William Boyd to Write Next James Bond Novel
  • Agent005Agent005
    Posts: 528
    http://www.thebookbond.com/2012/04/william-boyd-to-write-next-james-bond.html?spref=fb

    Thoughts?
  • bondbat007bondbat007
    Posts: 922
    Back to the 60's again?? I thought Carte Blanche was a great start to a new series of novels. And Devil May Care underwhelmed me. But I remain hopeful and can't wait to read it!
  • SaintMarkSaintMark
    Posts: 2,120
    Like in the movies a reboot in the books turns out to be a flipping waste of time.
  • TopGearJB007TopGearJB007
    Posts: 458
    Continuity in the Bond novels is dead. That blows. :-q
  • Agent005Agent005
    Posts: 528
    I'm not sure what to think of it yet. I've never read anything by Boyd. I was also hoping for a bit of continuity as well. I do like the idea of the period Bond novel again, but I'm a tad weary of it after the rather lacklustre Devil May Care.
  • Risico007Risico007
    Posts: 1,454
    sigh i like bond in the current time line I preferred Carte Blanche over Devil May Care disliked both of course . Fleming didn't write bond as period piece it shouldn't be now... I'll still read it but sigh.
  • TopGearJB007TopGearJB007
    Posts: 458
    Is William Boyd going to be writing as Ian Fleming? I think that is why some people consider Devil May Care a bad book. You can try to write as Ian Fleming, but the truth of the matter is, you can't replicate Fleming's style.

    I liked the idea of a reboot of literary Bond, even though I didn't like the way Deaver handled some aspects. I didn't like the fact that Bond didn't work for MI6 and I didn't like how young Bond was. I haven't read Devil May Care since 2008, so I don't know which one I liked better. I liked both though.

    I hope, at least, that Boyd's novel is a continuation of the series Faulks' started.
  • ChuckChuck
    Posts: 212
    I've never read anything by Boyd, so I'm not sure how to feel about the news on that front. I can't imagine that his novel will turn out worse than the last two, but I just wish that they would make up their mind with where the literary franchise is going. Going back and forth between modern day stories and period piece stories doesn't really work, IMO. There needs to be some semblance of continuity, even if it's just in terms of the time period the novels are set in.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7
    Posts: 13,573
    Yeah...well...Even though CB lacked anything Bondian at all, I was interested in a possible continuation. I haven't read any Boyd, but I'm optimistic though I think Fleming is the only true representation to follow, naturally.
  • Samuel001Samuel001
    Posts: 9,883
    I'm a bit shocked and at first thought this was some kind of joke. So the 'reboot' was just a novel set in present day and now we're back in '60's again. I take it post Devil May Care.

    A two and a bit year gap is nearly as long as the three years before and all the consistency in the novel Bond seems to be dead.

    Once again, I'm hoping for the best.
  • Risico007Risico007
    Posts: 1,454
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 said:

    Yeah...well...Even though CB lacked anything Bondian at all, I was interested in a possible continuation. I haven't read any Boyd, but I'm optimistic though I think Fleming is the only true representation to follow, naturally.



    especially since he sets it up, giving it a possible title "By Guile and Strength"
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7
    Posts: 13,573
    Risico007 said:

    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 said:

    Yeah...well...Even though CB lacked anything Bondian at all, I was interested in a possible continuation. I haven't read any Boyd, but I'm optimistic though I think Fleming is the only true representation to follow, naturally.



    especially since he sets it up, giving it a possible title "By Guile and Strength"


    That's such a lame title. :(
  • commandbond007commandbond007
    Posts: 660
    It set in 1969....wonder how old Bond would be....and after a while it will difficult to do a BOnd novel during the 60s and 70s as Bond would over 45 and that the limit that 00 should retire.......I am guessing if he is born 1921 he is 48? but we dont know
  • Agent007391Agent007391
    Posts: 3,532
    When will we get a semi-coherent novel series again?
  • commandbond007commandbond007
    Posts: 660
    Agent007391 said:

    When will we get a semi-coherent novel series again?



    probably not in a while......I could see them go back and forth one modern one set in the 1960s as Bond is getting too old now to continue to the 70s
  • BorisScaramangaBorisScaramanga
    Posts: 53
    TopGearJB007 said:

    Is William Boyd going to be writing as Ian Fleming? I think that is why some people consider Devil May Care a bad book. You can try to write as Ian Fleming, but the truth of the matter is, you can't replicate Fleming's style.

    I liked the idea of a reboot of literary Bond, even though I didn't like the way Deaver handled some aspects. I didn't like the fact that Bond didn't work for MI6 and I didn't like how young Bond was. I haven't read Devil May Care since 2008, so I don't know which one I liked better. I liked both though.

    I hope, at least, that Boyd's novel is a continuation of the series Faulks' started.



    I don't see how writing as Ian Fleming is possible, since he's dead. And I've never even heard of this William Boyd guy...
  • commandbond007commandbond007
    Posts: 660
    I never heard of this author either........I guess he is pretty good but unknown outside the UK I guess
  • BorisScaramangaBorisScaramanga
    Posts: 53
    commandbond007 said:

    I never heard of this author either........I guess he is pretty good but unknown outside the UK I guess



    I do live in the UK, just haven't heard of him, or his name doesn't ring a bell at least.
  • commandbond007commandbond007
    Posts: 660
    I wanted Charles Cumming to do Bond.......he been consider the next John le Claire
  • TopGearJB007TopGearJB007
    Posts: 458
    BorisScaramanga said:

    TopGearJB007 said:

    Is William Boyd going to be writing as Ian Fleming? I think that is why some people consider Devil May Care a bad book. You can try to write as Ian Fleming, but the truth of the matter is, you can't replicate Fleming's style.

    I liked the idea of a reboot of literary Bond, even though I didn't like the way Deaver handled some aspects. I didn't like the fact that Bond didn't work for MI6 and I didn't like how young Bond was. I haven't read Devil May Care since 2008, so I don't know which one I liked better. I liked both though.

    I hope, at least, that Boyd's novel is a continuation of the series Faulks' started.



    I don't see how writing as Ian Fleming is possible, since he's dead. And I've never even heard of this William Boyd guy...
    It means Faulks tried to replicate Ian Fleming's style as close as possible.

  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7
    Posts: 13,573
    TopGearJB007 said:

    BorisScaramanga said:

    TopGearJB007 said:

    Is William Boyd going to be writing as Ian Fleming? I think that is why some people consider Devil May Care a bad book. You can try to write as Ian Fleming, but the truth of the matter is, you can't replicate Fleming's style.

    I liked the idea of a reboot of literary Bond, even though I didn't like the way Deaver handled some aspects. I didn't like the fact that Bond didn't work for MI6 and I didn't like how young Bond was. I haven't read Devil May Care since 2008, so I don't know which one I liked better. I liked both though.

    I hope, at least, that Boyd's novel is a continuation of the series Faulks' started.



    I don't see how writing as Ian Fleming is possible, since he's dead. And I've never even heard of this William Boyd guy...
    It means Faulks tried to replicate Ian Fleming's style as close as possible.



    Epic literary fail. The point is all that garbage should be discarded. NO ONE will ever write like Ian ever again. His style was completely unique, and no one should even attempt to recreate it because they will never be successful. It is to the point where I'll block out everything but Fleming in the world of the literary Bond, as it should be anyway.
  • commandbond007commandbond007
    Posts: 660
    did anyone also read that he work with Daniel Craig before? potentially screenwriter? for Bond 24 and novelization
  • BounineBounine
    Posts: 972
    Agent005 said:

    I'm not sure what to think of it yet. I've never read anything by Boyd. I was also hoping for a bit of continuity as well. I do like the idea of the period Bond novel again, but I'm a tad weary of it after the rather lacklustre Devil May Care.



    The fact that DMC was laclustre had nothing to do with the fact that it was set in the 1960's. It is a poorly written Bond book.

    Great to get the announcement! I'm definitely excited but perhaps not as excited as I was upon hearing the Faulks and Deaver announcement because I've been disappointed twice now.

    I've always supported a period and contemporary piece.

    Let's hope we get the real Bond back again and not Deaver's horrible generic interpretation of the character! Maybe Deaver will return for the next Bond book, continuing in the contemporary world where he left off with Carte Blanche.

    I don't think for a minute that Boyd will try and immitate Fleming.
  • KennonKennon
    Posts: 297
    Great news! Boyd is one of the very best British contemporary writers. RESTLESS gives an idea about how he handles a literary thriller in period setting. It's a WW II / 1970s setting and Fleming would have liked it a lot. Yay!
  • haserothaserot
    Posts: 2,158
    i guess the publishers just don't care anymore...

    i for one am enjoying Carte Blanche (not finished readng yet), and I would've loved to see Deaver continue on, but knew full well that wasn't going to be a case... but I would love to get some sort of continuity - they seem to like hopscotching between contemporary and period piece, and all i ask is that they find a path and stick with it, for better or worse... this constant change of setting is starting to get a tab bit annoying.
  • BentleyBentley
    Posts: 121
    Fellow agents,
    There may be hope.
    William Boyd is credible. I am currently reading his latest, 'Waiting For Sunrise' and it's good.
    His decision to go back to '69 after the appalling 'Carte Blanche' is probably a good thing and hopefully he can give us something worth the cover price.
    How the Fleming estate has made such a mess of the whole continuation saga remains one of the great mysteries of our time. We have had the excellent 'Young Bond' series from Charlie Higson and the fantastic 'Moneypenny Diaries' from Kate Westbrook but when it comes to the adult 007, we've had over twenty years of dross.
    Us older agents who can remember the fantastic 'Colnel Son' from Kingsley Amis and the first five outings from John Gardner know that it can be done.
    Personally, I'd have fired the Managing Director of Ian Fleming publications and hired Higson for the new book.He gets Bond and could have done for our hero what Anthony Horowitz has done for the Sherlock Holmes fans with 'The House Of Silk' - made them proud!
    Let's hope for the best. Atleast Boyd won't have him in Oakley sunglasses. They weren't around in '69.
    Regards,
    Bentley
  • BounineBounine
    Posts: 972
    Atleast in in 1969 we can have a bit more confidence that Bond will be more like his original self instead of, well, whoever the hell he was in Carte Blanche. He wasn't James Bond. When I first read the Fleming books many years ago, once Bond reached the early sixties I ceased picturing him as an older man. For me, he stopped aging once he reached his early 40's. So, he was in his early 40's in CS, the Gardner novels and Benson's books. :)

    I've never read any of Boyd's novels so I'll have to check one out. What makes me a little less excited is that Faulks is an excellent writer (I've read several of his books) but he gave us a disappointing Bond book. He isn't a thriller writer though but then Deaver is and CB lacked punch too. I did enjoy the latter book to a point but the continual twists got tiring and Bond just wasn't Bond but from what people have said about Boyd I am somewhat confident.

    Continuity would be nice but I'm glad IFP are sticking to the different authors as I'm not happy with Deaver's Bond.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded
    Posts: 2,375
    I really did not like CB, but I enjoyed DMC a bit. I am glad someone has heard of Boyd in a positive way. I'll definitely read it. I don't mind it being set as a period piece.
  • Agent007391Agent007391
    Posts: 3,532
    Kennon said:

    It's a WW II / 1970s setting and Fleming would have liked it a lot. Yay!



    How is it set during two completely different time periods at the same time? Is there some space between the WWII part and the 70s part?
  • Risico007Risico007
    Posts: 1,454
    am i the only one who liked Carte Blanche more then Devil may care. once bond started doing opium in DMC i was like ok WTF
  • BentleyBentley
    Posts: 121
    Fellow Agents,
    I am excited that Jonathan Cape will be publishing Boyd's book. We may finally get a great dust jacket. I loved Richard Chopping's cover art and it would be great to get something Choppingesque. My personal favourite cover was "From Russia With Love" which was also, in my opinion, by fare and away Fleming's best novel and turned out to be the best movie.
    Regards, Bentley
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