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| By Royal Command | |
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| Author | Charlie Higson |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | James Bond / Young Bond |
| Genre(s) | Spy fiction |
| Publisher | Ian Fleming Publications |
| Publication date | 3 September 2008 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover and Paperback) |
| Pages | 354 |
| ISBN | 978-0-141-38451-1 |
| Preceded by | Hurricane Gold |
By Royal Command 1 is the fifth novel in the Young Bond series depicting Ian Fleming's superspy James Bond as a teenager in the 1930s. The novel, written by Charlie Higson, takes place in 1934 and see James at the age of fourteen. Locations include The Alps (Kitzbuhel), England, France, Lisbon, and Vienna.2
By Royal Command was published in hardcover by Puffin Books in the UK on September 3, 2008. Cover art (featuring a black and red Union Jack) was not revealed until the day of publication. The paperback will be released on May 28, 2009.34
Contents |
Official summary
Puffin Books plot synopsis 1
| “ | Following a treacherous rescue mission high in the freezing Alps, James Bond is preparing for life back at Eton. But James is under surveillance; his every move is being watched. He alone holds the clue to a sinister plot that will bring bloodshed and carnage to his school - and his country.
Forced to flee from Eton to Austria, James must leave behind everything he knows, with only a beautiful - and dangerous - girl by his side. Soon he is trapped in a deadly war of secrets and lies, as a nightmare reunion with a bitter enemy plunges him once more into the face of death. Life for James Bond will never be the same again. |
” |
Plot details
In an interview, Higson stated that By Royal Command will deal with Bond being forced to leave Eton College due to an incident with a maid. The incident was previously mentioned from the point of view of M in Ian Fleming's You Only Live Twice.
“ It must be admitted that his career at Eton was brief and undistinguished and, after only two halves, as a result, it pains me to record, of some alleged trouble with one of the boys' maids, his aunt was requested to remove him. She managed to obtain his transfer to Fettes, his father's old school.”
- Ian Fleming You Only Live Twice, Chapter 21: Obit: 5
According to Higson, M's comment about the incident was a deliberate attempt to cover up the truth. "Basically, it is decided that things need to be hushed up, kept out of the way and swept under the carpet, official secrets, the government and the establishment closing ranks and all that, trying not to let out what has really happened, and that Bond is never allowed to speak about it ever again. Which is why he never mentions it when he's an adult! He does leave [Eton] early. It does involve an incident with the boys' maid. But so that the general public and the newspapers can't put two and two together, the exact dates get altered and obscured, so that James's activities and involvement never come to light." 6 It has always been generally believed that the incident is sexual in nature; however, Fleming established in "From a View to a Kill" that Bond lost his virginity at the age of 16 while in Paris. 7
The Royal Family and the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) also play a role in By Royal Command. Bond meets Princess Elizabeth and the Prince of Wales during the course of the book.8 Even though the book will be partially set in The Alps, it does not offer any revelations about Bond's parents' deaths in an Alpine climbing accident.9
At the launch party for Hurricane Gold, Charlie hinted that Amy Goodenough (from Blood Fever) and the villain Babushka (from Double or Die) return in this Young Bond adventure.10 He also revealed that James Bond falls in love. 11
Tie-in game
On August 11, 2008 Puffin Books announced the first Young Bond alternate reality game (ARG), The Shadow War, designed to tie-in with the release of By Royal Command.12 The online game started on the 23rd August, when Charlie Higson set the first mission during his appearance at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. In the game, players around the world use a range of media, including the Young Bond books themselves and the worldwide web, to complete the missions and influence the outcome of the game. Charlie Higson took part in a live online event that concluded the game on October 8, 2008.13
Trivia
- Working titles for By Royal Command were "The Shadow War"14, "Diamond Rain", and "Dynamite Kiss".15 The final title was announced on March 6, 20081, the same day author Charlie Higson completed the manuscript.16
- The incident with the maid is foreshadowed in Hurricane Gold when Pritpal Nandra mentions in a letter that the boys have a new Irish maid called Roan who is considered very attractive.
- Charlie Higson got the idea to give James a Mido Multifort watch from a fan at the CommanderBond.net forums.17
- Charlie Higson said he had to "tone down" some of scenes having to do with the Royal Family because the Fleming family knows the Royal Family. Likewise, Higson rewrote the scene in which Bond meets the Prince of Wales because, as originally written, he showed the Prince as not being very comfortable with children. But Fleming relatives, who knew the Prince, said he was just the opposite and was very good with kids.18
- One of the book's major characters is Hannes Oberhauser, who returns in the short story Octopussy.
References
- ^ a b c "Young Bond 5 is BY ROYAL COMMAND". The Young Bond Dossier. http://youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2008/3/6_Young_Bond_5_is_BY_ROYAL_COMMAND.html. Retrieved on March 6.
- ^ "The Charlie Higson CBn Interview II". CBn/The Young Bond Dossier. http://commanderbond.net/article/4504. Retrieved on September 1.
- ^ "By Royal Command cover will be kept Top Secret". The Young Bond Dossier. http://youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2008/7/31_By_Royal_Command_cover_will_be_kept_Top_Secret.html. Retrieved on July 31.
- ^ "By Royal Command paperback coming in May 2009". The Young Bond Dossier. http://youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2008/9/11_By_Royal_Command_paperback_coming_May_2009.html. Retrieved on September 3.
- ^ Fleming, Ian (1964). "21". in William Plomer (in English). You Only Live Twice. Jonathan Cape.
- ^ "MI6.co.uk interview with Charlie Higson". SilverFin: In Conversation With Charlie Higson (6). http://www.mi6.co.uk/sections/articles/interview_charlie_higson_yb1f_bookfive.php3. Retrieved on January 4.
- ^ "MI6.co.uk interview with Charlie Higson". In Conversation With Charlie Higson. http://www.mi6.co.uk/sections/articles/interview_charlie_higson_yb1f_bookfive.php3?t=&s=articles. Retrieved on March 8.
- ^ "Charlie talks By Royal Command". The Young Bond Dossier. http://www.youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2008/3/11_Charlie_talks_By_Royal_Command.html. Retrieved on March 11.
- ^ "The Charlie Higson CBn Interview II". CBn/The Young Bond Dossier. http://commanderbond.net/article/4504. Retrieved on September 1.
- ^ "Report on today’s Hurricane Gold launch party". The Young Bond Dossier. http://www.youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2007/9/6_Young_Bond_quiz_winner_2.html. Retrieved on September 6.
- ^ "Charlie drops a Book 5 bombshell". The Young Bond Dossier. http://www.youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2007/10/6_Charlie_drops_a_Book_5_bombshell.html. Retrieved on October 7.
- ^ "The Shadow War press release". The Young Bond Dossier. http://www.youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2008/8/11_The_Shadow_War.html.
- ^ "The Shadow War is won!". The Young Bond Dossier. http://youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2008/10/8_The_Shadow_War_concludes.html.
- ^ "Young Bond 5 working title revealed". The Young Bond Dossier. http://youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2007/10/10_Working_title_for_Young_Bond_5_is....html.
- ^ "Major Young Bond 5 update from Charlie Higson". The Young Bond Dossier. http://www.youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2008/2/24_Major_Young_Bond_5_update_from_Charlie_Higson.html.
- ^ "'By Royal Command' is a wrap!". http://www.youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2008/3/6_By_Royal_Command_is_a_wrap.html.
- ^ "CBn Forum Member Suggestion Makes The Cut In 'By Royal Command'". CommanderBond.net. http://commanderbond.net/article/5470.
- ^ "Interview: Charlie in Command". The Young Bond Dossier. http://youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Interview.html.
External links
- Official Young Bond website
- The Young Bond Dossier - Official Young Bond news source
- The Charlie Higson CBn Interview II
- Young Bond 5 on Bondpedia.net
- Charlie Higson talks 'By Royal Command'
- The Shadow War - Official tie-in game website
- REVIEW: James Bond loses his innocence
- Interview: Charlie in Command
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 18 November 2008, at 02:45.
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