9 replies to this topic

[zencat]

A new and revised edition of Steven Jay Rubins "The Complete James Bond Movie Encyclopedia" is coming in December._This will be the 3rd edition, I believe. Check it out.


http://search.barnes...isbn=0071412468

[Blue Eyes]

I take it you have the originals zencat. What are your thoughts on them?

[zencat]

I have the first one. Frankly, I'm not too crazy about these Encyclopedia-type books. The concept seems kind of silly to me. I'd much prefer Rubin to update his James Bond Films book. But I still might get this.

[Blue Eyes]

I don't own the book, and the Encyclopedia-type books don't seem silly to me if they're well done, but when I looked over a copy or Rubin's book once I just found it as an attempt to include too much in one book.

[zencat]

I guess what I mean by silly is I never know what to do with these books. Reading an encyclopedia is not really much fun, nor is paging through it. I know there have been a few times when I've actually used the book as a reference, but I wasn't able to find what I was looking for. I usually turn first to The Bond Files or to the index of one of the movie books if I need a name, etc. These types of books seem more like a gimick than anything.

[rafterman]

I have one of the earlier editions and it's not really one of my favorite Bond books, I prefer the Essential Bond/ Bedside Companion type stuff, unless it's like a Star Trek or Star Wars Encyclopedia, with so many characters and bits of technology....

[JimmyBond]

I've read the second edition that includes Goldeneye, but not the first. I quite like it in fact, I'm eager to hear Rubin's views on the Brosnan films. Since this one is coming out soon, any word if it will cover DAD?

[Turn]

I've got mixed feelings on this being updated. I got the second edition for half-price when a mystery book store was going out of business a few years back since I never wanted to pay full price for it. I borrowed the first edition from my library when it came out.

I liked the content and enjoyed the behind-the-scenes and candid photos. Rubin has a nice knack for finding these. It really was hard to put the book down that first day or so. It was the first place I read about the aborted precredits sequences for NSNA, and had some other good anecdotes and observations.

But as Zencat said, it isn't a real definitive source. I remember the 007 fan club magazine giving it a bad review, although some of their criticisms were a little snippy. The second edition didn't really bother to update much if any of the previous information. You can actually still find the second edition at certain bookstores in my area.

If it updates some information and does a bang-up job of adding new material I'll definitely consider buying it. It will also depend on the price and when it's released. There are so many Bond books out there now -- the Legacy, movie posters, Bond on Set and the DAD novelization -- I want to get first. If it comes out next year or something when there are fewer Bond books being released it may make a good purchase.

And I agree with Zencat I'd rather see an updated edition of his James Bond Films book, the first behind-the-scenes Bond book out there 21 years ago.

[zencat]

Off topic, but I saw the BOND ON SET book in the bookstore yesterday. Also got a look at the US paperback Bond poster book. Both very nice, but I'm going to avoid Bond on Set untill I see the film.

[Blofeld's Cat]

Originally posted by zencat
....I'm going to avoid Bond on Set untill I see the film.

In most cases I've found that the book is much better than the movie.