New James Bond novel out in September

19 February 2013 - 11:26 By Sapa-AFP
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Daniel Craig gets to show off his strengths as an actor in the latest James Bond film, 'Skyfall'. File photo
Daniel Craig gets to show off his strengths as an actor in the latest James Bond film, 'Skyfall'. File photo

A new James Bond novel, written by British novelist William Boyd, will be released on September 26, publishers Jonathan Cape announced Monday.

The book, as yet untitled, is set in 1969 and features a 45-year-old Bond.

"1969. A veteran secret agent. A single mission. A licence to kill. James Bond returns," readers are promised.

The glamorous British spy's creator Ian Fleming died in 1964 after writing 14 novels in the Bond series, but other authors have since kept the saga alive and the franchise has now sold more than 100 million books.

The latest two novels were "Devil May Care" (2008) by Sebastian Faulks and Jeffery Deaver's "Carte Blanche" in 2011.

This year marks 60 years since Fleming's first Bond novel, Casino Royale, was published in 1953.

The announcement of the new book's release date comes on the same day that Skyfall - the 23rd official Bond film, starring Daniel Craig - is released on DVD in Britain.

Skyfall is the first film ever to take £100 million $155 million at the British box office. Globally, last year's Bond movie has taken more than $1 billion.

Boyd used Fleming as a character in his book "Any Human Heart" and has also worked with Bond actors Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan and Craig.

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