Frankly, I’ve read a lot of these, used to pick them up for reading during flights. But I only recall a couple of them, five or six at most. They’re a bit like reading Monocle: you definitely know you’ve read it but there’s literally nothing that sticks outside the odd phrase or add. It’s doesn’t even matter if it’s the current issue or a ten year old one.
That’s most of the Reachers in a nutshell and I wouldn’t want this to happen to Bond.
I feel like this is something that I’ve heard Lee Child say before, at least that he had turned down an opportunity to take a crack at Bond.
I wonder why he wouldn’t have gotten on with the group at the publisher since they seem in lockstep about the fact that Bond is of the era of the 50s and 60s.
What they really need to do is let the literary franchise settle for a while, like what the films have done here recently, and then come back with something that is brand new, but with a vision of where to take it in the future, rather than each book, or each new author at least, seeming to have a different vision from what came before and we’re jumping back and forth in various timelines.
Bond is of the present, has always been of the present, and should continue to be as such.
Sebastian Faulks is a good example of this. He was constantly asked by IFP. He only did it after rereading the Fleming novels. He played it too safe, overall.
I’d say Sebastian Faulks’ biggest problem was he was more worried about his serious author image. The book was largely fine for the first 3/4 of it (the Ekranoplan was a great idea) and then he had to take the piss out of it by having Scarlett Papava say she made up the villain, Julius Gorner’s, backstory instead of just letting it be as she had said, which made perfect sense as it was–certainly more than not giving us a backstory or a reason for why he is as he is and does what he does. As a result, Faulks is basically saying that he didn’t take the job seriously–and that is what he was seemingly trying to telegraph to his serious, above-it-all, literary pals. Bond is beneath him. He only did it for the paycheck. 
Having said that, it’s still not the worst James Bond novel–just in the latter half of the series.
I’m not a fan of Faulks’ entry, never was. But over the years I’ve come to look at it from a different angle. Now I’m not so sure he didn’t take it seriously; perhaps he even approached it overly artistically. It’s supposed to be a literary masquerade, a meta-pastiche-collage where Faulks is even aping the author by ‘writing as’. It’s not supposed to be a continuation so much as a pedestal to Fleming’s œuvre.
Of course, if Faulks had wanted to show his appreciation of Fleming and Bond he might have written The James Bond Dossier. But Kingsley Amis beat him to it.
Without whom we wouldn’t meet here 118 years later…
# THE
28th May 2026
Today, on the 28th May in 1908, Ian Lancaster Fleming was born in London, the second of four boys, to Valentine and Evelyn Fleming.
DISCOVER MORE ABOUT HIS LIFE
# 2026 NEW EDITIONS
To celebrate Ian Fleming’s birthday we’re delighted to announce three new projects publishing in 2026…
The audiobook edition of Raymond Benson’s The Hook and the Eye .
A paperback reissue of Danger Society: The Young Bond Dossier by Charlie Higson.
The first ever trade edition of Ian Fleming: The Notes by John Pearson.
FIND OUT MORE
Kim Sherwood’s explosive finale to the Double O trilogy is out now!
‘Incredibly impressive’ - John Yorke
‘Sherwood once again writes with confidence. The taut story moves at warp speed’ - Financial Times
Couldn’t make any of the launch events? Watch a recording of Kim’s interview with Sara DiVello here.
BUY HERE
# CHITTY: THE ART EDITION
Just in at ianflemingshop.com, a collector’s numbered & signed Chitty Chitty Bang Bang set from Queen Anne Press.
Beautifully hand bound, this fully illustrated first edition facsimile is in a numbered series of just 50 and features Fleming’s children’s adventure split into three volumes, as it was originally published in 1964. The edition also includes a portfolio of two ready-to-frame lithograph prints, signed by the original artist John Burningham.
GET YOUR COPY
Looking for a new summer read? UK readers can get the kindle eBooks of A Spy Like Me and Quantum of Menace for just 99p each at Amazon until the end of the month.
Are you ready to earn the number? 007 First Light, the highly anticipated new video game inspired by Fleming’s Bond, was released yesterday. We’re enjoying the Lana del Rey title song in the HQ. Watch the title sequence here.
EXPLORE IANFLEMING.COM
Very glad to see this becoming available again, and now affordable to everyone. The book is a must buy for anyone with serious interest in Fleming, and will feel fresh and surprising even if you’re familiar with Pearson’s biography. Reading the various interviews and notes (a warehouse of raw and semi-refined material) is like constructing Fleming’s biography in your head—you get to play detective, weigh the disparate elements and decide what counts most, and compare your reactions to Pearson’s. His finished book was meant for the general public, but the Notes contains the deep detail and extended interviews and impressions required by hardcore devotees. So the book is perhaps more interesting than reading a standard biography and delivers more information. Most importantly, you come away from the book knowing Fleming in depth from many sides. I already own the bulky Queen Anne Press hardcover and will definitely buy the paperback.
Saying Sebastian Faulks didn’t take the Devil May Care gig seriously might not quite be the right turn of phrase. I think he took it seriously enough to do a decent job of it, but he couldn’t allow himself to go all in and, as a result, he took the piss out of it which left the story less than what it could have or should have been.
Accordingly, writing as Ian Fleming, had the man survived. He was a spent force and this seemingly exhausted effort gets that spot on. I think that’s part of the overall joke and makes the book more interesting for what it is than for what it says.
And we have the June edition of the IFP newsletter. May I point at the - beautiful! - edition of Ambler’s classic The Mask of Dimitrios?
# THE
25th June 2026
The Goldsboro Books special limited edition of Charlie Higson’s new Bond novel, King Zero, is available to pre-order now. It features gold foiled sharks, sprayed edges and will be personally signed and numbered by the author.
GET YOURS HERE
# OUR (00)7TH BOOK CLUB PICK
This month we’re highlighting a novel that sits at the very heart of the espionage genre - a book that 007 himself reads, and that inspired Ian Fleming’s creation of his legendary spy: Eric Ambler’s The Mask of Dimitrios .
Find out more about the novel, its author and its links to the world of Bond on our website.
LEARN MORE
The two actors playing the lead roles in Big Finish Productions’ upcoming audio drama adaptation of Charlie Higson’s Young Bond novel SilverFin , have been revealed.
Isaac Rouse (The Crown, Get Even, and Genius ) is James Bond and Charlotte McBurney (A Plague Tale, Final Fantasy XVI ) is Wilder Lawless. Sign up for mission briefings here to be the first to hear the latest news about this project.
READ THE FULL STORY
Just in at ianflemingshop.com.
Signed copies of Kim Sherwood’s Hurricane Room, the finale of the Double O trilogy
Four limited edition hand-bound essays from Queen Anne Press. Each originally featured in The Book Collector Volume 66 No. 1 March 2017, on the journal’s 65th anniversary: an issue devoted to Ian Fleming’s role in the world of books. Discover My Uncle Ian, Books That Had Started Something, Ian Fleming and The Book Collector and Two Bond Collectors. Signed by Fergus and James Fleming, in a numbered edition of 125, these are unique memoirs and a must for any Fleming collector.
EXPLORE WHAT’S NEW
Did you catch the cover reveal for The Man with the Golden Compass , the second book in the Q Mysteries series by Vaseem Khan? Out in October, you can pre-order it now here.
If you’re looking for inspiration for your next read, check out the shortlist for the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award, an annual literary prize for the best thriller published in the UK. The winner will be announced next week…
EXPLORE IANFLEMING.COM
View in browser Update Preferences Unsubscribe
Copyright © 2026 Ian Fleming Publications, All rights reserved.
Ian Fleming Publications
PO Box 8171
London, W1A 8DA United Kingdom
— —
Fresh from my in-tray…
# THE
16th July 2026
This month’s James Bond Book Club pick is Paul Warner’s critically acclaimed new novel A Spy in the Blood . At its heart, the novel asks a deceptively simple question: what makes a great spy? Is exceptional tradecraft something that can be learned through training and experience, or are some people simply born with the instincts needed for the job?
Read along with us, and make sure you’re following our socials for upcoming insights from the author himself…
FIND OUT MORE
# DECIDING THE DAGGERS
The 2026 Crime Writers’ Association Dagger winners have now been crowned, with American author S. A. Cosby taking home the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for best thriller, for his novel King of Ashes .
Check out our videos from the award ceremony, talking to the judges about what makes a great thriller, and chatting to three of the shortlisted authors about how they approach writing.
LEARN ABOUT THE WINNER
Just in at ianflemingshop.com.
An exclusive new leather bookmark, available in a choice of four colours inspired by the palette of Richard Chopping’s iconic dust jacket for the 1960 edition of For Your Eyes Only .
GET YOURS NOW
Congratulations to Raymond Benson, whose Felix Leiter spin-off novel The Hook and the Eye has been shortlisted for both the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers’ Scribe Award, and the Private Eye Writers of America’s Shamus Awards!
Did you know that Ian Fleming started a competition to find the 27th letter of the English alphabet? Learn more here.
Looking to expand your audio library? UK listeners can currently get the audiobook version of Vaseem Khan’s Quantum of Menace in Audible’s 2-for-1 member’s promotion until July 27th, and in audiobooks.co.uk’s VIP monthly deal for just £4 until the 31st.
EXPLORE IANFLEMING.COM
I enjoyed The Hook And The Eye. It was entertaining and a good novel. Congrats to Raymond Benson for this honor and good luck. 
# THE
5th August 2026
Today sees the release of the new audiobook edition of Raymond Benson’s The Hook and the Eye . Focused on Felix Leiter, James Bond’s trusted American ally, it’s a detective tale that spans the States – from New York to the heart of Texas.
Performed by Stuart W. Howard, the audiobook brings Benson’s story to life, transporting us to the America of 1952, where deception, intrigue, and a mysterious beauty await…
Get your copy from all good audiobook retailers and direct from ianflemingshop.com.
FIND OUT MORE
# BOOK CLUB
For our August Book Club selection, we’ve chosen a novel inspired by one of the most remarkable espionage partnerships of the twentieth century, Edith and Kim (2022) by Charlotte Philby, the granddaughter of notorious double agent Kim Philby.
Set against the backdrop of the Second World War and its aftermath, it tells the story of Edith Tudor-Hart and Kim Philby, two people whose lives became entwined through espionage and betrayal.
LEARN MORE
If you’re looking for some new reading material, the James Bond Book Club is here to assist. Paul Warner, author of July’s club selection, A Spy in the Blood , has exclusively shared his (00)7 favourites of the spy genre with us. Find his recommendations here.
Congratulations are in order for Raymond Benson. The Hook and the Eye has been named as Best Original Novel – General Fiction at the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers’ Scribe Awards.
What does it take to write crime? The world’s biggest crime literary festival recently took place in Harrogate, UK and the Bond universe was well represented. Check out BBC Radio 2’s Book Club podcast to hear Jeremy Vine with Anthony Horowitz, Vaseem Khan, M. W. Craven and many more stars of the genre. Listen here.
# SUMMER READS
Packing your bags? A good holiday read is a must and the Ian Fleming Shop has you covered.
Travel light with audio editions and eBooksof your favourite Bond and Fleming stories. Delve into a new release or unread classic while you unwind - Hurricane Room and Thrilling Cities are waiting to transport you. Or reach for something a little more specialist; our Queen Anne Press essaysand Ben Macintyre’s Operation Mincemeatmake ideal holiday escapes.
START BROWSING
EXPLORE IANFLEMING.COM
View in browser Update Preferences Unsubscribe
Copyright © 2026 Ian Fleming Publications, All rights reserved.
Ian Fleming Publications
PO Box 8171
London, W1A 8DA United Kingdom
Many kudos to Raymond Benson on his victory. 
I enjoyed the novel and I’m glad you had others in higher positions than mine recognize your efforts. Well done, sir.
I’m glad they basically kept the same cover that we were teased back in April. I like it. Can’t wait to read it.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Db3ZOJoiLcL/?img_index=1
Probably nothing but it is interesting to see his family care about his Bond book!
Well, she’s holding a paperback copy of The Authorised Biography that’s currently out of print. A new edition would be possible - but something like a Part II would doubtless be the much more exciting news. We shall see…
(post deleted by author)
https://www.instagram.com/p/Db5vX3qxheZ/
While the same as the UK cover, here is the US cover. We get it in November.
