225 replies to this topic

[Righty007]

New Update Now Posted @ www.john-gardner.com

Great memorial, Simon. JG is missed dearly.

[zencat]

UK paperbacks coming a little earlier than first announced, which is a good thing.

http://www.thebookbo...get-new-uk.html

[golrush007]

UK paperbacks coming a little earlier than first announced, which is a good thing.

http://www.thebookbo...get-new-uk.html

Nice! I wonder when we will see the cover art?

[[dark]]

Received my books today. Very nice, collectable hardcovers. Well worth the purchase for anyone who wants nice hardbacks of some of Gardner's best Bond books. Too bad the remaining books weren't published with Chopping-inspired artwork as these reissues would look gorgeous as a complete set of Gardner's Bond output.

Quite like the typeface in the books, too.

Looking forward to the complete paperback set next year.

[Kronsteen]

The books came in the mail today (all except Licence Renewed which I allready own with that cover, so I thought I'd skip that one ). They look so fantastically gorgeous standing in the shelf, I just want to re-read them all straight away! Which I am intending to do btw. Just read Licence Renewed (which was better than I remembered!) and will soon be taking up For Special Services. Must have been 9-10 years since I read it.

Wouldn't it be nice if they released the rest of the reprints with new Chopping-inspired artwork? Then I would definately have to buy the rest too.

Edited by Kronsteen, 16 August 2011 - 09:11 AM.

[zencat]

Paperback cover art revealed!

http://www.thebookbo...paperbacks.html

I love 'em! This is going to be a gorgeous set when complete.

[Dustin]

These are truly looking fine! A must-buy.

[golrush007]

Not bad covers - and definitely a big improvement on the US paperbacks. However, I still long to get back to the bold, adventurous designs of the past - eg the Chopping covers, and the Richie Fahey covers for the more recent Fleming editions. These more minimal design do look elegant though, and I look forward to seeing the whole set.

[Kronsteen]

Really nice covers! I hope I'll buy them when they're realeased, but it all depends on the money (or the lack of it) as always.

[Jump James]

Not sure they capture the 80s very well....

[zencat]

Not sure they capture the 80s very well....

Should they?

[Jump James]

Not sure they capture the 80s very well....

Should they?

Well yes. To me they look like the fiction contained within is set in the 40s/50s. I do not dislike them by any stretch, they just do not represent John Gardner's 80s Bond. But thats just me.

[marktmurphy]

Oh they're ace. I agree they're a bit more 50's than 80's, but they're cool so I don't mind

[[dark]]

A bit minimalist, but they should look nice as a set. Hope it's a case of the books looking nicer "in the flesh" - depending on the paper stock for the cover or any embossing or foil or what have you - but they'll look great as a set of 16 books. Definitely classier than the US editions.

Looking forward to a few new books landing in my post box every couple of months next year!

[zencat]

Yes, it's really about working as a set, and I think these are going to work great. Typically I don't love minimalism, but I really like it here. I love that each has a little story specific image to represent the book. Be fun to speculate which images will be used on later books.

[Jim]

Yes, it's really about working as a set, and I think these are going to work great. Typically I don't love minimalism, but I really like it here. I love that each has a little story specific image to represent the book. Be fun to speculate which images will be used on later books.

What is that one for Licence Renewed - a flaming skull or a skull with lovely white hair? Can't quite make it out.

Like them, though.

[zencat]

I think that's a skull with white hair that looks like flames. Isn't the villain described as having a mane of white hair? I think so.

A pearl necklace or a castle would have worked as well. Or a Saab.

[Dustin]

The skull is a bit LALD-ish but not at all bad. I like the overall impression of this set, nicely done.

[Jim]

I think that's a skull with white hair that looks like flames. Isn't the villain described as having a mane of white hair? I think so.

Ah, yes, of course!

A pearl necklace... would have worked as well.

Excuse my absolutely putrid mind but...

...Fnarr.

I just don't think that would sell; alternatively it would sell too well.

[zencat]

How about a bloody Mickey Mouse for Never Send Flowers?

(Actually, I think that would be awesome.)

[Jump James]

I think that the covers will be a kind of matt finish. Dont know why I think that. But I do.

[Jim]

How about a bloody Mickey Mouse for Never Send Flowers?

(Actually, I think that would be awesome.)

That or a picture of Princess Diana (if they want it to really sell).

Fun game - what will the next ones be?

Role of Honour - a "micro" the size of Belgium. Or, perhaps more likely, an airship.
Nobody Lives Forever - a meat hook. Or, perhaps more likely, a vampire bat.
No Deals, Mr Bond - a big cream cake. Or, perhaps more likely, a severed tongue.
Scorpius - a swamp snake thingy. Or, perhaps more likely and bear with me here, a scorpion.
Win, Lose or Die - a damn big aircraft carrier. Or, perhaps more likely, a damn big Harrier thingy.
Licence to Kill - a severed leg. Or, perhaps more likely, a second severed leg, apparently
Brokenclaw - er um er a bow and arrow, can't remember much about Brokenclaw and that's probably a blessing. Someting to do with submarines? Oh, I know, a ravenous wolf.
The Man from Thingywhatsit - a plot. Or, perhaps more likely and because that will never happen, the Order of Lenin
Death is Forever - a regurgitated big cream cake. Or, perhaps more likely, a Toyota Previa (seemed to be mentioned a lot if I remember this one "properly")
Never Send Flowers - a burning Diana Princess of Wales (going for tasteful now). Or, perhaps more likely, Donald Duck's head in a jar in a 'fridge or something.
SeaFire - a bit of sea, on fire. Or, perhaps more likely, a bit of sea, on fire WITH NAZIs
GoldenEye - a big sign saying "INTERNET". Or, perhaps more likely, something reheated from all the other things put together.
COLD - a Black Box recorder. Or, perhaps more likely, a thingy. I think I recall helicopters and jetskis and something to do with mad right-wingers wanting to take over America. Can't think of anyone off-hand.

[marktmurphy]

How about a bloody Mickey Mouse for Never Send Flowers?

(Actually, I think that would be awesome.)

That really would be great! But my money's probably on, y'know; some flowers

[Loomis]

Paperback cover art revealed!

http://www.thebookbo...paperbacks.html

Not bad. Not bad at all.

So wait, those covers everyone was complaining about a while back - they've been ditched? Or are they the American versions?

[zencat]

Those others are the U.S. versions.

[Dan Gale]

These seem pretty par for the course for modern book covers, desperate to appear as part of a series (which makes them quicker/easier to churn out) but with an element of individuality (a colour or a changing image) that attempts to make each book stand alone, and on that count they seem to have succeeded pretty well (the biggest sin for a matching set is a spine that creates a photo when they're all lined up - ghastly!). So I'm quite happy with these so far (they remind me of the black, later reprinted a white, Tolkien books which just had a coloured ring graphic on the front from around 2001).
But I fear we'll never have another set like Richie Fahey's...

[Harmsway]

The Fahey covers were lovely, for sure. Though I also love the Penguin paperbacks with the abstract photography, though I gather they're not among the more popular editions of the Bond novels.

These Gardner paperbacks are alright enough. They could easily be more arresting, but they're classier than many past editions.

[marktmurphy]

The Fahey covers were lovely, for sure. Though I also love the Penguin paperbacks with the abstract photography, though I gather they're not among the more popular editions of the Bond novels.

Yeah I thought they were very underrated; very stylish and quite timeless: could have been modernist stuff from the 50's or bang up to to date modern ones.
The Fahey ones were well done but I thought a bit too pulpy in an American style; not quite fitting Bond for me. The recent Fleming reprints with the Michael Gillette painted girls against a white background and with painted titles hit exactly the right note between pulpy and stylish for me.

[Simg]

US NEW PAPERBACK JACKETS

I have been informed via Ian Fleming Publications that Pegasus Books USA will be using the same artwork as the ORION UK Paperbacks.
Also we hope to run a competition soon to win the first 5 hardbacks. Watch Facebook & Twitter & www.john-gardner.com for details.

SRJG

How about a bloody Mickey Mouse for Never Send Flowers?

(Actually, I think that would be awesome.)

Great idea, but having worked a a designer in publishing I know that Disney would be all over ORION for that.
A law suit in the making

SRJG

[zencat]

Fantastic news. Thanks, Simon.

http://www.thebookbo...k-on-their.html