Not long ago I reported on a new novel that was recently released in May featuring Ian Fleming in a fictional tale that at the time I said gave me a sort of The Da Vinci Code vibe. Well I finally got the chance to read it and I should begin by saying that comparing it to the The Da Vinci Code is probably a little unfair, although it does share a couple similarities. One way of putting it is to say Ian Fleming plays the role of Leonardo da Vinci and Amy Greenberg, the protagonist of In Secret Service, is Robert Langdon, the protagonist of The Da Vinci Code. The difference really is that unlike The Da Vinci Code, Greenberg doesn’t run around a city solving clues like Langdon. I think a far more apt way of describing In Secret Service is to say it’s a story about a woman reading a manuscript supposedly written by Ian Fleming.
(Read more…)

• Amazon.com revealed cover art for the latest reprint of John Pearson’s James Bond The Authorised Biography (pictured right).
• The Young Bond Dossier confirmed that Titan Books upcoming classic comic strip collection, Shark Bait, in addition to the eponymous strip, will also include “Doomcrack” and “The Xanadu Connection”.
• Bond and Beyond is claiming that the first Young Bond graphic novel, SilverFin will be due out on May 1, 2008 in time for Ian Fleming’s Centenary. In other news YBD discovered listings for a pre publication poster and a Hurricane Gold events kit at Amazon.co.uk. Additionally in YB news, YBD reported a rumor that Alex Rider novelist Anthony Horowitz was originally asked by IFP to write the Young Bond series of novels. (Personally, I think it’s BS, but who can say…).
• Reuters is reporting that Martin Campbell is attached to direct 36 a 2004 French-language thriller remake for Paramount Pictures. This is in addition to Fox attempting to court Campbell for Unstoppable. He seems to be in big demand after Casino Royale’s success. Unfortunately for Bond fans this has to pretty much rule him out as a director of Bond 22. Shame.
• Yesterday (June 12) marked the 40th anniversary of You Only Live Twice on the big screen. For coverage of that see both CBn and MI6.

Cover art for The James Bond Encyclopedia was released. The new book from John Cork and Collin Stutz was created in collaboration with EON Productions and will cover details of the villains, Bond girls, allies, vehicles, and weapons and gadgets from all current 21 films. It also includes sections on “the 007 lifestyle, the role of Bond as interpreted by the six actors who have played him on the big screen, and double-page features on every Bond film, with details of production history, cast, and crew.” The book is said to contain more than 2,000 movie stills and other images.

The book is currently set for release on October 1, 2007.
Amazon.com

Over the years I’ve done a great amount of work for Wikipedia especially when concerning James Bond articles, but in more recent times, say the past year or so, I’ve grown rather distant with the entire project for a variety of reasons (note that I am an administrator there). At one point, I decided to just up and leave and perhaps start my own wiki focused on James Bond. I scrapped that idea and I finally settled on the site you’re reading now. But prior to this, during that time in which I thought I might start the wiki, I took the time to do a good breakdown of Raymond Benson’s first novel Zero Minus Ten complete with information on the continuity with other continuation novels, a plot synopsis, trivia, and a breakdown of practically every character in the book. It didn’t really take as long as you might think, but when the plans for this wiki or whatever I was aiming for fell through, I took some of the information (that which can’t be considered “fancruft”), added it to Wikipedia and put the rest aside in hopes that one day it wouldn’t go to waste. I guess now is the time to share it.

Zero Minus Ten

I suppose the reason I chose Zero Minus Ten to start with is because no one really ever gives the attention (sometimes) these continuation novels deserve. Ian Fleming is a great author, and I love his books dearly – no one will ever do it better in my eyes, but every time someone writes a non-fiction book dedicated to the literary James Bond, it’s focused solely on Fleming. Oh, and there are these other chaps, Amis, Gardner, and Benson. They wrote some stuff too. Not all books are like this though. The Bedside Companion for one, and I would like to make special mention of Paul Michael Kane’s upcoming second edition of 007: A Literary Dossier, which when released will have synopses of all 35 Bond novels (apparently lacking the 2 most recent Young Bond novels), the 7 film novelizations and all spin-off novels to date.

At some future point, I may convert this to a wiki, it really depends. There are times when I’d like to do it and then there are times when I don’t. Perhaps I should write a book instead in a James Bond Bedside Companion mold, but I’m not much of a writer. If this is well-regarded, I may continue on. I actually have The Facts of Death about 50% done. I just never put the remaining effort into completing it. — As always if you see a mistake let me know. Comments are open and feedback of any variety is always welcome.

Currently the directors chair for Bond 22 is empty and many Bond fans are hoping that Martin Campbell will return after pulling off a huge success with Casino Royale. Unfortunately for those fans it would appear Campbell is line to direct Fox’s Unstoppable, a drama written by Mark Bomback (Live Free or Die Hard) about a runaway train.

It has been rumored and discussed on numerous occasions that Campbell has taken himself out of the running to helm Bond 22, but the possibility has never really been thrown out the window with Campbell last stating “never say never”. If Campbell takes on Unstoppable it would most likely conflict with the shooting schedule of Bond 22.

Personally, if not Campbell then Matthew Vaughn gets my vote, but that’s just me.

Recently Sweetie’s Diamonds by Raymond Benson (the fourth James Bond novelist) was released in paperback across the United States. Mr. Benson wrote an article about the idea behind the book for Dorchester Publishing. The idea of the book actually stems from Benson’s good relationship with Hugh Heffner that was established when Benson was the author of the James Bond novels and was allowed at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles. During Benson’s Bond era, two short stories by Benson and excerpts from a couple of his novels appeared in Playboy magazine.

To read Mr. Benson’s article, check out Dorchester Publishing

Also check out Sweetie’s Diamonds at Amazon.com:

• Paperback edition
• Hardcover edition

Although I don’t wish to be too redundant with the two feeds on the right side of the page, there are times when a good article or news story is written that is too good to pass up. Coming from CBn forum member, Silhouette Man, he chronicles the books of Ian Fleming and their history of being edited, censored and banned worldwide. It’s a really a good informative read for all literary Bond and Fleming fans.

Bond Novels that were Edited, Censored and Banned @ CommanderBond.net

A while back our good friend at the Young Bond Dossier did some investigative reporting into the Centenary author and was able to scratch Ken Follett from the list of possibilities. You can scratch Lee Child from the list too. As Child tells it, apparently Ian Fleming Publications has offered him the job of writing a Bond novel twice in the past five years and he’s turned it down both times.

“Twice over the period of five years they’ve asked me to write the series, no regrets really because I think it is a thankless task in terms of first financial remuneration, as the terms were more favourable to the Ian Fleming estate than to me, and secondly there is the technical and cultural aspect. I see this as an impossible job as it’s now 2007, around 50 years on from the world that James Bond first appeared in. The world has changed, and one of the reasons the world has changed is because of James Bond, this country has altered its cultural frame of reference because of things like James Bond, so any follow-up fifty years later would be somewhat self-referential, and reading the book would be like watching an ABBA tribute band – i.e. what’s the point?”

You can read the full interview here.

Every year Ian Fleming Publications sponsors the Crime Writers’ Association Ian Fleming Steel Dagger award, which goes to the best thriller published in the UK. The winner receives £2000 and also receives a steel dagger, which is based on the weapon used by Special Forces during World War II. Last night Ian Fleming Publications announced their 2007 shortlist:

• Alex Berenson – The Faithful Spy – Random House
• Harlan Coben – The Woods – Orion
• R.J. Ellory – City of Lies – Orion
• Gillian Flynn – Sharp Objects – Weidenfeld & Nicolson
• Michael Marshall – The Intruders – HarperCollins
• Michael Robotham – The Night Ferry – Little, Brown
• Karin Slaughter – Triptych – Random House

The judging panel includes: Corrine Turner (Chair and Managing Director of Ian Fleming Publications), Seraphina Granelli, Mike Jecks, Mike Stotter, Zoë Watkins (Publishing Manager of Ian Fleming Publications), and Gordon Wise.

The winner will be announced on July 5, 2007. For past winners, see Ian Fleming Publication’s website.

Chris Cornell’s second solo album, Carry On was released to stores in the United States today. On the album is the Casino Royale theme “You Know My Name”, which was absent from the film’s soundtrack (though available as a single on iTunes).

Amazon.com – Carry On

Reviews of Carry On:
• All Music Guide
• Rolling Stone

And since I’m on the subject of music, Paul McCartney released his solo album yesterday, Memory Almost Full.

Amazon.com – Memory Almost Full

Reviews of Memory Almost Full:
• All Music Guide
• Rolling Stone