Devil May Care audiobook on Amazon

The audiobook edition of Sebastian Faulks centenary James Bond novel, Devil May Care, is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com.

This is the first appearance of the novel on any online retailer in any form.

Amazon shows the audiobook release as May 20, 2008. That’s a week before publication, so expect this date to change. It will released by Random House Audio (who also release the Young Bond novels) and will be unabridged.

LINK: Young Bond comes to town

The Guardian has a terrific article today by Charlie Higson in which the Young Bond author recounts taking a London foot tour with his two sons, Jim and Sidney, revisiting locations from his novel Double or Die.

CLICK HERE or on the headline to read.

Thanks to Karen for the heads up.

Fleming centenary exhibit & book announced

The Times have announced one of the major Ian Fleming Centenary celebration events for next year.

For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond, will run from April 25, 2008 to March 1, 2009 at the Imperial War Museum, and will be the first comprehensive exhibition exploring the Bond phenomenon and the life of his creator.

Rare material on display will include Fleming’s research notes for From Russia with Love, a map of the Mercury News Network, established by Fleming in the 1950s to collect information and intelligence from Sunday Times foreign correspondents; notes for the scandalous Thrilling Cities series in which Fleming explored the casinos and brothels of the world’s most glamorous metropolises; annotated Bond manuscripts; the Colt Python .357 Magnum revolver presented to Fleming by the Colt company; and the manuscript for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Fleming’s other enduring classic.

The organisers also hope to track down the golden typewriter that Fleming used and to secure a letter to the author written by a Major Boothroyd, advising him on what handguns he thought would be most appropriate for Bond.

The exhibit will show how the Bond plots, locations and villains were rooted in Fleming’s experiences during the Second World War and as a well-travelled reporter. It will examine to what extent the books and films reflect the reality of the Cold War and life in postwar Britain and how far they were a product of Fleming’s prodigious imagination.

Ben Macintyre is writing the book to accompany the exhibition, For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond, due to be published by Bloomsbury in April.

First Look: Shark Bait cover art

Titan Books just released collection of classic James Bond comic strips, Death Wing, includes a preview peek at the cover art for their next release, Shark Bait.

The Shark Bait collection includes the title story along with "Doomcrack" and "The Xanadu Connection," plus an introduction by Caroline Bliss, and Part II of Alan Porter’s very fine feature on James Bond in U.S. comics.

Shark Bait is available for pre-order at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. The release date is February 12, 2008.

IFP, fans react to Gardner passing

Ian Fleming Publications have updated their official website with a message about James Bond continuation author John Gardner, who died after collapsing in his home in England last week.

“All at Ian Fleming Publications Limited were saddened and shocked to hear of the death of John Gardner on Friday 3rd August.

John was a highly respected and admired member of the Bond family and he will be great missed.

Our thoughts at this time are with his family.”

John Gardner’s successor Raymond Benson has also published a tribute on his official website, with a remarkable photo of the two Bond authors taken in 1984. Fellow literary Bond sites Double O Section and K1Bond007 have published tribute articles.

Proper obituaries have also now appeared in The Washington Post and the Stratford Hearld.

Over at the CommanderBond.net forums, a popular thread is running with Bond fans remembering with great fondness the man who brought the literary Bond back to life in the 80s.

John Gardner’s funeral will be held on September 6.

*UPDATE: Simon Gardner has sent a response to Bond fans over at the CBn forums:

“I would like to thank all your members on behalf of John's family and friends for the wonderful messages posted on your forums. John in fact died from 'old age', as in his heart just gave out. Not a stroke or heart attack as first thought. My Father at times was not the greatest 'Pro-Bond' guy but he did not take writing Bond lightly. I think he succeeded in bringing Bond to new generations of readers who will continue to love the world of Bond.

Again thank you all for your kind words.”