‘What good would his fists be in a digital world? It would be like trying to punch a ghost.’
- King Zero by Charlie Higson
In the apt surroundings of Vauxhall, MI6 and a rooftop pool boasting killer sharks, the champagne was right royally cracked over the bow of King Zero.
Writers, publishers, agents, actor colleagues, Bond creatives, Bond commentators, the family of Ian Fleming, corporate partners, literary advocates and this bullet catcher all assembled under the auspices of a balmy Vauxhall evening and a lot of deserved love for Mr. Higson and his latest opus. Joel Richardson (Penguin Michael Joseph) and Simon Ward (Ian Fleming Publications) introduce Charlie and King Zero – and the author explains the privilege of being invited back into the Bond world, the trepidation of the mission and the fun he has had…
To launch King Zero in apt Vauxhall style, publishers Penguin Michael Joseph and Ian Fleming Publications threw a cracking and cleverly steered event night beginning with an interview between Charlie Higson and his editor Joel Richardson..
A special thanks to Charlie Higson, Ian Fleming Publications, Penguin Michael Joseph, Simon Ward, Joel Richardson, Embassy Gardens, and Capston Sales Gallery.
As his Bond novella On His Majesty’s Secret Service was published in May 2023 to commemorate both the seventieth anniversary of Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale and the Coronation of King Charles III, I spoke to Charlie Higson about how the new 007 adventure began, the fast confines of its creation, the real politics behind his story world, the dangers of real-life nationalism, and his thoughts on Bond’s future on the page and on-screen…
