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Steve Cole's New Young Bond Novels Series - Reviews and Discussion
Dragonpol
https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
More details at the link below:
http://www.thebookseller.com/news/steve-cole-pen-young-bond-rhcp.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
What do we think of this news?
Is Charlie Higson going to do an adult Bond continuation novel now instead?
http://www.thebookseller.com/news/steve-cole-pen-young-bond-rhcp.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
What do we think of this news?
Is Charlie Higson going to do an adult Bond continuation novel now instead?
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Comments
And yes, from what I have heard of his writing, I'd like him to have a shot at writing the adult continuation novels.
This is all I've read so far, but I imagine more will come out in the next few days.
Well, he was working on his own horror series of books for children a la his Young Bond series and IFP was busy with their triumvirate of celebrity Bond continuation authors, so they mutually agreed to take a break from Young Bond for a while.
I'm the same, I have them all, but I focus so much on the adult Bond novels of Fleming and his continuation heirs that I often overlook these books. I was never a big fan of the idea initially, though I have warmed to it somewhat over time.
Yes, I kind of had much the same feeling myself - I thought that it was purely Charlie Higson's gig and you are right to say that he did make a success out of what at first appeared a rather poor idea in 'Young Bond'.
And yes, Higson's projected 'War Bond' novels would interest me very much too as we know very little from this period of Bond's career and much of the information given to us over the years appears to be conflicting. I think a Bond novel set during World War II would also be rather less contrived than the 'Young Bond' plots seemed to me. In reality, I'd imagine that Fleming's 'Young Bond' had a fairly ordinary schooling at Eton and Fettes up until that trouble with the maid.
I'm not familiar with this new guy's work and I wish him the best of luck in continuing the greatness Higson established but I am disappointed Higson isn't returning to finish what he started. Here's hoping IFP get wise and get Higson involved to write adult Bond because clearly the last 3 stunts those clowns have pulled....well let's just say many of us clearly are not amused.
It was always the plan to write a series of five novels and that's what Higson did. You can check back on the interviews to see this. After that he moved onto his Enemy series which is set to end in 2015 after seven books. I wish IFP would've waited until then to continue, so Higson could be holding the pen once again, even if it is in 2016.
I wish Steve Cole all the best.
Don't worry chaps. I have every confidence that IFP know what they are doing.
Here's the press release:
We are delighted to announce that a new series of four YOUNG BOND titles will be published by Random House from Autumn 2014, penned by Steve Cole.
Cole, who takes over from the original creator of Young Bond, Charlie Higson, is the author of a number of hugely successful children's books – including the Astrosaurs series and several authorised Doctor Who novels. He is a lifelong fan of Fleming’s Bond novels:
‘I first encountered Bond in print as a teenager, when I read From a View to a Kill. Fleming's writing was so vivid and authentic, Bond and the world he inhabited seemed suddenly real to me – and the danger and glamour led me through book after book. It's both a thrilling privilege and an exciting challenge now to be shaping a new era in the life of such an iconic character – with many firsts and surprises to come as James' life in the dangerous 1930s develops.’
Cole's first Young Bond novel will launch with a bang in Autumn 2014. It will be published in hardback on RHCP's highly respected Jonathan Cape children's imprint.
Whilst Higson's five novels chart Bond’s childhood at Eton and his introduction to the world of espionage, Cole’s first title will pick up where By Royal Command (2008) left off and will follow teenage James in the aftermath of his expulsion from Eton. This period in Bond's life has never been explored before and readers can expect all the thrills, action, glamour and tension that are the essential ingredients of a classic Bond adventure.
Philippa Dickinson, Managing Director of Random House Children's Publishing, says, ‘I'm absolutely delighted to be working with Ian Fleming Publications to publish a new quartet of Young Bond adventures. The period when James Bond would have been a teenager was an extraordinary time – a perfect setting for thrilling storytelling for young adults. Steve Cole is an exceptional storyteller with a wonderful ability to connect with his readers. A winning combination.’
Random House Children's Publishing have acquired UK and Commonwealth rights in four titles from Ian Fleming Publications Ltd, the first of which will be published in hardback in Autumn 2014. Corinne Turner, Managing Director of IFPL, comments, ‘Steve Cole is an imaginative and engaging author whose plots are addictive and gripping, so we were thrilled when he agreed to steer Young Bond through his mid-teen years. As publishers of Ian Fleming's original Bond books and William Boyd’s new Bond continuation novel, SOLO, Random House are the perfect partner to work with us in bringing the next generation of Young Bond books to life. On behalf of Ian Fleming Publications and the Fleming family, I'd like to welcome Steve Cole to the exciting world of 007 – we can't wait to see what scrapes James gets into next.’
http://www.ianfleming.com/new-young-bond-series-in-2014
I was thinking the other day that even with the adult Bond books, they should hire a children's author to write them - someone who has the partial mind of a child like Fleming and Higson. This way they can give us the traditional, boyish adventure, fairy tale type plots that Fleming and Higson gave us yet at the same time, obviously because they're adults, they can draw into the dark, gritty side of an adult Bond coupled with the detailed, almost believable explanations of how a villain like Dr No managed to do the unbelievable.
Cox thinks that there was a reference in SOLO to Young Bond:
http://www.thebookbond.com/2013/10/does-solo-contain-clues-to-young-bond.html
This may very well be the case.
If these books aren't the best, then bring back Higson for tales about Bond's war years which are the ones I'm really hanging out to read. If Cole does a splendid job (here's hoping), then I'll be happy if he writes about Bond in the war. No talking dinosaurs though please! ;)
Don't know. Not necessarily.
timdalton007
Be interesting to see what Cole does with the young Bond? And if he takes it in another direction to what Higson has done?
Only the lobotomised would dream of tampering with Higson's fabulous legacy when the most obvious thing in the world is to get Charlie himself to take let young James loose his virginity, join the Royal Navy and go to war - now that's something we'd all like to read - you don't have to get McKinsey in to consult on that!
Boyd has just slit the wrists of one of the last century's greatest literary creations and instead of getting Charlie Higson to resurrect 007, they have gone out and recruited somebody else who is completely untested to sabotage 'Young Bond'.
What next? Maybe they'll get Katie Price to write more 'Moneypenny Diaries'?
One things for sure, they won't get another halfpenny out of me!
Brilliant.
And hardly inconceivable under the clueless stewardship of IFP or, as I now refer to them, the literary Tamahori.
Come come my dear Wizard even IFP have not Fu!!!d it up that badly........yet!.
You've just coined another brilliant phrase there, Ice: IFP as "the literary Tamahori". One dreads the thought, but sadly it would appear to be true.