Top British secret agent James Bond is on extended leave. Perhaps London is trying to prepare the tired, somewhat worn-out agent for a slower pace of life?

For Bond, this sabbatical is a period for reflection. He sees himself as he is - a man who has lived dangerously and has the scars to show for it.

But there are still dangers in the world. And there is trouble afoot. The sadistic slaying of a hard man of the Paris ghetto is a sign. There are other signs. Sinister men in unexpected places. And Bond is tired, finished.

But men like Bond are rare. And needed. There is an ambitious man by the name of Gorner. A big name in drugs. Legal drugs. Illegal drugs? What are his intentions? What is his psychology? What makes him tick?

A good plot, a strong narrative, a very human James Bond combined with the usual Bond theme of the struggle between good and evil make this novel engaging and very readable.

The usual range of Bond characters are there – a feisty damsel, an arch criminal with an attitude problem, his side-kick, and of course the usual London staff.

The novel is a journey into the past; it evokes the feel of the late 60s – the time of Fleming’s Bond. And Sebastian Faulks writes in a style which is evocative of Ian Fleming, but somewhat toned down.

The action scenes could have more vitality, and the climax arrives a bit early, but there is enough intelligence in the plot and interest in the narrative to make the book thoroughly stimulating from start to finish.