Ian Fleming Publications Ltd. and the Ian Fleming Estate are delighted to announce that bestselling and award-winning author Anthony Horowitz has been invited to write the next James Bond novel, due for worldwide release on 8th September 2015.
Horowitz is one of the UK’s most successful authors and has over forty books to his name including his recent Sherlock Holmes novel, The House of Silk, and his enormously successful teen spy series featuring Alex Rider. As a TV screenwriter he created both Midsomer Murders and the BAFTA-winning Foyle’s War, and is looking forward to taking on his next project:
‘It’s no secret that Ian Fleming’s extraordinary character has had a profound influence on my life, so when the Estate approached me to write a new James Bond novel how could I possibly refuse? It’s a huge challenge but having original, unpublished material by Fleming has been an inspiration. This is a book I had to write.’
Set in the 1950s, Horowitz’s story will be unique among the modern James Bond novels, in that a section will contain previously unseen material written by Ian Fleming. Fleming’s great niece, Jessie Grimond explains:
‘In the 1950s Ian Fleming wrote several episode treatments for a James Bond television series. But it never came to be made and he ended up turning most of the plots into the short stories that are now in the collections For Your Eyes Only and Octopussy and The Living Daylights. However, there are a few plot outlines which he never used and which, till now, have never been published, or aired. Given that Anthony is as brilliant a screenwriter as he is a novelist, we thought it would be exciting to see what he would do with one of them.’
The treatment which will act as a starting point for Anthony Horowitz’s Bond novel is titled Murder on Wheels, and follows Bond on a mission in the world of motor racing. Set at the Nurburgring in Germany, Murder on Wheels would have seen 007 thwart a Russian plot to cause racing legend Stirling Moss to crash.
The novel will be published in the UK and Commonwealth by Orion Publishing Group and simultaneously by HarperCollins Publishers in USA & Canada.
http://www.ianfleming.com/anthony-horowitz-to-write-new-james-bond-novel/
yeah this is offical and I am conflicted
Comments
Fleming’s great niece, Jessie Grimond explains:
‘In the 1950s Ian Fleming wrote several episode treatments for a James Bond television series. But it never came to be made and he ended up turning most of the plots into the short stories that are now in the collections For Your Eyes Only and Octopussy and The Living Daylights. However, there are a few plot outlines which he never used and which, till now, have never been published, or aired. Given that Anthony is as brilliant a screenwriter as he is a novelist, we thought it would be exciting to see what he would do with one of them.’
The treatment which will act as a starting point for Anthony Horowitz’s Bond novel is titled Murder on Wheels, and follows Bond on a mission in the world of motor racing. - See more at: http://www.ianfleming.com/anthony-horowitz-to-write-new-james-bond-novel/#sthash.nP6KsQy1.dpuf
I was hoping we might be done with the period pieces but we can make an exception for this - fleshing out an original Fleming story set in the '50s. I hope we get some sense of where the story might fit vis-a-vis the other books.
IIRC, Fleming had also originally intended DN as as TV story and then adapted it to novel format, when the TV opportunity fell through, so we might be looking at something set between DN and GF or immediately post GF or possible between FRWL and DN.
First the Positives
1. A lot people here whom I Trust have wanted Horrowitz
2. The world of Racing is intriguing and sounds already much more cohesive then Solo so I am happy
3. Finishing a Fleming story is also kind of cool
now the negatives
1. the 50's really I mean how many times do I have to say this Fleming never meant to make bond a period peice in fact he once told Cubby and Harry "Make it relevant to the time make it interesting and make it exciting" Why is IFP insistant on period peices.
Otherwise, no, I would prefer new contemporary post-Fleming Bond adventures in the Amis, Pearson, Gardner, Benson, even Deaver tradition.
What's nice also, is that IFP isn't going to simply feed us a steady diet of Young Bond. We get normal Bond too.
I guess if AH can't write a good adult Bond novel then it'll be time to give up hope. I still don't want to get my hopes up too much. I wonder if the original writings of Fleming will be included in this book. I hope so. I had never heard of this unfinished short story. Sounds good. If AH writes a good book, it would be wonderful if he is contracted to write more. This would provide new hope for the literary world of 007. I'm sick of just one off books but then again we've never had a decent adult Bond novel since the Gardner era so I wouldn't have wanted Faulks and the rest of them to write more than one anyway, with the exception of Boyd if he would have weaved a decent tale the second time around.
This could have quite a lot going for it
But as always we shal have to wait and see.
The book you're referring to is 'For Special Services'. My favourite Gardner Bond book.
Yes, that immediately sprung to mind for me too. Hopefully the 1950s period detail will set it apart. Interesting connection with an earlier and great Bond continuation author, though.
I haven't read them myself (although I will give them a try once I've finished the other twenty-thirty books I have on my pile), but I've heard that they're really good.
There's a baddie named Bill Tanner in one of them, too. Alex Rider was Young Bond before Young Bond existed.
I just think general audiences including me would prefer present day. Fleming himself did. Just technology alone what ya going to do?
Glad in choice if author and storyline maybe but booo to another timeline adventure.
I am worried that now that AH gets the gig he just might not live up to the faith put in him.
In fact I circled around them a few times at the bookseller's when they had them on display. Was reluctant to buy one or two though. I suppose now is the time to change that.
After all their Kamakazee missions, IFP have at last got the message and I for one am completely delighted. Furthermore, I have total faith.
The fabulous thing about Horrowitz is that he has the talent without the literati ego of a Faulks or a Boyd. Furthermore with his Holmes works (there is a new one soon), he has shown what he can do with an iconic character. Furthermore, I always loved Foyle.
Regarding the period, I favour completely the period approach. In my opinion literary Bond would lack any relevance in a modern setting. The spy world has moved on and I don't think that Fleming's core attributes carry credence in modern times.
But I do think Bond is a timeless character. A man of his integrity, talents, courage, loyalty and style, personal quirks and indulgences - those attributes can be adopted to any period.
He may not smoke as much or even at all. He could certainly booze like a champ though. Hard drinking men have always existed.
Womanizing is a timless pursuit. And if Fleming were writing today, there are no shortage of contemporary attitudes, that Fleming might relate to, that he could infuse his Bond with.
One trick to writing the modern Bond I think, would be to put a man of Fleming's tendencies in the current context, and go from there.
Bond could be just as ruthless, just as efficient, just as glib, and with knowledge of weaponry and tradecraft, as would befit a "now" 00 agent.
The world is always a violent place. There is always need for blunt instrument of Bond's skills.