebreakers felt nothing like the books written by Ian Fleming. You can get the rundown at Kimberly Last’s site, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (EW reviewed the site 10 years ago and gave it an ‘A”, so you get a no prize for improper researching skills).
IMHO, the best post Fleming Bond author was Raymond Benson (incidentally, I won an autographed copy of Zero Minus Ten in a Bond Quiz game a few weeks before the book was officially released, my ultimate moment as a Bond fan). Benson brought Bond back to his roots, so Faulks has big shoes to fill.
As a huge fan of the Gardener books, “SeaFire” being a favorite, I am a little disappointed that we won’t see the continuation of that “older” Bond. However, I have the faith….
Hey Ep, wasn’t Icebreaker the one in Finland with the neo-Nazi guy, the Israeli chick and Bond getting tortured by being dipped in ice water? I think the one-breasted Blofeld progeny shows up in For Special Services or some such. As fun as the Gardner books were, the original Fleming novels were more interesting because they showed Bond as human and capable of burnout. That said, should be fun to see a new set of books from Faulks.
It seems my trivia skills are waning and the “no prize” winner is me today. Martha’s right. Nena Blofeld from For Special Services was the uni-boob.
Perhaps my memory was traumatized by my own uni-boob incident a few months later…
Anyway, I must have gotten Nena Blofeld confused with the MOSSAD agent who turned out to be a Neo Nazi (from Icebreaker).
That should say something about the Gardner novels though, as the plots seemed to mirror each other.
Contrast that to Fleming’s books (except for the awful “diamonds are forever”), which were page turners and a half. From Russia With Love is so good that it earned itself a spot as one of JFK’s favorite books of all time (as per Life Magazine anyway).
I could never find Kingsley Amis’ book in print anywhere, but loved the vibe of Raymond Benson most of all the post Fleming writers. The novels had a very “fan written” sense to them, which made his books fun beach reads.
Good luck to Faulks!
I can’t wait for it to come out. Casino Royale definitley put new life into the whole Bond franchise, and I think opened the Bond character up to a wider fanbase.
Apparently Kirschling hasn’t heard of Raymond Benson’s Bond books. The writing style is more in line to Fleming’s. I’ve enjoyed all of RB’s books. I might have go back and reread the Gardner books, which I enjoyed, too.
From Russia with Love is one of my favorite books. I’ve read it at least five times.
If first comment poster ‘Tim’ thinks that Raymond Benson’s writing style is ‘in line with Fleming’s’ he must have read ‘From Russia, With Love’ upside down! There is only one and has only ever been one James Bond author worth reading, and that is the Master – Ian Fleming! Accept NO substitutes!!
Jack, further explanation: Benson’s writing is crisp, more defined and to the point than some of the other Bond writers. Other than Benson’s first Bond novel, which I thought dragged, the others are fast reads. Introducing a new SPECTRE-like crime/terror organization was a great idea. Benson’s books also are more sexual than Gardner’s writings. You are right, the master is Fleming. He has a very distinct writing style. Other authors have tried to copy it, unsuccessfully.
BTW: Benson was the ghost writer behind the first two Splinter Cell novels. He was replaced, for unspecificied reasons, for the third novel.
Sebastian Faulks will make a great Author of James Bond 007. He’ll do better since Ian Fleming. I do hope he has 007 carring his Whalther & fast cars, Most Bond fans will want Bond behind Aston Martin,Jag,Rover or a Bentley. Also more romance with new girls.
My personal dream is the screening of Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels. They should be a reproduction in facsimile! (For example set in the 1950’s, 1960’s, the right cars, guns, girls etc…) Regards! Kay
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