'Devil May Care' Clings To #1 Spot In UK

Sebastian Faulks’ hugely successful James Bond novel, Devil May Care, has clung to its number one spot in the UK, reports theBookseller.com.

In its second week of release, booksellers sold 27,842 copies of the centenary novel, just 17 more than the week’s number two title, Kate Morton’s The Forgotten Garden.

Last week, CommanderBond.net reported that Devil May Care was Penguin’s bestselling hardback fiction title of all time, shifting 44,093 copies in its opening week.

In the United States, however, sales have slipped more substantially. K1Bond007 reports Devil May Care slipped 20 places to #56 on USA Today’s bestseller list.

On other charts, it performed more admirably. The New York Times pegs Devil May Care at #11 (down from #8), while the Chicago Tribune places it in ninth place (down one spot from last week).

The results make Devil May Care the most successful James Bond continuation novel in years.

Keep watching CommanderBond.net for all the latest Devil May Care news – including a wrap-up of the critical reaction to the novel.

'Devil May Care' Enters The US Book Charts

Following up its release last week, Sebastian Faulks’ centenary James Bond novel, Devil May Care, has entered various bestseller book charts in the United States.

While not matching the success of the UK counterpart, the 007 novel debuted solidly on several charts including: #8 at the New York Times, #9 on the Publisher’s Weekly list, and #9 on the Wall Street Journal list.

Devil May Care also debuted at #38 on the USA Today bestsellers list (note that this particular listing includes both fiction and nonfiction titles).

The novel is currently #44 on Amazon.com‘s bestsellers listing.

Keep your eyes glued to the CommanderBond.net main page for complete coverage of Devil May Care and all the latest literary James Bond news.

'Devil May Care' Is Penguin's All Time High

James Bond fans have lapped up the return of Ian Fleming’s legendary spy, reports guardian.co.uk. Released last week, Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks has become Penguin’s fastest selling hardback fiction title of all time.

The site reports that 44,093 copies were sold in the first four days of the book’s release. Waterstone’s alone sold over 19,000 copies, with the chain’s exclusive £100 special edition selling out on the morning of its release. Fans queued outside the chain’s Piccadilly branch from 4:30pm the day beforehand.

The book continues to sit comfortably at #1 on Amazon.co.uk.

Furthermore, the Bentley Special Edition sold out within two hours – no mean feat for a £750 book.

“We are absolutely delighted with the figures so far,” said Joanna Prior, Penguin’s director of marketing and publicity.

Prior revealed Devil May Care will be released in a paperback edition next year.

The figures come in after an epic marketing campaign from Penguin timed to coincide with the centenary of Ian Fleming’s birth.

The Bookseller’s Joel Rickett said that while some of the novel’s success can be attributed to the hit film adaptation of Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale, Devil May Care was still the subject of a one-of-a-kind marketing push.

“[The success of Casino Royale] doesn’t discount from what has been an absolutely brilliant piece of publishing in terms of awareness and agitation. Sebastian Faulks was clearly an inspired choice, as someone possessed of the requisite dryness, humour and narrative drive, but who wouldn’t take the task too seriously.”

guardian.co.uk notes that only publishing phenomena (such as JK Rowling) and genre authors with large, loyal fanbases (such as Terry Pratchett and Martina Cole) come close to such figures. For a literary author like Faulks, they’re unheard of; sales of Faulks’ non-Bond title Engleby are also said to have risen.

The success of Devil May Care augers well for the series continuing, although not with Faulks. Prior says, “Sebastian Faulks made it clear that this would be a one-off project, and our current agreement with 4th Estate was for this project only.”

A continuation of the James Bond series by another author has not been ruled out.

Keep watching CommanderBond.net for all the latest Devil May Care news – including a wrap-up of the critical reaction to the novel.

Sebastian Faulks On The Appeal Of James Bond

With Sebastian Faulks’ new novel Devil May Care out in stores and the centenary reprints of Ian Fleming’s original James Bond novels officially released today, fans of the literary 007 should have plenty to keep them occupied with in the upcoming weeks.

In a recent NPR article, Faulks discussed what particular aspects of a Bond novel made Fleming’s British spy most appealing to him.

Describing his experience of reading all 14 in chronological order when first approached to write a new Bond adventure, Faulks said: ‘What they had above all was the sense of a man in terrible danger. Within 20 pages you feel your heart beginning to beat a bit faster, and you’re worried for this guy. Fairly quickly I began to think this is something that I could have a lot of fun doing.’

‘When you read the books in chronological order, you see just how appealing [Bond] must have been to Britain in the late 1950s and early 1960s,’ he continued. ‘Suddenly along comes this guy who is jetting off all over the world, the sun is always shining. And the adventures that he has make it seem like Britain is still–or was still–a real power in the world.’

‘It does remind someone of my age, how I grew up, expecting in Western Europe to be annihilated more or less anytime in the Cold War. … There is still resonance in that: the resourcefulness of one rather coldhearted–but very quick-witted–man pitted against a huge, vast implacable enemy.’

The article also includes yet another excerpt of Devil May Care; chapter 1 in this case. So if you haven’t decided whether or not to give Faulks’ 007 a try, click here.

Keep your eyes glued to the CommanderBond.net main page for complete coverage of Devil May Care and all the Ian Fleming centenary events.

'Devil May Care' Is #1

On the first day of its release, Devil May Care is currently topping the charts at Amazon.co.uk.

According to a BBC News report, the numerous advanced pre-orders of the Sebastian Faulks’ James Bond novel quickly propelled it to the top spot and made it Amazon’s biggest fiction pre-order of 2008 so far.

‘It’s doing extremely well,’ said Amazon.co.uk spokesman Damian Peachey. ‘Even with books that are currently available, it’s topping our charts.’

The novel, which went on sale this morning, also had some fans waiting since yesterday afternoon to get their hands on a copy.

Housing manager and longtime 007 fan Steve Norris waited until 4:00pm yesterday to be first in line when the book went on sale at Waterstone’s at 8:00am today. He managed to obtain copy #007 of the limited edition signed and slipcased Devil May Care (of which only 500 will be printed worldwide–200 of these were quickly sold at this location).

‘It feels absolutely brilliant,’ he said. ‘It was worth the wait.’

Jo James, events and local marketing manager for Waterstone’s, said: ‘We’re really excited. We knew it would be big. We were expecting people to arrive early but we weren’t expecting people to arrive overnight.’

Keep your eyes glued to the CommanderBond.net main page for complete coverage of Devil May Care and all the Ian Fleming centenary events.

'Devil May Care' Launched In High Style

As earlier reported, the launch of Devil May Care was given the all-star treatment as the first copies of the new James Bond novel made their way down the Thames.

The books, secured in a specially commissioned Samsonite case and carried by cover model Tuuli Shipster, were given a Royal Navy escort by the HMS Exeter and its crew.

Photographs of the event, including the arrival of the Devil May Care with Tuuli Shipster, author Sebastian Faulks posing with the book and related photos of the launch can now be viewed online:

‘Devil May Care’ Launch

A one-minute long video filming the arrival of Devil May Care can also be viewed online here on the BBC News website.

In addition, Faulks has posted his own account of the event in an article posted at The Telegraph–click here to read.

Keep your eyes glued to the CommanderBond.net main page for complete coverage of Devil May Care and all the Ian Fleming centenary events.

Third 'Devil May Care' Extract In Vanity Fair

WARNING: Spoilers

With the launch of Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks only hours away, Vanity Fair has published a third extract online. This extract is illustrated and details Bond and Scarlett Papava driving to see Dr. Julius Gorner where he and Bond will face off playing tennis.

Two previous extracts were published by the Times. (Extract 1, Extract 2)

Doubleday’s James Bond website has also been slighty updated with a little information on the Bentley Limited Edition including a photo journey with a look inside the making of the edition. See PDF here.

Devil May Care hits bookshelves Wednesday 28 May. Keep watching CommanderBond.net for the latest news in the lead-up to the Ian Fleming Centenary and the release of Sebastian Faulks’ novel.

"One tribute, one centenary, one book."

On the eve of the publication of the literary event of the year – Devil May Care – author Sebastian Faulks has ruled out writing a second James Bond novel.

Speaking to the Associated Press, Faulks said: “One tribute, one centenary, one book.”

Should Faulks stay true to his word, he’ll join the likes of Kingsley Amis and John Pearson, who each penned a single 007 adventure.

Faulks was quoted as the first seven copies of Devil May Care made their way to Waterstone’s Piccadilly as part of a lavish publishing event.

Ian Fleming’s niece, Lucy said, “I can remember Uncle Ian’s books being delivered wrapped in brown paper and string by a postman on a bicycle. The Royal Navy has upped the ante a little.”

The navy loaned the HMS Exeter and its 250-strong crew for the extravagant launch.

“We didn’t want a thriller writer,” said Lucy Fleming on choosing the centenary novelist. “We wanted someone who would read Ian’s books and see how he did it … [Faulks] has thought himself into Ian’s mind.”

Faulks told Reuters: “I found writing this light-hearted book more thrilling than I had expected. I hope people will enjoy reading it and that Ian Fleming would consider it to be in the cavalier spirit of his own novels and therefore an acceptable addition to the line.”

After much hype, Devil May Care will be published worldwide tomorrow.

Turning James Bond Into A Technical Exercise

The BBC News carries a new article centering on how Sebastian Faulks followed Ian Fleming’s footsteps in his approach to writing Devil May Care.

As the British novelist has stated several times before, he was initially intrigued by the direction the Fleming family and Ian Fleming Publications (IFP) wanted to take with this new James Bond novel.

‘What Ian Fleming’s family wanted was a centenary book,’ he said. ‘They didn’t want a conventional thriller writer. They wanted to cast against type.’

‘My last book [2005’s Human Traces] was a 650-page novel about psychiatry, set in a lunatic asylum. It was quite a weird choice, but I think a good choice.’

I viewed the whole thing as a technical exercise,” he says. “I wrote the whole thing in six weeks.

I tried to go inside Bond’s head,’ Faulks revealed, ‘to create an inner life for him, and I realised he didn’t have one.’

‘There were bedroom scenes where I thought it might help to show him being reflective, but it was like being in the bedroom with a stranger. It was very embarrassing.’

While the plot elements of Devil May Care remain relatively underwraps (some snippets have shined the light on a bit of what can be expected), Faulks did say that he chose the Middle East as one of the novel’s locations because it hadn’t previously appeared in a Fleming Bond novel.

‘Fleming was very forthright in his prejudices–anything between Marseilles and Delhi was viewed with great suspicion. I was very happy to tread in territory he chose to avoid.’

‘The focus is on an individual bad guy but there are political ramifications,’ he added.

And while Faulks is ‘writing as’ Fleming, there are some differences that will set his story apart. ‘I had written about him eating breakfast washed down with spirits, but it was giving me indigestion. So I have compelled him to drink wine.’

Humour will also play a role. ‘I wanted to be witty without being arch,’ Faulks explained.

‘When situations presented themselves, I wanted to be able to make people laugh. But I didn’t want the humour to be groan-worthy.’

Devil May Care is released tomorrow.

For a full round-up of the numerous events going on this week to mark the Ian Fleming centenary and the release of Devil May Care, visit CommanderBond.net’s Literary 007 section.

Stay tuned to the CBn main page for complete coverage of Devil May Care.

On The Eve Of 'Devil May Care'

On the eve of publication, Sebastian Faulks’ Devil May Care has arrived in London. The first seven copies of the centenary James Bond novel have been delivered to Waterstone’s Piccadilly with the help of the Royal Navy and Bentley Motors…

Devil May Care, the new James Bond book by Sebastian Faulks, is delivered on the eve of publication with help from the Royal Navy and Bentley Motors

On Tuesday 27th May 2008, the first seven copies of Devil May Care, the brand new James Bond book written by Sebastian Faulks, will be delivered with the assistance of the Royal Navy and Bentley Motors to Waterstone’s Piccadilly in London.

Details of the plot of Devil May Care have been kept under wraps since the book was announced in July 2007 to great excitement.

Tuuli Shipster, the model featured on the front cover of the book, will be delivering these exclusive first 007 copies from the printers by hand, under a full military escort care of the Royal Navy. The books will be secured in a specially commissioned Samsonite case, and Tuuli will accompany the case as it is brought down the Thames by a Royal Navy ‘Pacific 24’ sea-boat – under the watchful eye of the Royal Navy Black Cat Lynx helicopters. They will rendezvous with HMS Exeter, which will be moored in the Pool of London. Here Tuuli and the books will be received on board by the Captain of HMS Exeter, the book’s author Sebastian Faulks and members of the Fleming family. The final stage of the journey sees the books taken to Waterstone’s Piccadilly in a cavalcade of Bentleys, including a custom-built 1950’s S 1 continental convertible.

James Bond has always been defined by his Royal Navy training. He served on HMS Exeter as Intelligence Officer, finally holding the rank of Commander in the Service. Ian Fleming, the author of the original books, was the personal assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence during World War II – and drew much of the inspiration for his novels from his experiences at the Admiralty. He remained in this role throughout the war, privy to many secrets and rising to the rank of Commander. Cars and Bond have always had a strong association and his personal preference in the original Fleming novels was for Bentley. Over the course of the fourteen books he owned three and in Devil May Care he is found once again behind the wheel of his much loved Bentley. To mark to occasion Bentley Motors have designed an exclusive limited edition of Devil May Care.

HMS Exeter is a Type 42 Destroyer now over 30 years old and a veteran of the Falklands Campaign of 1982. She is the fifth ship to hold the name Exeter and one of 11 Type 42s remaining in service in the Royal Navy. These destroyers will be replaced by the technologically advanced and state of the art Type 45s, the first of which, HMS DARING, is currently undergoing her sea trials. HMS Exeter is currently in London on an informal visit, during which the Ship’s Company will take part in the high profile ‘Constable of the Dues’ ceremony at the Tower of London as well as hosting the Devil May Care launch.

On the evening of Tuesday 27th, Penguin hosts a glamorous launch party for Devil May Care at the exclusive private members’ club, FIFTY on St James’s Street in Mayfair. The party will be attended by Sebastian Faulks, members of the Fleming family, celebrity VIPs and many more. Savile Row tailors Gieves & Hawkes have dressed Sebastian Faulks for the night, as they dressed Ian Fleming in his day. Sebastian will be wearing a classic charcoal wool/cashmere worsted two piece single breasted suit.

Devil May Care is published by Penguin the following day, Wednesday 28th May, which is the centenary of the birth of Ian Fleming. Devil May Care will go on sale that day for the first time and Waterstone’s Piccadilly will be opening at the earlier time of 8am.

For further information please go to www.penguin007.com.

For a full round-up of the numerous events going on this week to mark the Ian Fleming centenary and the release of Devil May Care, visit CommanderBond.net’s Literary 007 section.

Stay tuned to the CBn main page for complete coverage of Devil May Care.