155 replies to this topic

[tdalton]

That´s what´s troubling me, too.

 

I guess that's to be expected.  It's the cool thing to do with Bond, it seems.  I suppose we'll also have some kind of personal angle that draws Bond in, perhaps even trying to find a way to play off something from his past.  

 

I'm still hopeful that it'll turn out well, but I hold no expectations for it.  Both the cinematic and literary franchises have burned me one too many times in recent years to really get excited about any new project coming out of either EON of IFP.

[Matt_13]

What's refreshing is how Boyd clearly didn't strive to find a title that " sounds" like a James Bond book. It's unique in how brutally blunt it is. The only thing that has me a bit skeptical, as others have mentioned, is the rogue agent angle.

[Loomis]

I think I love it. Not an obvious Bond title at all. Elegant, but also tough.

 

Press release and temp art.

http://www.thebookbo...ck-in-solo.html

I like the artwork a lot. Very classy and atmospheric, and also very vintage Bond. Although I won't be surprised if the book hits shops bearing a more generic cover featuring a bloke with a gun.

 

Re: the rogue agent/personal mission angle, it's true that it's already been done extensively, especially in recent years (albeit more in the films than in the novels), but Boyd's description of "a self-appointed mission of his own, unannounced and without any authorization" does not necessarily imply that Bond is out for revenge, overflowing with personal angst or has quit or been booted out of MI6. It may signify something more, well, original - hopefully, anyway.

[Dustin]

Didn't Bond at times get involved in events due to his own initiative? 'Goldfinger' comes to mind. His investigation on Doctor No's island also seems to be going beyond his briefing, as did the work as security guard for Scaramanga.

[marktmurphy]

I think I love it. Not an obvious Bond title at all. Elegant, but also tough.

 

Press release and temp art.

http://www.thebookbo...ck-in-solo.html

I like the artwork a lot. Very classy and atmospheric, and also very vintage Bond. Although I won't be surprised if the book hits shops bearing a more generic cover featuring a bloke with a gun.

 

That may happen in the States but I doubt it will in the UK.

[SecretAgentFan]

Didn't Bond at times get involved in events due to his own initiative? 'Goldfinger' comes to mind. His investigation on Doctor No's island also seems to be going beyond his briefing, as did the work as security guard for Scaramanga.

 

True. But I´m afraid that a mission without authorization means Bond doing it clearly in spite of his superiors.

 

Well, at least he won´t have a female M to follow him...

[zencat]

 

I think I love it. Not an obvious Bond title at all. Elegant, but also tough.

 

Press release and temp art.

http://www.thebookbo...ck-in-solo.html

I like the artwork a lot. Very classy and atmospheric, and also very vintage Bond. Although I won't be surprised if the book hits shops bearing a more generic cover featuring a bloke with a gun.

 

That may happen in the States but I doubt it will in the UK.

 

 That's true. The UK covers have been very classy and atmospheric, especially lately.

 

Heck, I'd be fine with them just using the holding art we see here. That bold title is image enough for me.

[The Dove]

"Bond Solo...I'm Captain of Her Majesty's Secret Service...Q here tells me you're looking for passage to MI6 headquarters.." LOL..   Seriously, "Solo"??!! What a totally bland and uninspired title..

[Dustin]

Heck, I'd be fine with them just using the holding art we see here. That bold title is image enough for me.

 

That's what I thought, too. Fine title without any much fuss. Perhaps the best way to go.

[tdalton]

  Seriously, "Solo"??!! What a totally bland and uninspired title..

 

Agreed, although perhaps that's the point.  Something bland and uninspired would certainly be right at home with the rest of the recent output from the literary franchise.

[Dustin]

I quite like the title, something different from NEVER DIE OF CRYING FOR THE DEVIL or some such. Uninspired? Hardly possible to think of something truly innovative when every month sees about 100+ thrillers published. Better not to aim for a too typical Fleming vibe.

[glidrose]

"Yawn" is right. Lousy title. Underwhelming to say the least.

 

 

Extrapolating from the press release it looks like he's going rogue again. But this time in Africa. Good location to use. Could he be going up against Idi Amin Dada?

 

Nope. The book is set in 1969, a bit too early for ol' Idi.

 

 

First impression: oh.

 

Second thought: could be worse.

 

Third idea: let´s give it the benefit of the doubt.

 

But... another rogue mission?

 

My thoughts exactly. BTW, wasn't Bond also going rogue in that unpublished Geoffrey Jenkins Bond novel PER FINE OUNCE which as we all know was also set in Africa?

[marktmurphy]

 

 

I think I love it. Not an obvious Bond title at all. Elegant, but also tough.

 

Press release and temp art.

http://www.thebookbo...ck-in-solo.html

I like the artwork a lot. Very classy and atmospheric, and also very vintage Bond. Although I won't be surprised if the book hits shops bearing a more generic cover featuring a bloke with a gun.

 

That may happen in the States but I doubt it will in the UK.

 

 That's true. The UK covers have been very classy and atmospheric, especially lately.

 

Heck, I'd be fine with them just using the holding art we see here. That bold title is image enough for me.

 

It's a nice design, yeah.

[hoagy]

Quartermass:

Regarding 007 contesting Idi Amin Dada, Amin was president of Uganda from 1971 to 1979.  With the Solo story set in 1969, Bond could only be encountering a pre-presidential Amin.  At any rate, even with some time-bending, Bond, apparently, would not succeed, since Amin stayed in office to 1979.  OK, sometimes things do not go Bond's way.  In summary, however, I would find it quite surprising.  If it occurs in the novel, it might just be something of a "cameo" appearance by a pre-presidential Amin, not the primary adversary for Bond.

Of course...I could be quite incorrect about these expectations and estimations.

What to make of this title ?

Surely Boyd learned that Fleming created -- and named -- the Napoleon Solo character for The Man from U.N.C.L.E. tv show.  (btw -- that wound up being a MUCH superior title to the two proposals which preceded it)

Surely Boyd is aware that in both the books and films, we've already witnessed a "Bond on his own" story....sigh...

Surely someone at the publishing house must know a good-sounding title when they read one ?  And might they not have suggested the persons proposing names for this one, well, you know, keep trying ?

Ah well....

As long as no one uses a line like this promote it:

 

   He's back...

       ....and this time, it's personal

 

ugh !

[Ed83]

The title is ok.  It's nothing groundbreaking, but it makes you wonder a bit.  I'm optimistic for a new twist, but hopeful it's not another rogue story. 

[glidrose]

The title is ok.  It's nothing groundbreaking, but it makes you wonder a bit.  I'm optimistic for a new twist, but hopeful it's not another rogue story. 

 

But it is another rogue story.

[Ed83]

The title is ok.  It's nothing groundbreaking, but it makes you wonder a bit.  I'm optimistic for a new twist, but hopeful it's not another rogue story. 

 

But it is another rogue story.

Bummer.

[marktmurphy]

Why would we want a novel where the protagonist isn't changed by his experience and heavily motivated? Aren't the ones where the characters are personally involved in their circumstances the ones which are more interesting?

[Guy Haines]

Quartermass:

Regarding 007 contesting Idi Amin Dada, Amin was president of Uganda from 1971 to 1979.  With the Solo story set in 1969, Bond could only be encountering a pre-presidential Amin.  At any rate, even with some time-bending, Bond, apparently, would not succeed, since Amin stayed in office to 1979.  OK, sometimes things do not go Bond's way.  In summary, however, I would find it quite surprising.  If it occurs in the novel, it might just be something of a "cameo" appearance by a pre-presidential Amin, not the primary adversary for Bond.

Of course...I could be quite incorrect about these expectations and estimations.

What to make of this title ?

Surely Boyd learned that Fleming created -- and named -- the Napoleon Solo character for The Man from U.N.C.L.E. tv show.  (btw -- that wound up being a MUCH superior title to the two proposals which preceded it)

Surely Boyd is aware that in both the books and films, we've already witnessed a "Bond on his own" story....sigh...

Surely someone at the publishing house must know a good-sounding title when they read one ?  And might they not have suggested the persons proposing names for this one, well, you know, keep trying ?

Ah well....

As long as no one uses a line like this promote it:

 

   He's back...

       ....and this time, it's personal

 

ugh !

There was something else going on in Africa before anyone outside Uganda had even heard of Amin. It was in Nigeria - the Biafran civil war. Given that this was in the news in 1969, I wonder if this is the backdrop to "Solo"? Alternatively, we have the Rhodesian rebellion which lasted from 1965 to 1979. And the ongoing anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa. Plus - Libya is part of North Africa. Colonel Gaddafi came to power in...... 1969.

 

"Solo" could have something to do with any of those historical events - or nothing to do with them. We'll have to wait and see.

[007jamesbond]

yes Bond going rogue is a old recycle plot but it been done before in Fleming novel

Live and let die was kind of personal, Dr.NO as well, Goldfinger too........YOLT was personal so we should not be worry this much. I am confident it that Bond going rouge is part of something bigger could be being deep undercover 

[freemo]

I love it! I think it's the best new Bond title in a long time. It's bold and strong and stark and it actually says something. Looks great on the mock-up "cover" too.

[Peaceful]

 

Interestingly SOLO is more or less a Fleming title... back in the days, Fleming gave some input for a TV show that would later be known as 'The Man from UNCLE': the name Napoleon Solo, is his creation. The original title of the show (and of its pilot) was SOLO... EON prevented them from continuing to use this title. 

Why would/did EON do this ?? It couldn't be because of the character in Goldfinger, he was so minor.

 

EON's position was that together with the rest of the GOLDFINGER novel, Fleming had sold them the character name Solo. Whether or not this was just a minor character, did not seem to matter to EON. After Fleming made it clear to them there were no similarities between Goldfinger's Solo and Napoleon Solo, they did not persue to stop the show from using the character name. Allegedly the initial title proposal for the series was 'Ian Fleming's Solo', later to be changed into 'Solo' and to become 'Man from UNCLE' when the series was picked up. It's clear that from day one EON has always been very protective of its property. Don't forget that in 1963/64 the infamous Thunderball court case took place, 'also' questioning Flemings dealings with third parties and literary property... Perhaps EON just wanted to prevent a similar thing from happening.  

Thanks JJ ...

[Peaceful]

It's funny how people are asking if he'll meet Amin or will the story cross with true events in '69, coz it's never happened before.
Benson touched on the Greece/Cyprus and Spain/Gibralter topics, but as they were present day, the story never (fictionally) had an effect on the actual outcome.

Unlike in episodes of DrWho LOL

[OmarB]

I'm not impressed with the title or that we are back in Africa this close after CB.

[delfloria]

The book has just been announced as being called:

 

 

SOLO

 

 

Because Bond goes solo on a private mission...

 

http://inagist.com/a...51460783403009/

 

That or he's teaming up with Napoleon Solo.

 

Ironically when Fleming was connected to U.N.C.L.E., it was called "SOLO"

[Walecs]

Why would we want a novel where the protagonist isn't changed by his experience and heavily motivated? Aren't the ones where the characters are personally involved in their circumstances the ones which are more interesting?

 

I agree.

[Loomis]

I love it! I think it's the best new Bond title in a long time. It's bold and strong and stark and it actually says something. Looks great on the mock-up "cover" too.

Yep. After the crushing disappointments of DEVIL MAY CARE and CARTE BLANCHE, I'm finally starting to get excited about this new Bond novel.

[Dustin]

I love that Africa theme on the fan-cover here, splendid. If only...

[007jamesbond]

if Bond goes to America then Felix Leiter should appear hopefully 

[Peaceful]

It's funny how people are asking if he'll meet Amin or will the story cross with true events in '69, coz it's never happened before.
Benson touched on the Greece/Cyprus and Spain/Gibralter topics, but as they were present day, the story never (fictionally) had an effect on the actual outcome.

Unlike in episodes of DrWho LOL

*slaps forehead*
Zero Minus Ten - duh !!