70 replies to this topic

[Trident]

I think that at this stage, I like the fact that they are selling it as a 'long lost Fleming adventure'.

It was Barbara Brocolli's first reaction to it. If Faulks manages to pull off what he claims, to be 90 percent Fleming, it should be an excellent story - and the front cover statement correct.

Well, come to think of it I have no problem with the 'writing as Fleming'. I liked all the Flashman papers and the Nicholas Mayer approach at lost Watson manuscripts. And after all it really makes sense as it is Fleming's centenary and not 'just another continuation'.

[Blofeld's Cat]

WOW!

Ditto....with expletive!

No '007 in a circle' logo like the other recent reprints?

[Skudor]

I like it.... Although when reading the article I was wondering "so where is this model they are talking about...." I just saw a flower...

Cool cover, simple, not OTT, classy I guess...

And I like the 'writing as Ian Fleming' bit. It's a bit odd, but does make the point that this isn't like those Benson and whateverhisnames's books.

[David Schofield]

VERY disappointed by this "writing as Ian Fleming" stuff.

Shoves the project into the world of pastiche. Pistache, anyone?

Not impressed.

[Simon]

Superb - very swish.

[spynovelfan]

Awesome cover. I love it. Cool, modern, elegant, stylish. They have certainly upped their game with Rankin. That guarantees coverage in the likes of GQ and Arena (Rankin is the latter's house photographer), who would never have touched the Gardners or Bensons.

We discussed the 'Writing as Ian Fleming' in a previous thread, as Zencat says. Now I've seen it in print, I think it looks okay. I think it will certainly pass muster in bookshops, looking no odder than Pearson's 007 bio idea. I just hope that's it, and they don't try to explain it inside. I can't see how it can be a Flashman-style 'lost manuscript' ruse, because the whole point of that is that you pretend the manuscript is real, not written by Faulks pretending to be Fleming.

Still, very much looking forward to this.

[MarcAngeDraco]

I was rather hoping for a throwback to the original Fleming covers. This is okay, but looks too much like they're trying to tie into the films rather than the novels.

[Zorin Industries]

A striking and effective cover definitely. But if I was a Fleming literary Bond fan I would be concerned that the branding of this new novel feels the films of Bond are hold a greater coda than the original novels. It doesn't quite scream cententary novel to me, but then it won't make marketing sense to dress a book in 1950's artwork. This has to sell after all - and sell, wherever possible, to people who would never have thought of reading a James Bond novel.

[OmarB]

Love the cover, elegant, simple, I could not have asked for more.

What's the big shock about the "As Ian Fleming" thing? It's been discussed to death here, Faulks talked about it in interviews about his approach to the book.

[killkenny kid]

Outstanding image.

[Scrambled Eggs]

It really is a great image but I agree about the type face. Feels a bit early 80s somehow, which doesn't really fit with the idea of a 60s set Flemingesque Bond novel.

[Qwerty]

No '007 in a circle' logo like the other recent reprints?

I'm kind of glad that it isn't just thrown on the cover. Maybe they'll include it on the inner flap like they similarly did for the US trade paperbacks.

[Skudor]

I'm fine with the typeface. Really prefer this over stuff like the Tomorrow Never Dies titles. The picture is delicious.

[Trident]

It really is a great image but I agree about the type face. Feels a bit early 80s somehow, which doesn't really fit with the idea of a 60s set Flemingesque Bond novel.

Just what I thought. It looks a little bit too post-modern for a 60's setting. Still, only a minor flaw, if a flaw at all.

[Jim]

The more I look at it, the more I like it and the more it reminds me of the simple, single image apprioach they took with The Man with the Red Tattoo, which was clean and unfussy and punchy.

[Trident]

Yep, it's a stunner.

[stromberg]

[quote name='Mister Asterix' post='802158' date='3 December 2007 - 05:58'][quote name='MicroGlobeOne' post='802136' date='2 December 2007 - 22:33']What more could one want from a typeface? It's simple, clear, and clean. I rather like the simplistic beauty of the cover's composition.[/quote]

[mra]Couldn

[doubler83]

It's the story I'm more interested in. Cover is secondary. It could have been a picture of an aging Brozza on the cover and I still would have bought it.

[DamnCoffee]

Brilliant Cover Art, a great reference to Maurice Binder's Title Sequences, but the exposed nipple is a big no-no!

[Skudor]

It's the story I'm more interested in. Cover is secondary. It could have been a picture of an aging Brozza on the cover and I still would have bought it.

That probably would have turned me off... at least until convinced otherwise.

[Donovan]

I was rather hoping for a throwback to the original Fleming covers. This is okay, but looks too much like they're trying to tie into the films rather than the novels.

I agree. But I suppose from a business point-of-view you could do a lot worse than try to ride the coat tails of a phenomenally successful film series.

[Johnboy007]

It really is a great image but I agree about the type face. Feels a bit early 80s somehow, which doesn't really fit with the idea of a 60s set Flemingesque Bond novel.

I got that feeling too. Like I would find it along side a John Gardner novel in a used book store.

Still, racy.

[Professor Dent]

I'm a little lukewarm on this one. Looks like more of nod to the movies. The picture looks good, though.

[ACE]

[quote name='stromberg' post='802516' date='3 December 2007 - 17:53'][quote name='Mister Asterix' post='802158' date='3 December 2007 - 05:58'][quote name='MicroGlobeOne' post='802136' date='2 December 2007 - 22:33']What more could one want from a typeface? It's simple, clear, and clean. I rather like the simplistic beauty of the cover's composition.[/quote]

[mra]Couldn

[coco1997]

What did you mean about emerging out of something else, ACE?

[Gobi-1]

I LOVE the main image. I'm down right envious I didn't think of something like this myself. The title font isn't bad but I dislike the why the words are staked on top of each other. I dislike seeing the two As or the V and Y right above each other. The title is also a bit too large and distracts from the main image leaving the cover slightly unbalanced.

Despite this the main image itself is outstanding.

[Byron]

A striking and effective cover definitely. But if I was a Fleming literary Bond fan I would be concerned that the branding of this new novel feels the films of Bond are hold a greater coda than the original novels. It doesn't quite scream cententary novel to me, but then it won't make marketing sense to dress a book in 1950's artwork. This has to sell after all - and sell, wherever possible, to people who would never have thought of reading a James Bond novel.

I agree about the tie in to the films but a 50/60's retro cover (like the recent Fahey covers) would have been even better as well as successful. Retro is always cool and i imagine the majority of prospective buyers will be adults.

Also agree with Scambled Eggs and others that the cover is too 80's for story set way earlier.

Not disappointed but was expecting something different i guess.

[Simon]

If there are film references to the cover, surely they would be most reminiscent of the Flame Girl for the TWINE advance.

Naked, full length, one side highlighted to provide the form and shape, etc.

[marktmurphy]

Extremely stylish- looks lovely.

I wonder how they'll print it. Might be some sexy print effects too.

[Mister Asterix]

The title is also a bit too large and distracts from the main image leaving the cover slightly unbalanced.

[mra]I noticed this too, but suspect when you are actually holding the book in your hands it won