Holy cow! Non-challenge-related blog content!
For the first time since Raymond Benson’s “The Man With The Red Tattoo” in 2002, Ian Fleming Publications is actually letting an author write more than one Bond novel. Since 2008, Sebastian Faulks, Jeffery Deaver and William Boyd were each given only one novel (and they were fairly disappointing, at that). Then, the author of the Alex Rider YA spy series, Anthony Horowitz, had his debut Bond novel, “Trigger Mortis,” released in 2015 — and, apart from a cringe-worthy title that seemed literally shoe-horned into the narrative, it was really good. So they’ve let him do another.
This May, Horowitz’ second Bond novel, “Forever And A Day,” will be released. While “Trigger Mortis” was inserted into the continuity of the novels by placing it immediately following “Goldfinger,” this one is a prequel to the first Bond novel, “Casino Royale.” It will feature the death of the previous 007, and the promotion of Bond to that position.
The marketing text:
007 IS DEAD.
M laid down his pipe and stared at it tetchily. “We have no choice. We’re just going to bring forward this other chap you’ve been preparing. But you didn’t tell me his name.”
“It’s Bond, sir,” the Chief of Staff replied.
“James Bond.”’
The sea keeps its secrets. But not this time.
One body. Three bullets. 007 floats in the waters of Marseille, killed by an unknown hand.
It’s time for a new agent to step up. Time for a new weapon in the war against organised crime.
It’s time for James Bond to earn his licence to kill.
This is the story of the birth of a legend, in the brutal underworld of the French Riviera.
Obviously, I’m in. Looking forward to it.
