ESCAPE from 2020!

Ian Fleming Publications used this "Christmas-ified" Fay Dalton illustration from the recently released On Her Majesty's Secret Service Folio Edition as their 2020 holiday card. They've also promised "a few big announcements" for the new year, adding: "Details are still For Our Eyes Only, but expect the return of old friends, some fantastic new allies, and an exploration of Bond’s world from some unexpected angles."

Here's to saying goodbye to the troubles of 2020 and a Bond-filled 2021!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 

Young Bond GALAXY large print editions

Below are all five UK Large Print editions of Charlie Higson's Young Bond novels. These were released by Galaxy Plus and make a nice set. I especially like Hurricane Gold as the release UK paperback used a highly reflective gold cover that obscured the artwork. But here the croc can be seen clearly! Also notice SilverFin uses the UK proof cover art and By Royal Command the hardcover art. 

Click to read THE SECRET HISTORY OF YOUNG JAMES BOND

Orion renews FOR SPECIAL SERVICES for 2020

A new paperback edition of John Gardner's second James Bond continuation novel, For Special Services, is released today on Orion Books. Below is the cover and synopsis.

In this heart-stopping thriller, James Bond teams up with CIA agent Cedar Leiter, to investigate a dangerous criminal, suspected of reviving the notorious organisation SPECTRE. The organisation was believed to have been disbanded years earlier following the death of its leader, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, at the hands of Bond (in You Only Live Twice), but it seems that this is far from true. 

Bond discovers that the revitalised SPECTRE has the most devastating, world-threatening plans: to gain control of America's military space satellite network.

Orion will release a new 40th Anniversary paperback edition of Gardner's first Bond book, License Renewed, in August 2021. So why release his second book now? Well, I expect the plan was to release a book to time with the release of the new Bond film, No Time To Die. But we all know what happened with that! 

So why not go ahead and get your Bond fix this Fall from For Special Services. It is one of the most cinematic of all the Gardner books.

"Read any good books lately?"

Purchase For Special Services (2020 edition) at Amazon.co.uk.

Inscribed LIVE AND LET DIE sells for $250,000

A first UK edition of Live and Let Die inscribed by Ian Fleming to Winston Churchill sold today in Sotheby's "James Bond: A Collection of Books and Manuscripts, The Property of a Gentleman" auction for £189,000 ($249,647). This has got to easily be the highest price every paid for a James Bond book.

Ian Fleming's final revised typescript for Diamonds are Forever took £138,600 ($183,074). 

You can browse all the prices realized HERE.

JAMES BOND turns 100

Today marks the 100th birthday of James Bond. Well, it does if we accept the birthdate of November 11, 1920 given to him by John Pearson in the 1973 continuation novel James Bond the Authorized Biography of 007. While others have gone on to provide different dates, Pearson was the first and I really enjoy his book, so... Happy Birthday old boy!

Thanks to the Neil S. Bulk for the reminder.