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  1. 'No Human Enemy' By John Gardner Released In UK

    By Devin Zydel on 2007-08-24

    No Human Enemy, the newest Suzie Mountford novel by former James Bond author John Gardner has been released in the UK.

    Following the 2004 release of Troubled Midnight, No Human Enemy features the author’s lead character in a ‘story spanning feuding families, the terror of Hitler’s new warfare and a final Nazi plot to end the war in their favour.’

    No Human Enemy is the fifth novel in John Gardner’s Suzie Mountford series and was published posthumously in the UK. Gardner passed away on 3 August 2007.

    ‘Exactly a week after the D-Day landings came the secret weapons: the V-weapons, the vengeance weapons, which could not, at first sight, be stopped. It was the beginning of a period which to the war-weary inhabitants of southern England was psychologically much worse than the days of the Blitz. ‘With Allied forces gaining a foothold after the Normandy landings, Hitler unleashes his most vicious weapon of war yet. Indiscriminately, the V-1 flying bomb wreaks unexpected death and destruction on England. When one of these new weapons lands on a Camberwell convent, the Reserve Squad is called in. Together with her boss and secret lover Tommy Livermore, Suzie Mountford is steadily drawn into a complex investigation as the casualties of the rocket attack are not quite what they first appear.In his fifth book of this acclaimed series, John Gardner puts Suzie at the heart of a story spanning feuding families, the terror of Hitler’s new warfare and a final Nazi plot to end the war in their favour.

    Order John Gardner’s No Human Enemy from Amazon.co.uk

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  2. 'Daniel Craig: The Biography' Now Shipping From Amazon UK

    By Devin Zydel on 2007-08-24

    As previously announced by CBn back in May of this year, two new Daniel Craig biographies were on the way. One of those two books, Daniel Craig: The Biography by Sarah Marshall, is now shipping from amazon.co.uk.

    Daniel Craig: The Biography is published by John Blake Publishing Ltd. The hardback, which runs at 288 pages, retails for £17.99. The full blurb:

    He’s gorgeous, tremendously talented, charming and sexy. His breathtaking performance as the new James Bond in Casino Royale won him legions of fans and proved that, as well as being an outstanding actor; he could cut it as an action hero and could re-define a cinematic icon to huge critical acclaim. Daniel Craig, arguably the most inspiring 007, has truly made it as an A-list film star. This fascinating and affectionate book reveals everything about Britain’s favourite leading man: how he endured poverty-stricken years when he was first struggling to make it as an actor in London; how he rejected the ‘trivial’ publicity that came when he started to make a name for himself; his relationships, including his marriage to a British actress with whom he has a daughter; plus his encounters with Sienna Miller and Kate Moss and how he has handled the adulation that has come from his new role as 007. This is the intriguing story of a supremely talented actor who has established his reputation, then defied expectations and silenced those who doubted his Bond would live up to its predecessors. It is essential reading for any Daniel Craig admirer and for the masses of film fans for whom his performance as Bond was an unforgettable cinematic experience.

    Additionally, a 2008 Daniel Craig calendar is also available to order from amazon. Order online: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

    Order Daniel Craig: The Biography from Amazon.co.uk.

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

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  3. Charlie Higson Follows The Footsteps Of Young Bond

    By Matt Weston on 2007-08-23

    Guardian Unlimited has today published a superb article by Young Bond author Charlie Higson, as he gives his sons a guided tour of the locations of his London-set novel, Double Or Die.

    Charlie Higson's 'Double or Die'

    Charlie Higson’s ‘Double or Die’

    Higson provides a commentary for many of the fascinating locations that featured in his third novel about James Bond’s adventures at Eton, including Regent’s Park, Highgate East Cemetery, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Spitalfields and the Docklands. Higson not only tips off readers as to where they can find the brain of mathematician Charles Babbage, but also where to get the best ribs, burgers and barbecue chicken in London!

    To read the article, head on over to Guardian Unlimited.

    The Guardian previously included the limited edition book, The Young Bond Rough Guide To London with its 7-8 April Weekend Edition, which gave readers an in-depth look at Double Or Die‘s locations.

    Double Or Die is available now, while the collector’s edition of the novel will hit Waterstone’s shelves on 25 October. And don’t forget to check out CBn’s brand new competition, in which you can win a copy of the Double Or Die audiobook, narrated by Charlie Higson himself.

    Keep watching CBn for the latest Young Bond news.

  4. Win A Copy Of The 'Double Or Die' Audiobook By Charlie Higson

    By Devin Zydel on 2007-08-22
    Charlie Higson's Double or Die

    Charlie Higson’s Double or Die

    A lucky CBn member now has the chance to win a copy of the Double Or Die audiobook, the third Young James Bond novel from Charlie Higson which was released earlier this year in the UK.

    ‘With kidnap, violence, explosions, and murder, it was no ordinary weekend. But then, James Bond is no ordinary boy… In a North London cemetery, a professor is kidnapped at gunpoint. A suspicious letter crammed with cryptic clues arrives at Eton. To decipher the deadly mystery, James Bond must take a series of dangerous gambles. Once the code is cracked, he has just 48 hours to save the professor from the dark forces that threaten to destroy them both. And if the professor can’t escape, it’s not only his future under threat. It’s the rest of the world’s…’

    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 Double Or Die) by Midnight EST on 10 September 2007 (simply click on the link in this paragraph).

    1. True or False: Charlie Higson’s newest novel, Hurricane Gold, is due for release in October 2007 in the UK.
    2. What is your CBn Forum Screen Name?
    3. What country/state do you live in?

    All those who answer correctly will be put into a drawing and the winner will be sent a Communique/Private Message via the CBn Forums to the Screen Name they provided to inform them of their winning. The winner must respond to this PM within three (3) days with the requested information (name, mailing address, etc) or another drawing will be held. The winner will be announced once shipping information has been received. The item will be shipped from the USA. In the event that a prize has been stolen or mishandled during shipment, CBn will not be able to replace the specific item–this has yet to be a problem.

  5. 'We are not making Young Bond into films yet.'

    By Devin Zydel on 2007-08-18

    Ian Fleming Publications (IFP) is pushing all the right buttons according to a report from the Financial Times.

    Putting together the everlasting popularity of the original 14 James Bond novels by Ian Fleming along with the recent announcement that Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks will mark Fleming’s centenary in May 2008 makes IFP a prime example of why literary estates continue to be some of the most powerful in the media.

    In addition, Charlie Higson’s Young Bond series, which was launched with SilverFin in 2005, has proven to be a worldwide success for the company.

    ‘We were looking at a younger market because that is very interesting,’ says Corinne Turner, IFP managing director. ‘We are not making Young Bond into films yet because we wanted to establish them as a literary series first.’

    Back in May of 2006, Higson told fans at the Hay Festival in Wales: ‘There’s a lot of interest from film companies and from Hollywood but we’re going to hold off for the time being.’

    ‘I’m pretty sure there will be a film one day. But I want to get the books written–I don’t want people to come to the character through film. Part of what the Fleming estate was keen on was reminding people that Bond was a literary character before the film.’

    IFP has plenty on their plate for the upcoming year. In addition to the publication of Higson’s Hurricane Gold next month and the May 2008 release of Devil May Care, there will also be many events designed to celebrate the life of the literary 007 and to examine Fleming’s legacy.

    Keep watching CBn for all the latest literary James Bond news.

  6. New Book To Accompany Ian Fleming Centenary Exhibition Coming In April 2008

    By Devin Zydel on 2007-08-17

    CBn reported earlier today that the first comprehensive exhibition–entitled ‘For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond’–exploring the Bond phenomenon and the life of his creator was set to open next April at the Imperial War Museum in London. The event will be one of many designed to examine Fleming’s legacy in honour of his centenary on 28 May 2008.

    According to a new report from The Times, Ben Macintyre is currently writing a book with the same title to accompany the Fleming exhibition. To be published by Bloomsbury, For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond will be released in April 2008.

    Click here for CBn’s full coverage of the exhibition, which is set to run from 25 April 2008 through 1 March 2009 at the Imperial War Museum in London.

    Stay tuned to CBn for further details on Ben Macintyre’s For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond and complete coverage of the Ian Fleming centenary events.

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

    By Devin Zydel on 2007-08-17

    The wheels are starting to turn in preparation for the Ian Fleming centenary celebrations next year.

    The Times reports that the first comprehensive exhibition–entitled ‘For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond’–exploring the Bond phenomenon and the life of his creator is set to open next April at the Imperial War Museum in London.

    The exhibition, which is just one of many planned events designed to examine Fleming’s legacy in honour of his centenary next year, will bring together both personal effects of the author and an ‘unparalleled range of Bond memorabilia’ in order to discover where the identity of the debonair spymaster and journalist ended and the fictional secret agent began.

    James Taylor, the curator of the exhibition, noted that the author and his creation were both very similar in terms of their love of luxury. ‘It was said of Churchill that he was easily satisfied with the best of everything, and I think you could say the same of Fleming.’

    But there were also well-defined differences. ‘They were two different people. Bond is, in some ways, who Fleming would have liked to have been. During the war he worked in Naval Intelligence but it was a desk job. He wasn’t able to partake in any frontline operations. Bond also acts as a mouthpiece for Fleming’s own world view, particularly as regards Britain’s role in the world.’

    Items to be on display will include Fleming’s research notes for From Russia with Love, prototypes of the flick-knife shoes worn by Rosa Klebb in the film, Goldfinger’s golf shoes, a ‘blood-splattered’ shirt worn by Daniel Craig in Casino Royale and Halle Berry’s bikini from Die Another Day.

    In addition, the exhibition will also feature the manuscript for the non-Bond, but ever popular Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, annotated Bond manuscripts, notes for the scandalous Thrilling Cities series, the Colt Python .357 Magnum revolver presented to Fleming by the Colt company and a map of the Mercury News Network, established by Fleming in the 1950s to collect information and intelligence from Sunday Times foreign correspondents.

    The organisers of the event also hope to track down the golden typewriter that Fleming used to write many of his Bond adventures and to secure a letter to the author written by a Major Boothroyd, advising him on what handguns for 007.

    ‘We are looking at the phenomenon that the films became, because they offer another way of looking at Fleming’s work. We want to put across the idea that the film Bond is a very different man from the literary Bond. He has a sense of humour, he sleeps with far more women and he has much less of a conscience than the character on the page.

    ‘Cubby Broccoli took Fleming’s ingredients and turned them into his own dish.’

    For further details on the exhibition, read the entire article from The Times.

    Ian Fleming’s centenary takes place on 28 May 2008, the same day Devil May Care, the all-new Bond novel by Sebastian Faulks, is set for release.

    Stay tuned to CBn for the latest details and coverage of the Ian Fleming centenary events.

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  8. Cover Art For Titan's 'Shark Bait' James Bond Collection Online

    By Devin Zydel on 2007-08-17

    The Young Bond Dossier reports that the cover art for Titan’s newest James Bond collection, Shark Bait, has been revealed online.

    In addition to the title story, the Shark Bait collection also includes The Xanadu Connection (originally not syndicated in the UK) and Doomcrack. The latter represents the first of ultimately five Bond comic strips serialised in the Daily Star and is the one and only time Harry North served as the artist.

    This Bond collection, which is due for release on 12 February 2008 in both the UK and US will also feature the second part of an article centering on the Bond adventures in US comic strips. Caroline Bliss (Miss Moneypenny in The Living Daylights and Licence To Kill) will provide the introduction.

    Stay tuned for CBn for all the latest news on the Titan James Bond comic strip releases.

    Purchase the Titan James Bond 007 graphic novels from Amazon:

    The Man With The Golden Gun …… Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com
    Octopussy …… Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com
    On Her Majesty’s Secret Service …… Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com
    Goldfinger …… Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com
    Casino Royale …… Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com
    Dr. No …… Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com
    The Spy Who Loved Me …… Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com
    Colonel Sun …… Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com
    The Golden Ghost …… Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com
    Trouble Spot …… Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com
    The Phoenix Project …… Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com
    Death Wing …… Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com
    Shark Bait (UK & US: 12 Feb 2008) …… Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com

  9. The Blades Library Book Club: Scorpius

    By Devin Zydel on 2007-08-15

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

    Scorpius UK First Edition Paperback

    Scorpius UK First Edition Paperback

    Every two months a James Bond 007 novel is chosen for the club members to read. A thread is posted in the club forums listing locations on 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 Twenty-second Book

    Currently 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. The club has just finished all fourteen of the Ian Fleming novels as well as the one-time-only Bond novel by Kingsley Amis, Colonel Sun. Most recently, the club moved onto the John Gardner era, and now continues with his seventh novel: Scorpius.

    Obtaining The Book

    Ordering online should be fairly easy. Scorpius can be ordered online (although in used condition) from the following sources:

    Discuss other places to buy Scorpius 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 Scorpius, 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

  10. 'The James Bond Encyclopedia' Sneak Preview Online

    By Devin Zydel on 2007-08-14

    Back in June of this year, CBn reported that a new 007 book would be hitting the shelves in September: The James Bond Encyclopedia by John Cork and Collin Stutz.

    In addition to featuring more than 2,000 movie stills and images, the book will focus on the 007 lifestyle, the role of Bond as interpreted by the six actors who have played him on the big screen, and double-page features on every Bond film, with details of production history, cast, and crew.

    Bond fans can now get a sneak preview of The James Bond Encyclopedia at Penguin Australia has provided a “Look Inside” feature for the book. Click here for a sneak preview of The James Bond Encyclopedia.

    Created in full collaboration with Eon Productions, producers of the Bond movies, this illustrated celebration of the world’s most famous super-spy examines every aspect of 007’s world, with information on his history, style, and tastes, along with A-Z guides to his adversaries, allies, gadgets, cars, and, of course, the ever-glamorous Bond girls.

    John Cork and Collin Stutz authorities on every aspect of the James Bond story, wrote the acclaimed book on the James Bond phenomenon, James Bond: The Legacy, have produced, written and directed 30 special feature documentaries for MGM’s DVD releases of James Bond films, and contributed to The Ultimate James Bond: An Interactive Dossier CD-Rom for MGM Interactive.

    The James Bond Encyclopedia is set for release on 6 September in the UK and 15 October in the US.

    Pre-order The James Bond Encyclopedia from Amazon.co.uk.

    Pre-order The James Bond Encyclopedia from Amazon.com.

    Keep watching CBn for all the latest literary James Bond news.

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