How many James Bond stories are out of circulation or out of reach?

Mark Edlitz is the author of two books about James Bond, but it wasn’t his intention to write them both. The product of years of research and carefully selected interviews, these books tell the stories in the subjects’ own words. ‘The Many Lives Of James Bond’ talks to as many people who have developed, drawn, played or voiced James Bond, to better understand the character and the various portrayers’ interpretations of the iconic spy.

The second book, and the subject of this discussion, is something of a spillover from the meticulous research that went into the first. ‘The Lost Adventures of James Bond’ is all about the missed opportunities, forgotten instalments or adventures beyond the reach of fans. The properties he discusses span unmade films, out of print books, limited releases in a non-English territory, or in the worst cases – such as the South African ‘Moonraker’ radio adaptation or a POV motion adventure park ride – simply mislaid and likely gone, forever. This wide-ranging conversation touches on many of the subjects from the second book, but also what the loss or rejection of certain ideas tells us about our collective conception of James Bond and his world.

The recording took place on January 6th, 2023 in the USA and New Zealand.

Paul Atkinson is a co-founder of MI6-HQ.com and the magazine MI6 Confidential

Mark Edlitz is author of 'The Many Lives of James Bond' and 'The Lost Adventures of James Bond'