Sunday, September 29, 2013

Waterstone's SOLO 'Red Page' exclusive

While we wait for word on the mysterious Solo special edition, here's an exclusive that's hiding in plain sight. Waterstone's in the UK have copies of the new James Bond novel by William Boyd with red page edges. The normal trade edition has white pages. Signed copies of these red page exclusives have been edging out their white page counterparts on eBay and fetching a premium. I actually get more excited about things like this because it's a variant and therefore a more desirable version of the First Edition.


Waterstone's has a history of offering "Red" Bond specials. They released a special Red Box edition of Devil May Care limited to 500 copies (which sold out the day of release), and a Bentley Red Edition of Carte Blanche also limited to 500.

So how many of these Solo Red Page editions are there? As Kamal Khan would say, "Let the sport commence!"

8 comments:


  1. Hello John a limited leatherbound slipcased edition is listed inside the book isbn 9780224099448 also a tradepaper back 9780224097482

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    1. Yeah, I'm curious about that leatherbound. Can't seem to find a release date for it.

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  2. ONLY copies in Waterstone's Manchester were the red page ones, that I could see.

    Looked much of a muchness to the standard one, too

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    1. ONLY Manchester? You mean, the Waterston's in London, etc., only had the standard one?

      Also possible each Waterstone's only had a limited stock of the red and sold out quickly.

      Haven't seen many on eBay. I nabbed a signed one early.

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    2. Can't comment on the other stores, John, but all I saw in Manchester was the red copies.

      I suspect, though, that's all that Waterstones are flogging, Marked 1-9 in the usual way for the edition nos.

      So which is the true first???? IMHO, the standard white page one sold in more than one store

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    3. Oh, I see what's you're saying. Sorry, I misunderstood. Yes, Waterstone's stock is all red. But only Waterstone's.

      They are both "true firsts." The red is a variant. TMWTGG and YOLT were published with variant end pages (some were white, some green). Dr. No had the two different boards (one with girl, one without). The more desirable 1st is the one with the lower print run because there's the assumption that, in time, it will becomes harder to find. I suspect the red will be the more desirable first. But most of us nuts will get both.

      But, frankly, if you are buying continuation novels as an "investment", you are a bit of a chump. Only very few have ever gone up in value in any real way (most have gone down). The real value is in the Flemings. But for me it's about the completeness and beauty of an entire first edition "Bond" collection. A physical record of the publication story. The Waterstone's red edition is part of the Solo story. Cool to have that on the shelf. :)

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    4. I had ordered the Waterstones exclusive version back in August. When Solo was released I contacted them only to be told that the version was not being produced due to an issue between the publisher and the author. They refunded my payment to me and that was that or so I thought.

      Today I received a call to say the book had arrived. I rushed down and collected the book. It is one of 100 signed and numbered in a leather cover with a slip case. I am not sure how many are available now though, they told me that only 3 stores in the UK had ordered them.

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    5. Congrats on landing one! Afraid I was shut out from all info on this one for some reason.

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