By Royal Command

Infobox Book
name = By Royal Command
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Charlie Higson
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United Kingdom
language = English
series = James Bond / Young Bond
subject =
genre = Spy fiction
publisher = Ian Fleming Publications
release_date = 3 September 2008
media_type = Print (Hardcover and Paperback)
pages = 354
isbn = 978-0-141-38451-1
preceded_by = Hurricane Gold
followed_by =

"By Royal Command" cite web | title=Young Bond 5 is BY ROYAL COMMAND | work=The Young Bond Dossier | url=http://youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2008/3/6_Young_Bond_5_is_BY_ROYAL_COMMAND.html | accessdate=March 6 | accessyear=2008] is the fifth novel in the Young Bond series depicting Ian Fleming's superspy James Bond as a teenager in the 1930s. The novel, written by Charlie Higson, takes place in 1934 and see James at the age of fourteen. Locations include The Alps (Kitzbuhel), England, France, Lisbon, and Vienna. [cite web | title=The Charlie Higson CBn Interview II | work=CBn/The Young Bond Dossier | url=http://commanderbond.net/article/4504 | accessdate=September 1 | accessyear=2007]

"By Royal Command" was published in hardcover by Puffin Books in the UK on September 3, 2008. Cover art (featuring a black and red Union Jack) was not revealed until the day of publication. The paperback will be released on May 28, 2009. [cite web | title=By Royal Command cover will be kept Top Secret | work=The Young Bond Dossier | url=http://youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2008/7/31_By_Royal_Command_cover_will_be_kept_Top_Secret.html | accessdate=July 31 | accessyear=2008] [cite web | title=By Royal Command paperback coming in May 2009 | work=The Young Bond Dossier | url=http://youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2008/9/11_By_Royal_Command_paperback_coming_May_2009.html | accessdate=September 3 | accessyear=2008]

Official summary

Puffin Books plot synopsis cite web | title=Another 'By Royal Command' Plot Synopsis | work=CommanderBond.net | url=http://commanderbond.net/article/5040 | accessdate=April 13 | accessyear=2008] Cquote|Following a treacherous rescue mission high in the freezing Alps, James Bond is preparing for life back at Eton. But James is under surveillance; his every move is being watched. He alone holds the clue to a sinister plot that will bring bloodshed and carnage to his school - and his country.

Forced to flee from Eton to Austria, James must leave behind everything he knows, with only a beautiful - and dangerous - girl by his side.

Soon he is trapped in a deadly war of secrets and lies, as a nightmare reunion with a bitter enemy plunges him once more into the face of death.

Life for James Bond will "never" be the same again.

Plot details

In an interview, Higson stated that "By Royal Command" will deal with Bond being forced to leave Eton College due to an incident with a maid. The incident was previously mentioned from the point of view of M in Ian Fleming's "You Only Live Twice".

According to Higson, M's comment about the incident was a deliberate attempt to cover up the truth. "Basically, it is decided that things need to be hushed up, kept out of the way and swept under the carpet, official secrets, the government and the establishment closing ranks and all that, trying not to let out what has really happened, and that Bond is never allowed to speak about it ever again. Which is why he never mentions it when he's an adult! He does leave [Eton] early. It does involve an incident with the boys' maid. But so that the general public and the newspapers can't put two and two together, the exact dates get altered and obscured, so that James's activities and involvement never come to light." [cite web | url =http://www.mi6.co.uk/sections/articles/interview_charlie_higson_yb1f_bookfive.php3 | work=SilverFin: In Conversation With Charlie Higson (6) | title=MI6.co.uk interview with Charlie Higson | accessdate= January 4 | accessyear =2007] It has always been generally believed that the incident is sexual in nature; however, Fleming established in "From a View to a Kill" that Bond lost his virginity at the age of 16 while in Paris. [cite web | url =http://www.mi6.co.uk/sections/articles/interview_charlie_higson_yb1f_bookfive.php3?t=&s=articles | work=In Conversation With Charlie Higson | title=MI6.co.uk interview with Charlie Higson | accessdate= March 8 | accessyear =2006]

The Royal Family and the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) also play a role in "By Royal Command". Bond meets Princess Elizabeth and the Prince of Wales during the course of the book. [cite web | title=Charlie talks By Royal Command | work=The Young Bond Dossier | url= http://www.youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2008/3/11_Charlie_talks_By_Royal_Command.html | accessdate=March 11 | accessyear=2008] Even though the book will be partially set in The Alps, it does not offer any revelations about Bond's parents' deaths in an Alpine climbing accident. [cite web | title=The Charlie Higson CBn Interview II | work=CBn/The Young Bond Dossier | url=http://commanderbond.net/article/4504 | accessdate=September 1 | accessyear=2007]

At the launch party for "Hurricane Gold", Charlie hinted that Amy Goodenough (from "Blood Fever") and the villain Babushka (from "Double or Die") return in this Young Bond adventure. [cite web | title=Report on today’s Hurricane Gold launch party | work=The Young Bond Dossier | url= http://www.youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2007/9/6_Young_Bond_quiz_winner_2.html | accessdate=September 6 | accessyear=2007] He also revealed that James Bond falls in love. [cite web | title=Charlie drops a Book 5 bombshell | work=The Young Bond Dossier | url= http://www.youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2007/10/6_Charlie_drops_a_Book_5_bombshell.html | accessdate=October 7 | accessyear=2007]

Tie-in game

On August 11, 2008 Puffin Books announced the first Young Bond alternate reality game (ARG), [http://www.youngbondshadowwar.com/ The Shadow War] , designed to tie-in with the release of "By Royal Command". [cite web | title=The Shadow War press release | work=The Young Bond Dossier | url= http://www.youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2008/8/11_The_Shadow_War.html | accessmonthday=August 11 | accessyear=2008] The online game started on the 23rd August, when Charlie Higson set the first mission during his appearance at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. In the game, players around the world use a range of media, including the Young Bond books themselves and the worldwide web, to complete the missions and influence the outcome of the game. Charlie Higson took part in a live online event that concluded the game on October 8, 2008. [cite web | title=The Shadow War is won! | work=The Young Bond Dossier | url= http://youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2008/10/8_The_Shadow_War_concludes.html | accessmonthday=October 8 | accessyear=2008]

Trivia

*Working titles for "By Royal Command" were "The Shadow War" [cite web | title=Young Bond 5 working title revealed | work=The Young Bond Dossier |url=http://youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2007/10/10_Working_title_for_Young_Bond_5_is....html | accessmonthday=October 11 | accessyear=2007] , "Diamond Rain", and "Dynamite Kiss". [cite web | title=Major Young Bond 5 update from Charlie Higson |url=http://www.youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2008/2/24_Major_Young_Bond_5_update_from_Charlie_Higson.html | work=The Young Bond Dossier | accessmonthday=February 25 | accessyear=2008] The final title was announced on March 6, 2008, the same day author Charlie Higson completed the manuscript. [cite web | title='By Royal Command' is a wrap! |url=http://www.youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2008/3/6_By_Royal_Command_is_a_wrap.html | accessmonthday=March 6 | accessyear=2008]

*The incident with the maid is foreshadowed in Hurricane Gold when Pritpal Nandra mentions in a letter that the boys have a new Irish maid called Roan who is considered very attractive.

*Charlie Higson got the idea to give James a Mido Multifort watch from a fan at the CommanderBond.net forums. [cite web | title=CBn Forum Member Suggestion Makes The Cut In 'By Royal Command' | work=CommanderBond.net |url=http://commanderbond.net/article/5470 | accessmonthday=September 7 | accessyear=2008]

*Charlie Higson said he had to "tone down" some of scenes having to do with the Royal Family because the Fleming family knows the Royal Family. Likewise, Higson rewrote the scene in which Bond meets the Prince of Wales because, as originally written, he showed the Prince as not being very comfortable with children. But Fleming relatives, who knew the Prince, said he was just the opposite and was very good with kids. [cite web | title=Interview: Charlie in Command |url=http://youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Interview.html | work=The Young Bond Dossier | accessmonthday=September 4 | accessyear=2008]

References

External links

* [http://www.youngbond.com/ Official Young Bond website]
* [http://youngbonddossier.com The Young Bond Dossier] - Official Young Bond news source
* [http://commanderbond.net/article/4504 The Charlie Higson CBn Interview II]
* [http://bondpedia.net/article/Young_Bond_5 Young Bond 5 on Bondpedia.net]
* [http://www.youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Danger_Society_News/Entries/2008/3/11_Charlie_talks_By_Royal_Command.html Charlie Higson talks 'By Royal Command']
* [http://www.youngbondshadowwar.com/ The Shadow War] - Official tie-in game website
* [http://youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/brc_spoiler_review.html REVIEW: James Bond loses his innocence]
* [http://youngbonddossier.com/Young_Bond/Interview.html Interview: Charlie in Command]