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Why some of the post-Fleming novels are better than others?

Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 5:55 am
by nanolark
Some of the Bond books sell better than others. Certainly, there is the question of each author's 'original' style (or rather attempts to imitate Fleming's writing) I've been told me that most of the Bond readers are interested in plots that are set in the Cold War era rather than modern times. Would you agree? And are there other factors that guarantee success in terms of sales?
What's your favourite post-Fleming novel?

Re: Why some of the post-Fleming novels are better than othe

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2015 6:50 pm
by Blowfeld
Love your questions, not sure I have a chance at the answers.

I'm not sure the Cold Wars has a thing to do with it, to me Ian was such a talented writer he managed to take his understanding for the spy world and making it interesting for the reader. The Cold War does make it easier to set the rules and motivations however for 007 it almost does not matter. I may be a lone voice, still I enjoyed Jeffrey Deaver's contribution.
In my opinion the Post Ian book series is suffering now from the random author roulette and the rise of easily pirated digital media.

Sebastian Faulks sold a ton of books however his book regarded as a poor contribution to the series. I mention this because I feel the series has promised utopia each new books only to offer half the story to the reader. Used to buy every book as they were published, I have not bothered since Deaver's book. There does not seem to be a point to the series as it is now. Speaking as a reader we might get another good story only to not have it followed up. I lost interest, which I think helps explain the atrophy of the series. Not the authors talent or the setting.
Solo shifted 8,692 copies in its first week on sale. Such a figure for a hardback fiction title would be the envy of many publishers, but the Boyd novel's opening week sales are 48 per cent down on the equivalent frame for Jeffery Deaver's 2011 Bond thriller, Carte Blanche.

In 2008, Sebastian Faulks's Devil May Care, released to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Bond creator Ian Fleming, sold 44,093 copies in four days.