Today sees the release of the a new James Bond novel, entitled *Devil May Care*, celebrated by an aquatic release party in London, along with an accompanying press campaign. The novel is a one-off from British novelist Sebastian Faulks and finds Bond chasing a Blofield-esque villain through London, Paris and the Middle East. Much like the film series’ recent reboot with *Casino Royale*, the novel styles itself as a throwback, with action set in Bond’s heyday of 1967 and Faulks taking the unusual step of writing as Ian Fleming, which falls somewhere between marketing gimmick and postmodern conceit.
Through the kind of serendipity that can only arise from a PR department, the release coincides with Ian Fleming’s 100th birthday. Bond himself has been around for more than half that time: He’s nearing 55, making him older than Ronald McDonald but younger than Batman. And, like anyone who’s stuck around that many years, he’s been through more than a few adventures that everyone involved would prefer to forget.
