Steve Cole’s take on Bond – Young Bond that is
2014 will finally – after a six year hiatus – see the return of Young Bond. Welcome back, young friend! Quite a detention for ‘trouble with the maid’…
Steve Cole, image courtesy RHCP UK
However, James’ new adventures will not be written by Charlie Higson. This time Bond’s exploits, set during his years at Fettes College, will be penned by Steve Cole, amongst other occupations veteran writer of several Doctor Who novels and a couple of series in the children’s and young adult fiction segment. His Astrosaurs series is currently the rage with young readers. And his Z-Rex Trilogy are three fast-paced adventure thrillers for young adult fans, mixing Jurassic Park with Alex Rider. Not hard to imagine Cole sending our young hero through some serious and mind-boggling action.
Grateful thanks – as always – to John Cox/The Book Bond and CBn forum member ‘Major Tallon’ for the heads-up!
Here is today’s official announcement from Random House Children’s Publishers:
We are very excited today to announce that our very own Steve Cole has been selected by Ian Fleming Publications Ltd. – the Fleming family-owned company – as the author of a new Young Bond series.
Steve, who has written DOCTOR WHO and ASTROSAURS is thrilled to take on this exciting mission! These new books will pick up where Charlie Higson – the writer of the previous wave of Young Bond titles – left off and will follow teenage James in the aftermath of his expulsion from Eton. This time in Bond’s life has never been explored before and readers can expect all the thrills, action, glamour and tension that are the essential ingredients of a classic Bond adventure.
Steve Cole says: ‘I first encountered Bond in print as a teenager, when I read From a View to a Kill. Fleming´s writing was so vivid and authentic, Bond and the world he inhabited seemed suddenly real to me – and the danger and glamour led me through book after book. It´s both a thrilling privilege and an exciting challenge now to be shaping a new era in the life of such an iconic character – with many firsts and surprises to come as James´s life in the dangerous 1930s develops.’
Corinne Turner, Managing Director of Ian Fleming Publications Ltd., says, ‘Steve Cole is an imaginative and engaging author whose plots are addictive and gripping, so we were thrilled when he agreed to steer Young Bond through his mid-teen years. As publishers of Ian Fleming’s original Bond books and William Boyd’s new Bond continuation novel, SOLO, Random House are the perfect partner to work with us in bringing the next generation of Young Bond books to life. On behalf of Ian Fleming Publications and the Fleming family, I’d like to welcome Steve Cole to the exciting world of 007 – we can’t wait to see what scrapes James gets into next.’
Look out for the first Young Bond novel in Autumn 2014. We cannot wait!