'The Moneypenny Diaries: Final Fling' Now Shipping

The third novel in Samantha Weinberg’s James Bond spin-off series, The Moneypenny Diaries: Final Fling is now shipping from Amazon.co.uk.

The novel completes the series that began with 2005’s The Moneypenny Diaries: Guardian Angel and continued with 2006’s The Moneypenny Diaries: Secret Servant. The critically-acclaimed trilogy chronicles the ’60s-set adventures of Miss Moneypenny and the contemporary exploits of her niece, Kate Westbrook.

The Moneypenny Diaries: Final Fling

Final Fling combines the excitement of a cold war spy thriller with the mystery of a contemporary detective story. In the 1964/65 volume of her private diaries, Jane Moneypenny reports her demotion from the position of M’s secretary as the British Secret Intelligence Service is hit by a series of defection scandals. Facing considerable personal danger, she combines forces with 007 in a resolve to smoke out the mole she is convinced is buried deep in the heart of the Office. But, when Bond is sacked and M is forced into retirement, Moneypenny finds herself on her own…

Forty-two years later, Miss Moneypenny’s niece and heir, Kate Westbrook, starts to suspect that her aunt’s death was no accident. She is sure the clues to what happened lie in the search for the mole. As she pieces them together, however, she realizes that there are significant forces who are determined to prevent her finding the truth.

From the glamour of 1960s Jamaica to the treacherous beaches of the Outer Hebrides, Final Fling reveals just how far people are prepared to go to defend – or betray – their beliefs, and relates the life and death, and surprising final love, of the world’s most famous fictional secretary.

The Moneypenny Diaries: Guardian Angel will be published by Thomas Dunne Books in the US next month.

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

'Double or Die' Now Shipping In US

Charlie Higson’s Double or Die is now shipping from amazon.com.

This follows up the news from a few days ago that Higson’s third Young Bond novel had been spotted at several US bookstores ahead of the official release on 22 April.

As earlier reported on CommanderBond.net, the US hardback edition of Double or Die features brand new artwork from Kev Walker (who also designed the US Blood Fever cover and is behind the upcoming SilverFin graphic novel).

Order online:

• Order the US hardback edition of Double or Die from Amazon.com
• Order the US audiobook edition of Double or Die from Amazon.com

Keep watching CommanderBond.net for all the latest Young Bond and literary 007 news.

Scoop: Future Titan Titles Indefinitely Postponed

CommanderBond.net Forum member, “settingtherules”, has provided us with a scoop on the future of Titan’s James Bond comic collections and, unfortunately, the news isn’t good.

According to an email from Titan, the final two collections comprising The Girl Machine, Beware Of Butterflies, The Nevsky Nude, Hot-Shot, Nightbird and Ape Of Diamonds, have been indefinitely postponed due to licence and copyright issues.

The final two collections were due to be fall under the titles, The Girl Machine and Nightbird.

Titan stressed that the fact these two collections remain unreleased was not due to any unwillingness to publish them on their part, but rather because of the aforementioned licensing complications.

CommanderBond.net will keep you updated if any further news breaks on these Titan James Bond collections.

Fans still eager for more illustrated 007 can look forward to the forthcoming The Paradise Plot and Polestar collections, due out later this year.

US Cover Artwork For Ian Fleming's 'Quantum of Solace' Collection Revealed

Quantum of Solace: The Complete James Bond Short Stories (US cover)
CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE

The US cover artwork for the forthcoming Quantum of Solace: The Complete James Bond Short Stories collection has been revealed online.

The cover should be familiar to literary 007 fans on both sides of the pond as it is designed in the same style of the Richie Fahey/Roseanne Serra covers that adorned the 2002-2004 Penguin trade paperbacks in the US and the 2006 paperbacks in the UK.

As previously noted on CommanderBond.net, this collection, with a title that wisely acknowledges the 007 film of the same name coming out later this year, will collect the nine short stories that are featured in Ian Fleming’s For Your Eyes Only and Octopussy & The Living Daylights into one book.

The UK edition of Ian Fleming’s Quantum of Solace: The Complete James Bond Short Stories is set for 29 April (to be released alongside the hardback reprints of Fleming’s original 14 Bond adventures). The US edition will hit bookshelves on 26 August.

The full line-up of Fleming short stories include:

Quantum of Solace: The Complete James Bond Short Stories (UK cover)
CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE

• From a View to a Kill
• For Your Eyes Only
• Quantum of Solace
• Risico
• The Hildebrand Rarity
• Octopussy
• The Living Daylights
• The Property of a Lady
• 007 in New York

Pre-order online:

• Order Quantum of Solace: The Complete James Bond Short Stories from Amazon.co.uk
• Order Quantum of Solace: The Complete James Bond Short Stories from Amazon.com

Keep watching CBn for the most complete literary James Bond coverage on the web. 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.

Sebastian Faulks' Official Website Opens

Devil May Care

The official website for Devil May Care author Sebastian Faulks has been launched at www.sebastianfaulks.com.

The new site includes a biography of the author as well as a detailed look at his past novels and stories (with extracts featured for all of them).

The News & Appearances section will keep fans up-to-date with all the upcoming events Faulks will be attending–and there are quite a few of them lined up for 2008 so far.

There is also a section dedicated solely to James Bond’s return in Devil May Care, something a quote from The Observer signifies as ‘the biggest literary thrill of 2008.’

In related news, CommanderBond.net reported a few days ago that Faulks and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown had sat down for a discussion regarding the writers that had most affected their lives at the London Book Fair.

Faulks himself has written an article about the meeting in The Observer‘s ‘My week’ column. Check it out online.

Devil May Care, due for worldwide release on 28 May, is set in 1967 when ‘Bond is damaged, aging and in a sense it is the return of the gunfighter for one last heroic mission.’

CBn will keep you updated with all the latest news and details on Devil May Care. 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.

Large Print 'Hurricane Gold' Coming In June 2008

Great news for the literary 007 collectors!

The Young Bond Dossier alerts us that a large print edition of Charlie Higson’s Hurricane Gold is due to be published by Galaxy Plus on 2 June 2008.

Charlie Higson’s SilverFin

Typically released in very limited quantites, and the majority going to libraries make large print James Bond novels sometimes very difficult to track down. When the option is available, pre-ordering is strongly recommended.

What is also interesting to note is that large print editions for Higson’s first three Young Bond adventures, SilverFin, Blood Fever and Double or Die, have also been printed by Galaxy Plus.

These paperback editions use cover artwork very similar to the original UK editions. Click here for further information on how to order these large print editions.

Previously in the Young Bond canon, Higson’s SilverFin was published as a large print hardback by Thorndike Press in the UK and US.

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest Young Bond news.

Raymond Benson's Recent Non-Bond Works

Raymond Benson

Even though he finished his tenure as James Bond continuation author in 2003 with the publication of the Die Another Day novelization, Raymond Benson has since kept busy with several original works.

As reported on CommanderBond.net in the past, he authored the first two novels in Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell series under the pseudonym of David Michaels in 2004 and 2005, respectively.

After that his original thriller Sweetie’s Diamonds was released in early 2006.

Fast-forward to April 2008. Currently available online and at bookstores is Benson’s newest novel, A Hard Day’s Death.

Raymond Benson’s Splinter Cell

This thriller takes place in the nasty, dangerous world of rock ‘n’ roll and involves a private investigator who must solve the murder of a famous rock star. Told with tongue firmly in cheek, this humorous romp will especially appeal to readers who know their music. Real-life rock stars make cameo appearances throughout the story, and Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull has already said this about the book: ‘Raymond Benson cuts a frantic dash through the world of Rock and Roll. Thrills-a-plenty and backstage passes to the magical mystery musical twilight zone…’

• Order the UK paperback edition of A Hard Day’s Death from Amazon.co.uk
• Order the US paperback edition of A Hard Day’s Death from Amazon.com

Another non-Bond release to keep an eye out for is the forthcoming first-in-a-series novel Metal Gear Solid, based on the hugely popular video game of the same name.

Metal Gear Solid will be released on 27 May in the US and 5 June in the UK. Pre-order online:

• Order the UK paperback edition of Metal Gear Solid from Amazon.co.uk
• Order the US paperback edition of Metal Gear Solid from Amazon.com

007 fans best know Benson as the author of six James 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 CBn’s four-part interview with Raymond Benson.

Stay tuned to the CBn main page for all the latest literary James Bond-related news.

Win 'The Bond Files' – An Ian Fleming Omnibus

CommanderBond.net is giving forum members the chance to win a a copy of the recently released Ian Fleming hardback omnibus The Bond Files.

First released in December 2007 and especially created for the Bertelsmann Direct North America Book-of-the-Month Club, this collection brings together Fleming’s first three 007 adventures: Casino Royale, Live and Let Die and Moonraker.

This competition is open to all members of 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!

To enter, fill out the following questionnaire and send a Communiqué/Private Message on the CBn Forums to ‘CBn Competition’ (Subject: CBn Bond Files) by Midnight EST on 2 May 2008 (simply click on the link in this paragraph).

1.TRUE or FALSE: Two of Ian Fleming’s non-Bond books, The Diamond Smugglers and Thrilling Cities are due to be republished in 2008.

2.What is your CBn Forum Screen Name?

3.What country/state do you live in?

'For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond' Exhibition Opens

Today officially marks the opening of the ‘For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond’ exhibition at London’s Imperial War Museum.

In addition to several online previews (here and here) as well as an online website highlighting several of the 007-related events that will be taking place, two new videos giving fans an inside look at the various exhibitions have appeared online at YouTube.

The videos additionally feature interviews with Ben Macintyre, author of the accompanying book of the same name (available to purchase now) and Lucy Fleming, niece of Ian Fleming:

Imperial War Museum – For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond

Thursday 17th April 2008–Sunday 1st March 2009

To celebrate the centenary of Ian Fleming’s birth, Imperial War Museum London is producing the first major exhibition devoted to the life and work of the man who created the world’s most famous secret agent, James Bond.

Featuring fascinating material, much on public display for the first time, For Your Eyes Only will look at the author and his fictional character in their historical context and examine how much of the Bond novels were imaginary and how far they were based on real people and events. This exhibition will explore the early life of Ian Fleming, his wartime career and work as a journalist and travel writer and how, as an author, he drew upon his own experiences to create the iconic character of James Bond that continues to have global appeal.

The official book to accompany the Imperial War Museum exhibition For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond will be published by Bloomsbury in April 2008. Written by the bestselling author of Costa shortlisted Agent Zigzag¸ Ben Macintyre and full of lavish photography, this book is the perfect celebration of Ian Fleming and his remarkable creation, James Bond.

Adults £8.00, Concessions and Groups £7.00, Children £4.00, Family £19.00 (Groups pre-booking essential on 020 7416 5439 or [email protected]

For further information contact: Victoria Main Press Officer, Imperial War Museum London, 020 7416 5497, [email protected]

Tickets are available to purchase online at www.iwm.org.uk

Stay tuned to CBn for all the latest details and coverage on all the Ian Fleming centenary events and James Bond-related releases.

Sebastian Faulks To Host Waterstone's Writer's Table

Sebastian Faulks

Sebastian Faulks will host Watersone’s first Writer’s Table during which he will compile a list of 40 books that influenced him as a writer according to theBookseller. The list will include children’s books, poetry, non-fiction, and modern bestsellers.

“Quite a few of the books I would have liked on my table are, alas, out of print; but I hope that everyone will find something worthwhile to read or re-read in this list of forty. There are no duds here, only winners.”

Selected books will be highlighted on Waterstone’s website and store beginning on 1 May. Faulks will also write about why he selected each book in the list.

Faulks’ James Bond novel, Devil May Care, will be published worldwide on 28 May 2008.

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