Carte Blanche by Jeffery Deaver

Fresh from Afghanistan, James Bond has been recruited to a new agency. Conceived in the post 9/11 world, it operates independent of Five, Six and the MoD, its very existence deniable. Its aim: to protect the Realm, by any means necessary.
As Liz mentioned before, the hardback is a striking book, and weighs in at a pleasing 428 pages. The cover proclaims that it is “the new James Bond novel”, and it’s true on two fronts: this is a new James Bond novel, and it’s a new James Bond. This contemporary take on Bond has nothing to do with the Connery/Moore era, or Craig’s, or even the Faulk’s Devil May Care incarnation, although it does hold to some core traditions of the James Bond enterprise.

Carte Blanche sees Bond on the trail of a creepy villain with quasi-necrophiliac tendencies and his delightfully ruthless assistant, working against the clock to uncover the nature of the chaos they are planning to unleash. It’s a pursuit that ranges from London to the outskirts of Belgrade, from the heat of Dubai to the streets of Cape Town, the trail littered with red herrings and near misses.

Deaver is accomplished writer and Bond is an institution, a byword for high stakes thrills. The child of this happy union, however, doesn’t really live up to the pedigree of its parents. All of the elements are there- M, Q, Moneypenny, fast cars, silenced Walthers, beautiful women and exotic settings, with the added twist of being set in a world dogged by the legacy of Al ‘Qaeda and its cohorts.

And yet, if you replaced ‘Bond’ with ‘Smith’, you wouldn’t really take much away from the story.

It’s a decent enough espionage thriller, with a couple of nice twists, but apart from one notable exception it never really convinced me that (the somewhat metrosexual) Bond was in true danger. And Bad Guy no. 1, Hydt, doesn’t really gel with the emphasis that has been given to the book being set in the modern world, given the ever present spectre of counter-terrorism that it has become synonymous with. Hydt’s quite a character, but he feels like a throwback to the villains of the age of Connery et al.

While I can appreciate what has been attempted here, I don’t think it’s worked. Not for me at least. In a word: meh.

Carte Blanche - Jeffery Deaver

I was so sad that I could not make the champagne reception for the new 007/James Bond novel by Jeffery Deaver yesterday.  I swooned when I saw the photos of the event, with the marines rapelling down from St Pancras Station ceiling - the car, the bike, the dolled up ladies and the hunky boys in uniform.  It sounded fabulously over the top and great fun.

I am waiting to receive some high res images from yesterday so will upload those shortly.  But it looked fantastic. 

However, I have just received - into my grubby paws, the actual book.  Now, I don't do this often and this is honest to goodness not bragging, but it is a gorgeous looking book.  Hence this blogpost.  Imagine the Marks & Spencer voiceover lady as you read this, with dramatically swoony music in the background and the smell of gunpowder and blood up your nose:

Front cover / dust cover

The dust-cover is lovely thick paper and it's matte. The print as you can see is a wonderful rich red with Jeffery Deaver's name being partially faded out by the "smoke". The smoke itself has this glint to it that says "touch me". The circle and 007 at the top of the page is glossy red and embossed. It looks and feels great.

Actual cover of hardback



End papers

I took the dust-cover off and a tiny gasp of surprise. The cover itself is embossed with the circle and 007. I am a geek, I know. I love it. The end-papers are silvery with a muted gloss, and the smoke from the dust cover is echoed inside.  


Back cover of Carte Blanche

And that has to be the best quote ever: "Our mission is simple.  We protect the Realm...by any means necessary."

Spine

 I love the look and feel of this book - it feels rich and well made in your hands.  Does this sound odd?  I think not.  I know a great many of my booky friends examine books in the exact same way.  I've not read a single word of Carte Blanche as yet and have no idea if it lives up to its glorious cover, but one thing is for sure, if looks could kill...

And thank you for allowing my very self-indulgent post. That lady from M&S can stop speaking in her dramatic breathy voice now!