54 replies to this topic

[Loomis]

Now on the CBn main page...

Charlie Higson Ponders Young Bond 2.0

Novelist considers second series exploring Bond's post-Eton years

Apologies if this is old news, but it looks as though there may be more Higson Bond novels on the way, albeit not immediately:

http://news.bbc.co.u...ent/7364758.stm

The article notes that this has not been officially announced, but it's still pretty encouraging stuff for Higson fans.

[marktmurphy]

Oh fantastic to hear he wants to. It's hard to tell from that piece whether these will actually happen or it's just what he would like to do.

[David Schofield]

I've alwways thought we'd see at least one.

The series has sold well for Puffin and done good things for IFP. It would seem silly to drop the idea while they are still popular and Higson is willing.

The test, though, I guess, will be whether a hybrid, neither Young Bond nor Fleming Bond, story continues to work.

[Loomis]

Oh fantastic to hear he wants to. It's hard to tell from that piece whether these will actually happen or it's just what he would like to do.

I think it's the latter, although he certainly sounds very enthusiastic. If I were a Higson fan, I'd be feeling very heartened right now.

I can easily picture IFP commissioning Higson (or someone else) to write a series of slightly-less-Young Bond books, while another writer or writers work on a series of followups to DEVIL MAY CARE.

However, we shouldn't hold our breath for more Higsons. "Higson says he will take a break from Bond and write some original books of his own as he has a three-book deal with Puffin."

I guess it's a bit like the situation with Craig. Will Craig just do an origin story trilogy or quadrilogy, or will he carry on once his BOND BEGINS thing is done? Time will tell.

[Skudor]

Bond at Cambridge? In the navy (can you help singing that line...)? His 20s in general?

[sharpshooter]

OMG. This is absolutely brilliant.

[ACE]

Hurrah.

Hopefully, we'll get some more adult Bond novels too after the delectable Devil May Care.

[zencat]

Holy cats!

My only surprise here is how it was announced. While I wasn't told there was going to be a series 2, I could just tell something was up. Charlie has hinted about it in interviews, and I thought it was odd BRC was not being called the "final" YB novel, just the "fifth."

This is awesome news.

[marktmurphy]

Bond at Cambridge? In the navy (can you help singing that line...)? His 20s in general?

Yeah- Bond's War could be rather interesting to read about.

[sharpshooter]

Holy cats!

My only surprise here is how it was announced (leaked). While I wasn't told there was going to be a series 2, I could just tell something was up. Charlie has hinted about it in interviews, and I thought it was odd BRC was not being called the "final" YB novel, just the "fifth."

This is awesome news.

Absolutely. Young Bond lives!

[Righty007]

Bond at Cambridge? In the navy (can you help singing that line...)? His 20s in general?

Now I'm not an expert on the literary Bond but wasn't Cambridge an invention of the EON series? Fleming had Bond attend Fettes.

[ACE]

Bond at Cambridge? In the navy (can you help singing that line...)? His 20s in general?

Now I'm not an expert on the literary Bond but wasn't Cambridge an invention of the EON series? Fleming had Bond attend Fettes.

Fettes is the Edinburgh public (US: private) school Bond attends during his high school years, after Eton. Cambridge is a university that one could attend after school. Agreed, Bond attending Cambridge is an Eon invention (YOLT, SWLM).

[Skudor]

Bond at Cambridge? In the navy (can you help singing that line...)? His 20s in general?

Now I'm not an expert on the literary Bond but wasn't Cambridge an invention of the EON series? Fleming had Bond attend Fettes.

See ACE's post. Brings the interesting possibility that Bond may, in fact, not have gone to University (College) at all What did the obit in YOLT say? (NB: the use of the word College differs between the UK and the US. In the UK a college is what you might attend before University, whereas in the US it is a University. In the case of Oxford and Cambridge, Colleges make up the University).

Edit: In fact, according to the obituary Bond entered the Special Branch of the R.N.V.R. after Fettes.

[Righty007]

Pearson had Bond attend Geneva University before and after Fettes. Could that work for his university days?

[David Schofield]

Pearson had Bond attend Geneva University before and after Fettes. Could that work for his university days?

Isn't Higson in By Royal Command going down the route that Bond attended Geneva as a Fettes exchange student?

I'm sure this ahs also been proposed elsewhere?

[Jim]

Cambridge is a university

Allegedly.

[zencat]

Not to throw cold water on this, but reading the BBC piece closely, I see Charlie is really just saying he's discussing the "possibility" of a YB series 2.

Emails are flying and I might have something that clarifies this BBC article on my site soon.

[marktmurphy]

Not to throw cold water on this, but reading the BBC piece closely, I see Charlie is really just saying he's discussing the "possibility" of a YB series 2.

<cough> post no.2

[honour]

I'd be up for it..as long as it doesn't take the YB Mark II books ages to come out here in the States

[zencat]

Memo to Charlie. If this series II happens, I love to see a book set in the U.S., and another set in India. If I can only have one... I'll take India.

[Qwerty]

Outstanding news. Will be really interesting to see what sort of transitions there will be from the Young Bond series. Might be quite a shock if they're going to be featuring a substantially different Bond character.

Exciting stuff.

[zencat]

Check out what I posted on my site almost exactly a year ago.

Young Bond Series II - The Fettes Years?

[marktmurphy]

Memo to Charlie. If this series II happens, I love to see a book set in the U.S., and another set in India. If I can only have one... I'll take India.

Well, I suppose Fleming was a big of the States, so it would be good to see Young Bond get there. And in the 30's it's quite iconic- could be good.

[Qwerty]

Now on the CBn main page...

Charlie Higson Ponders Young Bond 2.0

Novelist considers second series exploring Bond's post-Eton years

[Thunderfinger]

I

[zencat]

[quote name='Thunderfinger' post='863995' date='24 April 2008 - 10:45']I

[Thunderfinger]

Yes way.

[Loomis]

Not to throw cold water on this, but reading the BBC piece closely, I see Charlie is really just saying he's discussing the "possibility" of a YB series 2.

Erm, yep. Just as has already been mentioned on this thread.

Hopefully, we'll get some more adult Bond novels too after the delectable Devil May Care.

Good, is it? Not that I ever had any worries on that score. I suspect that Bond fans will soon be holding Fawlks in the same high regard we hold Flemming.

[K1Bond007]

I've been advocating the WW2 angle for a long time. I hope he goes for it. I mean, I have nothing against Young Bond, I love the series as it is right now, but I'd rather it go into WW2 where Bond's a little older and where what he's doing is a little more believable. Plus I think it opens up all sorts of avenues.

There's plenty left with "Young Bond" though. I've enjoyed it thus far.

[zencat]

Not to throw cold water on this, but reading the BBC piece closely, I see Charlie is really just saying he's discussing the "possibility" of a YB series 2.

Erm, yep. Just as has already been mentioned on this thread.

Sorry Loomy. I actually didn't read the thread. I saw the article via Google and shot over here and commented.

I've just posted my own story with an official clarification, excerpted here for the click adverse.

[box]...But Young Bond fans shouldn