225 replies to this topic

[Mike00spy]

Was searching Amazon.com today and just happened to come across these:

New John Gardner editions of LR, FSS, Ice

http://www.amazon.co...00677368&sr=1-3

http://www.amazon.co...00677368&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.co...00677368&sr=1-2

I've been absent for a while, so I checked to see if it has been mentioned here. Unless I missed it, they haven't. Apologies if it has been mentioned. If not, hope this brings some good news to everyone.

UPDATE: GARDNER RENEWED! (Official announcement)

Edited by zencat, 29 March 2011 - 11:53 PM.
Official announcement

[x007AceOfSpades]

I've been absent for a long time as well. Thank you so very much for the links! This is exactly what I've been wanting to hear. Once I get the extra money I will be picking up Icebreaker for sure. I

[jwheels]

Awesome news!!!

[Kronsteen]

Best news in a long, long time! A definitive buy!

[Glenn]

My, those covers are awful. The best of the three is Licence Renewed, but the other two....eek! Has the artist never seen a woman before?? It is great news that the books are finally been republished, and here's hoping that the British covers will be better than the American versions.

[Loomis]

It's good to see Gardner back in print, but since these first three books of his were released in paperback omnibus form in (I think) 2004, nothing else of his has been released. I'd like to see his other Bond novels reissued, and not just this constant focus on LICENCE RENEWED, FOR SPECIAL SERVICES and ICEBREAKER.

To be honest, I wish all the Bond novels were currently available in paperback, although given that there's what? forty or fifty of them, I guess that's quite a tall order.

[clublos]

Great news!

[Gri007]

My, those covers are awful. The best of the three is Licence Renewed, but the other two....eek! Has the artist never seen a woman before?? It is great news that the books are finally been republished, and here's hoping that the British covers will be better than the American versions.

I agree. Licence Renewed looks the best. Hope they will release the rest of the John Gardner Bond novels and I'm intrigued to find out what the British cover will look like. Over all this is great news, and glad that his work is being reprinted.

[Dustin]

I can't help feeling these covers look a bit like "young adult" versions. Not so much bad as... diffenrent; can't quite nail it. Really puzzling why they came up with these versions.

[Jim]

Interesting that they come with introductions (and by whom those introductions are written).

[zencat]

Okay, the news is now official, and even better than we hoped! ALL 14 books! U.S. and UK. First five in the UK will be hardcovers with the original first edition cover art. Then they will all be released in paperback with new art. The U.S. will get all the books with new cover art, first three in Oct.

Here’s the announcement on the official John Gardner website. I’ll have pics of some of the covers up on my own site shortly.

(Thanks to Mike007spy and everyone who posted in this thread for letting me hide it until IFP made their official announcement.)

BTW, I wonder if this thread had anything to do with this.

[0077]

And once again, people in the US get screwed as to harcdcover editions.

[zencat]

Jeeze. You guys can always find a way to complain about good news. Just order the UK hardcovers from Amazon.uk or The Book Depository (where shipping to U.S. is free). Really doesn't matter where a book is published anymore. And I'm surprised that any hardcovers are being done. That's a real bonus.

My own story with some pics: GARDNER RENEWED! ALL 14 JOHN GARDNER JAMES BOND NOVELS TO BE REPRINTED

[sharpshooter]

Brilliant news. I was hopeful, but not expectant.

That thread had to be a catalyst of some sort. The timing is too close. Power to the people!

[Loomis]

Okay, the news is now official, and even better than we hoped! ALL 14 books! U.S. and UK. First five in the UK will be hardcovers with the original first edition cover art. Then they will all be released in paperback with new art. The U.S. will get all the books with new cover art, first three in Oct.

Wow. Brilliant news. I've wanted this to happen for years but never believed for a single moment that all the Gardners would ever be reissued - I mean, let's face it, who cares about, say, THE MAN FROM BARBAROSSA outside bubbles of hardcore 007 fandom such as this site? I always thought that publishers would reckon there wasn't a big enough market for the whole shebang.

There are plenty of Gardners I've yet to read. I guess I could have sourced secondhand copies of all them on sites like Amazon, but I never got round to it. Great to have brand spanking new editions (with introductions, no less!) to look forward to.

Now would someone please reissue the Bensons, as well as the CITIZEN KANE of Bond continuation novels, COLONEL SUN.

[zencat]

You said it Loomy. To get ALL the books is such a wonderful surprise. And in both the US and UK. And then to get 5 repro hardcovers on top of that! And audiobooks (for those who like audiobooks). This is more than I ever hoped.

BTW, that last Gardner I re-read was TMFB and I loved it (for the first time). One thing I really like is how these books are now fantastic '80s time capsules.

[Loomis]

You said it Loomy. To get ALL the books is such a wonderful surprise. And in both the US and UK. And then to get 5 repro hardcovers on top of that! And audiobooks (for those who like audiobooks). This is more than I ever hoped.

Y'know, I was just thinking, it was only a few short years ago that it was a real desert for LitBond fans for a while. It was sort of like our version of Eon's 1989-1995 hiatus. For a couple of years after the publication of THE MAN WITH THE RED TATTOO (2002), there were no new books on the horizon and practically every single last one of the continuation novels was out of print (in fact, for a while there was no "practically" about it - I believe that all of them were indeed deleted).

Now, though, JAMES BOND: THE AUTHORISED BIOGRAPHY is back in print, Benson is kinda-sorta-halfway back in print (albeit only in omnibus form, and I personally dislike reading omnibi), and now we have this wonderful Gardner news. And, of course, CARTE BLANCHE is almost upon us.

BTW, that last Gardner I re-read was TMFB and I loved it (for the first time).

Oh, I'm aware of its reputation. I gather it's an acquired taste. But that's precisely what interests me about it. I'm also looking forward to NOBODY LIVES FOREVER, which I'm told is one of Gardner's best.

[Solex Agitator]

One thing I really like is how these books are now fantastic '80s time capsules.

You really hit the nail on the head, zencat. I could not have said it better.

[zencat]

Y'know, I was just thinking, it was only a few short years ago that it was a real desert for LitBond fans for a while. It was sort of like our version of Eon's 1989-1995 hiatus. For a couple of years after the publication of THE MAN WITH THE RED TATTOO (2002), there were no new books on the horizon and practically every single last one of the continuation novels was out of print (in fact, for a while there was no "practically" about it - I believe that all of them were indeed deleted).

Hey, Young Bond sustained me juuuuust fine. In fact, I contend these are some of the best James Bond continuation novels ever written. The only gap for me was between 2002-2005. Up until then, we had had a Bond novel just about every year.

[Loomis]

The only gap for me was between 2002-2005. Up until then, we had had a Bond novel just about every year.

True. Although the 2002-2005 hiatus was no picnic.

[zencat]

The only gap for me was between 2002-2005. Up until then, we had had a Bond novel just about every year.

True. Although the 2002-2005 hiatus was no picnic.

But thinking about it, we had TMWTRT in 2002, so that year doesn't count. And we got word of YB in 2004, and I had the book (proof) in hand by November. So, really, there was only one down year -- 2003.

So nice being a lit Bond fan. The "gaps" are much easier.

[zencat]

BTW, I wonder if this thread had anything to do with this.

That thread had to be a catalyst of some sort. The timing is too close. Power to the people!

How would people feel if I merged this thread with the 30th Anniversary thread?

[Dustin]

This is great news! The entire run, what a pleasant surprise.

[OmarB]

Amazing news is an understatment. As for TMFB, I quite enjoyed that book. Its different, but all his missions cannot for the same or similar types of smash bang evens evely spaced out over the course of the story. Some missions are different.

[Jim]

Splendid news.

[golrush007]

Best news I've heard in a long time. Especially the hardback reprints. As I only have 1st editions of LR and FSS, the reprints of the other three will be a welcome addition to my hardback collection. It's also great that for once the fans are being given what they want!

[Dustin]

Now about that cover design of those paperbacks we've kept mum about; is that going to be the design for the US and the UK market? Will the others follow that line? I understand the hardbacks are going to have the original cover design. Is there a possibility that style will somehow be continued?

[Jim]

BTW, I wonder if this thread had anything to do with this.

That thread had to be a catalyst of some sort. The timing is too close. Power to the people!

How would people feel if I merged this thread with the 30th Anniversary thread?

Merge away, my darling.

[zencat]

Now about that cover design of those paperbacks we've kept mum about; is that going to be the design for the US and the UK market? Will the others follow that line? I understand the hardbacks are going to have the original cover design. Is there a possibility that style will somehow be continued?

I think that will be the style for the continued US editions. But, no, UK will do their own thing. Can't wait to see those.

Gotta admit, I'm not a big fan of these US covers. If they're going for a pulp look, they miss. LR and IB are okay, but FSS...yikes. But they will make a unique looking set, and will fit nicely with the Benson collections.

[Dustin]

Now about that cover design of those paperbacks we've kept mum about; is that going to be the design for the US and the UK market? Will the others follow that line? I understand the hardbacks are going to have the original cover design. Is there a possibility that style will somehow be continued?

I think that will be the style for the continued US editions. But, no, UK will do their own thing. Can't wait to see those.

Gotta admit, I'm not a big fan of these US covers. If they're going for a pulp look, they miss. LR and IB are okay, but FSS...yikes. But they will make a unique looking set, and will fit nicely with the Benson collections.

Well, I've said it before (that still there?), they do look unique. In a somewhat unexpected way, almost have a young-adult vibe about them (and that would surely not be the intention, would it?). Eager to see the UK approach, will have a chance to fill the odd gap now.