An ideal companion to the Bond phenomenon, this volume features all that dedicated fans could want--comprehensive coverage of all 18 films (starring Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, and Pierce Brosnan); a look at every novel to feature Bond; and an examination of each of the unofficial films and Bond's small screen outings.
During 2009, Macmillan Books announced that Lane would be writing a series of books focusing on the early life of Sherlock Holmes. The series was developed in conjunction with the estate of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Lane had already shown an extensive knowledge of the Holmes character and continuity in his Virgin Books novel All-Consuming Fire in which he created The Library of St. John the Beheaded as a meeting place for the worlds of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Who.
The first book in the 'Young Sherlock Holmes' series – Death Cloud – was published in the United Kingdom in June 2010 (February 2011 in the United States), with the second – Red Leech – published in the United Kingdom in November of that year (with a United States publication date under the title Rebel Fire of February 2012). The third book – Black Ice – was published in June 2011 in the UK while the fourth book – Fire Storm – was published originally in hardback in October 2011 with a paperback publication in March 2012. The fifth book, Snake Bite was published in hardback in October 2012 and the sixth book, Knife Edge was published in September 2013. Death Cloud was short-listed for both the 2010 North East Book Award. (coming second by three votes) and the 2011 Southampton's Favourite Book Award. Black Ice won the 2012 Centurion Book Award.
Early in 2012, Macmillan Children's Books announced that they would be publishing a new series by Lane, beginning in 2013. The Lost World books will follow disabled 15-year-old Calum Challenger, who is co-ordinating a search from his London bedroom to find creatures considered so rare that many do not believe they exist. Calum's intention is to use the creatures' DNA to help protect the species, but also to search for a cure for his own paralysis. His team comprises a computer hacker, a free runner, an ex-marine and a pathological liar.
(Feb'2013) Less than a 3rd through this monster guide to all things Bond, and only (only!) the books covered, to come separate ‘Files’ about the films, TV, comics, games etc. Of course the books are the mother-lobe, the source of the endearing and enduring interest in the franchise. As a Bond and Fleming fan I have read all the original books, but was still a little surprised how short the actual output and time span was, easily eclipsed by the work of 2 official ‘ghost writers’ John Gardner & Raymond Benson. This only goes up to 1999 so doesn’t cover the more recent ‘celebrity’ homages. Also, other facts I should have known; the last novel was not published in Fleming’s lifetime (‘The Man with the Golden Gun’, 1965), and that the first of Gardner’s novels, Colonel Sun, was as early as 1968. Each book is exhaustively reviewed in terms of plot, snippets of Bond background, inaccuracies, locations, villainous foibles etc. So far, so much fun :)
A great survey of the Bond franchise up to 2002. That it is 10 years out of date is its only weakness.
Not an in-depth or overly critical look at any one aspect (books or films), but a good jumping off point for those interested. This, like any Bond encounter, leaves me wanting to re-visit the books and slightly saddened that the movies have largely been spectacles that share titles and character names with the books and very little else.
It's thorough and highly detailed...and I would have enjoyed it MORE, had Andy Lane actually REVIEWED any of the films. I don't always agree with reviews...a reason I actually ENJOY reading critical analysis. Why put them in his "Babylon 5" guides and not here? Bah!