The 'Golden Age' of James Bond books - that defining era when Ian Fleming delivered a title a year - is a period rightly bathed in the reverential glow. Fleming’s run is the undisputed gold standard, the foundation upon which the entire modern espionage thriller was built. But we should not let literary history overshadow the fact that we are currently living through a uniquely bright period: the Diamond Age of Bond fiction.

In the acknowledgements of King Zero, author Charlie Higson uses the verb “graduate” to describe his transition from writing Young Bond to writing adult Bond. It is an apt choice, for his latest is most definitely a Bond book for grown-ups.

James Bond has always been a plaything. For over sixty years, we’ve watched him manipulated by directors, dressed by costume designers, and positioned for our visual pleasure on the silver screen. But the lack of 007 video games in recent times has kept us, the audience, in a more passive role. So what happens when we get James Bond literally in our hands?