MI6 Magazine has a new special edition out, special number 8, this time about “Skyfall”
Darker than the Sun: The Bond Movie Atlas Hardcover – 9 Oct. 2025
by Matthew Field (Author), Ajay Chowdhury (Author)
Darker than the Sun: The James Bond Atlas is your passport to the iconic missions of Agent 007, meticulously charted on an epic worldwide journey.
With approximately 150 stunning photographs, you’ll be transported to the very places where the action unfolds. Immerse yourself in the allure of the settings, with images capturing both the real-life locations and behind-the-scenes glimpses from the film sets. Each film is also accompanied by a global locator map and a detailed map that bring key Bond destinations to life. This is not just a book; it’s a cinematic journey, an atlas of adventure, and a treasure trove of Bond lore.
By the way, did anyone buy the cheaper version of the Tasschen The Shinning book and did one look at this movie in a completely different way?
I bought the cheaper version, but it is so extensive I need the time (and the right mood) to immerse myself in it. „The Shining“ always was a winter movie for me, so…
But just from flipping through that book I can totally recommend it to anyone who loves the film.
I’m also reminded of Kiss Kiss Bang! Bang!: The Unofficial James Bond Film Companion by Alan Barnes and Marcus Hearn. Another excellent book, even though I don’t always agree with the ratings they awarded each movie.
I’d absolutely love to see an updated version which covered the Daniel Craig films.
Could anyone recommend any other books such as this and the Deborah Lipp one, where each movie is reviewed and rated?
Yes! Love the Kiss Kiss Bang Bang book!!
Finally I received the Spy Octane The Vehicles of James Bond book. It’s huge and with over 400 pages and more than 800 photographs (I didn’t count them myself) it is something special.
Most of the photo’s I didn’t have, it’s not only Bond stuff, it has also I think promo photo’s of Aston Martin and the other cars. But it’s more than just the cars, all other vehicles are in it too, think about the underwater vehicles from Thunderball, or the Moonbuggy of Little Nelly. I think it’s fantastic and I can’t wait for volume two. This one indeed counters all the Bond movies from the sixties, including the Lazenby one, and also Connery’s last official one, DAF. Ofcourse there are more books about the vehicles but this one beats them all.
The next one is gonna be with all Moore movies so I can’t wait to see all stuff about the white Lotus Esprit Turbo! Love it!
But is it still edited?
The Search for Bond by Robert Sellers
This handy tome - just a bit over 200 pages - arrived the day before yesterday and I already finished it; a rare occurrence these days. Sellers is a quality name in the field of Bond film journalism and his The Battle for Bond is a standard reference work dissecting THE crossroads where litBond’s and filmBond’s paths separated; a crucial chapter that has had repercussions on the entire franchise to this day.
Here now he’s giving us the history of the casting process of a role that today is the holy grail of Anglophone acting - for the few that land it. And epitome of ‘what-if’ for those who miss out or lose the part to circumstances and happenstance. No other part will overshadow a career like 007.
Sellers starts out with Fleming’s own ideas in the 50s and spins the tale right to the end of Craig’s tenure 70 years later. The book was finished well before Amazon’s unfriendly buyout/takeover, but it’s perversely amusing how the new powers that be now face much of the same conundrums the series did even before Connery became Eon’s Bond.
For seasoned fans not everything in this book will be new information - but there is a vast offering of detail and the odd confirmation even longtime Bond watchers will find revealing. For example, Fleming had discussed giving the part to Richard Burton with script writer Paul Dehn. An option that around 58/59 probably makes more sense than the often mentioned David Niven endorsement.
Sellers spent years conducting interviews and research and his effort shows in the drawing of an ever more grandiose selection process that must in fact be expensive enough to produce its own film. Actors are summoned from across the globe, ordered to drop whatever they’re doing and report at Pinewood - where frequently they find they’re one of a small army of similarly decked out types waiting their turn for the interview, or the screen test itself.
Whole sets are built, actresses hired just for screen testing of male counterparts, generic scripts or actual pages from upcoming productions used to give a kind of benchmark standard for comparison of contenders, some of whom have even been sent shopping with Broccoli. In short, no expenses have been spared to find Bond in the past. This book tells the intriguing story of how the Bond machine operates to makes dreams come true - or turn to dust much more often.
A wholeheartedly recommended read.
Wow! You finished this book quickly. I have it for months now here, but I still have to begin read the first sentence.
Is there anyone who actually has received this book yet?
Amazon.de says now: 15 august!!
Currently it’s not even possible to order it if you haven’t done so already. ‘Edition Bleuchamp’ evidently is a self published project. Could be they ran into difficulties with the printing/binding/licensing or other unforeseen stuff. Releasing your own book is quite an adventure.
Good call, thanks for the heads up!
Got an email from Amazon.de they now lists the O.H.M.S.S. book for release august the ninth.
Do they realy have it already and send it?
Is there any one who has received the book?
Got an email from Amazon today, estimated delivery August 11th.
I’ve been holding back due to shipping costs, but I’ve decided to say screw it and make the purchase. The book is just too good to pass up as a fan of OHMSS. These are the types of books we’ve been wanting instead of the lazy reprints of old information and the same old photos.