MI6 can exclusively reveal some of the authors confirmed to pen introductions to newly released Ian Fleming novels from Penguin Books later this year...

Penguin To Re-Issue 007 Novels
20th April 2006 / 21st June 2006

20th April 2006
MI6 can exclusively reveal that Penguin Books will be re-issuing Ian Fleming's classic James Bond novels again later this year, to coincide with the release of the 21st 007 film in theatres. To tie-in with "Casino Royale" hitting the big screen, all 14 of Ian Fleming's 007 titles will be republished in the UK.

Jacket artwork will be changed to use the USA pulp style covers by artist Richie Fahey, in an attempt to bring a more contemporary readership for the fifty year-old adventures. As well as freshening up the UK editions, Penguin will be enlisting top fiction writers to provide introductions to each of the books. Authors have not been completely finalised yet, but each novel will be introduced by a different writer.

The news of this fresh batch of re-releases comes shortly after Penguin USA announced they are re-publishing "Casino Royale" in a movie tie-in edition, with cover art likely to link to the new film.

21st June 2006
Young Bond author Charlie Higson ("SilverFin", "Blood Fever") will pen an intro to his favourite Ian Fleming novel, "From Russia With Love". Cover art for this new edition has appeared on Amazon UK (pictured opposite).

Similarly, author Val McDermid ("The Wire in the Blood") has been assigned to "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". Cover art for this new edition has also appeared on Amazon UK (pictured below).

 
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MI6 has learned the identities of some of the authors confirmed to write for the new re-releases and can exclusively reveal that Simon Winder ("The Man Who Saved Britain"), Charles Cumming ("The Hidden Man"), Michael Dibdin ("Dirty Tricks"), Jeffrey Deaver ("The Bone Collector"), David Wolstencroft ("Contact Zero"), Louise Welsh ("The Cutting Room"), and Mo Hayder ("Tokyo" - a book that featured a very similar cover to "You Only Live Twice") will also be providing introductions. No further information is available as to which authors will be allocated to write for which novels.

The Casino Royale re-release edition will feature the text "Soon to be a major motion picture" on the front of the jacket. The ISBN codes for each of the UK re-releases will be identical to the 2002 editions that featured modern photographic art covers by Toby McFarlan Pond. Some US cover art has already started to replace the UK editions on Amazon.

Collectors can expect to see the new editions, complete with introductions, released in November in the UK. Release details for the US editions (which will retain their current art work but will be expanded with the new introductions) is not currently available.

UPDATE (8th July 2006)
Ian Fleming Publications have announced the full line-up of authors and novels:
CASINO ROYALE - Jeffery Deaver
LIVE AND LET DIE - Louise Welsh
MOONRAKER - Michael Dibdin
DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER - Jonathan Kellerman
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE - Charlie Higson
DR NO - Simon Winder
GOLDFINGER - Ben Schott
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY - Barry Eisler
THUNDERBALL - David Wolstencroft
THE SPY WHO LOVED ME - Nick Stone
ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE - Val McDermid
YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE - Mo Hayder
THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN - Charles Cumming
OCTOPUSSY/THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS - Robert Ryan

Above Left: Updated "Casino Royale" cover with the "Soon to be a major motion picture" caption. Above Right: The updated "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" edition featuring the US jacket artwork and introduction by Val McDermid.

Recent Re-Issues
The last time Penguin re-issued all of Fleming's novels in the UK was in April 2002, with modern photographic art covers by Toby McFarlan Pond.

In June 2004, Penguin Modern Classics re-released ten of the novels with fresh covers using popular Bond images (mostly from the cinematic versions of the books). "Thunderball" was not amongst the release due to the rights of the novel not solely belonging to Fleming, "The Man With The Golden Gun" was not included as it was posthumously published, and "Octopussy & The Living Daylights", "For Your Eyes Only" were not among the release as they are short story collections.

Penguin USA republished all 14 titles over 2002 and 2003 with pulp style cover artwork by Richie Fahey. Click here to read the MI6 interview.

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