Book Off!

Two brilliant writers and humans - Charlie Higson and Vaseem Khan - join Joe for a Book Off (and a Bond Off!)

Both are writing contemporary novels - in the world of James Bond - for the Ian Fleming estate.

Charlie has previously written Young Bond novels - but has recently published 'King Zero' - his first adult novel featuring James Bond.

Vaseem is writing the character of Q - who appears in the Fleming Novels and, of course, on screen too (played namely by Desmond Llewlyn and Ben Wishaw)

Vas was told to write something that was 'halfway between Richard Osman and Mick Herron' - so no pressure then!

The two authors chat about their love of Bond, bringing Fleming into the 21st Century, finding new audiences...and whether they might ever work together!?

They also recommend us some brilliant books too!

THE BOOK OFF
'Jurassic Park' by Michael Crichton
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The 'Gormenghast' Trilogy by Mervyn Peake

And here's a little more info on our guests' new books:

'King Zero' by Charlie Higson
Le Chiffre. Dr No. Goldfinger. James Bond has faced them all. But now the world is changing, and even 007 has no idea what’s coming for him…

It starts with a murdered agent in the Saudi desert. Only a traitor could have known enough to bring him down. But even James Bond can’t guess at the secret that was worth killing him to keep.

As Bond follows the trail across the globe, he doesn’t realise the countdown has already begun. And hiding in the shadows is a man with more power than he could ever have imagined.

Prepare for a villain unlike any before.
Prepare for KING ZERO.

'The Man With The Golden Compass' by Vaseem Khan
Dismissed from MI6's Q Branch, where he developed weapons and field technology, Major Boothroyd (aka 'Q') has found a new lease of life as an amateur detective in his sleepy hometown of Wickstone-on-Water.

Fresh from successfully solving the murder of his childhood friend, Q is now hired by the police to re-examine the unsolved killing of Lawrence Noble, a tech millionaire turned online antique dealer.

Why was Noble tortured before his death? What is the significance of the circular golden object inscribed with mysterious runes found by his body?

As Q investigates, danger stalks those around him, and he soon finds himself dragged into a chilling conspiracy where past and present meet in a way he could not possibly have imagined . . .
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Award-winning authors, Donal Ryan and Elif Shafak, join Joe Haddow for a war of the words.

Elif's new novel - 'In One Brief Moment All Eternity' - is an imaginative re-telling of Flaubert's 'Madame Bovary' - told from 30 different characters. Some of them are based on real-life people, whilst others are completely made up (and not necessarily human!)

Donal's latest novel - "Where Are The Kings" - is a poignant coming-of-age story set in rural Ireland. It follows a young boy, navigating the tragic loss of his mother.

The authors discuss their books and the inspirations behind them, as well as touching on themes of grief and loss. They also talk about art, literature - and the awful stats of how many libraries are closing in the UK (and around the world).

THE BOOK OFF
'Johnny Got His Gun' by Dalton Trumbo
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'Homer-Haunted' by Henry Power

'Where Are The Kings' by Donal Ryan
Something terrible has happened to Jack but no one seems to want to talk about it.

His uncles can tell him about everything from quantum physics to how to hunt for deer, but they can’t seem to tell him anything about their own sister or why Jack doesn’t feel sad for her in the way he should, or why Grandad tries to shoot Jack’s dad when he gets out of the hospital.

Still, there’s work to be done in the oily wonderland of his uncles’ garage; there’s his beautiful aunt Rose to hypnotise him and his loving grandparents to console him; then there’s JJ, who wants to fight him one day and save him the next.

But with so many questions, in a family with so many secrets, it is difficult for Jack to understand the person he is becoming. How can a simple boy learn to become a king?

'In One Brief Moment All Eternity' by Elif Shafak
During a time of great turmoil, Gustave Flaubert created literature's most scandalous heroine: Madame Bovary. He then poisoned her with arsenic.

But what if, 175 years later, Emma – and the women history overlooked – could seize the quill from his hands and tell a different story?

In One Brief Moment All Eternity is a luminous reinvention of an iconic male writer, told through the eyes of the women – real and fictional – who shaped him: a devoted nursemaid, an Egyptian dancer and a passionate, jealous lover who refuses to be forgotten. Through their voices, visionary author Elif Shafak creates both an intimate portrait of a great artist and an epic meditation on storytelling itself: who gets remembered, who gets erased, and how can literature endure through political upheaval, war and injustice? When the world feels broken, how do we find the hope to carry on?
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Bestselling authors and all-round wonderful human beings, Max Porter and Katherine Rundell, join Joe Haddow for a War of the Words!

They chat about the joy of children's books, magic, creating worlds and why brawling is very much different to fighting.

Both Katherine and Max are passionate about words and poetry - and give us some wonderful book recommendations to add to the TBR pile!

THE BOOK OFF
The Love Poetry of John Donne
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'Staying Alive' by Neil Astley

And here's more info on our guest's brilliant books:

'Impossible Creatures: The Neverfear' by Katherine Rundell
It’s the Midsummer Feast on the Islet of Glimt and on this magical moonlit evening, the word on everyone’s lips is bandits. Reports of masked men burning villages are spreading throughout the Archipelago, but worse is still to come: Christopher and Anya are ambushed and one of the people they love most is kidnapped. The ransom note reads:

We have taken what is precious to you. We require the most precious objects in Glimouria in return. There will be three demands. If you tell any person or creature, they die. If you fail, they die.

Now Christopher – alongside Anya Argen, the former Princess of Dousha, Ratwin the ratatoska and Jacques the Jaculus dragon – must set sail on the Neverfear to recover three precious treasures. Together they must face fearsome giants, win a daring race, and outwit deadly enemies to save those they love most.

'Dogs And Bears' by Max Porter (illustrated by Dorothee de Monfreid
The dogs and the bears have been brawling for a while. No one knows quite how it started. Was it the jackets, cloaks and bandanas the dogs were wearing? Or the smell of the sickly sweets that the dogs were making? But today is the day of the third deciding brawl. The stage is set. NO snack breaks and no biscuits.

But halfway through the world is interrupted by an unexpected airborne event - raining squid! This will change the relationship of the dogs and bears forever...
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Authors Shelby Van Pelt and Debra Curtis join Joe Haddow for a good ole Book Off!

They talk about their debut novels ('Impossibly Bright Creatures' and 'Laws Of Love And Logic'), the brilliance of nature - specifically Octopi - strange psychic coincidences - and sex!

THE BOOK OFF
'The Woman Who Lost Her Soul' by Bob Shacochis
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'The Soul Of An Octopus' by Sy Montgomery
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International bestselling authors, Lisa Jewell and Shari Lapena, go head to head in a war of the words!

They join Joe Haddow to chat about their new novels, creepy houses, instagram life vs real life, and why some authors (mainly men) shouldn't write sex scenes in their books.

The authors also discuss how dark they will go in their own books, why they like reading really gruesome things, tell us about authors they admire - and give us some brilliant book recommendations too.

THE BOOK OFF
'Lie With Me' by Sabine Durrant
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'Five' by Ilona Bannister

And here's a little more about out guest's latest books!

'Getting Away With Murder' by Shari Lapena
Jill and Ted adore their New York brownstone the way others adore their children. They have carefully, expensively, made every inch of it their own. It reflects who they are, their status and tastes. With the grand mahogany staircase and state-of-the-art kitchen, it is the stuff of glossy magazines and real-estate dreams. It is their sanctuary.

So when Ted’s inheritance runs out and he makes a bad investment, they panic. How can they protect their beloved home and enviable lifestyle?
The answer is obvious. Or at least, it is obvious to Jill and Ted. The death of one wealthy family member could solve all their problems. Together, they will get away with murder.

As long as they trust each other. And as long as there are no surprises . . .

'It Could Have Been Her' by Lisa Jewell
Newly divorced and feeling a little lost, Jane Trevally agrees to accompany a man she doesn't know to his house in the darkest corner of Hampstead Heath.
She's offered a drink. She steps inside.And then she hears a scream.Jane runs.

Twenty five years later, Jane finds herself outside the same house, this time to return a dog who's been found near her home. A dog whose owner has just been reported missing. A fleeting glimpse of a haunted looking woman through the window sends Jane on a mission to uncover the house's secrets - secrets more terrifying than she could have ever imagined.

And she can't stop thinking: It could have been her . . .

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