Well-Known Writer for New Bond Novel in 2008
zencat
Studio City, CAPosts: 224MI6 Agent
www.thebookbond.com - New Look. New Book. Pure BOND.
zencat
Studio City, CAPosts: 224MI6 Agent
Comments
He's lesser known as an author at least, but I'd love to see Hugh Laurie write the new Bond novel. His last book "The Gun Seller" was a fantastic read
Yes- I re-read that this year; still a great little thriller.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
It's possible to get a "close but not exact" but even that would take some practice
You are so right, Barry. Pacing is one of the keys to Fleming's eternal (re-)readability.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Possible JK Rowling Titles:
James Bond and the Martini of Fire
James Bond and the Philosopher's Bullet
James Bond and the Double Agent of Azkaban
James Bond and the Secret Chambermaid
tee hee hee
It's tricky really- the whole point of the Bond novels is really Fleming's prose; the plots and characters aren't really all that amazing, although we've all fallen in love with them now through familiarisation. Bond himself isn't that fascinating a character.
So if you're going to do a new Bond novel- do you try and recapture the Fleming feel (which is always impossible because you're not Fleming and no-one can out-Fleming Fleming!) or do you try and do something new with it (which may be pointless because once you've lost Fleming from Bond there's not much left)? No idea, myself.
The point I made in a seperate thread was that the world Ian Fleming created can't be duplicated. I think the characters and the plots ARE memorable and definitely make the Fleming novels what they are (especially the minor characters that keep reappearing.. characters like Felix Leiter are so well-rounded and vivid!) but his early 20th century perspective on the 50's and 60's is so unique to him that I just don't think it can be recreated.
What I do think would help the literary Bond strengthen itself in the 21st century is both a fresh perspective on the characters and an author that finds his own unique voice and style (hopefully an author that has a keen understanding of that era.. errr I'm obviously hoping the new novel is set in the 50's or 60's). As Emtiem pointed out, you can't copy Fleming, so at least for my part, I'd be glad to see an author that at least brings a unique perspective and voice to the table.
I'd like to see Ken Follett write the new Bond novel but that probably won't happen in large part due to his image as an author of popular and critically acclaimed period pieces--this in spite of the fact that he also writes novels set in the present day,and that they too,are bestsellers.Follett's research is always impeccable--regardless of the eras backgrounds or locales his stories are set in--but I don't trust today's publishers to look outside the box when it's so much easier to pigeonhole an author as only writing one kind of thing instead.
I think a British author who'd do an absolutely outstanding job with 007 is George MacDonald Fraser.Fraser's best known for his superb Flashman novels which have been both critically acclaimed and consistent bestsellers since they first appeared in the early 1970s.However--like Ken Follett--G.M.Fraser is probably thought of in most publishing circles as merely an author of period pieces.And since the Flashmans--which are adventure stories-- always satirise their characters, Fraser could also be wrongly viewed as simply a writer of spoofs --this in spite of the fact that as a military historian,all of his works are extremely well researched.And that Fraser's written several "serious" novels apart from the Flashman series.Even if Fraser was interested in writing a Bond--and I honestly doubt he would be--his image might work against him.
If IFP's looking for someone who can closely replicate Ian Fleming's idiosyncratic style,then they might seriously consider the English author Christopher Wood--whose James Bond novels based upon his EON "The Spy Who Loved Me" and "Moonraker" screenplays(published as James Bond:The Spy Who Loved Me and James Bond and Moonraker--in which he writes Ian Fleming's version of 007 as opposed to EON's) practically read as if Fleming himself wrote them.But despite his talent, Wood's relatively unknown and is probably completely unfamiliar to both IFP and the publishers who'll be producing and promoting the newest James Bond novel.For today's readers(many of whom may have never read a James Bond novel),IFP'll be wanting a name beyond that of James Bond alone--an author with some important name recognition within both the world of international publishing and critical circles alike.
So who has IFP signed?My best guess is that they've gone with Lee Child.Child's very successful right now and his Jack Reacher novels--the modern day adventures of a former commando turned knight errant--are bestsellers.He's gotten plenty of critical acclaim for these stories on both sides of the Atlantic--and that's always helpful.These books probably show IFP that Child could write a James Bond adventure with little difficulty.
And although the Reacher novels are set in America and that the Reacher character is an American,Child is an Englishman and lives in Great Britain--so if the author's nationality is of importance,he certainly passes that test.
I think Child's books are pretty good overall--not really the equal of Fraser or Follett--but definitely in line with what IFP is likely looking for.That Child's already producing a hit series might be another important factor in IFP
selecting him--if indeed they actually have.
After all,if the new James Bond novel is a success,then Child--who has already shown that he can handle the challenges of writing an ongoing series-- might also be willing to produce a number of James Bond continuation novels for IFP as well.I suspect IFP will want to have more continuation novels at some point,and beginning with the 2008 James Bond novel would be as good a time as any to seriously consider such a project.
So all things being equal, I predict IFP has selected Lee Child.
Child out of running for 007 Centenary novel
Seriously,this may now clear the way for Ken Follett--who I think is a superior writer to Lee Child in every possible way,and arguably has a name recognition equivalent to Ian Fleming's own.
I find it difficult to imagine that any author--especially one who is famous and probably critically praised--would really want to write someone else's creation and do so according to an established formula.For example,Kingsley Amis called his work on Colonel Sun pointless--ultimately a useless exercise--and he was an excellent writer whose work is, I think,technically superior to Fleming's own.
No matter who the author turns out to be and regardless of the overall quality of his book,he'll probably be found wanting when compared to Fleming--even if he is a better craftsman.So the money the next James Bond continuation writer will receive must be very good.
Good point, although many popular and well-regarded writers have done it. Robert B. Parker completed Raymond Chandler's unfinished "Poodle Springs" then went on to write an original Marlowe mystery "Perchance to Dream." Michael Dibdin and Caleb Carr both have written Sherlock Holmes novels. I'm mildly surprised no one's taken up the Horatio Hornblower series or Patrick O'Brien's Jack Aubrey/Stephen Maturin novels (but give it time).
Maybe writers are as big of fanboys as we are. Maybe they like a challenge. Either way, I'm just looking forward to a new Bond novel that's not written my Raymond Benson (or Lee Child for that matter).
No argument on the fanboy front from me--I'm a SERIOUS fanboy,myself.I think Robert B.Parker(who,as most people know,is a major Raymond Chandler fan)did an incredible job on his two Philip Marlowe novels.Unlike some of Chandler's stuff,they were even mysteries,too--and I say this as a lifelong Chandler fan.
Sherlock Holmes has had some wonderful continuation novelists to regale us with those "previously untold" adventures only until now available to the public.One of many of my favorites is 10 Years Beyond Baker Street by Kay Van Ash.Holmes and Watson team up with Nayland Smith and Dr.Petrie to stop the diabolical Dr.Fu Manchu from taking over the world.Van Ash really captures the distinct styles of Doyle and Rohmer in this one.Well worth looking for.There are so many fine Holmes pastisches available(I'm not counting those things dealing with Sherlock's married life and his solving crimes with his brilliant and beautiful spouse).
Almost all of the great characters in series literature have had their exploits recounted after the deaths of their originators.And in some instances during their lifetimes (usually in their later years) certain authors have been assisted by ghosts writing under their direct supervision--Ellery Queen and Leslie Charteris spring to mind.So sure,it's really for love more than anything else.For example,Philip Jose Farmer's extensive contributions to Tarzan,Doc Savage and The Shadowlegends (to name but a few pulp characters)clearly come from a deep affection for those characters--and not for a need for filthy lucre.
I was looking over Frederic Forsyth's novel Avenger the other night.Like The Day of the Jackal There are plenty of instances where it definitely has a 007-like vibe,and Forsyth's name and fame could probably sell a James Bond book without much(if any)difficulty at all.
Sir Miles' suggestion of Robert Harris sounds very good to me.In many ways Black Sunday is practically a James Bond tale.Harris is an American,but a UK editor could help fix any minor problems he might have with the British idiom.
As soon as I saw Lee Child's name as a possible contender for the new Bond series, I thought that was quite intriguing as I am currently reading the third Jack Reacher book, Tripwire. He is an interesting writer, but honestly I do not know if his discriptive qualities are incredibly effective. That is the only glaring drawback I find with his Reacher novels, the way he uses the English language from time to time but perhaps, this is it difference between the way I was taught and what he has developed.
He could have had an interesting take on the Bond character and may have written a ripping yarn, but the danger of Child turning the story into a peusdo-Reacher tale might have been too difficult to avoid. I can imagine that the Jack Reacher books get better as they go along, and I hope I am correct with this, but I am not sure if Lee Child is capable of tackling the Fleming books and the character of James Bond.
But hey, that's just what I think
Capt
Sorry Willie - wrong Harris. Robert not Thomas.
Robert Harris is British and used to be a reporter on the BBC's Panorama and Newsnight programmes before becoming Political Editor of The Observer newspaper in 1987 and then a columnist on the Sunday Times.
He has written 5 non-fiction books, including Selling Hitler, an account of forging the Hiltler diaries.
In 1992 he wrote Fatherland and followed that with 1995's Enigma. In 1998 he wrote Archangel, which was later turned into a two-part TV special, starring a certain Daniel Craig.
Oops!My mistake.Thanks for the correction.As long as the writer isn't one of those flavor of the moment authors, I'll be pleased.
A coincidence is certainly possible,but they always seem to be few and far between.
I've been pulling for Ken Follett ever since IFP announced the special centenary novel and I hope he is their man.I sincerely believe that Follett has the talent to produce an outstanding James Bond novel.
Here's another thought/speculation. I believe Follett is quite the WWII historian...might the centenary novel be the adventures of Commander Bond at war (which might kick off a new series of "Bond at War" books)?
Yes he is.Many of his books are set during the late 1930s and early 1940s--among them The Key to Rebecca,The Eye of the Needle,Night Over Water,Hornet Flight and Jackdaws.WWII sure seems to be Follett's era.However,he's also written stories set during WWI(The Man From St.Petersburg) and the American Revolution(A Place Called Freedom).Then there's The Pillars of the Earth--the fictional history of a British village and its members as it evolves from Medieval times into the early 20th Century.And there are things like The Third Twin,Whiteout and The Modiglinani Scandal, which are all set in the mid to late 20th Century.There's lots of stuff including a novel set in the world of publishing,and another one with a pseudo science fiction element.About the only genre Follett apparently hasn't tried (yet) is a Western!
But back to WWII.Zen,I think you have a great idea here:we really don't know very much about what Bond did during WWII,at least not in any precise terms.Sure,we have what M mentions in 007's obituary,but it's not particularly detailed, so there's plenty of room for a author--especially one as knowledgable about WWII as Follett--to use that as a jumping off point.And what if M wasn't telling the public the complete truth about Bond's wartime activities in that brief article?As with Bond's being a member of the ultrasecret Double-Os,there might've been some event the future 007 was involved with that was so clandistine,and so important, that it had to be kept absolutely secret and it's full story related only on a need-to-know basis within the service.
"Bond at War"...sounds good to me!
Maybe if the new Bond Book is successful--regardless of whomever the author turns out to be--IFP will again try their earlier idea of having a variety of noted authors relate more of 007's unrecorded adventures--it's certainly worked for Sherlock Holmes.No more attempting to impose a house name like "Robert Markham" over the writers' own.It's not like a veil of secrecy would work anyway:everybody knew that "Markham" was really Kingsley Amis.Let the authors' real names be known.I'd like to see something like this implemented...
As soon as I hard the news that a "well-known author" was picking up Fleming's pen, I thought of Ken Follet. He has said repeatedly in interviews that Ian Fleming has had a major influence on his writing.
Personally speaking, as an author myself, I'll be more than happy to carry on the Bond novels should Glidrose be interested . . .!
Hmmm...maybe you are the author, Scribe74, and you're just messing with us.
If only that were true, Zencat! Unfortunately, I'm not well known . . . but give it time!