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Fans of James Bond have been thrilled with the release of the new Bond book Devil May Care, which was published on 28th May 2008. Ian Fleming was the creator of the fictional character James Bond 007 and wrote 14 Bond books during his lifetime, including some of the very well-known ones, such as Casino Royale, Diamonds are Forever and Goldfinger.
Ian Fleming died in 1964 but the legacy of Bond carries on. Sebastian Faulks, a reputable novelist, was commissioned to write the latest Bond book.
Faulks is not an author known for writing thrillers, so there was some speculation that he would struggle to write a Bond novel successfully. A review in the British newspaper, the Guardian, said, "The book, though, is a smart and enjoyable act of literary resurrection. Amongst the now 33 post-Fleming Bonds, this must surely compete with Kingsley Amis's for the title of the best".
Devil May Care is set in 1967 during the Cold War and it is said that Bond will once again travel between continents, appearing at exotic locations and in some of the world's most thrilling cities.
It's fair to say that James Bond has become a household name and remains a huge influence within the thriller genre through his films.
It's a double bonus for Bond fans as the new Bond film will be released later this year. The name of the new film is Quantum of Solace*, a very confusing title which makes people scratch their heads. Daniel Craig has been the latest James Bond and will star again in Quantum of Solace. The new film is the sequel to the 2006 film Casino Royale. Craig said he felt Casino Royale was "a walk in the park" compared to Quantum of Solace.
* Literally, 'quantum' means the smallest amount of something, especially energy, and 'solace' means somebody or something that provides comfort at a time of sadness, grief or disappointment
thrilled with
very excited by
release
making available in the shops
creator
somebody who produces or initiates something
fictional
not real, made-up in a book or film
legacy
something that remains from a previous generation or time
commissioned
asked and paid
speculation
when people express their opinions about what might happen without having enough facts to be certain
literary resurrection
here, when a character of a previously published book appears again in a new book
the Cold War
the hostile yet non-violent relations between the former Soviet Union and the United States (and their respective allies) from after the Second World War to 1989
continent
one of the seven large land masses on the Earth's surface, surrounded, or mainly surrounded, by sea and usually consisting of various countries (e.g. Asia, Europe, Africa)
exotic
here, relating to a distant, especially tropical country
a household name
someone or something that is well known and appreciated by people of different generations
thriller genre
books, plays or films that have an exciting plot involving crime, mystery or espionage
confusing
not clear, difficult to understand
scratch their heads
think hard about something trying to understand or solve it; be confused about something
star
play the leading role
sequel
a film, novel or play that continues a story begun in a previous film, novel or play
a walk in the park
here, a lot easier to make/do
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