Young Bond in the Bond world

Where to begin

Begin with SilverFin and read Higson’s five novels in order, ending with By Royal Command. Cole continues with Shoot to Kill, Heads You Die, Strike Lightning and Red Nemesis. These stories concern Bond’s youth before his adult service career. Danger Society is a companion guide with a short story; it is an optional extra rather than a sixth Higson novel.

Reading order

1. SilverFin (2005)

   A young James Bond makes an enemy at Eton before travelling from the school’s playing fields to Loch SilverFin in Scotland. A dangerous discovery threatens to turn a schoolboy adventure into a new kind of warfare in Higson’s first Young Bond novel.

2. Blood Fever (2006)

   In summer 1933, a schoolmate’s family disappears at sea while James discovers a secret society at Eton with troubling connections. The investigation takes James towards Sardinia and an Italian count’s remote fortress, where he must untangle the island’s links to the missing family.

3. Double or Die (2007)

   A professor’s kidnapping in a North London cemetery leads to a letter filled with cryptic clues arriving at Eton. James must decode the message before a rapidly approaching deadline, following a puzzle whose dangerous gambles reach beyond the missing teacher.

4. Hurricane Gold (2007)

   James is left with former pilot Jack Stone's children when thieves target a safe and its valuable contents. The pursuit takes him through the Mexican jungle and towards Lágrimas Negras, an island refuge for criminals.

5. By Royal Command (2008)

   After a rescue in the Alps, James prepares to return to Eton but discovers that someone is watching him. A clue draws him towards a threat to the school and Britain, forcing him to flee to Austria in Higson’s final Young Bond novel.

6. Shoot to Kill (2014)

   In 1934, James has left Eton and briefly attends Dartington Hall in Devon, where new friendships lead to a remarkable school trip. A zeppelin journey takes him to Hollywood, where the film industry’s glamour conceals danger in Steve Cole’s first Young Bond novel.

7. Heads You Die (2016)

   A Cuban holiday turns into a rescue attempt when James must save an old friend from an adversary with elaborate methods of killing. Corrupt police and pursuing assassins drive him through Havana and Caribbean waters, while a countdown makes the danger larger than the rescue alone.

8. Strike Lightning (2016)

   A death described as an accident at Fettes College looks to James like murder, prompting a search for the truth. His investigation leads across Europe towards a new weapon and a warmonger, with former schoolmate Perry Mandeville helping him confront the danger.

9. Red Nemesis (2017)

   In summer 1935, James receives a package carrying a message from beyond the grave and drawing him into a long-running plot. London and the Bond family’s name are threatened, making trust and family history central to Cole’s final Young Bond confrontation.

The companion

Danger Society: The Young Bond Dossier combines guide material with “A Hard Man to Kill”. Save it for after Higson’s five novels.

The SilverFin audio drama

Big Finish and Ian Fleming Publications announced a full-cast SilverFin adaptation in two box sets containing sixteen episodes. The latest announcement gives 29 October 2026 as the release date.

SilverFin at Big Finish · Big Finish’s announcement