Bond paperbacks

Ravenstone

Boxed up somewhere on the top floor of my house are what I seem to recall as a pretty complete set of Bond paperbacks, most with the old Pan covers. I've searched ebay and other second hand books sites, but I can't seem to find the covers I'm looking for.

By the way, I've found The Book People
http://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10001_10051_99190_100_500020__category_
by far the cheapest so far for the whole set of 14 books.

Anyway, I digress. I seem to remember my favourite cover (the books have been boxed up now for over three years and - yes - I am getting severe withdrawal symptoms) was Thunderball. I'm sure it was Thunderball. It was a typical 1950s artwork, showing a night time scene, with the Hero in the foreground, in side view only, with his arm around Heroine, with an exploding island in the background. It was one of those typical, almost Mills and Boon, Hero poses.

I was trying to get all of the books in the same type of covers, but as I recall, I only managed about half. I was in the process of doing swaps with someone a few years ago, as a result of which, I'm a little hazy over what editions I have got, compared to what I used to have and what I swapped them for.

Still, I wondered if anyone knew whether these editions are still available. They were far more picturesque that the new 'old' covers Penguin have released (as above.

bondaholic007

This can be brought at Tesco all 14 fleming Bond novels and box for £14.99

Thats were I got mine.

i expect u2 die

If the books are boxed up in your house - can't you just bring them down rather than buy a new set? ?:)

8420

I ma getting mine from tesco as a Christmas present

Ravenstone

Ah, not at our Tesco, they haven't.

I've pointed out to the relevant parties that, as a Bond year, this is going to be an easy year for present buying.

I could go and dig out my old copies, but there are about 3,500 books up there, in about 72 boxes. I haven't got a clue which box contains my Bond books. And as they are all very old editions, I'd quite like some new ones. Simply because I'm a collector. Having said that, I like the old covers, so I don't want to get rid of the old ones either.

8420

You could buy the new ones off ebay

Ravenstone

I'm probably getting the new ones from The Book People. Well, I'm getting them from my significant other, actually, but I think he's getting them from The Book People.

I just preferred the covers on the old Pan ones. All the ones I've looked at on eBay haven't been the same editions as those I'm thinking of.

Golrush007

I would certainly agree that the early Pan paperbacks i.e the ones with painted covers are the most attractive paperbacks that were ever released. Sadly, the trouble with these is that the set only goes as far as FYEO. With TB onwards, they had different covers.

Ravenstone - The cover you described in your original post sounds to me like a Live and Let Die cover. Perhaps it is one of these that you mean?

http://www.tikit.net/GP83b.jpg

http://www.tikit.net/GP83a.jpg

Ravenstone

That's it - the second one. Thank you so much. In my memory, the title above it was Thunderball, which just proves how deeply unreliable memory can be.

Thanks for that.

Now that I recall, my copy of Thunderball actually has bullet holes across it. Well, always assuming I'm remembering that correctly, which isn't a certainty!

Ah well, at least I know that I don't have to look past For Your Eyes Only!

Thanks again

Golrush007

Ravenstone wrote:

That's it - the second one.

Nice - that's a good copy to own, I wish I had one of them!!

You are right that the Pan edition of thunderball hsa bullet holes in the cover. It's an interesting design, but I wish that they would have just continued with the previous style so that we could have a complete set with those very attractive covers.

Ravenstone

Yes, me too. They are by far the best looking covers.

I'm thinking of taking them to a local print shop and asking them to do me a copy for framing and hanging. I've been told it's allowed as long as I don't sell it.

Napoleon Plural

As I said on another thread, in this crazy world you'd imagine someone could mock up covers of these old style Pan books TB onwards, could be interesting.

Ravenstone

Although the new Penguin releases are nearly as nice, the Pan covers are undoubtedly the best. It's a shame they didn't re-release them. Then they could have carried on for the full set.

Shady Tree

Ravenstone: thanks for the link to the online retailer selling the Penguin retro-cover box set cheaply. I've just ordered it.

Personally, I prefer these new covers to the old Pan ones which have been highlighted - these were a bit too 'Rock Hudson as Jimmy Bond' for my taste.

Ravenstone

LOL! Rock Hudson, yes. I hadn't thought of it like that. It may be difficult to avoid thinking of it next time I look at them.

I like the big scale of them though. Like Gone With The Wind meets Casino Royale.