K1Bond007.com » Misc Books

Conan Doyle estate looks to Fleming estate again

K1Bond007 — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 20:24:59 +0000

Awhile back the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle estate got author Andy Lane to kick start a new Sherlock Holmes series for a younger generation called Young Sherlock Holmes. It was influenced by the success of the Ian Fleming’s estate of Young Bond. I assume it’s been a success because in the year the books have been in print, well, there’s 3 of them now. Death Cloud (2010), Red Leech (2010), and Black Ice (2011, and no not the awesome AC/DC album). Today, on the same day as the announcement of Jeffery Deaver’s Carte Blanche announcement the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle estate made another announcement. That, again based on the success of the Ian Fleming estate, mainly Sebastian Faulk’s Devil May Care, they’ve commissioned Anthony Horowitz to write an adult Sherlock Holmes novel – the first time they’ve ever commissioned anyone. This is bizarre when you think of it. Anthony Horowitz did the successful Alex Rider series which influenced (likely anyway) Ian Fleming’s estate to approach a younger audience for Bond which then influenced the Conan Doyle estate to do the same for Sherlock Holmes which then was successful enough that they’re now commissioning Horowitz to write an adult version. We’ve come full circle folks. 3 years from now we may see modern take on Holmes being done. Hey, you know who would be good for that? Jeffery Deaver. Nah, but who knows. They’ve got the films going too.

It all makes good sense though. I have a backlog of books longer than.. well it’s long. I might have to read Young Sherlock. May have to read this.

The History of 30 Assault Unit

K1Bond007 — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:41:56 +0000

CommanderBond.net reports that Craig Cabell’s book The History of 30 Assault Unit: Ian Fleming’s Red Indians was published on October 15th and is available for purchase via Amazon.co.uk. Looks to be a pretty cool book that tells the full history of 30AU that Fleming commanded during World War II. Also known as “Ian Fleming’s Red Indians”, the unit was a highly successful and specially trained commando group that worked behind enemy lines while Fleming planned and coordinated their missions to the ‘T’ in London. Bond fans may recognize the usage of “Red Indians” in a couple of Fleming’s books, specifically Casino Royale where Bond essentially scolds himself for gallivanting around the world playing “Red Indians” while the real threat was right under his nose.

For more on 30 AU there’s always Wikipedia, but this website is even better.

SIX: The Real James Bonds

K1Bond007 — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:25:15 +0000

SIX: The Real James Bonds: The Complete History of the Secret Intelligence Service is an upcoming book from Michael Smith, a former intelligence officer and journalist. It will be published by Dialogue on 7 May 2010 in the UK. Little if anything to do with James Bond, the book will tell the tale of the real agents of MI6 that inspired such fictional characters as James Bond and George Smiley.

Publisher’s pitch:

From the Kaiser to the Taliban Britain s real spooks are revealed in this intriguing biography of the country s most secretive of secret services. Six is the full story of 100 years of espionage by MI6, the organisation still seen as the model for the world s spies. This book tells the truth about the men and women who inspired fictional characters such as James Bond and George Smiley. It begins with the creation of the British Secret Service in 1909 as the First World War loomed, and comes right up to date, detailing the work of MI6 officers in Afghanistan. Six focuses on the human factor, recounting hitherto untold tales of derring-do and exposing villainous traitors whose identities have until now been closely guarded secrets. Using hundreds of previously unreleased files and interviews with key players, it exposes the truth behind the failures and successes, including the real story of the Iraq scandal, naming the heroes and villains alike.

Amazon.co.uk

Author Castle Turns Down Bond for Bond Girl

K1Bond007 — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:19:53 +0000

Weird headline. I just thought it was kind of neat to point this out. If you watch ABC’s TV series Castle, you’d know the eponymous Richard Castle is an author of thriller novels and that he’s been following around Kate Beckett (an NYPD detective) as inspiration for a new character for a new string of books. Beckett is actually played by Stana Katic who played Corrinne in Quantum of Solace (otherwise known as the girl who was with Vesper’s old boyfriend). That’s the premise of the show, but in the latest episode “When the Bough Breaks” Castle is offered the job of reinvigorating a certain “British spy” literary series – you know the one with babes, gadgets and cars? That one. They never say his name, but we all know. Obviously he turns it down because if he accepts his relationship with Beckett – the Bond girl (as well as the show), is over.

Interestingly ABC went the extra step and actually commissioned a book to be written under the pseudonym Richard Castle. It dovetails the book that was written on the show. Heat Wave (Amazon.com) was just recently published and debuted at #26 on the New York Times Bestseller list. Just for fun, Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks ranked #8 at one point.

I just thought this was interesting.

Bond Bound: Ian Fleming and the Art of Cover Design

K1Bond007 — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:43:59 +0000

Ian Fleming Publications today added Bond Bound: Ian Fleming and the Art of Cover Design to their online store today for £22.50. The catalog is a companion to the exhibition of the same name, which will be in New York in October and Los Angeles in November (see my last report).

What IFP says:

This beautiful catalogue was published by The Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation to accompany the exhibition Bond Bound: Ian Fleming and the Art of Cover Design.The exhibition is currently open to the public at the City Art Centre, Edinburgh, and will tour New York and Los Angeles in late 2008.

Bond Bound charts the role of artists in creating and defining the Bond look and features book covers, film posters, letters and previously unseen archive material. The exhibition comes right up to date with artwork from Charlie Higson’s Young Bond series, The Moneypenny Diaries by Samantha Weinberg and the recently released Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks writing as Ian Fleming.

Benson Discusses Upcoming Works; Sequel to MGS

K1Bond007 — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:27:49 +0000

Hardly a secret, but Raymond Benson has officially acknowledged that he is writing a sequel to Metal Gear Solid in a recent interview. Last May Benson’s novelization of the 1998 video game was published. It’s unknown if the sequel will be a novelization of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty which was originally released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2.

Speaking to Sons of Spade, Benson’s interview mainly focused on his last original novel, A Hard Day’s Death and its sequel Dark Side of the Morgue which is scheduled for release in March 2009. Also coming up is the James Bond anthology, The Union Trilogy, which consists of High Time to Kill, Doubleshot, and Never Dream of Dying, as well as the complete short story “Blast From The Past.” The anthology is available for pre-order on Amazon.com and will be released later this year on November 4 (Benson’s website says October 18th in New York, October 25th in Chicago).

CommanderBond.net put up a “Looking Back” feature today about Raymond Benson’s James Bond short stories. Check that out as well.

Higson's Earlier Books Being Reprinted

K1Bond007 — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:17:35 +0000

Perhaps due to the success of Young Bond, Charlie Higson’s earlier works are gearing up for a reprint in 2009. Both King of the Ants (1992) and Getting Rid of Mister Kitchen (1997) will be reprinted by Abacus on February 9th in paperback. Even got some cover art.

Check out their Amazon pages:

Sean Connery's Autobiography

K1Bond007 — Sat, 31 May 2008 01:01:29 +0000

CommanderBond.net has an article today about Sean Connery’s upcoming autobiography/memoir called Being a Scot. The book is do out in the UK on 21 August just in time for his 78th birthday on the 25th.

This is kind of odd that his will be on 21 August and Moore’s is coming out a month later on 2 October. It’s like the “Battle of the Bonds” all over again, in literary form this time.

Pre-order Being a Scot at Amazon.co.uk.

Roger Moore's Autobiography

K1Bond007 — Fri, 30 May 2008 06:48:37 +0000

Cover art for Roger Moore’s upcoming autobiography My Word Is My Bond has been revealed on Amazon.co.uk.

The book will be published by Michael O’Mara Books in the UK (2 October) and HarperCollins in the US (4 November). For more information check out this article on CommanderBond.net.

Ian Fleming's Secret War Cover Art

K1Bond007 — Thu, 29 May 2008 20:39:07 +0000

Announced a few months ago, the cover art for Craig Cabell’s upcoming book Ian Fleming’s Secret War has been found by Double O Section at Amazon.co.uk. A listing can also be seen on Amazon.com. No official blurb about the book currently exists, but one would assume this has to do with Fleming’s 30AU.

Ian Fleming’s Secret War will be published by Pen & Sword books on August 18th.