Who will read SOLO?

The official Ian Fleming Twitter feed has just posted the following tweet:

The narrator of the SOLO audiobook is due to be revealed tomorrow... any guesses as to who it might be? #BondSolo pic.twitter.com/M6kUJLTipL
— Ian Fleming (@TheIanFleming) July 31, 2013

BOND goes blonde in 1977

Remember the fake outrage when Daniel Craig became James Bond and it was revealed he would play the part with his natural blonde hair? Well, here's a 1977 Finnish (correction: German) paperback edition of Ian Fleming's Dr. No featuring a blonde Bond. Horror! It's a great cover, but I'm guessing this art is not original to this book. (It reminds me of the artwork used to illustrate the True magazine serialization of Colonel Sun, in fact.)

Truth be told, Bond has appeared blonde on several Ian Fleming book covers, including his very first illustrated appearance on the 1955 Pan UK paperback edition of Casino Royale. Horror!

Next Bond film is NOT based on DEVIL MAY CARE

Over the weekend The Sun ran an article by Showbiz Editor Gordon Smart claiming that the next James Bond film, Bond 24, will be based on Sebastian Faulks' 2008 continuation novel, Devil May Care.

"Bizarre can reveal the follow-up to Skyfall will be Devil May Care. Brit SEBASTIAN FAULKS penned the novel of the same name in 2008 to mark the 100th anniversary of Bond creator Fleming’s birth. The book is set in 1967 and was a sequel to The Man With The Golden Gun — which was ROGER MOORE’s second outing for MI6. The story sees Bond battling an evil chemist called Dr Julius Gorner, who plots to bring Britain to its knees."

While it isn't IFP's policy to respond to rumors, I can confirm for you that this "scoop" by The Sun is complete and utter rubbish. Bond 24 is NOT based on Devil May Care.

The good news is Sam Mendes will return to direct the next 007 adventure from a script by John Logan. That's the creative team responsible for last year's amazing Skyfall. Daniel Craig will, of course, return as James Bond.

Bond 24 will be released on October 23, 2015 in the UK and November 6th, 2015 in the U.S.

UPDATE: Happy to see my little post here has been picked up by Filmoria with a nice credit.

SOLO launch day event in London announced

The first public event for the release of Solo, the new James Bond novel by William Boyd, has been announced. Here's the official press release:

Boyd on Bond

William Boyd marks publication of new James Bond novel

with major event at

Southbank Centre, London

Thursday 26 September 2013

7.30pm 

International bestselling author William Boyd will discuss his thrilling new James Bond novel, Solo, for the first time in public at a major event at the Queen Elizabeth Hall at London’s Southbank Centre, on Thursday 26 September, the day of publication.

Boyd, in conversation with GQ literary editor, Olivia Cole, will discuss Ian Fleming and his experience of writing about the world’s most iconic spy. Introducing the event will be special guest, Lucy Fleming, Ian Fleming’s niece.

Combining all the glamour and excitement of Ian Fleming’s original novels with masterful storytelling, Solo is a stylish, period novel set in 1969, featuring 007 as a veteran agent at 45. Spanning three continents, Bond’s new mission takes an unexpected turn whilst in Africa, forcing him to go ‘solo’. 

William Boyd is the author of 14 novels including Any Human Heart and Restless and has won several awards, including the Costa Book Award and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize.

He will be signing copies of Solo after the event.

Solo will be released by Jonathan Cape in the UK on September 26, 2013 (Amazon.co.uk) and by HarperCollins in the U.S. on October 8, 2013 (Amazon.com).

William Boyd SOLO event in Edinburgh, Sept 30

On Monday, September 30, new James Bond author William Boyd will be in discussion with David Robinson, Literary Editor of The Scotsman, at The Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh. The event starts at 7:30 and is open to the public.

A unique opportunity to join bestselling author William Boyd as he discusses his thrilling new James Bond novel, Solo. How does it feel to step into Ian Fleming’s shoes? Why did he decide to set the book in 1969? And what is it like to write about the world’s most iconic spy? William Boyd will sign copies of Solo after the event, and special Solo cocktails will be on offer for the evening.

For further information and to book tickets visit the Lyceum Theatre website.

Solo will be released by Jonathan Cape in the UK on September 26, 2013 (Amazon.co.uk) and by HarperCollins in the U.S. on October 8, 2013 (Amazon.com).

First teaser trailer for FLEMING

The first teaser trailer for the upcoming miniseries Fleming starring Dominic Cooper as James Bond's creator Ian Fleming has been released by Sky Atlantic HD in the UK.

Thanks to Double O Section for the find.

These covers will make your head explode

Roger Moore on the cover of Ian Fleming James Bond novels famous for being movies with Sean Connery. Ka-boom! Head explosion. But this alternate reality is exactly what we have with this terrific set of Turkish Ian Fleming 007 novels from TAY. Believe it or not, some of these carry a 1990 publication date (see update).

Casino Royale and Live and Let Die.
Thanks to Bazeer Flumore and The Figure Collector.

Moonranker and Diamonds Are Forever.

From Russia With Love and Doctor No.

Goldfinger and For Your Eyes Only.

Thunderball and The Spy Who Loved Me.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service and You Only Love Twice.

The Man With The Golden Gun and Octopussy.

By the way, that Octopussy cover is one of the only editions of the book anywhere to use artwork from the 1983 movie, so that's kinda cool. Also interesting that For Your Eyes Only uses the Triad Granada artwork from the 1981 UK tie-in edition, and how well it matches.

Oh, and the backs of these editions all feature a classic image of Sean Connery as 007. Ka-boom!

UPDATE: According to the excellent website The Figure Collector, these were originally published between 1983 and 1984. Thanks to Dan Gale for the tip.

CHRISTOPHER WOOD novelizations released as eBooks

Christopher Wood's two novelizations of the James Bond films The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker are released today as eBooks by Ian Fleming Publications. This is the first reprinting of these books since their original releases in 1977 and 1979. They are available worldwide via Amazon, Sony and Kobo.

Below are the awesome covers by David Eldridge (which nicely match the recently released eBook of John Pearson's 007 biography). If we could only get print editions with these covers!

Purchase on Amazon.com (U.S.)
Purchase on Amazon.co.uk (UK)

Purchase on Amazon.com (U.S.)

Purchase on Amazon.co.uk (UK)

Almost all the James Bond continuation novels have now been released as eBooks. Vist our new page, Continuation eBooks, for links to all the post-Ian Fleming James Bond adventures!

Thanks to Jason Whiton of SpyVibe for the tip off and IFP for the images.

Preview Brian Berley's THE ILLUSTRATED 007 v.2.0

Check out this teaser for Brian Berley's next series of illustrated images from the Ian Fleming James Bond novels. This is great stuff.

You can watch Brian's first image collection via a link on his official website: BrianBerley.com/007.

UPDATE: It appears Brian has taken down his work. Don't know why.

JOHN GARDNER's Bond novels released as eBooks in USA

Eleven of the 16 John Gardner James Bond novels have been released as eBooks in the USA by Ian Fleming Publications. The books are available now via Amazon, Kobo and Sony, and will also be available from Apple in a few weeks' time. The available novels are:

License Renewed

For Special Services

Icebreaker

Role of Honor

Nobody Lives Forever

No Deals, Mr. Bond

Scorpius

Win Lose or Die

Licence To Kill

Brokenclaw

GoldenEye

The final five novels (The Man From Barbarossa, Death Is Forever, Never Send Flowers, Seafire and Cold) will be released as eBooks when the paperbacks are published by Pegasus in 2014.

Visit The Book Bond's special Gardner Renewed page for links to all the Gardner-Bond reprints in the U.S. and UK.