With the release of the two SilverFin special editions and the By Royal Command U.S. paperback, I've decided to cease updating The Young Bond Dossier. From now on all James Bond news, young and old, will be reported on my blog, The Book Bond.

I started YBD in 2006 after the release of Charlie Higson's second Young Bond novel, Blood Fever, a book I still consider to be the best James Bond continuation novel yet written. Over the course of six years I've has a blast reporting every last detail of this groundbreaking series. Along the way I landed some terrific scoops, and had the pleasure of conducting several exclusive interviews with author Charlie Higson.

The high point came in 2008 when I went to London for the Devil May Care launch and paperback release of Hurricane Gold. It was during this trip that YBD became the official news source for Puffin's own Young Bond website, and also the news feed for the official Ian Fleming Publications website (a real honor!). Best of all, YDB allowed me to get to know Charlie Higson personally, as well as all the good people at IFP, Coleman-Getty, Puffin Books, and Disney-Hyperion.

Whether or not there are going to be more Young Bond novels...I have no idea. But it's clear there just isn't enough happening in the world of Young Bond to justify a dedicated website. Also, the iWeb software I used to create this site back in '06 has not been updated in years and has grown creaky and problematic. So I figured this was a good time to fold things up. Even if we should get news of a Young Bond Series 2 (still my hope!), it will be covered at The Book Bond. So with that I leave you with an optimistic...

YOUNG BOND WILL RETURN

A paperback edition of Charlie Higson’s fifth Young Bond novel, By Royal Command, is released today in the U.S. by Disney Books.

Also, the first three Young Bond titles, SilverFin, Blood Fever, and Double or Die, have been released with new cover treatments that match these newer paperbacks.

By Royal Command sees James Bond thrown into the midst of a dangerous, spy-ridden plot that threatens both King and country. Set between the two World Wars and moving between Eton and the chilling slopes of the Austrian Alps, By Royal Command sees the young James Bond put to the test as never before.

Purchase the By Royal Command paperback on Amazon.


Hail and farewell

As I announced last month, this will be the last update from The Young Bond Dossier. From now on all literary James Bond news, young and old, can be found at my main blog, The Book Bond.

The five Young Bond novels stand as, arguably, the finest James Bond continuation novels yet written. Who could have imagined this would be the case back in 2005 when the series was announced to the initial skepticism of hardcore Bond fans (including yours truly). It’s been my privilege to bring you all the news on this groundbreaking series for the past six years. With that I leave you with the hope that...

Young Bond Will Return.

Puffin Books has released a very special Limited Edition of Charlie Higson’s first Young Bond novel, SilverFin.

The numbered hardcover features a spectacular glow in the dark cover, comes in an engraved Perspex slipcase, and includes a new introduction by Charlie Higson. The book is signed by Charlie Higson and is limited to 1,000 copies.

Also just released is a Special Edition of the existing SilverFin paperback with the new introduction and a redesigned cover.

The SilverFin Limited Edition hardcover can be purchased at Amazon.co.uk.


Limited Edition with glow in the dark cover and Perspex slipcase

Puffin Books has released a new paperback edition of Charlie Higson’s first Young Bond novel, SilverFin.

The new paperback features redesigned cover art (tagged with a red “Special Edition” banner) and includes an introduction by Charlie Higson in which he talks about the first scene he wrote -- his “audition” for himself -- which was not the first scene of the book. It’s very interesting and not something I recall him talking about in any interviews.

The new SilverFin “Special Edition” paperback can be purchased in UK stores and on Amazon.co.uk. Puffin will also release a Limited Edition hardcover on May 5.

Charlie Higson has updated his official website with plot details about the next book in his Enemy series, The Fear.

Charlie notes that the series is shaping up to be “something of an epic.” It’s now planned for six books, but it could extend to as many as nine. “But that decision is a couple of years away,” says Charlie.

If you haven’t yet visited Charlie’s official website, give it a look. It’s a very well designed site complete, with fan fourms, and is the best way to keep up with all of Charlie’s latest projects.

Hello all. I've decided I'm going to cease updating The Young Bond Dossier after the release of the SilverFin Special Editions on May 5 and the By Royal Command U.S. paperback on May 10. From now on, all literary James Bond news, young and old, can be found at my new blog, The Book Bond.

Even if we should get news of more Young Bond novels (still my hope), those books will be covered at The Book Bond along with all the other exciting projects from Ian Fleming Publications.

Hope to see you all over there!

Here’s a first look at the U.S. paperback edition of Charlie Higson’s By Royal Command, due for release on May 10, 2011.

No extras or surprises inside, just another good quality paperback from Disney Books that fits in nicely with their other releases. Cover art is the same artwork by Owen Richardson that was used on the hardcover last year, but with a quote from The New York Times Book Review added below Charlie’s name.

The By Royal Command U.S. paperback can be pre-ordered now at Amazon.com for $7.99

SilverFin: The Graphic Novel by Charlie Higson and Kev Walker has been nominated for a 2011 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award in the category of Best Adaptation from Another Work.

Named for acclaimed comics creator Will Eisner, the awards are in their 23rd year of highlighting the best publications and creators in comics and graphic novels. The nominees, chosen by a blue-ribbon panel of judges, reflect the wide range of material being published in comics and graphic novel form today.

SilverFin: The Graphic Novel was first released in the UK in 2008. Paperback and hardcover editions where released in the U.S. last year by Disney/Hyperion Books.

Congrats to all involved!

Looks like taking a break has put Charlie Higson back in the mood to talk about James Bond. Charlie recently gave a terrific interview to the blog ARRRG! in which he talks exclusively about 007. There's great stuff here that I've never heard before, including this passage about the original plans for the online role-playing game, The Shadow War:

"I loved the idea of The Shadow War when it was first put to me, but in the end I don’t think I had anything much to do with the writing of it beyond being consulted. Sadly I think the final result was a little disappointing. When it was presented to me it was a much bigger and more exciting project than it ended up. It was going to involve people all around the country working together to solve clues and team up. There would be hidden clues in newspapers, online, on the sides of lorries going up the M1 at a certain time of day! It was going to be really fun and immersive. But the reality of doing something like that on a publisher’s budget and involving kids is very different. It all has to be safe and controllable and fair and simple... so it got scaled right back. It was interesting to do but a missed opportunity in the end. To do these things properly takes a huge amount of time and money and effort. Puffin books are very keen to try and work more in this way and get kids interested in books through other means, particularly via the Internet, but I think we’re all still finding out the best way to go about it."

Click to read the entire interview at ARRRG!

Charlie also recently tackled the controversy over Hollywood's plans to reboot Agatha Christie's Miss Marple in the guise of...Jennifer Garner? Charlie gets a great joke off in the this one -- made all the more funny because it's absolutely true. Give that a listen at the BBC News website.

Charlie is currently finishing up the second draft of his new Enemy series book, The Fear. It's due for release in September and can be pre-ordered on Amazon.co.uk.

Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be any immediate plans for him to pen more Young Bond novels.

On May 5, 2011, Puffin Books will mark the return of the adult James Bond in Carte Blanche by releasing TWO new special editions of Charlie Higson's bestselling first Young Bond novel, SilverFin.

First up is a numbered, Limited Edition hardcover with a new introduction by Charlie Higson. The hardcover will sport a spectacular glow in the dark cover featuring the iconic eels and comes in an engraved Perspex slipcase. All copies will be signed by Charlie Higson and will be limited to 1,000 copies.

Also available on May 5th will be a Special Edition of the existing SilverFin paperback with ALL NEW material and a fantastic redesigned cover.

The SilverFin Limited Edition Hardcover and Special Edition paperback are available to pre-order now at Amazon.co.uk.



Limited Edition with glow in the dark cover and Perspex slipcase

A paperback edition of Charlie Higson’s fourth Young Bond novel Hurricane Gold is due to be released next month in Norway as Farlig gull.

Published by Aschehoug with a translation by Heidi Grinde, Farlig gull finds young James Bond battling American gangsters deep in the jungles of Mexico. Along the way he teams with a Bond Girl named Precious Stone and tangles with a deadly villainess named Mrs. Glass.

Hurricane Gold was first published in the UK in 2007.

Looks like Dubai has become THE place to get your Bond on.

Fresh off Jeffery Deaver’s Dubai-based unveiling of his new James Bond novel, Carte Blanche, comes news that Young Bond author Charlie Higson will be appearing in March to talk about “The Making of Young Bond.”

Charlie will appear first on Friday, March 10, at the
InterContinental Hotel to discuss his Enemy horror series. He then returns on March 11 to give an hour long talk on “The Making of Young Bond.”

The programs are part of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2011. CLICK HERE for more details on the festival and Charlie’s appearances.

The new (adult) James Bond book, due to be published later this year and written by best-selling thriller writer Jeffery Deaver, is to be called CARTE BLANCHE. Its title and cover artwork are unveiled today (Monday 17th January), at a special launch event at the InterContinental Hotel in Dubai.

Like Fleming, Jeffery Deaver takes inspiration from exotic locations around the world, and after visiting Dubai for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature last year he decided to set part of CARTE BLANCHE in the United Arab Emirates City.

CARTE BLANCHE is due to be published by Hodder and Stoughton in the UK, a few days before Fleming’s birthday, on 26th May 2011. It has been commissioned by Ian Fleming Publications Ltd.

Young Bond author Charlie Higson will also be appearing at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature in March.

For more details on CARTE BLANCHE read the full press release at The Book Bond.

It’s been clear for a while now that Young Bond and Charlie Higson have parted ways, but if we needed further confirmation, Charlie was asked via Twitter whether he’s working on anymore Young Bond adventures. His answer:

“I have sadly had to draw a line under Young Bond for now. Too busy on other projects.”

But this doesn’t mean 2011 will be completely Young Bond free. Keep watching this site and especially The Book Bond (my blog for news on the literary James Bond both young and old) for details on what the New Year may hold for Young Bond.

All five Young Bond novels by Charlie Higson have been released as eBooks in the UK.

These new eBooks, which feature the U.S. cover art, are sold under the Ian Fleming Publications Ltd imprint and are currently available through major retailers including Waterstone’s.

These follow the release of Ian Fleming’s 14 original James Bond novels last month.

Corinne Turner, Managing Director, Ian Fleming Publications Ltd, says: “Ian Fleming wrote his James Bond novels to be read and enjoyed by everyone, and we are always looking for opportunities to introduce new audiences to Bond’s adventures.”

SilverFin: The Graphic Novel by Charlie Higson and Kev Walker has been released in Italy by Renoir Comics.

SilverFin: The Graphic Novel runs 160 pages with approximately 300 full color illustrations by renowned comic book artist Kev Walker. When it was first released in the UK in 2008, The London Times praised it as “a bold and brilliant Manga-inspired treat.”

Purchase from BOL.it

Need to know what’s going on the world of the literary James Bond? Want to know what’s happening with the new adult James Bond novel by Jeffery Deaver?

Yes, of course you do.

That’s why I’ve revamped and relaunched our sister site, THE BOOK BOND. New look. New Book. Pure Bond!

Check it out.

A listing for a new edition of Charlie Higson’s first Young Bond novel, SilverFin, has just appeared on Amazon.co.uk.

The listing calls the Puffin release a “re-issue Special Edition” and shows a release date of May 5, 2011. No cover image is yet available.

I don’t have any information beyond what I see on that page, but I’m working on it!

Stay tuned.

Disney Books has confirmed that the U.S. paperback edition of Charlie Higson’s fifth Young Bond novel, By Royal Command, will use the same Owen Richardson cover art as seen on the U.S. hardcover.

Fans should also watch out for the other books in the series to receive new cover treatments around the time of By Royal Command’s May 10, 2011 release.

By Royal Command sees James Bond thrown into the midst of a dangerous, spy-ridden plot that threatens both King and country. Set between the two World Wars and moving between Eton and the chilling slopes of the Austrian Alps, By Royal Command sees the young James Bond put to the test as never before.

Pre-order By Royal Command U.S. paperback.

Along with the exciting news that the 14 classic Ian Fleming James Bond novels will be released as eBooks in the UK on November 4, comes word that Charlie Higson’s Young Bond series will also be made available as eBooks from December.

The new eBooks will be sold under the Ian Fleming Publications Ltd imprint and will be available through major retailers including Amazon and Waterstone’s.

Corinne Turner, Managing Director, Ian Fleming Publications Ltd, comments: “Ian Fleming wrote his James Bond novels to be read and enjoyed by everyone, and we are always looking for opportunities to introduce new audiences to Bond’s adventures. Fleming loved good, new technology, and I am sure he would have been thrilled by the idea of his books being available electronically.”

The official press release implies that we may also see the John Gardner and Raymond Benson Bond novels released as eBooks. The eBook rights for the new James Bond novels Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks and the as yet untitled novel by Jeffrey Deaver remain with the publishers.

For more on this news visit CommanderBond.net

The second book in Andrew Lane’s Young Sherlock Holmes series, Red Leech, is released this week in the UK by Macmillan Children’s Books. Cover art is again by Young Bond artist Kev Walker (with Sam Hadley).

Red Leech sees young Sherlock off to America to investigate a connection between the notorious assassin John Wilkes Booth and his mysterious American tutor, Amyus Crow.

Clearly inspired by the Young Bond series, I find these books make a very worthy and entertaining Young Bond substitute. Even Charlie Higson gave his stamp of approved to the first book in the series, Death Cloud, saying: “What a blast. Weird murders, creepy villains, fiendish puzzles, non-stop action. What more could you want from a book?” That blurb is now featured on the back cover of Red Leech.

Book 3, Black Ice, which sees young Sherlock headed to Russia, will be released in Spring 2011. Author Lane says the series will run for “possibly nine books” and will take Holmes right up to the moment he meets Dr. Watson.

Limited signed hardcover editions of both Death Cloud and Red Leech are available exclusively from Goldsboro Books.

More information on the series can be found at the official Young Sherlock Holmes website.

The U.S. paperback edition of Charlie Higson’s fifth Young Bond novel, By Royal Command, is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com. Release date is May 10, 2011.

No cover art yet, but the paperback will almost certainly feature the same Owen Richardson cover art as seen on the U.S. hardcover released in May of this year.

Also just listed on Amazon is the U.S. hardcover edition of Charlie Higson’s second zombie-horror novel, The Dead. Release date is June 14, 2011. The paperback edition of Book 1, The Enemy, is also available for pre-order with a May 10, 2011 release date.

By Royal Command sees James Bond thrown into the midst of a dangerous, spy-ridden plot that threatens both King and country. Set between the two World Wars and moving between Eton and the chilling slopes of the Austrian Alps, By Royal Command sees the young James Bond put to the test as never before.

Pre-order By Royal Command U.S. paperback (May 10, 2011)

Pre-order The Dead U.S. hardcover (June 14, 2011)

Pre-order The Enemy U.S. paperback (May 19, 2011)

Check out this textless version of Owen Richardson’s superb artwork for the U.S. edition of By Royal Command by Charlie Higson.

This comes from Richardson’s online portfolio at Shannon Associates, where you can view many other examples of his work.

Richardson replaced regular Young Bond artist Kev Walker for this last book. The artwork features on the U.S. hardcover edition of By Royal Command (released in May) and will most likely feature on the paperback edition due out May 10, 2011.

Purchase By Royal Command at Amazon.com

Video of Charlie Higson’s Authors Live web event with The Scottish Book Trust yesterday has been posted at the BBC Authors Live website.

Unfortunately, the video is not available in my area (maybe only accessible in the UK?), so I can’t report on whether Charlie talked about Young Bond or the possibility of new books. Maybe someone who can view the video will report this to me?

Watch the full Authors Live event here. Shortcuts to highlights coming soon.

The Scottish Book Trust will host an “Authors Live” event with Young Bond author Charlie Higson tomorrow, 7 October at 11:00am.

There’s still time to register your school, library or bookgroup for the event. Just visit the Scottish Book Trust Authors Live website and follow the on-screen instructions. You will then be able to view the event at: www.bbc.co.uk/authorslive.

Charlie will be taking questions about his new zombie-horror series and his Young Bond books. Charlie recently put out a challenge for someone to come up with a question that he’s never been asked.

The Scottish Book Trust is also holding a competition via their Facebook page where you can win a set of the 5 Young Bond novels, a copy of each of the 12 adult James Bond novels, and a 22 disc box set of all the James Bond movies.