Steve Cole's New Young Bond Novels Series - Reviews and Discussion

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  • MrcogginsMrcoggins Following in the footsteps of Quentin Quigley.
    Posts: 3,144
    Anybody know how to contact Mr Higson ? An email address would be most helpfull ?.
  • Posts: 267
    Mrcoggins wrote:
    Bentley wrote:
    Maybe they'll get Katie Price to write more 'Moneypenny Diaries'?

    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!.

    Oh yes they have - read SOLO and weep!

  • edited October 2013 Posts: 2,594
    I'm not sure why people are surprised by this news. They asked Higson and he couldn't do it due to other commitments. They couldn't wait forever. It has been known for ages that IFP were looking for another author for Young Bond. They started the search a good while ago. Even if Cole's first book isn't top notch, at least he can improve on it, having 4 novels to write. Something that can't be achieved with the celebrity author affair unless they ask Boyd back and he agrees. It's unrealistic to expect the same author to always be available to write Bond books. 007 isn't their only interest. The literary Bond fans were up in arms when it was first announced that we would have a series of books about Bond as a kid. They turned out alright. It was the same thing for Samantha Weinberg and Daniel Craig. Who knows how good these new young Bond books will be. Higson will be a tough act to follow, and I for one no longer get my hopes up when it comes to both new Bond books and films, but the moral of the story is that this new author at least deserves a chance to prove himself as well before being swept away under the rug.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Mrcoggins wrote:
    Bentley wrote:
    Maybe they'll get Katie Price to write more 'Moneypenny Diaries'?

    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!.

    Youve obviously never read DMC then?
  • MrcogginsMrcoggins Following in the footsteps of Quentin Quigley.
    Posts: 3,144
    Yes @Wizard I did read DMC and to be honest I did not like it as for SOLO I'm somewhat unimpressed by Mr Boyd and his offering but it's still a better read than DMC as I see it.
  • Posts: 267
    Bounine wrote:
    I'm not sure why people are surprised by this news. They asked Higson and he couldn't do it due to other commitments. They couldn't wait forever. It has been known for ages that IFP were looking for another author for Young Bond. They started the search a good while ago. Even if Cole's first book isn't top notch, at least he can improve on it, having 4 novels to write. Something that can't be achieved with the celebrity author affair unless they ask Boyd back and he agrees. It's unrealistic to expect the same author to always be available to write Bond books. 007 isn't their only interest. The literary Bond fans were up in arms when it was first announced that we would have a series of books about Bond as a kid. They turned out alright. It was the same thing for Samantha Weinberg and Daniel Craig. Who knows how good these new young Bond books will be. Higson will be a tough act to follow, and I for one no longer get my hopes up when it comes to both new Bond books and films, but the moral of the story is that this new author at least deserves a chance to prove himself as well before being swept away under the rug.

    I don't think that many of us are ever "surprised" by the antics of the literary Tomahori.*
    We are just dreadfully disappointed and worried about their next move. Having sabotaged the adult Bond franchise with that Boyd stinker, SOLO, they seem hell bent on torpedoing the excellent work of friend Higson. Just when we wanted to see him (Charlie) promoted to adult 007 duty so he could take us through Bond's war.
    Nothing unrealistic about this - just good common sense!
    (*copywright@TheWizardOflce)

  • edited October 2013 Posts: 2,594
    I wanted Higson too but how long do we have to wait? Another three years? I suppose that could have been worth waiting for. Was Higson even adamant that he was going to do another young Bond project though? It's worrying to think that Higson is the only one out there who can construct a good Bond book. There must be other authors somewhere. Hopefully Cole can do it. I do remember Higson saying in his talk at the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth that he was interested in writing some books aimed at a slightly older market (hopefully at least young adults in their late teens and early twenties) about Bond's adventures in the war.

    These four new books will be about Bond's times at Fettes before he begins fighting in the war I suppose. I can't remember, if Higson had Bond born in 1924 or 1920 as Pearson stated. He told me that he never read Pearson's excellent biography of Bond though. Bond would be 13 in 1937 if we go by Fleming's 1924 timeline. This means that Bond will be 15 when the war begins in 1939. He'll be 21 in 1945 when it ends. How old did one have to be to enlist? 18? If this is the case then Bond might enter the war in 1942.

    Weren't all of Higson's books set around the time of 1937 and 1938 when Bond was 13 and 14? I can't remember but I will read By Royal Command again in preparation for Cole's 4 books. I'll probably read Silverfin too for a second time. The first and the last entries are my favourite Yound Bond books. Bloodfever is my second favourite. Hurricane Gold, while enjoyable, has too much action in it. The 3rd one, Double of Die (rank title but then the kiddies voted for that one) is a good read but not up there with the first, second and last.

    Maybe Higson will return to write about Bond's war years. Let's see how Cole performs first though. Or maybe Cole will have him enter the war in the 2nd to last or last book.
  • Posts: 9,730
    Bentley wrote:
    Mrcoggins wrote:
    Bentley wrote:
    Maybe they'll get Katie Price to write more 'Moneypenny Diaries'?

    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!.

    Oh yes they have - read SOLO and weep!

    Is it really that bad.... sigh
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited October 2013 Posts: 13,350
    Bounine wrote:
    I wanted Higson too but how long do we have to wait? Another three years? I suppose that could have been worth waiting for. Was Higson even adamant that he was going to do another young Bond project though? It's worrying to think that Higson is the only one out there who can construct a good Bond book. There must be other authors somewhere. Hopefully Cole can do it. I do remember Higson saying in his talk at the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth that he was interested in writing some books aimed at a slightly older market (hopefully at least young adults in their late teens and early twenties) about Bond's adventures in the war.

    These four new books will be about Bond's times at Fettes before he begins fighting in the war I suppose. I can't remember, if Higson had Bond born in 1924 or 1920 as Pearson stated. He told me that he never read Pearson's excellent biography of Bond though. Bond would be 13 in 1937 if we go by Fleming's 1924 timeline. This means that Bond will be 15 when the war begins in 1939. He'll be 21 in 1945 when it ends. How old did one have to be to enlist? 18? If this is the case then Bond might enter the war in 1942.

    Weren't all of Higson's books set around the time of 1937 and 1938 when Bond was 13 and 14? I can't remember but I will read By Royal Command again in preparation for Cole's 4 books. I'll probably read Silverfin too for a second time. The first and the last entries are my favourite Yound Bond books. Bloodfever is my second favourite. Hurricane Gold, while enjoyable, has too much action in it. The 3rd one, Double of Die (rank title but then the kiddies voted for that one) is a good read but not up there with the first, second and last.

    Maybe Higson will return to write about Bond's war years. Let's see how Cole performs first though. Or maybe Cole will have him enter the war in the 2nd to last or last book.

    In Young Bond, Bond is born in 1920 and the first series takes place in 1933/1934 when he is 13/14 years old. He will be 14 - 18 in this second series I would assume and aged between 19 and 25 during the War series. From there that ties into adult Bond going into the Service.
  • Posts: 2,594
    Thanks. It's interesting that Higson used Pearson's birth date for Bond or was this just a coincidence?
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,350
    Perhaps but the date is what Higson and IFP decided on between them.
  • Posts: 2,594
    So, it'll be out in either September, October or November of next year. Only a year to wait. I'm going to borrow By Royal Command from the library and read it for a second time in order to familiarise myself with the ending again. Also, because I obviously enjoyed it. :)
  • edited October 2013 Posts: 2,594
    http://www.bucksherald.co.uk/news/more-news/licence-to-thrill-author-selected-to-write-james-bond-novels-1-5600398

    “Part of getting the job was to work out a pitch for a story arch to cover four books,” he said."

    Sounds like IFP have a decent screening process. With the adult Bond books, if a bad book has been written, it is easier to quietly write it off and forget about it, not including it in the Fleming timeline as it only covers one assignment but in terms of the young Bond books, it's a different story. These cover a significant part of Bond's life and lead up to how he became a secret agent so if the books are poor ones, then unless IFP decide to have this section of Bond's life written all over again which I doubt would happen, then it's really important as a literary Bond fan that the author gets this right. I'll keep my fingers and toes crossed!
  • SandySandy Somewhere in Europe
    Posts: 4,012
    Bounine wrote:
    http://www.bucksherald.co.uk/news/more-news/licence-to-thrill-author-selected-to-write-james-bond-novels-1-5600398

    “Part of getting the job was to work out a pitch for a story arch to cover four books,” he said."

    Sounds like IFP have a decent screening process. With the adult Bond books, if a bad book has been written, it is easier to quietly write it off and forget about it, not including it in the Fleming timeline as it only covers one assignment but in terms of the young Bond books, it's a different story. These cover a significant part of Bond's life and lead up to how he became a secret agent so if the books are poor ones, then unless IFP decide to have this section of Bond's life written all over again which I doubt would happen, then it's really important as a literary Bond fan that the author gets this right. I'll keep my fingers and toes crossed!

    I wonder if they have someone else taking care of the young Bond series :-?
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,727
    Bounine wrote:
    http://www.bucksherald.co.uk/news/more-news/licence-to-thrill-author-selected-to-write-james-bond-novels-1-5600398

    “Part of getting the job was to work out a pitch for a story arch to cover four books,” he said."

    Sounds like IFP have a decent screening process. With the adult Bond books, if a bad book has been written, it is easier to quietly write it off and forget about it, not including it in the Fleming timeline as it only covers one assignment but in terms of the young Bond books, it's a different story. These cover a significant part of Bond's life and lead up to how he became a secret agent so if the books are poor ones, then unless IFP decide to have this section of Bond's life written all over again which I doubt would happen, then it's really important as a literary Bond fan that the author gets this right. I'll keep my fingers and toes crossed!

    Thanks for making that available, @Bounine.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited October 2013 Posts: 13,350
    With Bond being 14 - 15 in this series, it seems Cole does not want to take on Bond at age 16 in Paris. A shame, as we'd all like to read about that. The War series may be even further away now. IFP really want to milk the Young Bond cow.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,727
    Samuel001 wrote:
    With Bond being 14 - 15 in this series, it seems Cole does not want to take on Bond at age 16 in Paris. A shame, as we'd all like to read about that. The War series may be even further away now. IFP really want to milk the Young Bond cow.

    Yes, I remember O.F. Snelling saying how he'd love to have Fleming elaborate on this mnentionj in the FAVTAK short story to equal short story length as a fascinating one-off. We've still not seen it, fifty years on.

  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,350
    I'm sure it was Higson's plan to get to it in the second series but Cole seems to be wanting to take a slower pace.

    Higson's five novels echoed Fleming's first five, I wonder if Cole will do the same?
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,727
    Samuel001 wrote:
    I'm sure it was Higson's plan to get to it in the second series but Cole seems to be wanting to take a slower pace.

    Higson's five novels echoed Fleming's first five, I wonder if Cole will do the same?

    I guess only time will tell, but I certainly hope so!
  • edited October 2013 Posts: 2,594
    Samuel001 wrote:
    I'm sure it was Higson's plan to get to it in the second series but Cole seems to be wanting to take a slower pace.

    Higson's five novels echoed Fleming's first five, I wonder if Cole will do the same?

    Maybe it's more IFP's doing. I can't help thinking that Cole would have been pleased to have included Bond's latter teenage years (or maybe I should say mid teen years) too. As you said, IFP most likely want to "milk the young Bond cow". Still, it means we get more books. I just hope that they're good ones!

  • edited October 2013 Posts: 2,594
    Dragonpol wrote:
    Samuel001 wrote:
    With Bond being 14 - 15 in this series, it seems Cole does not want to take on Bond at age 16 in Paris. A shame, as we'd all like to read about that. The War series may be even further away now. IFP really want to milk the Young Bond cow.

    Yes, I remember O.F. Snelling saying how he'd love to have Fleming elaborate on this mnentionj in the FAVTAK short story to equal short story length as a fascinating one-off. We've still not seen it, fifty years on.

    Have you read John Pearson's excellent Bond biography? He expanded on this very event and did a wonderful job. This is my favourite continuation Bond book even though it's not a traditional Bond story focusing on just one assignment. Many parts of it read like Fleming short stories.
  • Posts: 2,594
    Dragonpol wrote:
    Bounine wrote:
    http://www.bucksherald.co.uk/news/more-news/licence-to-thrill-author-selected-to-write-james-bond-novels-1-5600398

    “Part of getting the job was to work out a pitch for a story arch to cover four books,” he said."

    Sounds like IFP have a decent screening process. With the adult Bond books, if a bad book has been written, it is easier to quietly write it off and forget about it, not including it in the Fleming timeline as it only covers one assignment but in terms of the young Bond books, it's a different story. These cover a significant part of Bond's life and lead up to how he became a secret agent so if the books are poor ones, then unless IFP decide to have this section of Bond's life written all over again which I doubt would happen, then it's really important as a literary Bond fan that the author gets this right. I'll keep my fingers and toes crossed!

    Thanks for making that available, @Bounine.

    Your welcome.

  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,727
    Bounine wrote:
    Dragonpol wrote:
    Samuel001 wrote:
    With Bond being 14 - 15 in this series, it seems Cole does not want to take on Bond at age 16 in Paris. A shame, as we'd all like to read about that. The War series may be even further away now. IFP really want to milk the Young Bond cow.

    Yes, I remember O.F. Snelling saying how he'd love to have Fleming elaborate on this mnentionj in the FAVTAK short story to equal short story length as a fascinating one-off. We've still not seen it, fifty years on.

    Have you read John Pearson's excellent Bond biography? He expanded on this very event and did a wonderful job. This is my favourite continuation Bond book even though it's not a traditional Bond story focusing on just one assignment. Many parts of it read like Fleming short stories.

    Yes, sorry, I'd completely forgotten about that! I still need to read that one, though!
  • Posts: 2,594
    Dragonpol wrote:
    Bounine wrote:
    Dragonpol wrote:
    Samuel001 wrote:
    With Bond being 14 - 15 in this series, it seems Cole does not want to take on Bond at age 16 in Paris. A shame, as we'd all like to read about that. The War series may be even further away now. IFP really want to milk the Young Bond cow.

    Yes, I remember O.F. Snelling saying how he'd love to have Fleming elaborate on this mnentionj in the FAVTAK short story to equal short story length as a fascinating one-off. We've still not seen it, fifty years on.

    Have you read John Pearson's excellent Bond biography? He expanded on this very event and did a wonderful job. This is my favourite continuation Bond book even though it's not a traditional Bond story focusing on just one assignment. Many parts of it read like Fleming short stories.

    Yes, sorry, I'd completely forgotten about that! I still need to read that one, though!

    I definitely recommend that you check this one out. It really is a wonderful read. Pearson should be writing these adult continuation novels! Even though he's in his 80's now, it looks like he may still be writing. He wrote a biography of Ian Fleming back in the day.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,727
    Bounine wrote:
    Dragonpol wrote:
    Bounine wrote:
    Dragonpol wrote:
    Samuel001 wrote:
    With Bond being 14 - 15 in this series, it seems Cole does not want to take on Bond at age 16 in Paris. A shame, as we'd all like to read about that. The War series may be even further away now. IFP really want to milk the Young Bond cow.

    Yes, I remember O.F. Snelling saying how he'd love to have Fleming elaborate on this mnentionj in the FAVTAK short story to equal short story length as a fascinating one-off. We've still not seen it, fifty years on.

    Have you read John Pearson's excellent Bond biography? He expanded on this very event and did a wonderful job. This is my favourite continuation Bond book even though it's not a traditional Bond story focusing on just one assignment. Many parts of it read like Fleming short stories.

    Yes, sorry, I'd completely forgotten about that! I still need to read that one, though!

    I definitely recommend that you check this one out. It really is a wonderful read. Pearson should be writing these adult continuation novels! Even though he's in his 80's now, it looks like he may still be writing. He wrote a biography of Ian Fleming back in the day.

    Yes, it's something of a mystery why he was never asked to write more Bond continuation novels.
  • Higson's great strength is that he wrote the 'Young Bond' books for everybody although they were specifically targeted at the 'Youth Market'.
    He encompassed Fleming's code but he was quite prepared to re-write aspects of the legend were it either didn't work or was irrelevant to modern audiences. A classic example being the hoary old issue of smoking. In Silverfin, Higson had Bond's beloved uncle die of lung cancer. A sure deterrent to a young Bond and a salient message for young people. Handling it this way, he didn't ignore the issue of smoking, something prevalent at that time . He just played it in a way that was relevant for his audience.
    Beyond those details, he gave us rip roaring violent adventures that even managed to incorporate the beginnings of the sexual awakening of Bond.
    If only the numb skulls commissioned by IFP for adult Bond had shown the same skill and defecation to the task. I loved all of Higson's books and for me, he never dropped the ball once.
    I doubt that Cole has remotely the same ability.
  • Posts: 7,653
    @Villiers do not judge the writer before he has shown you what he will do with Young Bond, as a writer he is less of a name and was skilled enough not to piss of the Doctor WHo fans by his writing and they are more of a gang of bloodhounds when it comes to their Doctor. ;)
  • edited October 2013 Posts: 2,594
    Who knows how well Cole will do. He might write some fantastic books or some terrible ones but to judge a person before one even see the results is just flat out unfair. It reminds me of the completely unjustified Daniel Craig slaying prior to the release of Casino Royale albeit on a less grander scale.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,727
    Bounine wrote:
    Who knows how well Cole will do. He might write some fantastic books or some terrible ones but to judge a person before they even see the results is just flat out unfair. It reminds me of the completely unjustified Daniel Craig slaying prior to the release of Casino Royale albeit on a less grander scale.

    Sadly it's how people operate these days, though.
  • Dragonpol wrote:
    Bounine wrote:
    Who knows how well Cole will do. He might write some fantastic books or some terrible ones but to judge a person before they even see the results is just flat out unfair. It reminds me of the completely unjustified Daniel Craig slaying prior to the release of Casino Royale albeit on a less grander scale.

    Sadly it's how people operate these days, though.

    I wish Mr.Cole well with his venture.
    That said, IFP's track record gives me little confidence and I don't see anything in his 'CV' that remotely puts him into Higson's league.
    Charlie was a successful author in his own right before he picked up the Bond gig - amongst other things he had four stand alone adult thrillers to his credit as well as huge TV credentials.
    Furthermore he did say that he would have relished continuing his relationship and had ideas on how to develop the scenario.
    Could 'The Literary Tamohari' wait - oh no, the cow needs milking so we get a Dr.Who novelisation writer and that is that. Well sorry folks it just doesn't work for me. I'm afraid fatigue has set in!

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