New Bond Novel Revealed: "Solo"...
- John P. Drake
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New Bond Novel Revealed: "Solo"...
About 45 minutes ago, William Boyd revealed the title of his next James Bond novel, entitled Solo. The novel cites Bond as he's in his late 40s and that his mission goes awfully wrong, and he couldn't handle it. It looks like the current films' "realism" genre has destroyed the literary franchise as well. Boyd has been interviewed about this and told the following:
He explained his choice of title:
‘Sometimes less is more. For me as a novelist the simple beauty of Solo as the title of the next James Bond novel is that this short four-letter word is particularly and strikingly apt for the novel I have written. In my novel, events conspire to make Bond go off on a self-appointed mission of his own, unannounced and without any authorization - and he’s fully prepared to take the consequences of his audacity.
‘The journey Bond goes on takes in three continents – with the main focus honing in on Africa. It’s what happens to Bond in Africa that generates his urge to “go solo” and take matters into his own hands in the USA.
‘Thus far and no further, at this stage…’
He continues: ‘Titles are very important to me and as soon as I wrote down Solo on a sheet of paper I saw its potential. Not only did it fit the theme of the novel perfectly, it’s also a great punchy word, instantly and internationally comprehensible, graphically alluring and, as an extra bonus, it’s strangely Bondian in the sense that we might be subliminally aware of the “00” of “007” lurking just behind those juxtaposed O’s of SOLO…’
Very little else has been revealed about the book at this stage, other than that it will feature a veteran secret agent, with Bond aged 45. It will be published on 26 September in the UK by Fleming’s original publisher, Jonathan Cape, an imprint of Vintage Publishing, part of The Random House Group, in hardback, ebook and audio editions. HarperCollins will publish the book in Canada and the U.S. on 8 October.
Interested? I'm not. You? Well, you decide.
He explained his choice of title:
‘Sometimes less is more. For me as a novelist the simple beauty of Solo as the title of the next James Bond novel is that this short four-letter word is particularly and strikingly apt for the novel I have written. In my novel, events conspire to make Bond go off on a self-appointed mission of his own, unannounced and without any authorization - and he’s fully prepared to take the consequences of his audacity.
‘The journey Bond goes on takes in three continents – with the main focus honing in on Africa. It’s what happens to Bond in Africa that generates his urge to “go solo” and take matters into his own hands in the USA.
‘Thus far and no further, at this stage…’
He continues: ‘Titles are very important to me and as soon as I wrote down Solo on a sheet of paper I saw its potential. Not only did it fit the theme of the novel perfectly, it’s also a great punchy word, instantly and internationally comprehensible, graphically alluring and, as an extra bonus, it’s strangely Bondian in the sense that we might be subliminally aware of the “00” of “007” lurking just behind those juxtaposed O’s of SOLO…’
Very little else has been revealed about the book at this stage, other than that it will feature a veteran secret agent, with Bond aged 45. It will be published on 26 September in the UK by Fleming’s original publisher, Jonathan Cape, an imprint of Vintage Publishing, part of The Random House Group, in hardback, ebook and audio editions. HarperCollins will publish the book in Canada and the U.S. on 8 October.
Interested? I'm not. You? Well, you decide.
- Blowfeld
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Re: New Bond Novel Revealed: "Solo"...
Ugh. Another dreary unimaginative name.
I seriously may pass on this tome. I usually but they books day of release, reading the author description I'm not sure I want to. We will have to see how it is received by fans and maybe then I'll consider buying it.
I seriously may pass on this tome. I usually but they books day of release, reading the author description I'm not sure I want to. We will have to see how it is received by fans and maybe then I'll consider buying it.
"Those were the days when we still associated Bond with suave, old school actors such as Sean Connery and Roger Moore,"
"Daniel didn't have a hint of suave about him," - Patsy Palmer
- John P. Drake
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Re: New Bond Novel Revealed: "Solo"...
Skyfall was well-received but that doesn't mean it's a good product. However, it's dreary like you said. Realism and Emotional Dilemma is what the general audience cares for, now. Shame. Bring Back Raymond Benson.Blowfeld wrote:Ugh. Another dreary unimaginative name.
I seriously may pass on this tome. I usually but they books day of release, reading the author description I'm not sure I want to. We will have to see how it is received by fans and maybe then I'll consider buying it.
- The Sweeney
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Re: New Bond Novel Revealed: "Solo"...
Judging by the last few Bond novels, I'm not holding my breath that this will be a vast improvement.
- John P. Drake
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Re: New Bond Novel Revealed: "Solo"...
I don't think it will be an improvement at all. On the contrary, Boyd knows nothing about Ian Fleming nor his character. He mentioned once that his story won't feature "supernatural powers", as if the old Bond books had supernatural powers to be dealt with. LOL! That really proves he has no idea what James Bond is.
- kater23
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Re: New Bond Novel Revealed: "Solo"...
The name leaves a lot to be desired,as does te plot. So the Bond of that book apparently =Daniel Craig
I have no time for No Time To Die
- John P. Drake
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Re: New Bond Novel Revealed: "Solo"...
Well, according to Boyd, it's Fleming's Bond, the Hoagy Carmichael look alike and it's set in 1969. However, yes, it's going to be inspired from Daniel Cr-egg's trilogy, which has ruined the image of our superspy, Mr. Bond.
- Blowfeld
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Re: New Bond Novel Revealed: "Solo"...
You said it Sweeney! So far I'm not seeing a lot to be excited about, it's going to be another one off book by a writer eager to go back to their day job.The Sweeney wrote:Judging by the last few Bond novels, I'm not holding my breath that this will be a vast improvement.
"Those were the days when we still associated Bond with suave, old school actors such as Sean Connery and Roger Moore,"
"Daniel didn't have a hint of suave about him," - Patsy Palmer
- John P. Drake
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Re: New Bond Novel Revealed:
Exactly!!Blowfeld wrote:You said it Sweeney! So far I'm not seeing a lot to be excited about, it's going to be another one off book by a writer eager to go back to their day job.The Sweeney wrote:Judging by the last few Bond novels, I'm not holding my breath that this will be a vast improvement.
- kater23
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Re: New Bond Novel Revealed: "Solo"...
Our hopes have been gotten(is that even a word? Oh well) before, and we've been disappointed. It's only right that we're suspicious!
I have no time for No Time To Die
- John P. Drake
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Re: New Bond Novel Revealed: "Solo"...
Well said, kater23. We're only suspicious, how far will they go? The series is nothing more than trash now, they're willing to make it worse. Special thanks to the modern-day general audience (suicidal obssessed-to-heavy-metal teenagers, emos, dam goths, emotionally unbalanced creatures) and Babs GreenVegetable for ruining and destroying what made Bond BOND. They love to be "realistic", the world "realistic" means to take place in the mould of street fights and high school-themed conflicts between two street gangs, and featuring scary mcguffins or making small references to exciting classic action movies is considered "comic book-ish", which they hate because it's not appealing for them. It's really pathetic, to level 11.kater23 wrote:Our hopes have been gotten(is that even a word? Oh well) before, and we've been disappointed. It's only right that we're suspicious!
- Blowfeld
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Re: New Bond Novel Revealed: "Solo"...
Had to repost this here some great points from the Man from UNCLE thread
JackJamesBond007 wrote:Exactly, Napoleon Solo was being created as a small-screen version of James Bond, by Fleming himself, who also helped some people to create the main protagonist of Avengers, yes, Fleming created John Steed, as well. But, due to conflicts with the EON Producers and the TV show producers, he sold the rights to the latter for only One Buck. And what BJMDDS said was very true. By the way, why is the new Bond novel entitled Solo? It looks like William Boyd knows nothing about the history let alone Bond.bjmdds wrote: The Pilot
Filmed in color from late November to early December 1963 with locations at a Lever Brothers soap factory in California, the show was originally titled Ian Fleming's Solo and later just Solo. However, in February 1964 a law firm representing James Bond movie producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli sent a cease-and-desist letter demanding an immediate end to the use of Fleming’s name in connection with the planned Solo series, and an end to all use of the name and character "Solo", "Napoleon Solo" and "Mr. Solo". At that time filming was underway for the Bond movie Goldfinger, where Martin Benson was playing a supporting character named "Mr. Solo". The claim was the name "Solo" had already been sold to them by Fleming, and Fleming could not again use it. Within five days Fleming had signed an affidavit that nothing in the Solo pilot infringed on any of his Bond characters, but the threat of continued legal action resulted in a settlement where the character name of Napoleon Solo could be kept, but the title of the show had to change.
"Those were the days when we still associated Bond with suave, old school actors such as Sean Connery and Roger Moore,"
"Daniel didn't have a hint of suave about him," - Patsy Palmer
- kater23
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Re: New Bond Novel Revealed: "Solo"...
I knew people would agree with me. Now, not only are the movies phoning it in, but so are the continuation novels.
I have no time for No Time To Die
- John P. Drake
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Re: New Bond Novel Revealed: "Solo"...
It's one-off novels, now. Continuation novels ended with Raymond Benson's tenure.kater23 wrote:I knew people would agree with me. Now, not only are the movies phoning it in, but so are the continuation novels.
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Re: New Bond Novel Revealed: "Solo"...
It's revealed that the first Casino Royale draft had the main character named 'James Secretan' before Clare Blanchard suggested Fleming to change it to something else, and he finally settled on 'James Bond'.
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Re: New Bond Novel Revealed: "Solo"...
Ian Fleming Publications unveils the plot summary of Solo...
It looks like this is going to be an embarrassing "realistic" take on the modern trend of Fleming's franchise. Such a pity. Why hire a writer who despises Fleming's novels and calls them "idiotic and supernatural"? Makes me wonder...Ian Fleming Publications wrote:"It’s 1969, and, having just celebrated his forty-fifth birthday, James Bond—British special agent 007—is summoned to headquarters to receive an unusual assignment. Zanzarim, a troubled West African nation, is being ravaged by a bitter civil war, and M directs Bond to quash the rebels threatening the established regime.
Bond’s arrival in Africa marks the start of a feverish mission to discover the forces behind this brutal war—and he soon realizes the situation is far from straightforward. Piece by piece, Bond uncovers the real cause of the violence in Zanzarim, revealing a twisting conspiracy that extends further than he ever imagined.
Moving from rebel battlefields in West Africa to the closed doors of intelligence offices in London and Washington, this novel is at once a gripping thriller, a tensely plotted story full of memorable characters and breathtaking twists, and a masterful study of power and how it is wielded—a brilliant addition to the James Bond canon".
- John P. Drake
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Re: New Bond Novel Revealed: "Solo"...
Another synopsis emerges online.
It is 1969 and James Bond is about to go solo, recklessly motivated by revenge.
A seasoned veteran of the service, 007 is sent to single-handedly stop a civil war in the small West African nation of Zanzarim. Aided by a beautiful accomplice and hindered by the local militia, he undergoes a scarring experience which compels him to ignore M's orders in pursuit of his own brand of justic. Bond's renegade action leads him to Washington, DC, where he discovers a web of geopolitical intrigue and witnesses fresh horrors.
Even if Bond succeeds in exacting his revenge, a man with two faces will come to stalk his every waking moment.