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Comments
Interesting that Cole says he knows the P38 on the cover wasn't invented in the year his book is set. I know he knows because I wrote to IFP and told them - didn't even give me the courtesy of a reply!
Now says IFP never actually suggested Yong Bond be bumped into the '80s. He got some wires crossed - idle chat misconstrued as something more substantial.
They are capable of rebooting 'Young Bond' as Dr.Who's assistant. Such is their knowledge of their subject matter!
UPDATE: Hold the phone! I've learned from the powers-that-be that updating Young Bond into the 1980s was NOT an option offered to Steve. It was always the plan to leave Young Bond in the Fleming-Higson universe. What happened was during this blogger's brunch at Random House there was a casual discussion about what one could do with Young Bond -- theoretically -- including the idea of a young Daniel Craig-like Bond in the 1980s, and how that really wouldn't work. Sorry for the confusion. I've left the story as originally written, but changed my headline.
Look, who needs evidence.
Would you trust the people who hit you in the gut with DMC then, as you were doubled over in agony, kneed you in the face with CB. After which, just when you were recovering, they came along and kicked you in the nuts with SOLO.
Trust them? I don't think so — this outfit are capable of all manner of literary heresy!
:)) they are a bad bunch!
Devil May Care was my First clue they were insane And after reading solo someone needs to be shipped off to the funny farm.
I know. Talk about being members of the lucky sperm club - they are unbelievable.
I attended the SOLO launch at London's Royal Festival Hall where Lucy Fleming gave a speech and introduced Boyd. The content from both Fleming and Boyd was completely superficial to say the least. I read my signed copy on the train home and we'd barely left London before it became apparent that the book was as empty as the speeches. A great shame!
Well, there you go sir, they fixed up the gun for you. :) Personally, I would have never known, but well done for spotting it.
Hopefully they've fixed it for fans everywhere and for themselves.
That said, in addition to the posting here, I also wrote to IFP directly and am yet to recieve the courtesy of a response!
Maybe they're too busy plotting the next episode in the adult Bond continuation saga?
I did hear that it's going to be helmed by James Patterson and will feature an American version of our hero, a certain Jimmy, who drives a Chrysler, wears synthetic suits, smokes e-cigs and drinks Bud lite. It is set in 2016 and the plot involves an attempt at world domination by KFC.
Evidently the cover art will feature a chicken and a flintlock pistol.
I'm not surprised you didn't get any replies; I wouldn't answer either when they have way more important things to be concerned about. If you are getting this worked up over a tiny continuity error on the book design I fear you will have far more troubles come the release of the novel itself.
We have been missing your informed literary opinions.
Tell us, have you managed to actually read any of these books yet and why would you consider having cover artwork that was historically inaccurate to be a tiny error?
Some fans have a passion for the literary franchise because of Fleming and some of the quality continuation work (yes - Amis, Westbrook, Higson and Gardner did good things) and want to see the master's creation treated with respect.
Strange in this less literate age but true.
Just being honest mate, no need to get smart with me. Yes, I have read some Fleming, and I do find that error to be very tiny indeed, but you know that. Fictional stories embellish things all the time, so obviously one little gun on the cover that was made a couple of years after the time of the novel isn't shattering my earth or causing me to ring up the UN and commanding them to fix it.
I want to see Fleming's work given as much respect as the next fan, but many can take things like tiny errors far too earnestly when the bigger concerns should be if Bond is portrayed honorably and is in tune with Fleming's own vision of him. Crazy, I know.
For a serious fan, having a gun on the cover that wasn't even invented at the time of the story is no small mistake as for the portrayal of the character, Higson did a great job and hopefully Cole will do the same. But, maybe you are more of a Boyd fan?
I'm a Fleming man, period. Without him none of us would even be here, which gives even more credence to my argument that no continuity authors of this current era will ever live up to the master in their literary presentations of his famous character. As I stated, that is what truly matters, not some bloody gun.
Ooh, I wasn't aware there was more than one Ian Fleming. Yet another thing the cursed IFP have been keeping from us, I'd wager!
:))
I agree that none of the continuation authors will live up to Fleming but I thought Colonel Sun was better than some of the weaker Fleming books.
OK, Fleming didn't get everything right, his was the pre-internet age and research was more difficult.But, he tried pretty damn hard and for the most part he succeeded. This is an important factor in the success of the novels that, unlike the films,are grounded in reality and are not sweeping fantasies strictly for the lobotomised.
The more loosey, goosey, the literary franchise is allowed to get, the more you might as well be reading something else. Fleming put enormous store on the right car, the best watch, that special cigarette etc.. And, in no area did he endeavour to be more precise than in the choice of weapons .
So, sorry philistines, this is not "it's a tiny error'', "it'a (sic) silly thing to be bitching about". This is cover art for one of the greatest literary franchises of all time and the least we can do for the guy who created it is to try and get it right.
These books are mandatory!
No Bond fan is whole until the revered texts have been fully digested :( :D
@thelivingroyale, I understand your point and I think we may be saying the same thing but in different ways.
To check, would you have considered a plot, masterminded by a billionaire jihadist madman, to fly commercial airliners into two of the worlds most important buildings, killing thousands in the process, to be outlandish?
Or, when one of Fleming's peers, the late great Peter O'Donnell wrote about a plan to invade Kuwait and capture its oil reserves in the fabulous Modesty Blaise novel, Sabre Tooth, perhaps you may have considered this a little outlandish too and maybe you might have thought that it could never happen? Particularly when he set the date for the invasion as September the 11th!
I read the other day that somebody found the plot of 'Moonraker' completely unbelievable. What, I asked myself is the difference between a Nazi terrorist trying to obliterate London with a rocket and jihadists trying to do the same with dirty bombs (doubtless a threat that MI5 and MI6 have to consider everyday)?
Sometimes, truth is stranger than fiction!
One of Fleming's great strength was however, his capacity to ground his novels in reality and, he always endeavoured to get his facts straight.
Higson did likewise with his great 'Young Bond' books. Will Cole continues in the same vein. We shall see.
Interesting point there, @Villiers53, about the Modesty Blaise novel that foreshadowed the Gulf War of 1991 with Saddam Hussein's invasion in 1990 of his oil-rich neighbour in Kuwait. I didn't know that. I've been meaning to buy the Modesty Blaise novels of late.
Interestingly, I found this footage of British PM Harold Macdmillan in 1961 referring to military action to protect Kuwait from Iraq, some thirty years before the Gulf War:
If you haven't experienced Modesty Blaise, I would urge you to give them a go. I'm a huge Fleming fan but I have to be honest, O'Donnell was head and shoulders above him with this, the coolest series in the '60s!
Personally, I can't agree with that. I think that all of Fleming's books outrank Colonel Sun, even Diamonds Are Forever which I feel is the weakest of Fleming's books. Luckily I'm a guy and couldn't really tell that the main girl (sorry I forget her name) in TSWLM wasn't portrayed as a woman as well as she could have been! LOL. I'm going on what Weinberg said here.
I understand that everyone has their opinions but I've never understood how so many can look upon Colonel Sun so favourably. It's enjoyable enough but I remember reading it for the first time after having read all of Gardner's books for the first time and feeling disappointed. I had read decent reviews and expected it to be a fair bit better than it was. For me, the book plods along in parts and leans towards the bland side. Moreover, I think that Amis is a wonderful writer but his style seems more suited to dramas than thrillers. CS could have been more suspenseful than it was and the ending was an anti-climax. It didn't last particularly long. I think that some of Gardner's early books definitely outrank Colonel Sun.
Damn, I hope Cole's new book will be a cracker. IFP should be asking Higson to write the adult Bond books (I think he'll be ready to commit soon won't he, if not already?) now that Cole is working on Young JB unless they've decided to put adult Bond on hold. If they are continuing with the celebrity writing malarkey then I will seriously begin to doubt their intentions. They need someone to commit to at least a 4 book contract.
Not surprisingly I can't agree about 'Colonel Sun'. In my opinion it was deftly plotted, had fabulous action scenes and made the best use of the supporting cast of characters (the Hammonds, Tanner & M) and it certainly showed Bond at his grittiest.
In the quality rankings only 'FRWL','OHMSS'and possibly 'Moonraker' topped it. That said, each to his own 007!
Were I do agree, is that Higson should be taking up the adult Bond franchise but I think the whole thing is now such a mess that I doubt IFP would have the wisdom to ask him and I doubt he'd accept.
One sensible idea I've read recently on the great 'Artistic Licence Renewed' web site was from a blogger who proposed that a selection of contenders (Cumming, Higson,Child,Follett etc) be invited to write a FYEO type compendium of shorts in order that they could demonstrate how they would develop the character - this could be a great idea.