CommanderBond.net

I've been sitting on this for a while, but I just got the all clear from Disney to blab the news (as well as publisher info). So:

Double or Die coming to U.S. in April 2008

Now on the CBn main page...

'Double Or Die' Coming To The US In April 2008

Third Young Bond novel to be published by Hyperion

'Double Or Die' US Hardback Now Available To Pre-order

Set for release on 22 April 2008

'Double Or Die' US Cover Artwork Revealed

Charlie Higson's third Young Bond novel set for a US release of 22 April

'Double or Die' Slips Out Early In US

Charlie Higson's third Young Bond novel now available in US bookstores

'Double or Die' Now Shipping In US

Order the third Young Bond novel at amazon.com

Why the long wait I wonder? Why not say August 2007? The book is obviously already written.

I never understood why it has always taken so long for Young Bond to be released stateside. I mean all they're really doing is changing the spelling and a few idioms here and there. That sort of thing shouldn't take months. Different publishers though. That's probably the reasoning. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if they re-released SilverFin and Blood Fever around that time with a stronger marketing campaign.

I was happy to get confirmation and publisher info, so I didn't want to push it. But I suspect something is up. I'm assuming the books are now free of the Miramax partnership and maybe Disney/Hyperion is planning a major relaunch of the series in the U.S. Maybe the Miramax deal extends through this year (with BF paperback) so they have to wait. Or maybe the whole Miramax thing has nothing to do with it. But I'm sure they have their reasons.

I would guess Disney is cutting Miramax/The Weinsteins out. Their publishing deal ends late 2007 and IIRC they only had the rights to the first two books. Disney apparently is waiting for the deal to expire before going ahead again. Maybe? As I said, maybe they'll relaunch the series in the meantime.

Ah, excellent find, K1. There we go.

A relaunch would be sweet. Maybe new SF and BF paperbacks with all new uniform cover art to go with the DoD hardcover (if it is indeed a hardcover). I think the Young Bond series needs a whole new look in the U.S.

Now on the CBn main page...

'Double Or Die' Coming To The US In April 2008

Third Young Bond novel to be published by Hyperion

I would love to see a relaunch of the series in the US. There has been zero publicity thus far.

I'm sure some of you may disagree, but I think for America I would consider dropping "Young Bond" and come up with something that doesn't sound so childish. Stop treating the book as a children's book. I mean it is for young readers, but the kids I imagine reading this (not of the "never grown up variety" such as myself) probably don't want to be smacked in the face with the fact that it is. Kids like darker tones so I don't know why you'd write a book that has this sort of thing then market it with kind of a childish tone. I mean I don't really have any qualms about reading a Harry Potter book. They're not really marketed as children's book perhaps because everyone already knows or something. The characters being kids just kind of speaks for itself nowadays. But "Young Bond", when it first was announced and released, I had major reservations because I thought it was going to be too childish. I only read it because I'm a Bond fan and at that point I realized all of that about it being a childish tale wasn't the case.

I guess I'm just saying gun for a more general audience in terms of marketing rather than marketing it as "James Bond for kids". There's just something wrong about that. There are so many Bond fans that won't even read this series because of the marketing tone. It's a shame, but it's a reality.

Kind of a drag, as I'm JUST getting into the series too.

When I saw the headline on the front page my first thought was UK favoritism over America, but that doesn't exactly seem the case.

However if there's a relaunch: I'm hoping for hardback editions before new paperbacks.

Actually, books such as Harry Potter, Eragon, Alex Rider (Who was there BEFORE Young Bond) Maximum Ride, Narnia, and even The Early Adventures of James Hook could be contributing to the lack of success of Young Bond. I'm sure there are polls about which Young Adult book sells the most...

I actually think the Young Bond novels need to be MORE aggressively marketed to kids. We've seen how this has worked in the UK, now we need a U.S. version. As is, there has been very little promotion, and the books themselves are too understated for U.S. bookstores (IMO). Create bold, colorful, action oriented covers. Play up the "Bond" aspect bigtime (Bond is the advantage here), and make sure they get some exposure on the shelves alongside the Potters, etc. I always find these books shoved somewhere in the Teen Fiction section, not the "series" section.

I'm sure Disney knows how to do this. The combo of Disney marketing and the name James Bond...this should be a no brainer.

I still have a strange feeling with Disney in the mix. Hope that it doesn't become a literal "no brainer" with marketing it to death until it becomes unbearable.

'Winnie the Pooh' springs to mind...