Bond Girls and Bond Villains join DK's 007 book line-up

As regular CommanderBond.net readers are likely aware, we recently reported that publisher Dorling Kindersley (DK) would be releasing two new James Bond titles this upcoming May: The Book of Bond—the Style, the Story, the Excitement and Bond Cars and Vehicles—the Classic Cars, the Air and Sea Vehicles, the Secret Weapons.

Today we can report on two additional 007 titles that will hit bookshelves in September. Created in full collaboration with EON Productions, they are: The Bond Girls—the Good, the Bad, the Dangerous and The Bond Villains—the Evil Geniuses, the Henchmen, the Masterplans.

Alastair Dougall, senior editor at DK, told the Bookseller that the idea behind the series was to provide edited highlights of the Bond films. ‘If you get all four titles you get fantastic visuals of all the aspects of the Bond scenarios and you can see the films from a different perspective.’

All four titles proceed through the films chronologically from 1962’s Dr. No through 2008’s Quantum of Solace. Dougall said the books are ‘fun and accessible’ with images running across spreads, and quotes, which ‘capture the spirit of the movies’.

He added: ‘They will appeal to fans and they will appeal to people who remember the Bond films and want to re-experience and re-enjoy them.’

Amazon pre-order links follow below:

• Order The Book of Bond from Amazon.co.uk
• Order The Book of Bond from Amazon.com

• Order Bond Cars and Vehicles from Amazon.co.uk
• Order Bond Cars and Vehicles from Amazon.com

• Order The Bond Girls—the Good, the Bad, the Dangerous from Amazon.co.uk
• Order The Bond Girls—the Good, the Bad, the Dangerous from Amazon.com

• Order The Bond Villains—the Evil Geniuses, the Henchmen, the Masterplans from Amazon.co.uk
• Order The Bond Villains—the Evil Geniuses, the Henchmen, the Masterplans from Amazon.com

Keep your browsers locked on the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums for all the latest literary 007 coverage and news.

Win James Bond: Licence To Quote: The Quotable Double-0 Seven

CommanderBond.net is giving away a free copy of the recently published James Bond: Licence To Quote: The Quotable Double-0 Seven, compiled and edited by Colin M. Jarman:

1500 Humorous Quotes about the world’s favorite spy … Licence To Quote is the first quotations book solely dedicated to the ever-expanding universe that surrounds James Bond.

This book of humorous quotes is all about the lighter side of Double-0 Seven—his books, his movies, his life, world, & his cultural footprint. Licence To Quote turns the tables on the world’s favorite secret agent and turns the spotlight on him. A Who’s Who of observers and commentators—from all over the globe—take dead aim at James Bond: man and myth. Comical contributions come from his creators, his critics, his biographers, his imitators, his fans and from selected media sources including film, TV, fansites, etc. The depth and diversity of subject matter in this book clearly demonstrates the incredible level of recognition and the extraordinary fan-base Bond has built up since he first appeared in 1953. For well over fifty years, 007 has been at the summit of the best-seller’s list, on top of the cinema box-office and still remains at the forefront of the world’s consciousness. His iconic image and cultural accessories are legendary and Licence To Quote celebrates that legend.

This competition is open to all members of CommanderBond.net (CBn). You must be a registered member of the CBn Forums and answer the following question correctly to be eligible to win. Not yet a member of CBn? Register here now—it is free and only takes a minute!

How To Enter:

To enter, fill out the following questionnaire and send a Communiqué/Private Message on the CBn Forums to ‘CBn Competition’ (Subject: CBn Apr10 Quote) by Midnight EST on 7 May 2010 (simply click on the link in this paragraph).

1. Which James Bond film is the following quote from: ‘Do you know a lot about guns, Mr. Bond?’

1. Dr. No
2. From Russia with Love
3. Goldfinger
4. Thunderball

2. What is your CBn Forum Screen Name?
3. What country/state do you live in?

For further details on James Bond: Licence To Quote books, feel free t check out the following websites:
BOOK WEB SITE: http://www.LicenceToQuote.com
007 / LTQ BLOG: http://www.LicenseToQuote.com

No plans for a By Royal Command Collector's Edition

Disappointing news today for Young Bond fans and James Bond collectors.

Publisher Puffin Books has confirmed to the Young Bond Dossier that there are no plans to move ahead with a Limited Collector’s Edition for By Royal Command.

After the novel’s original publication in late 2008, many Bond fans expected such an edition would eventually follow as was the case for Charlie Higson’s four previous Young Bond adventures.

Unfortunately, the less-than-stellar economic situation around the world forced Puffin to reevaluate and they decided not to produce the By Royal Command special edition.

Perhaps someday…

Keep your browsers pinpointed on the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums for all the latest news from the world of Young Bond.

The Blades Library Book Club: Double or Die

Welcome back to The Blades Library Book Club – the place for quality discussions of the books of James Bond!

Every two months a James Bond 007 novel is chosen for the club members to read. A thread is posted in the CommanderBond.net Discussion Forums listing locations where you can find the novel. Discussions about the book will go on as the book is read and when it is finished. Another thread will be created so that club members can post their review and give a rating on the current book.

All fans of the Literary Bond are eligible for membership. All you need to do to sign up is register on the CBn Forums (it’s free and only takes a minute) and then post your name in the sign up thread.

The Book Club’s 38th Book

We are progressing though the James Bond 007 novels in chronological order, since quite a number of members are using the club as an opportunity to read the books for the very first time. After progressing through the Bond novels by Ian Fleming, Kingsley Amis, John Gardner and Raymond Benson the club most recently moved onto Charlie Higson’s Young Bond era and now continues with his third novel: 2007’s Double or Die.

Obtaining The Book

Ordering online should be fairly easy. Double or Die can be ordered online from the following sources:

• Amazon.co.uk
• Amazon.com
• eBay

Discuss other places to buy Double or Die or where you got your copy in this thread.

Discuss The Book While Reading

Want to talk about the book while reading it? Post a new thread in The Blades Library.

Review And Rate The Book

After you have finished reading Double or Die, you can discuss it with other club members in The Blades Library, and give the book your personal rating out of five in this thread.

If you have any questions or suggestions just post them in a new thread. Happy reading.

*New* Archive Of All Past Read Books

Additionally, club members can review or comment on any of the past read books in the club any time they want. Click here for the full archive of the past read books in the club.

Previous Books Read

• Blood Fever: February 2010 – March 2010
• SilverFin: December 2009 – January 2010
• The Man with the Red Tattoo: October 2009 – November 2009
• Never Dream of Dying: August 2009 – September 2009
• Doubleshot: June 2009 – July 2009
• High Time To Kill: April 2009 – May 2009
• The Facts of Death: February 2009 – March 2009
• Zero Minus Ten: December 2008 – January 2009
• COLD: October 2008 – November 2008
• SeaFire: August 2008 – September 2008
• Never Send Flowers: June 2008 – July 2008
• Death Is Forever: April 2008 – May 2008
• The Man From Barbarossa: February 2008 – March 2008
• Brokenclaw: December 2007 – January 2008
• Win, Lose Or Die: October 2007 – November 2007
• Scorpius: August 2007 – September 2007
• No Deals, Mr. Bond: June 2007 – July 2007
• Nobody Lives Forever: April 2007 – May 2007
• Role Of Honour: February 2007 – March 2007
• Icebreaker: December 2006 – January 2007
• For Special Services: October 2006 – November 2006
• Licence Renewed: August 2006 – September 2006
• Colonel Sun: June 2006 – July 2006
• Octopussy & The Living Daylights: April 2006 – May 2006
• The Man With The Golden Gun: February 2006 – March 2006
• You Only Live Twice: December 2005 – January 2006
• On Her Majesty’s Secret Service: October 2005 – November 2005
• The Spy Who Loved Me: August 2005 – September 2005
• Thunderball: June 2005 – July 2005
• For Your Eyes Only: April 2005 – May 2005
• Goldfinger: February 2005 – March 2005
• Doctor No: December 2004 – January 2005
• From Russia, With Love: September 2004 – November 2004
• Diamonds Are Forever: July 2004 – August 2004
• Moonraker: May 2004 – June 2004
• Live and Let Die: May 2003 – June 2003
• Casino Royale: March 2003 – April 2003

Virgin Books: Bond Films due for release in September 2010

A new Amazon.co.uk listing has appeared online for Virgin Books: Bond Films by Steve Lavington and Jim Smith.

If the book sounds somewhat familiar, that’s because it was first released way back in late 2002 to tie-in with the release of Pierce Brosnan’s Die Another Day and mark the 40th anniversary of the James Bond film series [see CommanderBond.net’s review here].

This new listing tags the book as a hardback (the original 2002 release was a trade paperback) retailing for £16.99 and due out on 30 September 2010. Cover artwork and a publisher’s blurb are still forthcoming.

The original 2002 blurb follows below:

The Bond films are the longest-running and the most financially successful movie franchise in the history of cinema and have entered popular culture. James Bond’s answer to a request for his name, “Bond, James Bond”, topped a poll of the greatest film quotes of all time, and if you mention a Martini to anyone old enough to drink one, they’re bound to come out with the immortal line “shaken not stirred”.

From Dr No in 1962 through to Die Another Day in 2002, this film guide covers the 20 Bond films, 40 years of film-making and five actors in the starring role (six if you count David Niven in Casino Royale). Each film was a product of its time – Moonraker, for example, was made because of the success of Star Wars – and was influenced by whichever director was drafted in to move James Bond through his many assignments.

This book is also the story of two eastern European immigrants, Saltzman and Broccoli, who acquired the rights to Ian Fleming’s character of James Bond and built an empire out of the sexist spy. The guide includes categories such as source to screen, set peices and gadgets, and ongoing counters of on-screen deaths, martinis ordered and successful seductions.

CommanderBond.net will keep you updated as more details on this new hardback edition come to light. In the meantime, feel free to pre-order for a discounted price online:

• Order the UK hardback edition of Virgin Books: Bond Films from Amazon.co.uk

As always, keep turning to the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums for all the latest literary 007 coverage and news.

John-Gardner.com is back in action

The offcial website for author John Gardner, www.John-Gardner.com, is back in action with an all-new look.

Best known by James Bond fans as the continuation author who guided 007 through 14 official novels and 2 novelizations in the 1980’s and 90’s, Mr. Gardner’s contributions to the literary Bond legacy should not be understated.

The redesigned and relaunched website has several new features, including a news section and Twitter feed to make it even easier for followers to stay up to date.

Also worth checking out is the biography section and the photo galleries, featuring numerous editions of the Bond novels, from 1981’s Licence Renewed to 1996’s COLD.

Check it out today: www.John-Gardner.com

Keep your browsers locked on the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums for all the latest literary 007 coverage and news.

The Book of Bond coming in May 2010

DK Publishing is lining up the James Bond publications this year. Following up the recent news that they would be releasing a book later this year titled Bond Cars and Vehicles, we can now report on another forthcoming must-buy for 007 fans: The Book of Bond.

From Bond’s women to his films, get up close and personal with the world’s most famous spy Learn to be just as sophisticated as 007 with this in-depth look at everything to do with James Bond. You’ll find information on 007’s styles, tastes and skills. Discover all about his many films, from the plot synopsis to credits and get an overview of all of Bond’s favourite girls. Come face-to-face with his many enemies and find out all about them from detailed profiles. Meet his allies too, including the legendary M. Packed with amazing photos and incredible facts, this is a must-read for every Bond fan.

The Book of Bond is written by Alastair Dougall and will be released as a 160-page hardback on 3 May (UK) and 16 August (US). Retail price is £9.99 / $15.00.

Pre-order The Book of Bond from Amazon:

• Order The Book of Bond from Amazon.co.uk
• Order The Book of Bond from Amazon.com

Keep your browsers locked on the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums for all the latest literary 007 coverage and news.

Signed first edition of Ian Fleming's Moonraker sells for $50,000

Back in early February, CommanderBond.net reported that several valuable Ian Fleming-penned James Bond first editions from the personal collection of Otto Penzler were going up for auction on 8 April.

The sale proved to be a major success, with copies of Casino Royale and Moonraker easily surpassing their expected estimates.

Full details follow below in a news release from Paul Fraser Collectibles:

James Bond first editions add excitement to any rare book auction, and Swann Auction Galleries’ 314 lot auction on Thursday, April 8 was no exception, boasting 28 books and manuscripts penned by Ian Fleming.

In particular, two first editions in excellent condition brought some keen bidding from the audience.

The first was a beautifully preserved copy of Casino Royale, Fleming’s first Bond novel. The black cloth of the cover itself is stamped with red heart in the centre and red lettering appears along the spine.

The dust jacket is more familiar, however, with the bleeding hearts design created by Fleming himself. In this case it appears in all its glory, with only the faintest toning present, no doubt preserved by the burgundy morocco and cloth clamshell box which comes with it.

The lot beat its top estimate of $30,000 to sell for $33,600. It was outstripped, however, by a signed copy of Moonraker, Fleming’s third novel.

The black cloth covers, stamped in silver and clothed in its dustcover with the well known ‘firey’ design, the copy is also in exemplary condition. Inside, Fleming has written “To Eileen M. Cond Who cannot be easily shocked! from Ian Fleming – 1955.”.

This caused frenetic bidding from the audience, and the upper estimate of $25,000 was doubled before the winning bidder took home their prize for $50,400.

Collectors of James Bond memorabilia may be interested to know that a suit worn by Pierce Brosnan’s Bond in GoldenEye is currently available.

Keep your browsers locked on the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums for all the latest news on James Bond-related events occurring around the world.

Ian Fleming's Diamonds are Forever reprinted in France this month

Ian Fleming’s fourth James Bond novel, 1956’s Diamonds are Forever, will be reprinted in France later this month.

As some CommanderBond.net readers may recall, it was first announced in late 2007 that publisher Bragelonne would be reprinting the original Bond titles following their film tie-in edition of Casino Royale the year before.

Reprints of Live and Let Die and Moonraker have so far followed, which now brings us up to Fleming’s fourth 007 adventure.

This paperback edition of Diamonds are Forever will be published as Les Diamants sont Éternels. Retailing for 9.90 €, it is due for release on 16 April and can currently be pre-ordered online at Amazon.fr:

• Order the French paperback edition of Diamonds are Forever (Les Diamants sont Éternels) from Amazon.fr

Be sure to keep checking the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums for all the latest news from the world of James Bond.

Charlie Higson's By Royal Command published in France

Young James Bond fans in France can now pick up Charlie Higson’s fifth adventure in the popular series, By Royal Command.

The Young Bond Dossier reports that the Bond title is released today in the country under the translated title Sur ordre de Sa Majesté.

This paperback is published by Gallimard Jeunesse and retails for 9.90 €. Literary 007 collectors can order online from Amazon.fr:

• Order the French paperback edition of By Royal Command (Sur ordre de Sa Majesté) from Amazon.fr

Keep your browsers pinpointed on the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums for all the latest news from the world of Young Bond.