This wide-ranging conversation touches on many of the subjects from the second book, but also what the loss or rejection of certain ideas tells us about our collective conception of James Bond and his world. The properties he discusses span unmade films, out of print books, limited releases in a non-English territory, or in the worst cases – such as the South African ‘Moonraker’ radio adaptation or a POV motion adventure park ride – simply mislaid and likely gone, forever. ‘The Lost Adventures of James Bond’ is all about the missed opportunities, forgotten instalments or adventures beyond the reach of fans. Moonraker This is the third novel in the Bond series and finds Bond battling against multi-millionaire and national hero Sir Hugo Drax, first at cards and later as hero and villian as Drax tries to destroy London with the help. The second book, and the subject of this discussion, is something of a spillover from the meticulous research that went into the first. ‘The Many Lives Of James Bond’ talks to as many people who have developed, drawn, played or voiced James Bond, to better understand the character and the various portrayers’ interpretations of the iconic spy. The product of years of research and carefully selected interviews, these books tell the stories in the subjects’ own words.

Mark Edlitz is the author of two books about James Bond, but it wasn’t his intention to write them both. All are enriched by Dalton’s seductive illustrations, with their blend of glamour, intimacy and action.How many James Bond stories are out of circulation or out of reach? The minimalist binding design echoes the Folio editions of Casino Royale, From Russia with Love, Dr Noand Goldfinger.

The drama in Moonraker is as gripping and visceral as ever, but it’s all the more compelling for the almost eerie stillness of the build-up, in which an increasingly uneasy Bond tries to decipher the ‘nightmare’ signs of impending doom. This begins with the tense game of bridge which sees Bond duping the cheating Drax, a scene described by Susan Hill as ‘the finest thing Fleming ever wrote’. Set solely in London and on the Kentish coast, this unusual Bond novel sets death-defying feats against a backdrop of intense, finely tuned suspense. This leads to a moving closing scene that gives a rare glimpse of the occasionally vulnerable man behind the dauntless secret agent. With all existing products the pins are always following the same track, so more turns will only result in compacted grooves being formed in the coffee bed. Gala Brand is a dedicated policewoman, and her relationship with Bond is more nuanced than is often the case in the 007 novels. 3,895 Premium grinding for out-of-this-world coffee. Our edition of Fleming’s third 007 novel features stunning artwork by Fay Dalton which depicts the formidable Moonraker, the disfigured face of one of Fleming’s most convincing villains, and a Bond girl whose beauty is matched by her tenacity and wit.

Moonraker book