Calvin Dyson reviews NEVER DREAM OF DYING

Calvin Dyson is back with his review of Raymond Benson's Never Dream of Dying. Enjoy!

Complete THE HOOK AND THE EYE eBook available now

Just a heads up that you can now read Raymond Benson's entire Felix Leiter spin-off adventure, The Hook and the Eye, from Ian Fleming Publications. The original plan was to release the book in chapters, but due to a technical issue, IFP decided to post the entire book now.

A paperback edition will be released on October 2, 2025. I'm holding out for that as I still like to hold a physical book in my hands, especially when it's Bond. You can pre-order the paperback at IFP.

I've been a little cool to IFPs spin-offs. But this is one I can get behind. I'm a huge fan of Benson's Bond novels, and I know this is a book he wanted to write. I would love to see these become a series.

Purchase The Hook and the Eye at IFP, Amazon.co.uk, or Amazon.com.

Cover art for THE HOOK AND THE EYE

Cover art for Raymond Benson's Felix Leiter spin-off adventure, The Hook and the Eye, has been revealed, and it's pretty slick! The eBook serialization begins May 27th. The novel will be released in paperback in October.

Calvin Dyson reviews DOUBLESHOT

With news of Raymond Benson's upcoming Felix Leiter novel, The Hook and the Eye, it seems like the right time to share Calvin Dyson's latest Benson Bond book review. This time, Doubleshot is in the gun barrel. Enjoy.

RAYMOND BENSON returns with a Felix Leiter adventure

Some exciting news from IFP today. Raymond Benson is BACK with a new an original novel featuring James Bond's best friend and alley Felix Leiter. Below is the press release.

Announcing The Hook and the Eye: a Felix Leiter adventure by Raymond Benson

Ian Fleming Publications is pleased to announce a new novel coming soon from 007 continuation author Raymond Benson. The Hook and the Eye focuses on Felix Leiter, James Bond’s trusted American friend and ally. This full-length novel will be released digitally in ten instalments, beginning on May 27th, recalling the serialisation of classic pulp fiction in the early twentieth century. This will be followed by the paperback publication of the full story on October 2nd.

Felix Leiter – James Bond’s trusted friend and ally – takes centre stage in a brand new adventure by legendary Bond novelist, Raymond Benson.

It is 1952. Felix has lost his job at the CIA and finds himself working for the Pinkerton Detective Agency. What starts as a simple surveillance job turns into anything but when Felix stumbles upon a murder and a cabal of spies embedded in Manhattan. Hired to transport the impossibly beautiful and impossibly secretive Dora from New York to Texas, Felix is thrust into a non-stop adventure, where danger and deceit lie in wait around every bend in the road.

The Hook and the Eye is a mystery, a romance, a spy story and a postcard to a lost Americana. It is also Raymond Benson at his very best.

IFPL’s Publishing Director Simon Ward commented “Raymond may be a Bond author, but he was born to write Felix Leiter. He came to us with a story – one filled with intrigue, mystery and danger – and it was exactly what we were looking for. We are thrilled to be working with Raymond again and we think the fans are going to love the journey he takes our favourite CIA agent on. I think it’s the best ‘Bond universe’ book Raymond has ever written.”

Author Raymond Benson added “Having worked on this project in secrecy since May 2024, I am now pleased and proud to finally present the first ever Felix Leiter novel, appropriately set in Ian Fleming's timeline of the 1950s between the character's appearances in Live and Let Die and Diamonds are Forever. As a native Texan myself, I've always had an affinity for 007's close American friend.”

So how, and when, can you read this new adventure? Starting on May 27th the eBook serialisation will begin with ‘The Hook and the Eye: Episode 1’ containing the first four chapters of the novel. This will be followed every two weeks with a new episode, concluding on September 30th with the tenth instalment. Episodes will be released via updates to the original eBook file, so be aware that in order to read them you’ll need to either enable automatic file updates on your e-reader device, or manually download the updated files. Following the final ‘Episode’ release, we’ll also be publishing a physical paperback edition of The Hook and the Eye on October 2nd. This is currently available to pre-order, exclusively via our website.

Readers in the UK can pre-order the eBook direct from us (and can also access a special bundle price for both the digital and physical versions together), whilst readers around the world can pre-order from their preferred eBook retailer.

We’re very excited to share this thrilling story with you over the coming months.

Calvin Dyson reviews HIGH TIME TO KILL

Calvin Dyson is back with a review of Raymond Benson's High Time To Kill. Once again we are in sync. This is also my favorite Benson novel and possibly my favorite continuation novel of them all. Enjoy.

HIGH TIME TO KILL turns 25

Happy to join in the celebration of Raymond Benson's third original James Bond continuation novel, High Time To Kill, which turns 25 today. One of my all-time favorites!

You can read my review of the book that I wrote on the 5th anniversary HERE. Wow, how time flies.

Calvin Dyson reviews THE FACTS OF DEATH

My favorite Bond fan Calvin Dyson is back with a review of Raymond Benson's second original Bond novel, The Facts of Death. Enjoy!

RAYMOND BENSON eBook omnibus released today

James Bond: The Raymond Benson Years is released today from Ian Fleming Publications. This eBook-only omnibus collects all six original Raymond Benson James Bond novels for the first time: Zero Minus Ten, The Facts of Death, High Time to Kill, Doubleshot, Never Dream of Dying, and The Man with the Red Tattoo.

You can purchase James Bond: The Raymond Benson Years on Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, or directly from Ian Fleming Publications.

IFP announces releases for 2024

Ian Fleming Publications have announced their plans for 2024. Full press release below.

IFPL Announcement – What We Have Planned For 2024

As we make our way through the cold and blustery days of January, instead of lighting our 70th cigarette of the day, let’s instead look ahead to what’s coming in 2024. We’re very excited to share with you our plans for the year ahead and stay tuned for some surprises in the months to come…

Our first 2024 title to announce is a new eBook-only omnibus that collects Raymond Benson's six original Bond novels together into a single eBook.

James Bond: The Raymond Benson Years includes the classic books Zero Minus Ten, The Facts of Death, High Time to Kill, DoubleShot, Never Dream of Dying and The Man with the Red Tattoo.

James Bond: The Raymond Benson Years will be published on 26 February. It is available for pre-order HERE.

Next up, we're thrilled to announce that on 6 June, just in time for King Charles' official birthday, we'll be publishing a paperback edition of Charlie Higson's Sunday Times bestselling On His Majesty's Secret Service. The paperback edition will feature some exclusive new content, and we'll be sharing the new cover soon. As with the hardback, all royalties from the new edition will continue to go to support the work of the National Literacy Trust.

2024 marks 60 years since the publication of Ian Fleming's classic children's story about a flying car and the adventure of a lifetime, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. To celebrate this anniversary, we'll be publishing a new paperback edition of this beloved tale on 13 June. Aimed at young readers and featuring brand new illustrations, it's not the only thing we have planned this year to celebrate the world’s most famous flying car... Keep an eye on the skies, as we'll be revealing both the illustrator and cover of the new paperback version soon!

In time for James Bond Day in October, we'll be releasing fourteen beautiful new hardback editions of Ian Fleming's original Bond stories. From Casino Royale to Octopussy, start clearing some space on your shelves! Stay tuned for word on some exciting surprises, including the artist of the new covers...

That concludes the titles we'll be publishing ourselves, but we'd be remiss not to mention the titles coming from our partners too.

The first issue of a new blockbuster Bond comics run, penned by superstar writer Garth Ennis (The Boys, Preacher) was published 17 January.  In Your Cold, Cold Heart the humour is black, the blood is red and the drinks are crystal clear. Order your copy of James Bond: 007 (2024) #1 online or from your local comic shop, and issue #2 will be out in February.

Don't miss the second instalment in Kim Sherwood's explosive Double O series, A Spy Like Me, publishing in the US on 23 April and the UK on 25 April from HarperCollins. Johanna Harwood, Agent 003, is on the hunt – for revenge and for James Bond…

Our friends over at the Folio Society also have something special in store for you this year, but our lips are sealed for now.

Finally, our team is working hard to improve our online web shop. This year we'll be adding the option to buy eBooks of our titles direct from us - after purchase these will be distributed by email via BookFunnel, and will be available to download and send to your preferred device. We're also working to expand the areas we ship to, beyond just the UK & USA. Keep an eye on our socials for announcements of when both eBooks and expanded shipping options are live.

P.S. We recommend you start work on your golf game…

Thank you, IFP, for keeping the Bond flag flying!

Anniversary BONDS for 2024

HAPPY NEW YEAR and welcome to another year of The Book Bond. Here's a rundown of the Bond novels that will be celebrating notable anniversaries this year. Break out the bookmarks and champagne!

70th Anniversary

Ian Fleming's second Bond novel brings 007 to the United States on the trail of gangsters and pirate treasure. Live and Let Die was published by Jonathan Cape in the UK on April 5, 1954.

60th Anniversary

Ian Fleming sends James Bond to Japan in You Only Live Twice, published by Jonathan Cape in the UK on March 26, 1964. It was released in the U.S. in August by the New American Library.

40th Anniversary

John Gardner planned to take a break after his inital three book contract, but 1984 saw the suprise publication of his fourth Bond, Role of Honor, relased by Putnam in the U.S. in September and Jonathan Cape in the UK on October 4.

30th Anniversary

John Garder nears the end of his run with his 13th orginal Bond adventure, SeaFire, first published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton in August 1994 and by Putnam in the U.S. in September. 

25th Anniversary

My favorite Raymond Benson Bond novel, High Time To Kill, turns 25 this year. The book was published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton on May 6, 1999. The U.S. edition from Putnam (pictured here) was published on June 7, 1999.

10th Anniversary

Steve Cole continues the Young Bond series with his debute novel, Shoot To Kill, which finds young James in action in Hollywood. The book was released in the UK by Random House on November 6, 2014. There was no U.S. release.

Happy reading!

JAMES BOND AFTER FLEMING by Mark Edlitz

Mark Edlitz, author of the superb The Lost Adventures of James Bond, is back with a new book, James Bond After Fleming: The Continuation Novels. I'm a big fan of the James Bond continuation novels (obviously), so this is a book I'm very excited about! I've actually had the pleasure of seeing an advance copy, and I can tell you this is a top-notch piece of work and a must-have for fans of the literary James Bond and beyond.

Ian Fleming wrote twelve original James Bond novels and two collections of short stories. Despite the cultural importance of Fleming’s 14 books, they represent just a fraction of the Bond novels. Since Fleming’s death, his estate has authorized the publication of numerous Bond novels and spin-off works. 

These continuation novels include scores of books about Bond’s dangerous adventures, movie novelizations, a pseudo-biography, and various spin-off series about the teenage Bond, the Secret Service’s beloved secretary Miss Moneypenny, and the next generation agents in the Double O division. 

For the first time ever, Mark Edlitz offers a comprehensive overview of every exciting Bond adventure in one illustrated volume. Whether you are fully immersed in Bond’s world or new to the spy game, James Bond After Fleming is an essential reference book that is a must-have for any Bond fan.

Purchase James Bond After Fleming: The Continuation Novels at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

Sharing passions with RAYMOND BENSON

Today sees the re-release of Raymond Benson's debut James Bond novel Zero Minus Ten. Check out this excellent podcast interview with the author at Licence To Queer.

Purchase these new editions on Amazon:

Zero Minus Ten - Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Colonel Sun - Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

James Bond The Authorised Biography - Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

BENSON, AMIS, PEARSON reprint covers revealed

Ian Fleming Publications have revealed the cover art for their upcoming reprints of Zero Minus Ten by Raymon Benson, Colonel Sun by Kingsley Amis, and James Bond The Authorised Biography by John Pearson. Click the image below to check them out on the IFP website and an interview with the designer David Eldridge.

Purchase these new editions on Amazon:

Colonel Sun - Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Zero Minus Ten - Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

James Bond The Authorised Biography - Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

IFP announces three continuation reprints on Oct. 5

Ian Fleming Publications announced today that they will be re-releasing three out-of-print James Bond continuation novels on October 5 (James Bond Day). They are:

Colonel Sun by Kingsley Amis
The first ever James Bond novel published after the death of Ian Fleming. This edition celebrates the novel's 55th anniversary and features a new foreword by Anthony Horowitz. Amazon

Zero Minus Ten by Raymond Benson
Rediscover this classic Bond continuation novel in a brand-new paperback edition. It will include a new introduction from the author himself, Raymond Benson. Amazon

James Bond: The Authorised Biography by John Pearson
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the authorised biography’s publication, this edition will feature a new foreword written by Mark Pearson, John’s son. Amazon

All three books are paperbacks priced at £9.99. A signed edition of Zero Minus Ten is available for pre-order exclusively from the IFP website. Cover art is yet to be revealed.

ZERO MINUS 25

It was 25 years ago today that Raymond Benson's debut continuation novel, Zero Minus Ten, was released in the UK by by Hodder & Stoughton. Raymond offered up a timely 007 adventure dealing with a threat to Britain's handover of Hong Kong to China. He brought back many Bond traditions, notably the structure of the British Secrets Service which John Gardner had altered in his final books. I recently gave Zero Minus Ten a re-read and liked it even more than I remembered. It's a great Bond book!

Raymond Benson would go on to pen a total of six original Bond novels, three novelizations, and three shorts stories. So here's to the beginning of the Benson era. These were fun years.

You can buy Zero Minus Ten at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

The Benson PROOFS

Here are the U.S. uncorrected proofs for Raymond Benson's six James Bond novels, which have just listed for sale on eBay. (I'm thinning out my Bond collection.) But I realized I never did a post to document them, so here they are!

2020 Anniversary BONDS

HAPPY NEW YEAR and welcome to another year of The Book Bond. 2020 marks a few anniversaries, any one of which is sure to make someone feel old!

60th Anniversary

Ian Fleming's For You Eyes Only 

Published April 11, 1960

A departure from the full-length James Bond novels, For Your Eyes Only is a stunning collection of five stories that sends 007 to Bermuda, Berlin, and beyond, and places him in the dangerous company of adversaries of all varieties.

30th Anniversary

John Gardner's Brokenclaw

Published August 2, 1990

During a vacation trip to San Francisco, James Bond confronts a complex espionage plot and his deadliest enemy yet--Fu-Chu Lee, an evil super-criminal known to both the underworld and intelligence agencies as Brokenclaw.

25th Anniversary

John Gardner's GoldenEye

Published November 1995

Once Xenia worked for the KGB. But her new master is Janus, a powerful and ambitious Russian gang that no longer cares about ideology. Janus's ambitions are money and power; its normal business methods are theft and murder. And it has just acquired GoldenEye, a piece of high-tech space technology with the power to destroy or corrupt the West's financial markets. But Janus has underestimated its most determined enemy. . . James Bond

20th Anniversary

Raymond Benson's Doubleshot

Published May 4, 2000

The criminal conspiracy called the Union has vowed its revenge on the man who thwarted its last coup - James Bond. As the Union's mysterious leader sets out to destroy Bond's reputation and sanity, 007 edges closer to the truth about their elaborate plan to destroy both SIS and its best agent.

Other anniversaries include Moonraker (65th), The Man With The Golden Gun (55th), The Quasimodo Gambit (25th), SilverFin (15th) and Trigger Mortis (5th).

High time for the BOND 25 title reveal

Today Eon Productions revealed the title of the 25th James Bond film:

Of course, my mind went right here:

No Time To Die will be released in April 2020. (High Time To Kill was released in May 1999.)

Jaguar from THE FACTS OF DEATH and HIGH TIME TO KILL

Bond author Raymond Benson has shared the following on his Twitter. This is great. I love the Bond book cars, and the Jaguar XK8 was a great one.

I found the awesome design/drawings by the brilliant Fergus Pollock of the Jaguar XK8 that James Bond drove in my novels THE FACTS OF DEATH (1998) and HIGH TIME TO KILL (1999). Fergus helped come up with the "extras." @JaguarUK @Jaguar @JaguarUSA pic.twitter.com/xXcBRNm9tq

— Raymond Benson (@RaymondBenson) June 3, 2019