Anthony Horowitz's Trigger Mortis (2015) Discussion Thread

Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,644MI6 Agent
edited May 2015 in James Bond Literature
Great news announced yesterday (1 October 2014) by Ian Fleming Publications below:

http://www.ianfleming.com/anthony-horowitz-to-write-new-james-bond-novel/
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
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Comments

  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    This is fantastic news, thank you SM. I've read Horowitz's Holmes work and he did very well there, which bodes well for Bond.

    The most exciting part is the Fleming material, of course. I'm wondering exactly why the Fleming estate has chosen to wait 50 years before allowing a continuation author such access. I certainly don't see all of them refusing!

    I have my doubts that "Murder On Wheels" will be the final title- it sounds like a vehicle (pun intended) for Angela Lansbury. It'll be very interesting to see how this pans out.

    Given that this novel will be based on Fleming, and Eon therefore have the film rights, this may be the first continuation novel that stands a chance of becoming a film.
  • David SchofieldDavid Schofield EnglandPosts: 1,528MI6 Agent
    There's something April Foolsy about this.

    Horrowitz - most fans continuation author of choice - FINALLY agrees to write a Bond.

    After common sense dawns, the book is set in the 1950s (how many heavy "sequels" to YOLT can you flog????)

    And, the IFP girls have had a load of unpublished Fleming stuff no one, no biographer or researcher, had ever heard of, all along? And Ian Fleming, the master of titles so brilliant that it has given novelists and filmmakers nightmares for 50 years, calls it MURDER ON WHEELS!!!!???? (Wasn't that filmed as an episode of the PERSUADERS starring the Saint?)

    I have little faith in the girls of IFP or the stuff they have and will peddle in the name of Uncle Ian. But we will see.

    At least PROJECT ONE isn't being written by Jeffrey Deaver.
  • Charmed & DangerousCharmed & Dangerous Posts: 7,358MI6 Agent
    The article does, to be fair, stress the novel will be " inspired by" unseen material and only includes a "section" which will contain this material. We don't know how much that may be, but I for one very much look forward to any Bond continuation novel... And how much better if even a few lines are from Fleming.
    "How was your lamb?" "Skewered. One sympathises."
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    Some more here- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-29442143 including a mention of Stirling Moss.

    For those too young to remember, Moss was a very famous racing driver at the time concerned, and his name passed into everyday speech as a marker for fast driving: a wife might say to her husband "Slow down, Stirling" if she thought he was going too fast, or a policeman might call a speeding driver "Stirling".
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    {[] Great news, seems we'll be getting some new stories on a fairly
    Regular basis. Maybe from different writers but after DMC, CB and
    Solo. They do seem to want to keep him alive in print. -{
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Brilliant News -{

    Maybe he will be a continuous Author like Gardner and Benson?
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    the IFP girls have had a load of unpublished Fleming stuff no one, no biographer or researcher, had ever heard of, all along? And Ian Fleming, the master of titles so brilliant that it has given novelists and filmmakers nightmares for 50 years, calls it MURDER ON WHEELS!!!!????

    It's not quite accurate to say that there's a load of unpublished Fleming (there's a small amount only), and the TV story outlines have been known about since at least the Pearson biography. As to how many of them exist(ed), Pearson mentions at least 6. Some became short stories, others didn't. I'd be happy to go into that in more detail, or perhaps Silhouette Man could- he's the OP and has touched on this subject in his blog.

    Fleming's final titles are exactly as you say: so memorable and resonant that people such as Gardner and Wilson have had high standards to match. Some of his working titles were less impressive, which is fair enough IMHO, and "Murder On Wheels" may be simply one of those.

    Alistair MacLean wrote a batch of story outlines for films, which were novelised by others soon after he died (and even before)- no 50 year gap there
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Most of the unused TV Material was put into For Your Eyes Only anyway
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,644MI6 Agent
    More plot details in this interesting article in The Guardian today:

    http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/oct/02/james-bond-new-novel-anthony-horowitz-murder-on-wheels
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Interesting -{
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • Asp9mmAsp9mm Over the Hills and Far Away.Posts: 7,483MI6 Agent
    Looking forward to this. House of Silk captured Holmes perfectly, so hopefully he can pull Bond off. Plot sounds like an old Saint episode though.
    ..................Asp9mmSIG-1-2.jpg...............
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    Most of the unused TV Material was put into For Your Eyes Only anyway

    Only 3 of them. QoS and "Rarity" weren't from outlines, and neither were the later "Property" and "007 in NY". I'm going from memory here, but IIRC OP wasn't and TLD might have been.
  • David SchofieldDavid Schofield EnglandPosts: 1,528MI6 Agent
    Barbel wrote:
    the IFP girls have had a load of unpublished Fleming stuff no one, no biographer or researcher, had ever heard of, all along? And Ian Fleming, the master of titles so brilliant that it has given novelists and filmmakers nightmares for 50 years, calls it MURDER ON WHEELS!!!!????

    It's not quite accurate to say that there's a load of unpublished Fleming (there's a small amount only), and the TV story outlines have been known about since at least the Pearson biography. As to how many of them exist(ed), Pearson mentions at least 6. Some became short stories, others didn't. I'd be happy to go into that in more detail, or perhaps Silhouette Man could- he's the OP and has touched on this subject in his blog.

    Fleming's final titles are exactly as you say: so memorable and resonant that people such as Gardner and Wilson have had high standards to match. Some of his working titles were less impressive, which is fair enough IMHO, and "Murder On Wheels" may be simply one of those.

    Alistair MacLean wrote a batch of story outlines for films, which were novelised by others soon after he died (and even before)- no 50 year gap there

    Does Pearson mention 6? Other than those used in short stories? Been a while since I read it; easily the best Fleming bio, though.

    Are these Commander Jamaica or James Gunn plots that have suddenly appeared?

    My suspicion are that what IFP is alluding to are just plot notes in IF's note book jotted down for inspiration and future preservation, and perhaps the odd potential title that had just occurred to him...

    Would have felt happier had Horrowitz just been allowed to run with his own 50s Bond, rather than the needless marketing hook. Didn't help Faulks "writing as IF" nor Babs Broccoli's claim that DEVIL MAY CARE could easily have been a newly discovered work by IF :)) ;)
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Barbel wrote:
    Most of the unused TV Material was put into For Your Eyes Only anyway

    Only 3 of them. QoS and "Rarity" weren't from outlines, and neither were the later "Property" and "007 in NY". I'm going from memory here, but IIRC OP wasn't and TLD might have been.


    Ah -{
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    Yes, Pearson mentions 6 though he doesn't name them, but they include FYEO,FAVTAK, and "Risico". I'd guess at TLD as a 4th.
  • David SchofieldDavid Schofield EnglandPosts: 1,528MI6 Agent
    Barbel wrote:
    Yes, Pearson mentions 6 though he doesn't name them, but they include FYEO,FAVTAK, and "Risico". I'd guess at TLD as a 4th.

    Ah, got where you were coming from now; thought you meant that he'd mentioned 6 unused plots and titles.

    Only totally unused idea from Pearson I remember is the Zagraphos (sp?) one
  • The Domino EffectThe Domino Effect Posts: 3,631MI6 Agent
    I'm very happy with this news. Although I haven't read Horowitz's Sherlock Holmes' work, it seemed to be well received by fans and critics alike if I recall correctly. I also like that it is to be et in the 1950s and that he has some element of unpublished Fleming to act as a guide or inspiration. I'm looking forward to it.
  • Polar Bear 0007Polar Bear 0007 CanadaPosts: 129MI6 Agent
    :) I'm just happy we're getting Bond in the fifties. I'm not a fan of a modern literary Bond running around with a cell phone and all the other foolishness post 1990's.

    Let's hope for a cracking read!! :)
    This is where we leave you Mr. Bond. (Pilot, Apollo Airlines)
  • Sir MilesSir Miles The Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 26,417Chief of Staff
    Asp9mm wrote:
    Looking forward to this. House of Silk captured Holmes perfectly, so hopefully he can pull Bond off.

    I agree - I've read House of Silk and thought he did a great job....fingers crossed he repeats that here -{
    YNWA 97
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    He also adapted several of the Poirot stories for television. :)
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,644MI6 Agent
    I was asked to give an interview for Channel 5 News on this today but sadly I was at work so by the time I saw the email and Google+ conversation it was too late. Oh well! :) -{
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Sorry to hear that SM -{
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,644MI6 Agent
    Sorry to hear that SM -{

    No, it's fine. I think the lady journalist must have got my email address off of The Bondologist Blog or else she got it off AJB when searching and found this thread. Still a great honour to be asked! :) -{
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Yes, Bad luck SM. :# still chin up. -{
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,644MI6 Agent
    Yes, Bad luck SM. :# still chin up. -{

    Yes, of course I'd have relished the chance to contribute something though I'd have needed to have refreshed my memory on a few things. Anyway, I told the kind lady that I was available if there was anything else in the future. -{
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,644MI6 Agent
    Some more about Project One on BBC News:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-29442143
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    http://news.sky.com/story/1346208/horowitz-007-book-offer-too-good-to-turn-down

    Antony Horowitz says 007 book was too good an offer to turn down. :)
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Any Author would have to be mad to turn down the Chance to write a Bond Novel :))
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,644MI6 Agent
    Any Author would have to be mad to turn down the Chance to write a Bond Novel :))

    Though many come to see it as a poisoned chalice of course... :#
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Yes :#
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
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