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.

Limited Edition WITH A MIND TO KILL from Goldsboro Books

A Limited Edition of Anthony Horowitz's upcoming Bond novel, With A Mind To Kill, is now available to pre-order from Goldsboro Books.

• Signed & Numbered
• Limited Edition Only 1000 Copies
• Sprayed Edges
• Hardcover UK First Edition, First Printing
• Available from 26 May 2022

Pre-order at Goldsboro Books.

Waterstones is also offering an Exclusive Edition with stenciled edge that can be pre-ordered HERE.

WITH A MIND TO KILL U.S. cover looks familiar

Cover art for the U.S. hardcover edition of Anthony Horowitz's With A Mind To Kill has appeared on Amazon and publisher Harper Collins' website...and it looks familiar!

As you can see, the artwork is the same as the UK hardcover from Jonathan Cape. The only difference I can spot is the U.S. edition touts Horowitz as the "New York Times Bestselling Author" while the UK edition reads "The Number One Bestseller".

If this holds, it will be a little disappointing that we don't get alternative U.S. cover art as that's part of the fun of collecting multiple editions. But it is nice cover art. And this isn't a first. From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, For Your Eyes Only, The Spy Who Loved Me, Colonel Sun, and SilverFin shared the same cover art on their UK and U.S. editions.

The U.S. edition of With A Mind To Kill will be released on May 24, 2022 and can be pre-ordered on Amazon.com.

Kim Sherwood's first book is DOUBLE OR NOTHING

The title for Kim Sherwood's first Double O Section novel has been revealed as Double or Nothing. Below is a plot tease.

The start of a brand new trilogy following MI6’s agents with a licence to kill, that blows the world of James Bond wide open! 

James Bond is missing… 

007 has been captured, perhaps even killed, by a sinister private military company. His whereabouts are unknown. 

Meet the new generation of spies… 

Johanna Harwood, 003. Joseph Dryden, 004. Sid Bashir, 009. Together, they represent the very best and brightest of MI6. Skilled, determined and with a licence to kill, they will do anything to protect their country. 

The fate of the world rests in their hands…

Tech billionaire Sir Bertram Paradise claims he can reverse the climate crisis and save the planet. But can he really? The new spies must uncover the truth, because the future of humanity hangs in the balance. 

Time is running out.

Double or Nothing will be released on September 1, 2022 and is available for pre-order on Amazon.co.uk.

Anniversary BONDS for 2022

HAPPY NEW YEAR and welcome to another year of The Book Bond. This year will see a NEW Bond adventure, With A Mind To Kill by Anthony Horowitz. 2022 also marks a few anniversaries. How time flies when you're having fun!

60th Anniversary

Ian Fleming's most experimental Bond novel, The Spy Who Loved Me, is told entirely from the point of view of the heroine, Vivienne Michel. Published by Jonathan Cape in the UK on April 16, 1962. Released the same year of the first James Bond film, Dr. No.

40th Anniversary

John Gardner's second James Bond novel, For Special Services, finds 007 teaming up with the CIA and the daughter of Felix Leiter.  The first U.S. edition was published by McCann and Geoghegan on May 3, 1982. The UK edition by Jonathan Cape (pictured) came in September.

30th Anniversary

John Gardner's 11th original James Bond novel, Death Is Forever, finds 007 is a race to stop a terrorist attack on the newly opened English Chunnel. The U.S. edition from Putnam was published in June. The UK edition (pictured) was released by Hodder & Stoughton on July 2, 1992.

25th Anniversary

Raymond Benson debuts as the new continuation author with Zero Minus Ten, a timely 007 adventure dealing with a threat to Britain's handover of Hong Kong to China. The UK edition (pictured) was released by Hodder & Stoughton on April 3, 1997. The U.S. edition from Putnam was released on May 5, 1997.

20th Anniversary

Raymond Benson's final Bond adventure, The Man With The Red Tattoo, sees James Bond returning to Japan. The UK edition (pictured) was released by Hodder & Stoughton on May 2, 2002. The U.S. edition from Putnam was released on June 10, 2002.

Other anniversaries include: From Russia With Love (65th), Colonel Sun (55th), Serpents Tooth (30th) Tomorrow Never Dies (25th), Die Another Day (20th), Double or Die and Hurricane Gold (15th), and Red Nemesis(5th).