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Sebastian Faulks manages to bring the writing style of Ian Fleming back from the Sixties, without it being too much of a pastiche. The story moves along at a brisk pace, although never quite living up to the ‘Fleming sweep’. The characters were interesting, with a twist to one that was a bit of a surprise. I thought the tennis match worked much better than I expected when I first heard about it, very much in the style of the great battles on the golf course or around the casino tables that Fleming thrilled us with. The appearance of the ‘Caspian Sea Monster’ was inspired, a machine I always thought belonged in Bond’s universe more than our own. Overall I thought it a very enjoyable read, a welcome return of the Adult Bond thriller. Hopefully more Bond novels will be appearing in bookshops before too long.