'SilverFin' is Bond Bestseller

Qwerty

'SilverFin' is Bond Bestseller

SilverFin, the first in a series of five Young Bond™ novels by Charlie Higson, is swiftly climbing the UK bestsellers charts. With favorable reviews and a £50,000 promotional campaign by Puffin Books, it looks like Young Bond Book 1 is living up to expectations.

SilverFin is currently #11 on the fluid Amazon.co.uk list of bestsellers. On Play.com it's #10. On a list of children's bestsellers over at retailer WH Smith, SilverFin holds the 007th spot.

But the most exciting news is that the UK publishing trade magazine, The Bookseller, is expected to list SilverFin at #5 in the paperback children’s fiction chart this Friday!.... http://www.commanderbond.net/Public/Stories/2703-1.shtml

I have to admit I'm a little surprised the book is doing the business it is. Nice to see for the people involved however, that it paid off. It is a fine little story in the end.

Predator

Quoting Qwerty:
But the most exciting news is that the UK publishing trade magazine, The Bookseller, is expected to list Silverfin at #5 in the paperback children’s fiction chart this Friday!....

Um ... that's not that good really. Considering it's by far the highest profile launch of a children's book in the last couple of weeks, it should be nudging the number 1 spot. In saying that, I wouldn't rule out it gradually performing better over the coming weeks. If you want some more meat to your stories qwerty (;) ), 5th spot in the Bookseller Children's paperback chart equates to roughly 1000-2000 sales per week.

This certainly isn't the stellar news it would seem to be ...

James Page

Another article published earlier:
http://www.mi6.co.uk/news/index.php?itemid=2227

lawless

I think you'll find that the series of one pound children's books that were released on world books day are holding the top slots, when you consider that they have sales of over 70,000 each, then not much is going to knock them off the top in the near future. Also Jaqueline Wilson's up there somewhere, and as one of the biggest selling authors in the world, then she's pretty tough to beat. Also if you look on Amzon the top slot is held by a new book about someone called Harry Potter... i for one am pleased about his new book. As a Bond fan it's good to see him back on top. even if it's not an adult book. Surely any success will encourage IFP to look at reviving the adult books.

Predator

Quoting lawless:
I think you'll find that the series of one pound children's books that were released on world books day are holding the top slots, when you consider that they have sales of over 70,000 each, then not much is going to knock them off the top in the near future ... Surely any success will encourage IFP to look at reviving the adult books.

It would be interesting to see what the weekly sales will be for the original Flemings atm ...

As for WBD, you will find that not only do the 'pound book specials' sell very well, but you see a spike across the entire children's list. Every title benefits, from Wilson to Colfer to Higson.

As I said, the more interesting figures will be those some time after publication. The sales for titles immediately after publication and during the heavy marketing campaign will always be stronger (obviously). The measure for many books is a month after publication when booksellers are removing the dumpbins and making room for the next potential bestseller.

Anyway, welcome to AJB!

Barbel

Quoting lawless:
As a Bond fan it's good to see him back on top. even if it's not an adult book. Surely any success will encourage IFP to look at reviving the adult books.

Too true about seeing him back in print and selling well. I hope you're right about more "straight" Bond books- it's been too long!

Predator

The sales for the second week of publication have come in. Rather than being the 'predicted' 5th, it is actually 8th in the UK children's paperback chart.

However, it has benefitted from the World Book Day increase in sales (lots of people spending their £1 book vouchers in book shops) and actually managed a healthy 4000 sales as measured by Neilson Bookscan.

Perhaps its sales are not so shabby after all

The Cat

In the world of books, what exactly is bestseller? Can it be measured by the number of sold copies like records? Or is it autamatically a bestseller if it reaches a certain place on a 'bestseller list?' I'm just asking, because basically every Hungarian paperback book carries the 'prestigious title' of a bestseller. Is that different in England?

But I'm glad Silverfin is doing good. I'd buy one if... you know... they'd ship it here.

Predator

'Bestseller' is a particularly tricky word. Pretty much anything that sits in a chart could be described as one.

You can be a bit more cruel however (with apologies to Puffin, IFP and Mr Higson for this it's only meant in jest and playing on the semantics of the term 'bestseller'); for instance:

- Silverfin is the best selling James Bond novel featuring eels as part of the plot.

- Silverfin is the best selling book with 'Silver' and 'Fin' in the title.

- Silverfin is the best selling book with a character named Wilder Lawless in it.

These are all 'correct' but generally not the reason why books are deemed bestsellers. It is however the best-selling James Bond novel written for children ... for the simple reason that it is the only James Bond novel thus far written for children.

To be brutally fair to all concerned, the book charts (children's books in particular) are rather skewed at the moment because of WBD. I am sure that Silverfin probably would be in the top 3 were it not for the rash of £1 books in the charts. However, it would have sold fewer copies.

I'm going to shut up now. Anyone would think that I have it in for the book and I don't at all.

zencat

Quoting Predator:
The sales for the second week of publication have come in. Rather than being the 'predicted' 5th, it is actually 8th in the UK children's paperback chart.

However, it has benefitted from the World Book Day increase in sales (lots of people spending their £1 book vouchers in book shops) and actually managed a healthy 4000 sales as measured by Neilson Bookscan.

Perhaps its sales are not so shabby after all

Sorry for the bad info gang. Got that "expected #5 position" from our SilverFin/IFP contact who seemed pretty optimistic. I've updated the article to reflect the correct number. Thanks for the info Predator.

delon64

sorry to be pedantic but its not the only bond book book written for children predator...are you forgetting james bond 003 and a half, all those years ago

zencat

Quoting delon64:
sorry to be pedantic but its not the only bond book book written for children predator...are you forgetting james bond 003 and a half, all those years ago

Very true, delon64. And let's not forget the series of James Bond Jr. books that came out in the early '90s.

Predator

Quoting delon64:
sorry to be pedantic but its not the only bond book book written for children predator...are you forgetting james bond 003 and a half, all those years ago

Trying to forget about it ... trying ;%

Secret Agent Man

Silverfin hasn't came out in the US yet has it!?

Predator

Not yet no. April the something, there are release dates on one of the other Silverfin topics.

Secret Agent Man

Quoting Predator:
Not yet no. April the something, there are release dates on one of the other Silverfin topics.

Thanks for clearing that up Predator!

Nightshooter

I can't wait! But I'm not sure how well it will sell here.

darenhat

I suppose I should do the decent thing and buy a copy when it becomes available in the states. At least the price of the book buys me the right to criticize. Or perhaps even offer me a decent piece of amusement.

I'm actually more interested to see what kind of push it gets at some of the local bookshops.

Loeffelholz Jr

I am half way through Silverfin. I think its very good.