'Devil May Care' Still Topping The UK Charts

The literary 007 returns in Devil May Care

Almost a full month after its release on 28 May and Sebastian Faulks centenary James Bond novel, Devil May Care is still topping the charts.

For the third week in a row (sales ending on 21 June), Devil May Care remained at the #1 spot. The title is currently the overall top bestseller in all categories in the UK.

Faulk’s 007 novel became publisher Penguin’s bestselling hardback fiction title of all time after it’s astonishing first-week sale total of 44,093 copies.

The title is currently in eighth place on Amazon.co.uk‘s book bestseller listing.

Keep your eyes glued to the CommanderBond.net main page for complete coverage of Devil May Care and all the latest literary James Bond news.

Large Print Edition Of Charlie Higson's 'Hurricane Gold' Released

A large print edition of Charlie Higson’s latest Young James Bond adventure, Hurricane Gold, has been released–reports the Young Bond Dossier.

This particular edition of Hurricane Gold is published by Galaxy Plus as an oversized trade paperback. The publisher has previously released Higson’s first three Young Bond novels in large print as well.

Cover artwork, which can be viewed here, is similar to the recently released UK paperback, but without the gold gloss effect.

To order the Galaxy Plus Hurricane Gold large print paperback, visit BBC Audiobooks.

As always, stay tuned to the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest Young Bond coverage.

"Perhaps the best Bond adventure we have had to date."

Official Young Bond news source, The Young Bond Dossier, tips us off that the first review of Charlie Higson’s next novel, By Royal Command, is now online – 74 days before the book’s publication.

John Lloyd on Waterstones.com has given Higson’s fifth Young Bond instalment a glowing five-star review, an excerpt from which is below.

Try to put down at your peril. By Royal Command is perhaps the best Bond adventure we have had to date. It is with no small amount of garrulous gusto that I can pronounce an even greater array of action, adventure, gadgets, villains and of course Bond beauties. Wonderfully descriptive amid exotic locations Charlie Higson really involves the reader in details to readily devour. Realistic scenarios furnish By Royal Command with an encompassing exhalation unbeknown to entertainment in pen and ink. Rule Britannia the young Bond is back!

Meanwhile, in an interview with Waterstones.com, Higson confirmed he has been signed by Puffin to write a series of non-Bond novels. CommanderBond.net first reported in April that the author had signed a three-book deal with the publisher.

“I have signed a deal with Puffin books to a new series for children,” Higson said. “They are going to be action adventures, but with a horror angle.”

Higson also gave a few more details about what James Bond fans can expect from By Royal Command.

“By the end of By Royal Command we see him poised on the edge of becoming Fleming’s Bond. He is very much ready for the next phase of his life. He has come a long way – but still has far to go.”

When asked where James Bond goes from here, Higson replied, “Well, first of all to a new school – Fettes, in Scotland (that’s not a spoiler, anyone who has read the adult Bond books knows the story). But the big thing looming on his horizon is the second world war. The events of By Royal Command take place in 1934 so the war is only five years away. Bond will be 19 when war breaks out, and we know that he went into naval intelligence – MI6 – and worked as an agent overseas. I think it would be really interesting to find out more about his early wartime experiences, his training in Scotland, his 1st missions, his gaining the 00 status. That would be a fun job for a writer.”

This statement will no doubt fuel the exciting suggestion that Higson will return at some point in the future to continue fleshing out James Bond’s past.

Charlie Higson’s fourth Young Bond novel, Hurricane Gold, was published in paperback last month. By Royal Command is out in hardback on 4 September.

Keep watching CommanderBond.net for the latest literary James Bond news.

Sir Sean Connery Memoir Launch Sells Out In Record Time

The recently announced news that Sir Sean Connery would be launching his autobiography/memoirs Being A Scot at the Edinburgh Book Festival has definitely not gone unnoticed.

A press release notes that tickets to the event in August (the 25th of that month will mark the former James Bond star’s 78th birthday) completely sold out in less than an hour after going on sale at 10:00am–a record time in the history of the festival.

Sir Sean Connery Fans Snap Up Launch Tickets

Fans of Sir Sean Connery snapped up tickets in record time to see him talk about his new book, organisers of the world’s largest literary festival revealed.

The tickets sold out in under an hour after they went on sale at 10am, making it the fastest sell-out ever experienced by staff at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Hundreds of fans queued from 6.30am on Friday morning and inundated the festival’s website with over 300,000 hits in the first hour as they scrambled to see the James Bond star and a host of other literary figures at this summer’s festival.

Other events which sold out included audiences with veteran Labour left-winger Tony Benn, kidnapped BBC journalist Alan Johnston, author Margaret Atwood, broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby and Scotland’s First Minster, Alex Salmond.

Festival bosses described the demand for tickets as “unprecedented” and said 345 customers were queuing outside the specially-created box office at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) when bookings opened.

“It is enormously gratifying that literary stars and unknown authors from Scotland and further afield are able to attract such extraordinary interest,” said director Catherine Lockerbie.

“This year we have invested a significant amount of time, staff and financial resource to develop a system to cope with the demand and we are delighted that we have been able to deal with so many customers satisfactorily.

“We know that due to the extraordinary demand a large number of potential customers are finding it difficult to get through on the phone or via the internet, and would ask them to be patient and keep trying.”

The world-exclusive launch of Sir Sean’s memoirs comes right at the end of the two-week festival on August 25 and coincides with the veteran actor’s 78th birthday.

The Bond star’s first book – Being A Scot – will shed light on his views about many aspects of Scottish life and culture.

Being A Scot can currently be pre-ordered online:

• Order the UK hardback edition of Being A Scot from Amazon.co.uk
• Order the UK paperback edition of Being A Scot from Amazon.co.uk

Stay tuned to CBn for all the latest literary James Bond news.

Ian Fleming's 'Thrilling Cities' Coming In July 2008

Ian Fleming

Back in March of this year, CommanderBond.net informed readers that in addition to the centenary edition reprints of all 14 of Ian Fleming’s James Bond adventures and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, fans could also keep an eye out for new editions of two of his other non-Bond works: The Diamond Smugglers and Thrilling Cities.

First published in 1957 and 1963, respectively, The Diamond Smugglers and Thrilling Cities are two of the most overlooked of Fleming’s works and have both been out of print for decades.

Today, we can announce that the new edition of Thrilling Cities will hit bookshelves this July.

Published by Ian Fleming Publications Limited, this hardback edition will retail for £15.00. Cover artwork is yet to be revealed.

Thrilling Cities collects together a series of travel articles originally penned by Fleming for the London Sunday Times. Featured cities include: Hong Kong, Macao, Tokyo, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, New York, Hamburg, Berlin, Vienna, Geneva, Naples, and Monte Carlo.

The original US edition of the book in 1964 marked the debut of Fleming’s little-known Bond short story, 007 in New York (it has since been included in the Octopussy and The Living Daylights collection as of 2002 onwards).

The new edition of Thrilling Cities can be pre-ordered online:

• Order the UK hardback edition of Thrilling Cities from Amazon.co.uk

Details on the new edition of The Diamond Smugglers remain forthcoming. Stay tuned to the CBn main page for the most up-to-date and complete coverage of all the latest literary James Bond news.

To keep track of all the upcoming 007 releases, events, television shows, and more–just keep your eyes on the CBn Calendar, located on the right panel of our main page.

'Devil May Care' Clings To #1 Spot In UK

Sebastian Faulks’ hugely successful James Bond novel, Devil May Care, has clung to its number one spot in the UK, reports theBookseller.com.

In its second week of release, booksellers sold 27,842 copies of the centenary novel, just 17 more than the week’s number two title, Kate Morton’s The Forgotten Garden.

Last week, CommanderBond.net reported that Devil May Care was Penguin’s bestselling hardback fiction title of all time, shifting 44,093 copies in its opening week.

In the United States, however, sales have slipped more substantially. K1Bond007 reports Devil May Care slipped 20 places to #56 on USA Today’s bestseller list.

On other charts, it performed more admirably. The New York Times pegs Devil May Care at #11 (down from #8), while the Chicago Tribune places it in ninth place (down one spot from last week).

The results make Devil May Care the most successful James Bond continuation novel in years.

Keep watching CommanderBond.net for all the latest Devil May Care news – including a wrap-up of the critical reaction to the novel.

Raymond Benson Presents 'The James Bond Phenomenon' In August

Raymond Benson

Former 007 continuation author Raymond Benson will be appearing for a book signing and presenting a James Bond-themed slideshow in Los Angeles in August.

Bond fans can catch Benson at the The Mystery Bookstore on Saturday, 9 August at 12:30pm. The author will be presenting a slideshow presentation entitled ‘The James Bond Phenomenon’.

The Mystery Bookstore is located at 1036-C Broxton Ave. in Los Angeles, California 90024. The store can be reached by phone: 310-209-0415.

007 fans best know Benson as the author of six Bond continuation novels, three short stories and the film novelizations for Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day. Click here for CommanderBond.net’s four-part interview with Raymond Benson.

Stay tuned to CBn for all the latest literary James Bond news.

Titan's James Bond Lives On: 'The Girl Machine' Coming In 2009

It seems that the illustrated James Bond is going to be sticking around.

Two months ago, it was disappointingly revealed that publisher Titan Books had put their final two 007 collections, The Girl Machine and Nightbird, on the backburner indefinitely due to licencing and copyright issues.

Now, it appears that at the very least, those issues surrounding The Girl Machine collection have been straightened out as this title is currently available for pre-order at Amazon.com, with a US release date scheduled for 3 March 2009.

In addition to the title story, the Girl Machine collection will also include Beware Of Butterflies and The Nevsky Nude stories. All three were penned by Jim Lawrence and drawn by Yaroslav Horak and originally syndicated in 1973/74.

A UK release date is yet to be announced for this specific collection.

Details regarding the Nightbird collection–which will bring together the final three stories in Titan’s James Bond collection–remain yet to be announced.

Keep your eyes glued to the CommanderBond.net main page for complete coverage of all the latest Titan James Bond releases–including the upcoming Paradise Plot and Polestar collections.

Scroll below for CBn’s full list of all the Titan collections currently available.

'Ian Fleming's Secret War' Coming To US In October '08

Craig Cabell’s upcoming book, Ian Fleming’s Secret War is now scheduled for release in the United States this October.

The book centers on the activities of the James Bond creator and his role with the 30AU (30 Assault Unit)–a unit he set up during World War II in 1942, while he served as the personal assistant to the director of naval intelligence. It’s goal was to undertake top secret intelligence-gathering missions, going in before Allied troops to make sure vital information was not destroyed.

Cabell has said that the unit ultimately served as inspiration for the creation of the 007 character.

Ian Fleming’s Secret War

While his extravagant and glamorous lifestyle is well known, little has been published concerning Ian Fleming’s contribution during the Second World War.

In the very early days of the War, Fleming was earmarked by the Director ofNaval Intelligence as his ‘right hand man’. From the outset he was in the centre of events, meeting with key political and military figures as well as those of exceptional intelligence, experience and courage. All this was to give him invaluable background when he came to write the Bond novels.

The author has uncovered through official documentation, private papers and contacts the depth of Fleming’s work in Naval Intelligence. Fascinating insights of those he worked with and details of covert trips to Europe and North Africa emerge.

Fleming was closely associated with 30 Assault Unit, a crack team of Commandos who took the fight to the enemy. The book reveals both the history of 30 AU and Fleming’s role.

Ian Fleming’s Secret War will first hit bookshelves on 18 August in the UK. The 224-page hardback, published by Pen & Sword Military, can currently be pre-ordered online:

• Order Ian Fleming’s Secret War from Amazon.co.uk
• Order Ian Fleming’s Secret War from Amazon.com

Keep watching CommanderBond.net for all the latest literary James Bond news and coverage. To keep track of all the upcoming 007 releases, events, television shows, and more–just keep your eyes on the CBn Calendar, located on the right panel of our main page.

'Hurricane Gold' US Hardback Available For Pre-order

The Young Bond Dossier alerts us today that two of Charlie Higson’s Young James Bond adventures are now listed for pre-order at Amazon.com.

First up is the author’s fourth Young Bond adventure, Hurricane Gold. The title will debut in US hardback on 7 April 2009. Like the previous three novels in the US, it will be published by Hyperion and retail for $16.99.

Also listed is the US paperback edition of Double or Die. Following up the hardback release this past April, this paperback edition will be published on 10 March 2009. Retail price is $7.99.

Cover artwork for both releases is yet to be revealed, although we do have a sneak peek at the prototype artwork for Hurricane Gold.

Pre-order online:

• Order the US hardback edition of Hurricane Gold from Amazon.com
• Order the US paperback edition of Double or Die from Amazon.com

As always, stay tuned to the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest Young Bond coverage.