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Tossed Toys after a couple of chapters. Not comparable to Bond.
I'd like to add Kevin J. Anderson to my Bond Continuation Novel wishlist. He's written a lot of spinoff and prequel novels. He does collaborate with others as well, in particular with his wife. Like John Jackson Miller, he has a reputation for working with established franchises. He could add a hint of science fiction to Bond, that could be a unique take for Bond, but grounded in reality.
The villain's plan is also quite interesting: the goal is get revenge against the MI6 chief for her previous intelligence coups against their service, and also stop her expanding into their service's sphere of influence (where it is slowly waning).
No the villains aren't Russian, nor are they from any Middle Eastern service. The French secret service are actually the bad guys and they quite nasty at that, killing and torturing normal French citizens just to get the upper hand on MI6.
There's also quite an interesting bit where the main character moans about how bad Nice is, that feels like it's from a Bond novel: "Kell had forgotten how much he disliked Nice. The city had none of the character that he associated with France: it felt like a place with no history, a city that had never suffered. The too-clean streets, the incongruous palm trees, the poseurs on the boardwalks and the girls who weren't quite pretty. Nice was an antiseptic playground for rich foreigners who didn't have the imagination to spend their money properly."
The page gets better and better in terms of Bondian slander for a city: "Kell had long ago concluded that all restaurants in the south of France were run by the same middle-aged proprietor on his thirty-fourth wife with the same paunch, the same tan, and the same bombshell waitress whom he was inevitably trying to fuck." And of course, the steak and fries at the restaurant are slammed for their inedibility.
There's also a Bond girl of sorts (well there's anywhere from 0 to 2 depending on your counting method). A freelance tech operator from Italy is the main "love interest" and she flirts with the main character a little bit, but nothing really comes from their relationship. Then there's another, a nasty French agent who tries to get off with the protagonist so that his room can be searched (Kell sees through this though, and nothing happens). She also sets a "date" with him, where two thugs instead show up to give him a beating. She's compared to Lady Macbeth for her twisted control over the operation leader (she convinces him to defect when the operation goes bad and uses the character in the spoiler for ransom instead).
The main character is also separated and has a wife who is off on affairs, similar to Smiley.
I think Cumming could do quite a good job with Bond in a modern spy thriller, although he has said that any Bond novel he'd do would be set in the past, which is slightly disappointing, as the tech aspect of the spying we see is quite entertaining. But I expect any Bond novel he does will be very entertaining
Yes, it is sad if he wants to do it in the past. Bond should be as modern as possible. The only minor time I would be ok with would be the 1970s. It hasn't been really written about in literary Bond terms. Cumming has shown up at several Bond book conventions, he's basically asking for the job. He is someone who clearly could understand Bond. I know it's wishful thinking, but IFP should go back to writing books every 6 months to a year and a half. Similar to Dynamite Comics' run (without the delays, of course).
Looking over some of the past choices, here's my top picks for Bond's literary adventures, in no particular order.
Charles Cumming.
Charlotte Philby.
Barry Eisler.
Sarah Hannah.
Gillian McAllister.
Gillian Flynn.
Guy Adams.
David Koepp.
Kevin J Anderson.
John Jackson Miller.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
Yes, it is sad if he wants to do it in the past. Bond should be as modern as possible. The only minor time I would be ok with would be the 1970s. It hasn't been really written about in literary Bond terms. He is someone who clearly could understand Bond. I know it's wishful thinking, but IFP should go back to writing books every 6 months to a year and a half. Similar to Dynamite Comics' run (without the delays, of course).
Looking over some of the past choices, here's my top picks for Bond's literary adventures, in no particular order.
Charles Cumming.
Charlotte Philby.
Barry Eisler.
Sarah Hannah.
Gillian McAllister.
Gillian Flynn.
Guy Adams.
David Koepp.
Kevin J Anderson.
John Jackson Miller.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
Has anyone watched what Roland Hulme has had to say? A lot of his viewpoints line up with mine. His idea of IFP doing an adult Bond novel and a spinoff novel in one year is what I think IFP should do for a few years. They're sitting on a goldmine, and they should go back to their way of at least one novel a year. Listen to Roland to get results!
Memorandum sent 27/06/2024
Classification: Gold level (For Your Eyes Only)
To our agents in the field,
Please down pens, down guns, cigarettes and cocktails (not that you should be drinking at this hour). Word has just come through about a new assignment that the top brass would like your eyes on.
Ian Fleming Publications want to know about what books and products you’re interested in seeing from them in the future and are asking agents to complete a short survey around this. It should take about 10 minutes – a lifetime in the spy world, we know. Personally, there are a few reissues I want them to publish, a Second World War project or two and I wouldn’t mind a new IFPL pen case to keep a fountain pen, nail file or flick knife in. But that’s just me.
Please note that this assignment has a strict time limit – it must be completed by midnight (BST) on Sunday 14th July. Agents who finish the mission on time will also have the option to be entered into a prize draw to win one of two prize bundles – just make sure to include your name and email address at the end of the survey if you’d like to be in the running. The prize draw is open internationally, so agents posted overseas please do participate too.
In other news, next week will see the announcement of the winner of the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger award for the best espionage, psychological, or adventure thriller novel of the year. In the run-up, the team at IFPL have been learning more about the shortlisted authors. Check out the interviews to find out more about the titles in the running, as well as their author’s writing processes and tips for aspiring authors.
Whilst we’re talking about awards, it was announced today that Kim Sherwood’s blistering A Spy Like Me has been nominated for Bloody Scotland’s McIlvanney Prize. This is a phenomenal achievement and has only spurred Agent Sherwood on as thoughts turn to plotting book three in her game-changing new series.
Sincerely,
Miss Moneypenny
Me thinking: Could we be getting a Bond in WW2 book?
https://x.com/TheIanFleming/status/1806319578521231564
That's along the lines of what I said. Plus, 2 books a year: a Bond adventure and a spinoff of a character, namely a villain. Always set in the modern day, of course.
Me too! Once again, with other character’s POVs.
You could even have Anthony Horowitz or even Raymond Benson making a re-appearance with a short story if they'd be up for it. I have no doubt by the way that such a collection could be hit or miss. It could even be slightly gimmicky in the wrong hands, but it'd be interesting I agree.
Absolutely, I'd say. Even do sidesteps: like a version of Bond who works for the KGB or something, play with it. Do a Roger-style comedy story.
My short story collection opinions and ideas:
I'd add Jeffery Deaver to that list, CB does deserve a sequel of some kind. Felicity Willing is still out there, with a bigger threat behind her.
If IFP wanted to use more unpublished Fleming material, here's a rare period piece I would take. Write the Hugo Drax short story that Fleming originally was going to write. Start with the original hospital explosion and war background as starting points.
Bond's various ages in different time periods could make a good starting point.
Different (known) villains could be used as starting points, before trying a full novel with one of them trying to finish Bond. My recommendations would be Goldfinger or Blofeld as starters.
Dynamite Comics has done something similar to this with the Reflections of Death graphic novel. With Oddjob, no less.
Still hoping that some of the authors I listed could write in the world of Bond, even for a short story.
Presented it this way:
I like your idea of bringing back novelizations. As big of a book as it would be, I feel that the 5 DC movies should be one BIG novel. Write it like the Moonraker novel: each section is a different movie.
In part trying to trigger their interest for future efforts. It's all Bond history playing out.
Those will work. First one is better.
Interesting idea. Sounds a bit like the Schwarzenegger film The Running Man (1987).
Thank you. I know that the video games tried it with Goldeneye Rogue Agent with mixed results. In the game's defense, it sounds like it had a rough development cycle and was rushed. The idea is WAY TOO BIG for a movie. That's why I would go with a book. I generally trust IFP with this idea. Particularly since they have done their fair share of ensemble casts in Bond books, in recent years, especially.
As a premise it also sounds a bit like Squid Game (though I've not seen any of it) so it would be topical enough as a pop cultural idea. I wasn't aware they'd done something like that already with the video games but I'm not overly familiar with them so that doesn't surprise me. I agree that a Bond novel is often the best place for a more experimental or in-depth kind of story.
Many younger fans may not be aware of this, but IFP picked up a lot fan suggestions after Benson ended his tenure and IFP announced - more than 20 years ago now - there wouldn’t immediately come a new continuation by a successor.
adventures in between the Fleming timeline
adventures right after The Man with the Golden Gun/Colonel Sun
adventures penned by a succession of contemporary literary and thriller writers
adventures of other 00-agents
all were ideas pitched by the fandom back then and later picked up by IFP.
Of the output since 2002 only Higson’s Young Bond caught fans unaware - and the ‘Project X’ that would turn out to be a return to contemporary Bond, only this time as a confirmed reboot and ‘re-imagination’ of the literary version*. Everything else served, the 60s adventures and the snippets from unpublished Fleming material, was more or less what we’ve been clamouring for.
According to Lee Child they even approached him to pen a continuation (he declined), also one of the suggestions of the early 00s. It’s reasonable to assume IFP also contacted other popular thriller writers for the same purpose. Overall, IFP seem to have been listening to fans for quite some time - and if the outcome hasn’t always been the desired one, that’s not necessarily always their fault.
I’m sure IFP are still working to keep literary Bond alive, possibly even with other ideas fans wanted to see for a long time. A contemporary full length novel by Higson or ‘War Bond’ might always be in the cards.
*Okay, the Q-throyd Murder Mystery is another one nobody had on their bingo card…,
I think that IFP did that survey to see what they wanted. Don't worry, I'm sure we'll hear some news soon!
Mark Edlitz is back again!