Friday, September 24, 2010

Is a Young Bond Series 2 still a possibility?

Despite Charlie Higson posting on his Twitter in July that he was having a meeting “to discuss the future of Young Bond”, there is still official word from the powers-that-be as to whether we will get a Young Bond Series 2.

Is it time to give up hope -- or is a second series still a possibility?

Charlie shared his ideas for a continuation series last May during a book signing for the U.S. edition of By Royal Command in Washington D.C. He confirmed a Young Bond Series 2, should it happen, would be a trilogy of books set at Fettes, the school Bond attended after Eton, and for which Fleming provided tantalizing information in the same obituary that had guided the first series:

“Here the atmosphere was somewhat Calvinistic, and both academic and athletic standards were rigorous. Nevertheless, though inclined to be solitary by nature, he established some firm friendships among the traditionally famous athletic circles, at the school. By the time he left, at the early age of seventeen, he had twice fought for the school as a light-weight and had, in addition, founded the first serious judo class at a British public school. - Ian Fleming, Chapter 21, Obit, You Only Live Twice

Charlie, who is currently penning a zombie-horror series for Puffin (Book 2, The Dead, was released in the UK this month), made it clear in our last interview that his plan was always to take a break from Bond after By Royal Command.

“I always had a storyline that would run over five books and work as a complete series,” he says. “But as the books became more successful, both the Fleming Estate and Puffin were very keen for me to extend it beyond that. The decision as to exactly how we do the books and where we go ultimately lies with IFP.”

Potentially complicating plans for a Series 2 is the news that Charlie’s zombie-horror series will now run for six books. Also, IFP have announced a new series of adult James Bond novels that will give 007 a modern-day reboot (the first book by Jeffery Deaver is due out in May of next year). With a new modern Bond hitting store shelves, will IFP still want to produce books set in the Fleming timeline?

Corinne Turner, Managing Director of IFP tells us, “Don’t worry, we haven’t given up on the past entirely.” And while Charlie could potentially write two franchises at the same (recall that he wrote Double or Die and Hurricane Gold in the same year), there is also the possibility that the Young Bond series could be continued by another author (perhaps from a master outline approved by Charlie?).

So while the prospects for a Series 2 may seem a bit remote at the moment, until we get official word either way, I don’t think we should give up hope that...

Young Bond Will Return.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Higson says Young Bond came to a natural end

In an interview with Scotsman.com, author Charlie Higson says the Young Bond series came to a natural end with his fifth book, By Royal Command. And what finally finished off Young James Bond?

Sex.

Says Charlie, “I was worried young master James was getting older and that sooner or later he was going to have to get his cock out. I have to admit that as a 53-year-old man I would have felt odd writing about adolescent sex. Interestingly I think one of the reasons why so many adults read children's fiction now is its innocence. There seems to have been a reaction against those thrillers which were featuring too much explicit and nasty sex.”

Not sure whether we should read into this that Charlie has decided not to come back and pen a Young Bond Series 2, but it’s a pretty funny quote.

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