Another fascinating stroll down tangent avenue from emtiem. Now there is a thought for a new Bond literary villain, an ultra progressive member of government trying to bring Bond to his knees with political correctness and wokery, tying him up in dreary non-speak until he surrenders his PPK and retires (again). For clarity thats a joke as I know it can be extremely difficult to decipher plain english sometimes.
Tangent Avenue…you go to the store for a bag of chips and accidentally find yourself there and learn that it’s a b**th of a place to be in, lol!
Are there any early reviews of DoN yet? Tone and flavor? Has the expectations for an obsession over pronoun preferences been unjustified? In the least, please share a nay or a yay and a brief explanation why.
"...the purposeful slant of his striding figure looked dangerous, as if he was making quickly for something bad that was happening further down the street." -SMERSH on 007 dossier photo, Ch. 6 FRWL.....
I read the excerpt in the Times and, to me, it smacked of the worst of Ray Benson (i.e., fan fiction, not a serious literary product). I’ll be avoiding based on that alone unless people here read the book and tell me that my concerns are unfounded.
superadoRegent's Park West (CaliforniaPosts: 2,665MI6 Agent
edited September 2022
David Leigh from The James Bond Dossier wrote a basic (the way I like it) review:
There are some interesting aspects of the novel, such as the time setting that’s slightly in the future, taking Fleming’s “a minute in the future” angle to heart it seems. There’s a 00 agent named exactly after Johanna Harwood, one of the writers EON employed for DN and FRWL and surely an homage to the first female Bond writer; I remember reading how the experience soured on her. There’s also another agent named Dryden, which was the also the name of the corrupt station chief that JB took out in the CR PTS…but I don’t know if that reflects on him being a villain or not. The plot does have something to do with climate change, which some kinda predicted here in regard to the book having a progressive message. Anyway, at this point I don’t know if I’ll read it, for the mere fact of an absent Bond…I mean, even TSWLM was worth reading even with a lessened Bond presence. I’d definitely read Kim Sherwood if she does write an actual Bond continuation novel.
"...the purposeful slant of his striding figure looked dangerous, as if he was making quickly for something bad that was happening further down the street." -SMERSH on 007 dossier photo, Ch. 6 FRWL.....
I also have no interest whatsoever in buying this blatant bolt on with the predictable tropes, but I did read through some of the Amazon reviews, pretty telling. Lot's a gushing 5 stars and some telling low stars. Another Jeffery Deaver esq attempt that will be forgotten soon enough. Shame really.
I'll read it if I happen to find a cheap used copy
I always thought Young Bond was a stupid cash-in concept, until I found the whole set for a dollar apiece and started reading. Turns out they're the best Bond books since Christopher Wood (much better than Horowitz), so you never can tell. it depends on the writers imagination and willingness to commit.
By comparison, the adventures of three fellow double-oh's is a more believable idea for spinoff series than Young Bond.
Asp9mmOver the Hills and Far Away.Posts: 7,603MI6 Agent
edited September 2022
Save your money. Utter fan fiction drivel. It’s about as Fleming/Bond as Amazons Rings series is Tolkien. I couldn’t even make it to the end.
off topic but maybe not given Amazon's recent purchases...90% of the problems with Rings derive from the 1 hour episodic format. You can't service 8 million subplots in an hour and just when you think something is happening it stops!
It was ordered for me in December as a Christmas gift. To be honest I have mixed feelings about it because I still have two Christmas presents to look forward to, the novel and a "I stand with Ukraine" t-shirt, and that's kind of nice in January.
I'm still in the middle of Antony Beevor's excellent "Russia: revolution and civil war" so I really shouldn't complain.
Anyone looking for one of these books, check out the Waterstones sale. I was in there browsing today and found a signed Waterstones limited edition copy for £3 in their sales bin.
It’s worth a punt at that cost I thought.
Japanese proverb say, "Bird never make nest in bare tree".
As 2025 draws to a close, I am reflecting on a year of extremes. As a family, we’ve lost a lot. My mother-in-law, my grandmother, my father, and a baby through early miscarriage. Those losses have changed our world, turned it upside down and rewritten the map, scrambling coordinates I could always rely on. But the people I rely on have remained stalwart and true and I am so grateful for my husband Nick and both our families and all our friends.
Creativity has also seen me through. I (re)wrote Hurricane Room,the last novel in my Double O series, in an intense burst between December and April, and having those heroes to hold on to was testament to the power of imagination and character. James Bond has been there for me since I was a child, but never more so than this year. Hurricane Room is out in May and I am anticipating its release with a mixture of excitement and sadness to see the adventure come to an end.
I also shared some adventures in the screen trade, to steal from William Goldman, working on multiple projects that I can’t wait to share with you. Learning a whole new form has been an exciting challenge that’s provided a lot of fun and focus.
We’ve continued renovating our house, and no longer have a hole in the bathroom wall – always a plus.
Our rescue greyhound Pat has provided so much joy and laughter.
I’ve taught brilliant students.
I’ve shared a stage with some of my favourite people, from Lee Child to Andrew Miller to Richard Armitage, and made new friends in the Scottish crime (writing) world like the brilliant Denise Mina. I’ve loved meeting folk in festival green rooms and signing queues.
Interviewing Lee and Andrew Child
I travelled to Hungary with my family to scatter our grandmother’s ashes in the Danube and reconnected with our Jewish roots there.
We watched Arsenal Women win the Champion’s League in Lisbon. The Lionesses won the Euros at a point when all my happiness was pinned on them, so phew!
Between the extremes, love and connection have been saving graces.
I hope your year has brought you solace and sweetness, and I wish you love and light for the year ahead.
Can’t wait to see you at a book event in 2026!
If you haven’t yet, you can pre-order Hurricane Room now, which will give the book a lovely boost as the new year starts – with my gratitude.
I’ve just been looking back over my pictures of Hanukkah/Solstice/Christmas and I think this one sums it up best – my sister ordered me a kosher gluten-free donut all the way from Borough Market, featured here with my mum’s beautiful tree.
Wishing you tonnes of sugar and melting jam,
Kim x
I wish 2026 to be a better year for Kim and her loved ones.
Comments
Another fascinating stroll down tangent avenue from emtiem. Now there is a thought for a new Bond literary villain, an ultra progressive member of government trying to bring Bond to his knees with political correctness and wokery, tying him up in dreary non-speak until he surrenders his PPK and retires (again). For clarity thats a joke as I know it can be extremely difficult to decipher plain english sometimes.
Great points superado !!
Well... I for one am excited to read this novel. Surprised it isn't up for preorder yet.
The UK cover of 'Double or Nothing' has been revealed, along with the Waterstones Edition.
US cover to be revealed.
'Double or Nothing' is now available to preview at Net Galley.
anyway for us normal folk to read it lol
I believe some lucky people in the Bond community, besides the usual reviewers, have got advance proof copies sent out to them too.
Double or Nothing: James Bond and Beyond with Charlie Higson and Kim Sherwood on Thursday, 1 September, 2022 from 19:00 - 20:30.
That's great. I believe that's the publication date for Double or Nothing in the UK.
Tangent Avenue…you go to the store for a bag of chips and accidentally find yourself there and learn that it’s a b**th of a place to be in, lol!
Are there any early reviews of DoN yet? Tone and flavor? Has the expectations for an obsession over pronoun preferences been unjustified? In the least, please share a nay or a yay and a brief explanation why.
I read the excerpt in the Times and, to me, it smacked of the worst of Ray Benson (i.e., fan fiction, not a serious literary product). I’ll be avoiding based on that alone unless people here read the book and tell me that my concerns are unfounded.
David Leigh from The James Bond Dossier wrote a basic (the way I like it) review:
https://www.thejamesbonddossier.com/content/review-double-or-nothing-by-kim-sherwood.htm?fbclid=IwAR2D_y97g5ni52Wg7QwfypZMocdPKA49hzSGCYlqjO3zANwjB7mlgn55aQg
There are some interesting aspects of the novel, such as the time setting that’s slightly in the future, taking Fleming’s “a minute in the future” angle to heart it seems. There’s a 00 agent named exactly after Johanna Harwood, one of the writers EON employed for DN and FRWL and surely an homage to the first female Bond writer; I remember reading how the experience soured on her. There’s also another agent named Dryden, which was the also the name of the corrupt station chief that JB took out in the CR PTS…but I don’t know if that reflects on him being a villain or not. The plot does have something to do with climate change, which some kinda predicted here in regard to the book having a progressive message. Anyway, at this point I don’t know if I’ll read it, for the mere fact of an absent Bond…I mean, even TSWLM was worth reading even with a lessened Bond presence. I’d definitely read Kim Sherwood if she does write an actual Bond continuation novel.
Agree that a book without Bond just doesn’t hold a lot of interest for me.
+1 A book without Bond holds no interest for me either. I guess they're trying a Disney Star Wars experiment.
Every character will get a spin off series. The Injured Lift operator's Back story. The MI6 tea lady's adventures.
I also have no interest whatsoever in buying this blatant bolt on with the predictable tropes, but I did read through some of the Amazon reviews, pretty telling. Lot's a gushing 5 stars and some telling low stars. Another Jeffery Deaver esq attempt that will be forgotten soon enough. Shame really.
I'll read it if I happen to find a cheap used copy
I always thought Young Bond was a stupid cash-in concept, until I found the whole set for a dollar apiece and started reading. Turns out they're the best Bond books since Christopher Wood (much better than Horowitz), so you never can tell. it depends on the writers imagination and willingness to commit.
By comparison, the adventures of three fellow double-oh's is a more believable idea for spinoff series than Young Bond.
Save your money. Utter fan fiction drivel. It’s about as Fleming/Bond as Amazons Rings series is Tolkien. I couldn’t even make it to the end.
off topic but maybe not given Amazon's recent purchases...90% of the problems with Rings derive from the 1 hour episodic format. You can't service 8 million subplots in an hour and just when you think something is happening it stops!
This was what I expected based on that excerpt in the times, and I’ve avoided it as a result.
On a side note, I see IFP has an “announcement” on global JB day. I assume that’s not related to the Sherwood series.
For anyone interested in this book, It's available today as a Kindle Book deal with the kindle version for £0.99
When will the novel be available in book form? One of my sisters ordered one for me for Christmas, but so far I haven't seen it.
The Spanish Edition 'Doble o Nada' will be released on 23 February, 2023.
Good, but I stil know nada about when it will be available i Norway.
Have you tried Book Depository?
It was ordered for me in December as a Christmas gift. To be honest I have mixed feelings about it because I still have two Christmas presents to look forward to, the novel and a "I stand with Ukraine" t-shirt, and that's kind of nice in January.
I'm still in the middle of Antony Beevor's excellent "Russia: revolution and civil war" so I really shouldn't complain.
Anyone looking for one of these books, check out the Waterstones sale. I was in there browsing today and found a signed Waterstones limited edition copy for £3 in their sales bin.
It’s worth a punt at that cost I thought.
A newsletter from Kim that I missed. It's not the easiest read.
girl with the golden pen
Love and Loss in 2025
Ringing in longer days together
Kim Sherwood
Dec 27, 2025
Dear Reader,
As 2025 draws to a close, I am reflecting on a year of extremes. As a family, we’ve lost a lot. My mother-in-law, my grandmother, my father, and a baby through early miscarriage. Those losses have changed our world, turned it upside down and rewritten the map, scrambling coordinates I could always rely on. But the people I rely on have remained stalwart and true and I am so grateful for my husband Nick and both our families and all our friends.
Creativity has also seen me through. I (re)wrote Hurricane Room, the last novel in my Double O series, in an intense burst between December and April, and having those heroes to hold on to was testament to the power of imagination and character. James Bond has been there for me since I was a child, but never more so than this year. Hurricane Room is out in May and I am anticipating its release with a mixture of excitement and sadness to see the adventure come to an end.
I also shared some adventures in the screen trade, to steal from William Goldman, working on multiple projects that I can’t wait to share with you. Learning a whole new form has been an exciting challenge that’s provided a lot of fun and focus.
We’ve continued renovating our house, and no longer have a hole in the bathroom wall – always a plus.
Our rescue greyhound Pat has provided so much joy and laughter.
I’ve taught brilliant students.
I’ve shared a stage with some of my favourite people, from Lee Child to Andrew Miller to Richard Armitage, and made new friends in the Scottish crime (writing) world like the brilliant Denise Mina. I’ve loved meeting folk in festival green rooms and signing queues.
Interviewing Lee and Andrew Child
I travelled to Hungary with my family to scatter our grandmother’s ashes in the Danube and reconnected with our Jewish roots there.
We watched Arsenal Women win the Champion’s League in Lisbon. The Lionesses won the Euros at a point when all my happiness was pinned on them, so phew!
Between the extremes, love and connection have been saving graces.
I hope your year has brought you solace and sweetness, and I wish you love and light for the year ahead.
Can’t wait to see you at a book event in 2026!
If you haven’t yet, you can pre-order Hurricane Room now, which will give the book a lovely boost as the new year starts – with my gratitude.
Pre-order Hurricane Room
I’ve just been looking back over my pictures of Hanukkah/Solstice/Christmas and I think this one sums it up best – my sister ordered me a kosher gluten-free donut all the way from Borough Market, featured here with my mum’s beautiful tree.
Wishing you tonnes of sugar and melting jam,
Kim x
I wish 2026 to be a better year for Kim and her loved ones.
Thanks for sharing that, Dr Max. Sad to hear the tragedies she's endured recently.
She mentioned Denise Mina; I've only read one of her books and it was excellent. "The Second Murderer".
https://www.instagram.com/p/DUxnFFEDL-C/?hl=en&img_index=1
I'm happy to report that some happiness is coming into her life!
Superb writer.
May God Bless her and her family with the best of health, happiness and success.
Looking forward to Hurricane Room in May.