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  1. Looking Back: 'Die Another Day'

    By Devin Zydel on 2007-12-12

    The CBn ‘Looking Back’ series now moves onto Raymond Benson’s third and final James Bond novelisation, Die Another Day. The book was first released in early November 2002, just a few weeks before the theatrical premiere of Pierce Brosnan’s fourth 007 film of the same name. CBn takes a look back at Die Another Day—included are publication details, the original jacket blurbs and trivia notes about the book.

    The action-packed story begins in the demilitarised zone between North and South Koreas with a spectacular high-speed hovercraft chase.

    From Hong Kong to Cuba to London, Bond continues his quest to unmask a traitor and prevent a war of catastrophic consequence—but not without the help and hindrance of two mysterious femmes fatales.

    Hot on the trail of the principal villains, Bond travels to Iceland where he experiences at first hand the power of an amazing new weapon before a dramatic confrontation with his main adversary back in Korea where it all started.

    UK First Edition Hodder & Stoughton Hardback

    Trivia

    Bond author Raymond Benson

    Bond author Raymond Benson

    A production error of the UK 1st edition Hodder & Stoughton hardback of Die Another Day resulted in several copies, the exact number is unknown, that had pages cut short. As a result, a second corrected edition was quickly produced, making the 1st edition of this novelisation even more difficult to obtain.

    Amazon UK and Amazon US originally featured the cover of this novelisation as based upon the first gun on ice teaser poster of the film. It was ultimately changed to the generic blue poster art featuring Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry.

    While the Walther PPK was featured in the previous Bond novelisation, The World Is Not Enough (despite the switch to the P99 in Tomorrow Never Dies before that), here 007 is once again using the P99.

    Like previous James Bond novelisations by Benson, there was no regular US hardback printing of Die Another Day.

    While Tomorrow Never Dies remains the most difficult of all the Raymond Benson James Bond novels and novelisations to obtain in UK 1st hardback printing, copies of the hardback edition of Die Another Day are somewhat easier and cheaper to come by.

    The UK and US large print edition of the novelisation features the same cover art used for the UK Hodder & Stoughton hardback edition.

    While being promoted to the captain status in later John Gardner James Bond novels, here 007 is a commander once again.

    When danger becomes a temptation, when every move brings you closer to the edge, when you live each day like it’s your last—there’s a surprise around every curve…

    From North Korea to Iceland, Bond circles the world in his quest to unmask a traitor and prevent a war of catastrophic proportions. Crossing paths with beautiful allies and deadly assassins in a high-octane action adventure of intrigue, revenge and betrayal, never has Bond been so vulnerable, nor so dangerous…

    US Boulevard Paperback

    Release Timeline

    • 2002: 1st British Hodder & Stoughton Hardback Edition
    • 2002: 1st British Coronet Paperback Edition
    • 2002: 1st American Boulevard Paperback Edition
    • 2003: 1st American Windsor/Chivers Press/Thorndike Large Print Hardback Edition
    • 2004: 1st American Windsor/Chivers Press/Thorndike Large Print Hardback Edition

    Your Own Opinion On Die Another Day

    Want to share your thoughts and opinion on Raymond Benson’s Die Another Day? Feel free to discuss the novelisation by visiting this thread and give the novelisation your personal rating in this thread on the CommanderBond.net Forums.