146 replies to this topic

[zencat]

Now on the CBn main page...

James Bond: The Authorised Biography in '06

John Pearson's rare continuation novel making unofficial return

'James Bond: The Authorised Biography Of 007' Pushed To October

2006 reprint of rare James Bond novel coming on 19 October

'James Bond: The Authorised Biography Of 007' Now Discounted

Pre-order on Amazon.co.uk, due out October 2006

'James Bond: The Authorised Biography Of 007' Coming In October '07

Elusive 007 novel reprint delayed one year

'James Bond: The Authorised Biography Of 007' Cover Art Revealed

Reprint of John Pearson's novel due in October 2007

'James Bond: The Authorised Biography Of 007' Paperback Coming In May '08

Reprint of John Pearson's novel

'James Bond: The Authorised Biography Of 007' Republished

Little-known continuation novel in print after 21 years

'James Bond: The Authorised Biography Of 007' UK Paperback Available

Order online at Amazon.co.uk

Edited by Qwerty, 26 April 2008 - 02:25 AM.

[Loomis]

Is this a US only thing?

[zencat]

Looks like UK only.

[stamper]

Excellent, there's gonna at least one copy sold !

[zencat]

Excellent, there's gonna at least one copy sold !

Make that two.

I really like this book a lot. Very underrated, IMO.

[Loomis]

Looks like UK only.

Cheers. Oops, that'll teach me not to skim read main page articles.

Oh, and make that three.

[trumanlodge89]

i got my copy used about 6 months ago... im ALMOST finished. (and i really like it)

[K1Bond007]

Off subject comment: You ever notice that the guy in the banner kinda looks like Daniel Craig? Put Craig in the 70s, give him longer hair etc...(obviously the one with the gun) http://commanderbond...headers/261.jpg

Just me?

[Double-Oh Agent]

Excellent, there's gonna at least one copy sold !

Make that two.

I really like this book a lot. Very underrated, IMO.

I agree. It is underrated. Pearson fills in the gaps between the books well. There's only a couple of things I disagree with the book such as Henry, but other than that it's very interesting and enjoyable.

I also don't understand why it isn't always included as being part of the continuation novels. (It's like it's the forgotten Bond book.) But it is, after all, the authorized biography of 007, so since it is authorized, shouldn't it legitimately be part of the continuation novels?

[Loomis]

Very tough to get a "definitive" figure when it comes to the question of "How many Bond novels are there?", even here on CBn (or, perhaps, especially here on CBn). Should Wood's "The Spy Who Loved Me" be counted? How about later novelizations (surely there's a case to be made that, say, "Die Another Day" is every bit as much of A Benson's Bond Adventure as "The Man With the Red Tattoo")? How about the new Moneypenny novels? And perhaps the likes of the unfinished-by-Fleming "The Man With the Golden Gun" should not be counted (I know, won't get much support for that one ).

'tis a tricky situation.

[Double-Oh Agent]

Very tough to get a "definitive" figure when it comes to the question of "How many Bond novels are there?", even here on CBn (or, perhaps, especially here on CBn). Should Wood's "The Spy Who Loved Me" be counted? How about later novelizations (surely there's a case to be made that, say, "Die Another Day" is every bit as much of A Benson's Bond Adventure as "The Man With the Red Tattoo")? How about the new Moneypenny novels? And perhaps the likes of the unfinished-by-Fleming "The Man With the Golden Gun" should not be counted (I know, won't get much support for that one ).

'tis a tricky situation.

I say count 'em all--Fleming, Amis, Pearson, Wood, Gardner, Benson, Higson, and Weinberg. If they are released with okay of the IFP and EON, then yes, they count. Granted, the novelizations are a trickier issue, but the Gardner and Benson novelizations are all original stories. So is Wood's James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me essentially. Wood's James Bond And Moonraker is on thinner ice. But the only things that are the same from the novel is the villain's name and the rocket's name. Everything else is completely different. In that instance I consider it much like Never Say Never Again as regards to the films--NSNA is a faithful interpretation of an actual Fleming story and it stars Sean Connery--therefore it's a legitimate Bond movie. (I can't say the same thing about the Casino Royale 1954 TV movie or the 1967 spoof.) But that's my feelings on the matter.

[K1Bond007]

I also don't understand why it isn't always included as being part of the continuation novels. (It's like it's the forgotten Bond book.) But it is, after all, the authorized biography of 007, so since it is authorized, shouldn't it legitimately be part of the continuation novels?

Very tough to get a "definitive" figure when it comes to the question of "How many Bond novels are there?", even here on CBn (or, perhaps, especially here on CBn). Should Wood's "The Spy Who Loved Me" be counted? How about later novelizations (surely there's a case to be made that, say, "Die Another Day" is every bit as much of A Benson's Bond Adventure as "The Man With the Red Tattoo")? How about the new Moneypenny novels? And perhaps the likes of the unfinished-by-Fleming "The Man With the Golden Gun" should not be counted (I know, won't get much support for that one ).

'tis a tricky situation.

You won't get any support on The Man with the Golden Gun, but you may on Thunderball, which technically is a novelisation. It wasn't original and it's not really that much different than, say, Wood's two novelisations.

Personally, I don't count Pearson's or any of the novelisations as James Bond "novels" (Thunderball as the lone exception) in the traditional sense that Casino Royale is a James Bond novel. You got your traditional stuff Fleming, Amis, Gardner, and Benson, then your novelisations, and then the spinoffs, Mascott, Pearson, Westbrook, etc. I'm inclined to add Higson to the traditional - I don't know though, time will tell.

[Loomis]

I say count 'em all--Fleming, Amis, Pearson, Wood, Gardner, Benson, Higson, and Weinberg. If they are released with okay of the IFP and EON, then yes, they count.

I say count 'em all, or count only the Flemings as "canon" - anything in between just seems a bit, well, odd. Still, there are, of course, no "rules".

A question: does anything released by IFP have to also get Eon's okay? Did Eon have to approve, say, "SilverFin" before it could go ahead? If so, has this always been the case (i.e. back when "Colonel Sun" was written), or is it a relatively recent development?

K1Bond007, I agree on "Thunderball" being a novelisation. And funnily enough, I think it reads like one too.

[Qwerty]

I'll be getting it!

I personally count the following: Fleming, Mascott, Amis, Wood, Gardner, Benson, Higson, and Weinberg.

[Head of S]

This will be an official publication as the copyright is owned by IFP (the original book is © 1973 Glidrose Publications Ltd and John Pearson). The fact that the new Young Bond series may contradict this book is neither here nor there. For example: the events surrounding the death of Bond's parents in 'SilverFin' contradicts what Gardner wrote in 'Win, Lose or Die' which in itself contradicts 'James Bond: The Authorised Biography of 007'. Interestingly, Raymond Benson was considering using the character of Henry Bond (James's brother) from Pearson's book which would, of course, contradict Fleming's 'You Only Live Twice'!

Pearson's book was last re-issued in 1985 and is long overdue for a reprint. I thoroughly recommend this book to all enthusiasts of the literary 007.

[deth]

this is one of those books that could be made into a movie.... it would be difficult to do... and wouldn't fit with the current films at all.... but would be very interesting to see....


I loved reading it, and it felt even more genuine considering it was written by a friend and biographer of Fleming's.

[Qwerty]

Does anyone know what the Granada(UK) and/or HarperCollins(US) 1985 reprints look like?

[Mercator]

I say count 'em all--Fleming, Amis, Pearson, Wood, Gardner, Benson, Higson, and Weinberg. If they are released with okay of the IFP and EON, then yes, they count.

I say count 'em all, or count only the Flemings as "canon" - anything in between just seems a bit, well, odd. Still, there are, of course, no "rules".

I personally count the following: Fleming, Mascott, Amis, Wood, Gardner, Benson, Higson, and Weinberg.

Do you count the original comic book adventures and the original computer games too?

A question: does anything released by IFP have to also get Eon's okay? Did Eon have to approve, say, "SilverFin" before it could go ahead? If so, has this always been the case (i.e. back when "Colonel Sun" was written), or is it a relatively recent development?

No, all solely literary adventures are the remit solely of IFP

[zencat]

Does anyone know what the Granada(UK) and/or HarperCollins(US) 1985 reprints look like?

Are you taking about the 85 hardcovers? While I've seen them listed on Amazon, I've never seen actual copies. I'm wonding if they really exsist.

[Mercator]

Pearson's book was last re-issued in 1985 and is long overdue for a reprint. I thoroughly recommend this book to all enthusiasts of the literary 007.

Yes, it exists. It has a black, embossed cover, with orange lettering. It was the first version I had. I think it was in hardback and paperback.

[Double-Oh Agent]

I'll be getting it!

I personally count the following: Fleming, Mascott, Amis, Wood, Gardner, Benson, Higson, and Weinberg.

Mascott? Who's Mascott? I'm sure I've seen his name before but you'll have to remind me what he wrote.

[Mercator]

R D Mascott, author of the Adventures of James Bond 3.5, a Glidrose authorized kiddie book from 1967

[zencat]

Pearson's book was last re-issued in 1985 and is long overdue for a reprint. I thoroughly recommend this book to all enthusiasts of the literary 007.

Yes, it exists. It has a black, embossed cover, with orange lettering. It was the first version I had. I think it was in hardback and paperback.

Thanks. I've seen the 86 paperback, but never the 85 hardback. The hunt is on.

[Double-Oh Agent]

James Bond, Jr. 003 1/2? A kid's book? I don't know. I don't think I'd consider it a true Bond novel. But for some reason Glidrose decided to authorize it. I'd have to read it first before deciding whether to include it as an "official" Bond book. However, my initial impression is that I would say no. Still, I suppose since it is from Glidrose, it would be worth getting, although I've never seen it in bookstores (new or used).

Is it a hardcover or paperback book? Or both?

Edited by Double-Oh Agent, 22 January 2006 - 12:01 AM.

[K1Bond007]

James Bond, Jr. 003 1/2? A kid's book? I don't know. I don't think I'd consider it a true Bond novel. But for some reason Glidrose decided to authorize it. I'd have to read it first before deciding whether to include it as an "official" Bond book. However, my initial impression is that I would say no. Still, I suppose since it is from Glidrose, it would be worth getting, although I've never seen it in bookstores (new or used).

Is it a hardcover or paperback book? Or both?

It's the rarest book of all. Hardcover only, I think. It was written before Colonel Sun. I've seen it listed (used) at Amazon before.

[Tiin007]

I count Fleming, Amis, Gardner, Benson, and Higson as canon in the literary continuity (even though they slightly contradict each other). I count Wood, Gardner novelisations, and Benson novelisations as canon in the movie continuity (after all, why should they be counted in the literary continuity if they were based on movies?).

I do not count Mascott as canon in any continuity. I also don't count Pearson as canon because no continuation author (including Higson)took him into account when writing their novels.

I'll decide if Westbrook counts in the literary continuity once I've read The Moneypenny Diaries (although I already suspect she does count).

Edited by Tiin007, 22 January 2006 - 01:29 AM.

[Qwerty]

Does anyone know what the Granada(UK) and/or HarperCollins(US) 1985 reprints look like?

Are you taking about the 85 hardcovers? While I've seen them listed on Amazon, I've never seen actual copies. I'm wonding if they really exsist.

Yep. I guess the one hardcover exists (judging by the later posts in this thread), but who knows about the other.

[Qwerty]

James Bond, Jr. 003 1/2? A kid's book? I don't know. I don't think I'd consider it a true Bond novel. But for some reason Glidrose decided to authorize it. I'd have to read it first before deciding whether to include it as an "official" Bond book. However, my initial impression is that I would say no. Still, I suppose since it is from Glidrose, it would be worth getting, although I've never seen it in bookstores (new or used).

Is it a hardcover or paperback book? Or both?

It's the rarest book of all. Hardcover only, I think. It was written before Colonel Sun. I've seen it listed (used) at Amazon before.

There is a UK hardback and US hardback, both with different covers. The US hardback is incredibly easy to obtain and there are a few copies on eBay right now. I wish I could say the same of the UK version...

[Bond_Bishop]

Great news! I have always wanted to read this so I am going to order it when they release it

[Gabriel]

I subscribe to the "series of series" concept. Ian Fleming's books are the definitive canon, obviously, in spite of various contradictions. Colonel Sun and The Authorised Biography are standalones, drawing from Fleming's works.

Gardner's books are a separate series, which happen to draw from Fleming's oeuvre. Benson's works are the same, clearly they are not the same universe as Gardner's - in spite of a couple of oblique references, Zero Minus Ten pretty much hits the reset button. Novelisations are separate again and don't particularly tie in much with each other.

Higson's series is for kids and exists in its own continuity. For me, it's another spin-off that has as much relevance as Pearson's.

The timing of the Pearson reprint is interesting, though, given this year will see a toughened up Bond in Casino Royale...