Anthony Horowitz second Bond novel has been announced.
Again using an unused Fleming idea for a tv series that never was as a starting point. I’m looking forward to this, need new Bond fiction and a single comic a month isn’t quite scratching the itch.
I genuinely enjoyed Trigger Mortis, but felt that the whole “previously unreleased Fleming material” was a gimmick. So, I’m not thrilled to see that happening yet again. I’m also less than thrilled for a prequel to Casino Royale. That said, I will still read it and hope for good things.
Of all the settings for Horowitz’s next Bond novel, I did not imagine it would be a prequel to Casino Royale. Between this, Young Bond, and the Origin comics (if they should ever come out), we’ll have a pretty clear timeline for Bond’s life from childhood to retirement age. Whether that’s good or bad is up to your preference and taste. I do wonder if this is what’s kept the Origin comic and the Casino Royale graphic novel delayed. At any rate, I’m excited to read Forever and a Day. I enjoyed Trigger Mortis quite a bit, and have no doubt it will be a good read, and a nice way to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the novel of Casino Royale.
“007 is dead”? Do I get this right and this story will establish that the 00-section applies the numbers of dead agents to new ones?
Don´t know how I feel about this prequel idea either. I thought CASINO ROYALE showed how Bond became Bond. Now the story before that tells us how Bond became pre-Bond?
Yep, I´ll be reading it nevertheless.
I do find it odd how similar the title is to the Donald Westlake novel based on an unused BOND 18 treatment released just last summer.
They do seem to be engaging in some tricky wordplay and salesmanship with ‘007 is dead’.
Seems like it might play out similarly to the first half of Casino Royale (the events leading up to the events at CR)
These were my thoughts as well.
If this new novel simply lays the groundwork for how Bond became the Bond we met in CR (how he got his licence to kill and inherited the position of 007), then I’d be pleased (provided the story is good of course, and works within the descriptions laid out by Fleming of his two kills in cold blood).
But if this new novel is meant to show us the development of Bond’s personality (particularly as a womanizer), then I’d be disappointed. I like to think that it was the loss and apparent betrayal of Vesper which resulted in Bond’s seeming inability to maintain a serious and sustained relationship-- he never allowed himself to get close to anyone (barring Tracy of course).
In fact, that was my only real criticism of Craig’s CR (2006)-- Vesper should have been the sole Bond girl, with her death having formed Bond into the agent we know and love. Solange felt tacked on to me and completely undermined the importance of the Vesper storyline.
So I sincerely hope Horowitz’s new novel steers clear of this issue. My personal preference: there should be no Bond girl in the novel whatsoever.
That being said, Trigger Mortis was one of my favorite Bond novels, so I’m excited for what’s in store.
I’m not a fan of Horrowitz mainly due to his wildly ignorant comments/opinion of Skyfall. (He’s clearly forgotten that the villain also won at the end of OHMSS, yet didn’t complain about that.)
However, Im willing to give this one a try. Just as long as he adheres to the Japanese cipher clerk and that other kill Fleming talked about in Casino Royale. The premise looks fun enough, but if he can fit those in as well then Im all in.
Until then I shall go on enjoying Leslie Charteries’ work. I just started The Saint Mets His Match. Call me up in June. 
Well, to be fair, if they didn’t do that then the 00 section would have to shut down after 9 agents were either killed or retired. I guess I had always assumed that’s how it would have to be…
Yes, I had always assumed that as well.
There was a 0011, wasn’t there? So technically they could just go on handing out numerals until the entire code scheme becomes too bothersome.
You are right now that I look it up that there was a 0011, so I’m incorrect about a limit of 9. I had always assumed 9 as a fan because in Thunderball there were 9 chairs and Moneypenny said “every 00 agent had been recalled.”
I guess it depends on availability. In Moonraker it was about three, so I guess by demand or need it would have increased.
I wonder if we’ll learn of the previous 007’s name in the new book?
A phrase I’ve used frequently. Looking forward to this and I’ll go with the premise. As to the Double-O’s, Per Fleming, there were three and Bond was the senior of the three. 0011, 008 & 007. The continuations have made mention of 001 and the films 002, 3, 4, 6, 8 & 9.
End of May works nicely. I’ll be back in London for the launch. 
End of May feels really soon. Very exciting that we won’t have such a long wait.
It’s funny-- I’m so used to the films being announced (press conference around the start of filming) 11 months before the release date, that this 3.5 months will go by like a breeze.
Already suspecting this will be another “Trigger Mortis”.
Horowitz writes: “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.’”
Small detour into detail, but: “We’re just going…”
‘Just’ just doesn’t sound right to me. 'Just going" is awfully slack writing.
John Pearson’s “James Bond - The Authorised Biography” already did a near-perfect job assembling the various Fleming fragments and fleshing out Bond’s early life. As long as you don’t object to Pearson’s inexplicable decision to give Bond an older brother (ugh!) or making Drax and the events of Moonraker a total fiction.
Another problem for Horowitz will be that he’ll struggle to match Fleming’s mastery of 50’s atmosphere. For all his faults Fleming was a brilliantly concise creator of mood and era.
‘007 is Dead’
Sounds like an apt description of the current status of the literary franchise.
Trigger Mortis was good fun so I’m sure this’ll pass the time entertainingly enough. Horowitz’s books seem not to have titles quite up to the standards of their immediate predecessors(!) but they do the job.
Fleming did mention 006 in OHMSS, describing him as an ex-Royal Marine who, I believe, was in competition with Bond for Mary Goodnight’s affections.
As for the new Horowitz novel, I quite enjoyed Trigger Mortis and look forward to what he might bring to the table. I doubt it will be a re-hash of Bond earning his Double-O number, but will be set some time just after that. I never got the impression Bond was brand new in CR anyway. After all, his two kills were at the end of WW2, and CR is set around 1951. I imagine he’d been utilized a few times in the intervening six year period. It will be interesting how much of Bond’s CR character Horowitz taps into, for though he’s very recognizable as the Bond we know, it’s clear the events of that book changed him and his views toward his work, women, etc. I hope Horowitz is able to see this and reflect it, and not give us the Bond of the post CR novels.
Precisely.