Charlie Higson's Hurricane Gold released as Playaway audiobook

The Playaway audiobook edition of Charlie Higson’s Hurricane Gold has been released by Blackstone Audio in the US.

Literary 007 fans can order this edition of Higson’s fourth Young James Bond novel from Amazon.com, where it retails for $59.99. Gerard Doyle acts as the narrator for this release.

In addition, Blackstone will next release By Royal Command this July on the Playaway audio format. Also read by Doyle, this too can be ordered online:

Charlie Higson’s Hurricane Gold

James Bond is on a much-needed vacation in Mexico at the home of ex-flying ace Jack Stone. But his holiday is cut short when a hurricane hits. As the storm ravages the community, a gang of thieves lies in ambush – they want Stone’s safe, and will kill for its contents. Stone’s children, Precious and JJ, are kidnapped, and James must embark on a perilous chase through the jungle to rescue them and retrieve the stolen items. The clues ultimately lead him to the island of Lagrimas Negras, a haven for deadly criminals, controlled by the ruthless El Huracan.

James will have to use all of his instincts and cunning if he’s going to outwit El Huracan and escape with his life. But the only way off the island is through a treacherous maze, La Avenida de la Muerte – the Avenue of Death. On this terrifying trail of greed and betrayal, only danger is guaranteed. Survival is not.

• Order the US Playaway audiobook of Hurricane Gold from Amazon.com
• Order the US Playaway audiobook of By Royal Command from Amazon.com

Be sure to keep checking the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums for all the latest Young Bond-related news.

Discuss this Young Bond news in this thread on the CBn Forums, the largest James Bond 007 forum in the world.

SilverFin – Literary 007 Coverage

Blood Fever – Literary 007 Coverage

Double or Die – Literary 007 Coverage

Hurricane Gold – Literary 007 Coverage

By Royal Command – Literary 007 Coverage

The Charlie Higson CBn Interview

The Charlie Higson CBn Interview II

CBn Reviews Young Bond #1: SilverFin

CBn Reviews Young Bond #2: Blood Fever

CBn Reviews Young Bond #3: Double Or Die

CBn Reviews Young Bond #4: Hurricane Gold

CBn Reviews SilverFin: The Graphic Novel

Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads featuring Raymond Benson now shipping

As earlier reported on CommanderBond.net, a brand new book—Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads—spotlighting contemporary and classic thrillers will feature one of Ian Fleming’s most popular James Bond adventures, 1957’s From Russia with Love.

The classic novel is included thanks to the suggestion of former Bond continuation author Raymond Benson, who wrote six original 007 novels of his own and has also penned numerous non-Bond thrillers.

Furthermore, newly announced Project X author Jeffery Deaver is also featured. He examines Len Deighton’s classic 1962 spy novel, The Ipcress File.

Officially due to be published in early July, interested readers can order Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads from Amazon.com now, where the title is currently shipping (an order link follows below).

The full blurb follows below:

Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads featuring Ian Fleming’s From Russia with Love

The most riveting reads in history meet today’s biggest thriller writers in Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads.

Edited by David Morrell and Hank Wagner, Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads examines 100 seminal works of suspense through essays contributed by such esteemed modern thriller writers as: David Baldacci, Steve Berry, Sandra Brown, Lee Child, Jeffery Deaver, Tess Gerritsen, Heather Graham, John Lescroart, Gayle Lynds, Katherine Neville, Michael Palmer, James Rollins, R. L. Stine, and many more.

Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads features 100 works—from Beowulf to The Bourne Identity, Dracula to Deliverance, Heart of Darkness to The Hunt for Red October—deemed must-reads by the International Thriller Writers organization.

Much more than an anthology, Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads goes deep inside the most notable thrillers published over the centuries. Through lively, spirited, and thoughtful essays that examine each work’s significance, impact, and influence, Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads provides both historical and personal perspective on those spellbinding works that have kept readers on the edge of their seats for centuries.

• Order the US hardback edition of Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads from Amazon.com

Keep turning to the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums for the most up-to-date literary James Bond coverage on the web.

Jeffery Deaver offers up first Project X revelations

How old is James Bond in Project X? Will “M” be a man or a woman? Will Bond smoke? Which 007 regulars will make an appearance?

Jeffery Deaver

Literary James Bond fans can find the answers to all these questions and more – including a bombshell about a Bond regular who will be replaced – in an exclusive video interview with Project X author Jeffery Deaver over at Dr Shatterhand’s Botanical Garden.

A warning for fans who want to head into Project X completely spoiler-free: Deaver may be a bit too revelatory for your liking. Proceed with caution.

The revealing interview, filmed during one of Deaver’s book tour appearances, offers up a surprising number of answers about the mystery project, including the fact that the book will be “a reboot”, and the first in a series of novels by various authors.

Check out the video over at Dr Shatterhand’s Botanical Garden for more juicy titbits about this exciting new book.

Dr Shatterhand also caught up with Young Bond novelist Charlie Higson, who recently completed his US tour, for another video interview. Here, the bestselling author discusses his first brush with Bond and talks about his dream job.

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Crush Design creates Project X promotional website

Crush Design has created a website to promote the new James Bond novel, which will be published in 2011.

Jeffery Deaver’s Project X

The Project X site, which can be found at www.jamesbondprojectx.com, features a count-down to the book’s launch, information about the author Jeffery Deaver and facts about the original novels written by the late Ian Fleming.

Crush was appointed by Hodder & Stoughton at the beginning of this month on the strength of similar projects that the consultancy has worked on, says Hodder & Stoughton director of digital marketing Kelly Edgson-Wright.

Hodder & Stoughton briefed Crush to create a flexible site that could be added to during the run-up to the book’s launch in May next year. Edgson-Wright says, ‘We want to be able to update the site regularly, engage with social media and interact with the fans’.

The secretive nature of the project has affected the look and feel of the site, says Crush senior designer Chris Pelling. He says, ‘At this point we’re dealing with such little information that we went for a data-style look that was really stripped back.’

The grey and turquoise colour palette was chosen to fit the data-inspired look. Pelling says, ‘We’ve focused on the modern spy, not one from the 1950s. It’s not girls and smoking guns.’

Jeffery Deaver’s Project X will be published by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK and by Simon & Schuster in the US on 28 May 2011.

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Sebastian Faulks' Pisatache published in paperback in UK

Sebastian Faulks’ Pistache

A new paperback edition of Pistache, a collection of fanciful, satirical and surprising parodies, squibs and pastiches from Devil May Care author Sebastian Faulks, is now available to pick up in the UK.

Originally released in hardback in late 2006, this amusing collection featured the author’s first take on a James Bond adventure (of sorts) with the inclusion of Ian Fleming Thinks Even James Bond Goes Shopping, a story featuring 007 on a dangerous mission in a supermarket.

For a more detailed look at this Bond parody, check out the CommanderBond.net article: Even James Bond Goes Shopping.

Pistache is published by Arrow Books Ltd. and retails for £6.99. The title can currently be ordered online at a discounted price:

• Order the UK paperback edition of Pistache from Amazon.co.uk

Keep visiting the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums for the most up-to-date literary 007 coverage on the web.

Titan's James Bond is back in action in Nightbird

Titan’s Nightbird James Bond collection

The newest James Bond newspaper strip collection from Titan Books, Nightbird, is now available in the US.

Released earlier this year in the UK, the Nightbird collection brings together Hot-Shot and Ape of Diamonds in addition to the title story.

This 18th 007 publication from Titan, since the company started releasing them in 2004, marks the complete publication of all 52 James Bond comic strips listed in the Titan checklist.

Titan’s Nightbird retails for £12.99 / $19.95. Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com order links follow below.

Keep turning to the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums for the most up-to-date literary James Bond coverage on the web.

Jeffery Deaver to embark on US and UK book tours

Project X author Jeffery Deaver is about to embark on book tours in the United States and the United Kingdom to promote the ninth novel in his Lincoln Rhyme series, The Burning Wire.

Jeffery Deaver

The author’s US tour schedule includes stops in June throughout Virginia, California, North Carolina, Washington, Texas, Arizona, Oregon, Georgia, Missouri and Oklahoma.

In July, Deaver will cross the pond for an impressive number of appearances throughout the UK, including stops in London, Cambridge, Milton Keynes, West Yorkshire, Sheffield, Harrogate, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Carlisle, Preston, Manchester, Nottingham, Lincoln, Birmingham, Southampton and Dorset.

In August, Deaver will be appearing as the guest of honour at the 2010 Killer Nashville literary conference. The author will also be touring Amsterdam, Italy and Japan later in the year.

The full list of Jeffery Deaver’s appearances can be found at JefferyDeaver.com.

The Burning Wire hits bookshops on 1 June in North America and 22 June in the UK. A standalone thriller by Deaver titled Edge will follow later this year, before Project X lands on 28 May 2011.

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New 00-author Jeffery Deaver shortlisted for CWA Dagger award

Jeffery Deaver

Newly announced James Bond continuation author Jeffery Deaver has been shortlisted for a Dagger award this year.

According to the Bookseller, Deaver is eligible in the Short Story Dagger section for the Crime Writers Association (CWA) award. The winning author earns £500 in prize money.

CWA chair Tom Harper said: ‘Our shortlists this year reflect the extraordinary breadth and quality of modern crime writing. Whether you like it long or short, fact or fiction, around the corner or on the far side of the world—these awards recognise the best of the genre, from established masters to tomorrow’s bestsellers.’

All winners will be revealed at an event staged as part of the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, Harrogate, on 23 July.

The full list of entrants for the Short Story Dagger follows:

• A Calculated Risk by Sean Chercover from Thriller 2 edited by Clive Cussler (Mira)
• The Weapon by Jeffery Deaver from Thriller 2 edited by Clive Cussler (Mira)
• Can You Help Me Out There by Robert Ferrigno from Thriller 2 edited by Clive Cussler (Mira)
• Boldt’s Broken Angel by Ridley Pearson from Thriller 2 edited by Clive Cussler (Mira)
• Like a Virgin by Peter Robinson from The Price of Love (Hodder and Stoughton)
• Killing Time by Jon Land from Thriller 2 edited by Clive Cussler (Mira)
• Protecting the Innocent by Simon Wood from Thriller 2 edited by Clive Cussler (Mira)

Keep watching the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums for all the latest news on Jeffery Deaver’s forthcoming James Bond adventure (Project X).

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Pre-order Project X

Eager to get your hands on Jeffery Deaver’s Project X?

Jeffery Deaver

James Bond fans can now pre-order the newly-announced continuation novel from Amazon.co.uk. The site is already offering a 24 percent discount off the book’s £18.99 cover price.

The UK edition of Project X is to be published by Hodder & Stoughton. Pre-order details for the US edition of the book, published by Simon & Schuster are still forthcoming.

Project X – working title only – will be published on 28 May 2011.

Meanwhile, 007 fans can follow all the latest Project X developments via the official Project X Twitter feed, @007ProjectX. Be sure to use the #007PX hashtag to follow all the Twitter conversation on Project X.

For more on Project X, you can also follow @HodderBooks, @simonschuster, and, of course, @JefferyDeaver himself.

And don’t forget to follow @CBn007 for all the latest James Bond news.

Lastly, the Young Bond Dossier asked Ian Fleming Publications’ managing director Corinne Turner what Project X‘s announcement means for future James Bond novels set in Ian Fleming’s timeline, including a potential Young Bond sequel series. For her intriguing response, head over to the Young Bond Dossier.

Keep watching CommanderBond.net for more Project X news as it happens.

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Jeffery Deaver discusses his approach to Project X

Newly-announced continuation novelist Jeffery Deaver is confident he’s the man to bring the literary James Bond into the 21st century.

Jeffery Deaver

“I’ve written about young African-American characters in America, I have written about elderly characters, I’ve written from the points of view of women … of serial killers … and enjoy stepping into their shoes,” the novelist told Reuters. “I think it’s going to be relatively easy for me to step into the role of Bond and the other characters in the book.”

“For one reason or another I have learned over the years that I have a capacity … to be a bit of chameleon.”

“Stories like this should have elements of good solid filmmaking.” – Jeffery Deaver

In contrast to Sebastian Faulks’ credit on Devil May Care, Deaver said, “I am not writing this book as if I were Ian Fleming. No-one can really do that. I am taking the type of story that I generally tell – a very fast-paced thriller, lots of twists and turns and surprises.”

In fact, Deaver looks set to combine the unique spirit of Fleming’s 007 novels with the pace of his own thrillers. “It’s not only important to maintain the Fleming tone, and by that I mean a good hero against a bad villain. I think it’s important too that I bring to the story my typical relentless pacing and plot reversals every so often so readers are really on the edge of their seats the entire time.”

“Stories like this should have elements of good solid filmmaking – the scenes have to be extremely visual, there should be a crisp, clear, accurate dialogue.”

You can also view a short clip of Deaver discussing Ian Fleming’s original James Bond novels below.

Keep watching CommanderBond.net for the latest news on Project X.

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