Bond fans give new title ROYAL seal of approval

Bond fans can be a contentious and opinionated lot, but it appears they are generally united in feeling that By Royal Command is an excellent title for Charlie Higson’s fifth Young Bond novel.

In a poll currently running on the CommanderBond.net forums (THE gathering place for Bond fans young and old), a whopping 93% “love” the new title, while only 7% “are not amused.” Furthermore, in a poll asking which of the five Young Bond titles is their favorite, By Royal Command comes out way ahead at 67%, followed by SilverFin at 13%, and the remaining three titles tying for third at 7%.

Many fans have keyed into the similarity to Ian Fleming’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, and with what we know about action in The Alps and a love story, it appears By Royal Command may indeed echo that classic Fleming novel.

By Royal Command will be released by Puffin in hardcover on September 4, 2008. Pre-order information is not yet available.

BY ROYAL COMMAND is a wrap!

In a nice bit of serendipity, Charlie Higson tells us he has completed his fifth Young Bond novel, By Royal Command, on the same day the title was officially announced by Puffin and Ian Fleming Publications.

By Royal Command sees Young Bond in action from England to the chilling heights of the Austrian Alps. Charlie says this final Young Bond novel will be the most Bond-like in theme and scope. Publisher Puffin says the book “is meant to be the best one yet!”

By Royal Command will be released in hardcover on September 4, 2008.

YOUNG BOND 5 IS 'BY ROYAL COMMAND'

For immediate release, Thursday 6th March 2008

Puffin and Ian Fleming Publications announce that the next book in Charlie Higson’s bestselling Young Bond series, to be published on 4th September 2008, will be entitled By Royal Command.

Young Bond’s most daring adventure yet takes him from England to the chilling heights of the Austrian Alps. When his whole world explodes, James is forced to go on the run, pursued by enemy agents and the British authorities. James must choose between friendship and duty. His life will never be the same again…

By Royal Command will be published in hardback, priced £12.99

The Young Bond books have to date sold nearly three-quarters of a million copies combined. The series was launched with SilverFin in 2005 and was followed by Blood Fever in 2006, Double or Die, published in January 2007 and Hurricane Gold in September 2007.

By Royal Command will be published in hardback on September 4, 2008, priced £12.99. Pre-order from Amazon.co.uk

Young Bond 5 update

Charlie Higson checks in today with a MAJOR update on his fifth and final Young Bond novel:

Progress: Charlie has been writing the book in Italy for the past month and despite the added time crunch created by publishing two Young Bond novels in 2007, he will deliver his manuscript only a week behind schedule. The book will be released in the UK as promised on September 4, 2008.

Plot: Not long ago we speculated that Charlie could echo a scene Ian Fleming’s From Russia With Love in which Bond remembers rock climbing with some University friends in The Alps. While that memory is of a later time in Bond’s life, Charlie confirms that those friends will make a “very brief” appearance. However, the major Fleming echo in YB5 will be the inclusion of Hannes Oberhauser, Bond’s climbing and skiing instructor whom Bond later referred to as “something of a father to me at a time when I happened to need one.” Oberhauser was later murdered by Major Dexter-Smythe in Octopussy. Charlie says Oberhauser will be an important part of Young Bond 5.

Title: Yes, we have a title! Charlie reports that the final title has been selected, and that it is not The Shadow War, Diamond Rain, Dynamite Kiss, or any of the other working titles. While it can’t be revealed just yet, Charlie says the title is very Flemingesque and that he’s very pleased with it.

More soon...

Hurricane Gold paperback will include Book 5 extract

Looks like fans will get a preview of the next Young Bond adventure as early as May 28. That’s the day the paperback edition of Charlie Higson’s Hurricane Gold is released, and according to newly released cover art, the book will include an exclusive extract from Young Bond 5!

While the U.S. paperback edition of SilverFin featured a Blood Fever extract, this is a first for a UK paperback.

Young Bond 5 will be released in hardcover on September 4, 2008. Charlie Higson is currently hard at work on this final Young Bond novel.

Source: The Young Bond Dossier