JAMES BOND
FACT FILES

The covers presented on this page are displayed in the order they were first published in the UK, not in the original release order of Ian Fleming's novels. As such this provides a more interesting historical context to the publishing history of the James Bond paperbacks in the UK. The dates shown below each title denote the first printing with this cover.

Following the publication of John Gardner's continuation novels in paperback, Coronet then released seven of Ian Fleming's novels with new covers in October 1988. The new design featured a different solid colour background to each title and a simple silhouette of James Bond. The remaining titles were published at regular intervals throughout 1989. The silhouette of Bond was first introduced on the paperback cover of John Gardner's NOBODY LIVES FOR EVER published by Coronet in 1987; although the series of Ian Fleming novels published in the United States by Berkley in the early 1980s had also featured a solid silhouette. The US Berkley series also included John Gardner's first four continuation novels but unified the covers with the text ‘Ian Fleming's Master Spy James Bond’.

Each paperback in the UK Coronet series featured a new preface by noted novelist Anthony Burgess, who was also one of the many uncredited scriptwriters of The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).

Although not issued as part of the same ‘silhouette’ series, in 1991 CORONET did release COLONEL SUN by Robert Markham. The cover featured a painted version of the PAN edition by artist Andy Walker, and a special introduction by author Kingsley Amis (Robert Markham).

Coronet Books originally had no plans to reprint COLONEL SUN, but after 007 MAGAZINE Editor & Publisher Graham Rye suggested to their marketing manager Dennis LeBaigue they should, as it was an excellent novel and would be a significant seller.

Coronet reissued the series once again from 1995-2002 with covers painted by Bill Gregory, Paul Robinson and David Scutt. DR. NO is unique in that it exists with two different covers - one featuring a rather provocative image of a woman's hand (presumably Honeychile Rider) holding a knife; and another of a black-widow spider. Reportedly the Coronet sales director disliked the spider image painted by David Scutt and asked Bill Gregory to come up with an alternative. Both pieces of artwork had been proofed and sent to the printer, but at the last minute Glidrose (the James Bond copyright holders) took exception to the knife image and the paperback was therefore issued with the spider cover. When the book was later reprinted the knife artwork was used in error and that version was subsequently withdrawn, although some copies did get released to retailers making the ninth Coronet printing one of the rarer paperbacks on the second-hand market today.

COLONEL SUN by Kingsley Amis (writing as Robert Markham) was also issued in this series and featured a cover illustration by David Scutt which matched the style of the Fleming novels.

Although Coronet had been publishing the continuation novels in paperback since 1982, selected John Gardner and Raymond Benson novels were also issued concurrently with the Ian Fleming titles in this series in 1996. The first four Raymond Benson novels were included in this series and featured the same David Scutt cover illustrations that originally appeared on the Hodder & Stoughton hardback editions.

FACT FILES INDEX

FACT FILES - James Bond UK Paperbacks