New Fifty Shades of Grey novel puts Christian Grey centre stage | Books | The Guardian Fifty Shades of Grey New Fifty Shades of Grey novel puts Christian Grey centre stage Grey, the fourth book in EL James’s erotic series, is released on the birthday of her fictional male anti-hero Grey is told from the perspective of the eponymous business tycoon whose ordered world becomes unsettled when he meets Anastasia Steele and introduces her to kinky sex. Photograph: AP Wednesday 17 June 2015 23.07 EDT Last modified on Thursday 18 June 2015 08.18 EDT Share on Messenger Close Fifty Shades of Grey author EL James is ringing in the birthday of her fictional anti-hero, Christian Grey, by releasing the fourth book in her series of erotic novels in the dark hours of Thursday morning. Grey: eight bites of the new Fifty Shades book Read more Grey, which is told from the perspective of the eponymous business tycoon, has been the top Kindle pre-order book of 2015, and the novel will become an instant publishing sensation when the ebook is released at midnight, US time.

Fans in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, where the book is already on sale, have already branded it “perfect” on social media. James announced the surprise launch earlier in June in one of publishing’s best-kept secrets. She was prompted to write the fourth book by fans who had asked her to tell Grey’s side of the story of his erotic relationship with virginal college student Anastasia Steele. The author has already teased readers with a chapter of Grey’s narration at the end of her third book, Fifty Shades Freed. New 'Fifty Shades' Book 'Grey' Could Propel E.L. James To Millions More New 'Fifty Shades' Book 'Grey' Could Propel E.L. James To Millions More {{article.article.images.featured.caption}} Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Full Bio The author is a Forbes contributor. The opinions expressed are those of the writer. Loading ... 34 images E.L. James , best-selling author of the "Fifty Shades of Grey” series, announced Monday that she is publishing a new version of the story — from the perspective of BDSM enthusiast and billionaire Christian Grey.

James took to and Instagram to break the news that the 576-page erotic novel will be published as an ebook and paperback on June 18th — Christian Grey’s birthday. "Christian is a complex character and readers have always been fascinated by his desires and motivations, and his troubled past," James said in a statement released by publisher Vintage Books, a division of . "Also, as anyone who has ever been in a relationship knows, there are two sides to every story." The new book, which is called "Grey," tells his perspective of the explicit romance with college senior Anastasia Steele. The original trilogy, which began as fan fiction inspired by the "Twilight" novels, has sold more than 125 million copies since its publication in 2011. "Fifty Shades of Grey is a love story that has enthralled readers in a way that few books have, and when Erika mentioned to me that she wanted to explore Christian's viewpoint and re-open the story, I was incredibly excited for her and for her readers," said Vintage Books publisher and James' editor Anne Messitte.

The move also makes financial sense for James, who dropped off our Celebrity 100 list last year after sales for "Fifty Shades" dipped. In 2013, James debuted at No. 1 on Forbes' Top-Earning Authors ranking when she banked a stunning $95 million between June 2012 and June 2013 thanks to the runaway hit of her erotica. That payday included a reported $5 million check for the movie adaptation, which opened in theatres on Valentines Day 2015. In 2014, James earned nowhere near as much, pocketing a relatively paltry $10 million in our scoring period. She slipped down the ranks of top-earning authors , tied for 13th place, after paperback sales for her romances plummeted to 1.8 million copies, according to Publishers Weekly . James' fortunes could be on the up: Book publishers says film adaptations boost book sales by at least 10%, so her earnings are likely to rise this year thanks to a lift in book sales propelled by the film. This new novel from Grey's point of view is perfectly timed.

Last month, fans were teased with a clip for the "Fifty Shades" movie sequel, which came not long after the February premiere of the film. A June release will give "Fifty Shades" fiends something to pour over while the next film searches for a director (the silver screen sequel has faced delays, with Variety reporting that James is demanding control of the script.) By publishing "Grey," James may be widening her readership to include more men - the main demographic largely untouched by her novels. According to Bowker research , just 20% of "Fifty Shades" readers are male. Telling the story told from a male perspective could finally entice the elusive male readers. Literary snobs hoping the general public has tired of Anastasia and Christian's sordid tale will be crossing their fingers that "Grey" falls flat. While James' book sales have been dwindling, she continues to do a lively trade on ebooks. And the movie's swell box office performance, which grossed $569.7 million worldwide, suggests Grey fever is alive and well.

All told, James is set to make millions from "Grey" if it carries a modicum of the success of "Fifty Shades." For a trilogy that started as fan fiction, "Fifty Shades" has already had a happy ending. A New Shade of Grey: How E. L. James and J. K. Rowling Play the Publishing Game - Vogue Vogue A New Shade of Grey: How E. L. James and J. K. Rowling Play the Publishing Game June 2, 2015 6:05 pm Expand Photo: (from left) Mike Coppola/Getty Images; Cindy Ord/Getty Images Yesterday, E.L. James announced that she will add a new title to her Fifty Shades oeuvre. This time, instead of creating a new “shades” pun, James will start at the beginning, writing a new book from the perspective of the titular antihero. The forthcoming Grey will be released on June 18—Christian’s birthday, FYI—and the author was very plain when explaining her motivation for the revamp. “This book is dedicated to those readers who asked . . . and asked . . . and asked . . . and asked for this,” she wrote in the press release .

A photo posted by E L James (@erikaljames) on Jun 1, 2015 at 5:00am PDT Since Fifty Shades of Grey first topped the New York Times Best Seller list, James has been drawing comparisons to another wildly popular British author, J.K. Rowling. In 2012, the book began outselling Rowling’s Harry Potter series on Amazon UK. Though the two authors have each wrapped their hugely successful literary series, their fans still want more. In the age of instant gratification—and inexplicable reboots —both Rowling and James have had to find different ways to placate fans. Here’s how the two authors play the game: On book sequels Rowling has never written an actual follow-up novel to her seven-book series, but in the lead up to Christmas in 2014, she released twelve new stories each day on the fan site Pottermore . Giving in to fans’ demands, James took to Instagram to announce her new book, Grey. She explained in a press release her motivation for the revamp. “Christian is a complex character, and readers have always been fascinated by his desires and motivations and his troubled past.

Also, as anyone who has ever been in a relationship knows, there are two sides to every story. It’s been a great pleasure to return to my happy place—writing, being with Christian and Ana in their universe, and working with the fantastic team at Vintage.” On interacting with fans Rowling is no stranger to sounding off on fan theories or playing a bit of revisionist history. In 2007, the Harry Potter author revealed while on a book tour that sage wizard Dumbledore was gay . She has taken to message boards to clear up plot holes , and has even responded directly to fans on Twitter. . @benjaminroffman Anthony Goldstein, Ravenclaw, Jewish wizard. — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) December 16, 2014 While the wizarding world provides more fodder for fan theories, James takes on a more PR-heavy approach to her series, tweeting promotional materials like Fifty Shades of Grey party packs. James is no stranger to breaking news on her social media accounts, either. Back in 2013 she announced that Jamie Dornan was to play Christian Grey in the adaptation. Stow your twitchy palms ladies… our man is here.

Welcome to #TeamFifty @JamieDornan1 x — E L James (@E_L_James) October 24, 2013 On their movie adaptions and spin-offs Harry Potter and his gaggle of Hogwarts pals may never lead a new Rowling series, but the author hasn’t hung up her wizard’s hat just yet. Her spin-off, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, will be adapted into a movie trilogy slotted for 2016. David Yates, who helmed the last four Harry Potter films, will direct the prequel with Eddie Redmayne reportedly playing the lead . While there’s only been one big screen adaptation of James’s series so far, there are many more to come. Sam Taylor-Johnson, the director of the first Fifty Shades of Grey film, spoke of the difficulty that came with working with the author . For the sequel Fifty Shades Darker, James demanded greater control over the production and will now write the script herself . On actors taking their clothes off James was very concerned with the adaptation being truthful to her story—and that includes a level of big screen sexiness.

She told Variety in January: “People who haven’t read the books might be surprised that there isn’t more sex on the screen, but that’s because they’ve gone by media reports of Fifty Shades, which have tended to err on the side of the sensational. I’m pretty sure the millions of fans who have the read the trilogy will think there is enough sex.” Rowling is, understandably, a little more scandalized when Harry Potter stars dare to bare it all: You can order our @Mattdavelewis issue to be mailed anywhere in the world from @Newsstand_UK pic.twitter.com/yRxl7XUwI3 — Attitude (@AttitudeMag) May 21, 2015 . @Mattdavelewis Not as bad as watching Dan in Equus, but close. Warn me next time, for God’s sake. — J.K.

Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 21, 2015 2 Fifty Shades of Grey fans on why EL James' new book fails to get pulses racing | Daily Mail Online Share this article Share Alice Smellie, a 42-year-old mother-of-three from Somerset, appeared on This Morning yesterday to deliver her verdict, and it was equally unfavourable. Mr Grey, she surmises, is a 'creepy bore and a control freak', and the writing itself is 'rambling'. 'I will never get that time back,' Alice complains - so perhaps save yourself the agony of reading the whole book and read these reviews instead. Look sharp: Every aspect has been ridiculed, from Ms James' recycling of dialogue from the Fifty Shades trilogy to the all-out 'creepiness' of its sadistic main character Christian Grey (pictured in the film adaptation) Alice Smellie, 42, is a mother-of-three based in Somerset Grey, which tells the story of Fifty Shades of Grey in man-god sexy billionaire Christian Grey’s voice, had me feeling cheated from start to finish.

I was asked to speed read and review Grey for This Morning’s programme yesterday, so at four am I downloaded it onto my Kindle and started to plough through. I had read the first three books the previous day in order to ensure I was well prepared, and initially assumed that I had downloaded the wrong book because of the extraordinary similarities. Not impressed: Alice Smellie, a 42-year-old mother-of-three from Somerset is no fan of the new novel Don’t forget, it was four am, and I was waiting for the kettle to boil. My first quibble is that massive amounts of the book had been copied and pasted. All the dialogue, the e-mails, the contract, copied word for word, with his thoughts interspersed. And what dreadful thoughts they are. In that now near historic moment, as Anastasia Steele falls clumsily through the door and meets his eye for the first time, he does experience what he recognises as unfamiliar emotions of tenderness. But he also, less enticingly, wonders what her skin would look like, ‘pink and warmed from the bite of a cane.’ He could, he ponders, ‘refine her motor skills with the aid of a riding crop.’ Nice.

I didn’t need to know that. He describes her like a builder reading a porn mag, not an intellectual billionaire with refined tastes. I wouldn't say I was a huge fan of the first three books, but Fifty Shades of Grey was at least a ground breaking idea. I have huge admiration for EL James. Her writing isn’t exactly challenging, and the trilogy is peppered with repetition (seriously, how many times can a girl bite her lip), but I say three cheers for her. In my opinion the sex scenes were spot on: she completely understood the eroticism of the slow build-up, and used detailed and elaborate descriptions without being crude. The appeal of Christian Grey was very much in his mystique and his elusiveness. His moods were evoked in his wry smile, his tone of voice, his penetrating gaze. He was a fairytale prince and we all (to some extent) admired the couple for finding true love in spite of the chasm like differences: most notably that she is a virgin and he has a Red Room of Pain full of whips and chains and what could kindly be described as a checkered past.

There was a risk, in giving him a voice, that you lost this appeal, and that’s what happened in my opinion. Unfortunately I found his inner ramblings trite, coarse, peppered with expletives, self-obsessed and arrogant. Summit: Alice (left) stayed up all night reading Grey as soon as it was published and spent yesterday on This Morning discussing her findings Because you don’t have Ana’s descriptions of his glorious beauty - that copper hair, those eyes, that staggering physique - he is reduced to a rather perverted sounding chap who stalks would-be girlfriends. The sex scenes are still erotic but much less so told in a man’s voice. They are way cruder and less titillating, with seemingly countless references (in fact I counted. There appear to be 47) to his ‘c*ck’, which is incredibly busy as it’s variously grabbed, positioned, stirred, rigid and roused. And what of the many unanswered questions, the reason why the book has been written? Personally I wanted to know more about his childhood, but this was conveyed in yet more vague flashbacks (as per in the first trilogy) about his drug addicted mother, her pimp and the fear felt by the young Christian.

Copies on display: Off the back its best-selling prequel, EL James' just-released novel (pictured) had fans champing at the bit We already knew much of this and depressingly, I was completely unmoved by it. There was extra insight into the closeness he felt to his siblings, but this wasn’t interesting in the least. He goes biking with his brother. Er, yeah. Wow. Others have talked of wishing to know more about the other submissives and his relationship with Mrs Robinson. Christian Grey is reduced to a rather perverted sounding chap who stalks would-be girlfriends How did he build his Red Room of Pain? (My big question was how did he get a cleaner prepared to hose it down?). Again, no huge surprises. On the plus side, those purporting to be in love with Christian Grey may enjoy his perspective. Perhaps I am being harsh. There is some decent narrative in how conflicted he is and his falling in love. But so much of it is tedious rambling. When he spanks her so hard she dumps him (I paraphrase) he has some nightmares and moans on about how he has to see her and get her back. By that point I just thought, ‘Well done Ana.

Don’t go back. He’s a creepy bore and a control freak.’ Alice surmises that Mr Grey (pictured in the film adaptation), is a 'creepy bore and a control freak', and the writing itself is 'rambling' I can only thank goodness that I am a fast reader and was able to get through the book in a few hours (I flicked past any pages which included e-mails I had already read). I will never get that time back. I could have had more sleep, for a start. It sounds as though EL James, having hit upon what appears to be another winning formula, may be intending to do the same with the other two books. To which I beg (in the manner of a submissive), please don't. I hope that her fans, who are reportedly already feeling cheated, somehow snap those plastic ties binding their wrists, put their freed hands in the air and say the same. May the door to the Red Room be forever locked on this ludicrous couple. Panned: Raj Gill, 42, a mother-of-two based in Glasgow, was equally unimpressed by the book Raj Gill, 42, is a mother-of-two based in Glasgow There is no hiding from it.

The new book by E L James, Grey, is finally in the bookshops. It’s Fifty Shades of Grey re-told from the main character Christian Grey’s point of view. 'GREY', it says in great big bold silver print, not in big bold grey print - the first thing that struck me. This cover has one eye and the title Grey, the author’s name and 'Fifty Shades of Grey as told by Christian'. The eye belongs to the title character Christian Grey, “his piercing blue eyes” as we are told consistently throughout the trilogy. In the dedication Erika thanks her readers and claims “they rock her world every day”, and so they should, it’s thanks to their hard earned cash being spent on her books that has enabled her to pursue a fantastic lifestyle. The book is formatted in a diary style, after all Christian is a businessman and does business type things, such as keep a desk diary. I have to be honest, I do like this style. Only this is no ordinary desk diary, it is a blow-by-blow description of his life with Anastasia Rose Steele. The only difference from the original books is that this one contains his innermost thoughts.

After reading the original trilogy where Christian is a strong controlling character, rarely letting his guard down, some of the things E L James has him saying in Grey just don’t ring true. For example: 'How the hell can she just waltz into my study and seduce me? I’m supposed to be in control of this relationship.” Nah, not buying it, the real Christian Grey just wouldn’t even think it, let alone write it down. I read the trilogy because basically I have to. I am a journalist and the trilogy was a global phenomenon. Therefore I had to have knowledge of it, and actually read it, otherwise I would not be able to comment on Fifty and all things Fifty. It was very badly written. The constant repetition in it was dreadful. It was a global success thanks to the marketing. And that is the only reason in a nutshell. Fans of E L James' first trilogy eagerly await Grey's launch outside a book shop in New York E L James became a success not through the traditional route of agent, publisher, book deal. She self-published then scored a deal, on the basis of that.

I truly wonder what would have happened if she had gone down the traditional route, I don’t believe that she would have been even half as successful as she is right now. Personally I do not know a single man on god’s earth who talks like this: 'Anger lances through me. What can I do with a virgin? I glare at her as fury surges through my body.' Does Erika know any men? Does she talk to these men? Do they actually talk like this? And can somebody please count the number of times the word 'f**k' is used in this book, because I am pretty certain that will have taken care of over half the word count. Grey does not shy away from telling it as it is when it comes to the explicit sex scenes. Whereas Ana’s was a lame, naïve description Christian cuts straight to the point. From the minute they meet he only has one thing on his mind: 'bending her over my knee, spanking her and then f**king her over my desk with her hands tied behind her back.' Not a single 'oh crap' in sight, or a mincing of words.

Critics may hate it, but only time will tell whether the new novel will be a hit with reader fans He effectively explains exactly what he would like to do, and I bet he didn’t bite his bottom lip when he was thinking it either. One of the biggest let downs was that Christian is not the man we think he is. He is supposed to be in control, strong, invincible. Yet apparently he is not as confident as we think. 'Whoah, I’m responsible for her first f**k and her first orgasm. I’d better make this good!' he states. Ahem, since when did he become so unsure, so vulnerable, and considerate. The only real insight is into his horrific childhood at the hands of his junkie mother. This explains the depths of his depravity. As always E L James is already thinking of the next book. This is after all a money making enterprise. She leaves the first book Grey with Christian going to see a therapist in order to ponder his relationship with Ana, and seeking advice and guidance on how to win her back.

A movie of the first book Fifty Shades of Grey was made by Sam Taylor Wood, and to be honest it is not nearly as bad as I thought it would be, she did a good job of it. Even though it was extremely long, and did get tedious. Rumour has it that Erika was on the set day in day out harassing her so maybe she does have semblance of sense as it turned out a bit more tolerable than the book. Rumour also has it that Sam is refusing to return to complete the trilogy. Maybe she has had enough. I know I certainly have. I have a headache now thanks to the dreadful writing and non-stop italics.' Read more: Christian Grey (Character) - Biography biography The content of this page was created by users. It has not been screened or verified by IMDb staff. Warning! This character biography may contain plot spoilers. Visit our Character Biography Help to learn more. Character Biography History Discuss Christian T. Grey is the male protagonist of the best-selling 'Fifty Shades of Grey' trilogy by E.L. James. He is 27 at the opening of the book. A brilliant self-made billionaire, he is successful, charming, and breathtakingly handsome.

He has exceptional skills and excels almost anything he sets his sights on: He's a hugely successful business man; he's a trained pilot and flies his own helicopter, Charlie Tango; is a glider plane pilot; and is an astounding piano player; and he speaks fluent French. But he has a "dark side": he secretly practices BDSM and he also harbors a painful secret about his very difficult start in life. Christian was adopted at age four into the very loving home of Grace Trevelyan Grey and Carrick Grey. His adoptive brother and sister, Elliot and Mia, round out the very close family. His love interest in Anastasia (Ana) Steele, the 21-year-old, virginal college student he meets when she interviews him for the school paper. He is intrigued and taken by Ana. He becomes deeply infatuated with her, and is ultimately transformed by her love. He introduces her to the world of domination and submission, and she introduces him into the world of real relationships and love. They share a deep passion and in their struggle to find a balance between his need to sexually dominate women and hide his wounds, and her need for "more" from him, a great love story develops.

Christian Grey has become an iconic fictional character since the explosive March 2012 re-release of the 'Fifty Shades of Grey' trilogy from Vintage Press (Random House), which purchased the rights to the book from the original, publisher, The Writers' Coffee Shop. The books were first published in 2011 as ebooks and then print-on-demand titles. The story began as 'Twilight' fan fiction and was published in installments online. Readers say they love this character because he is the ultimate romance book hero with a twist--he's kinky and quite handy with the tools in his now famous 'Red Room.' He is a dominant, alpha male, risk-taker who goes for what he wants--and gets it. He is a skilled and passionate lover. He is gorgeous, with an amazing body. He is fit, adventurous, powerful, potent, sexy as all hell. And he can make a woman want to undress... with just one look from his grey eyes. CASTING CONTROVERSY: An exhaustive search was conducted to cast the actor who would play this iconic role.

While producers were searching for their star, fans were doing their own "fan casting." Fan favorites included Matt Bomer ("White Collar"), Ian Somerhalder ("Vampire Diaries"), Henry Cavill ("Superman"), Channing Tatum ("Magic Mike"), Alexander Skarsgï¿½rd, ("True Blood"), Stephen Amell ("Arrow"), and many other handsome, sexy actors. Those were some of the most popular, but fans were quite divided on who should win the role, as each fan had (and has) their own idea of who is the Christian Grey of the movie in their minds. Charlie Hunnam, the blonde, blue-eyed , Jackson (Jax) Teller of the popular FX show, "Sons of Anarchy," was the first actor to be announced as the lead for "Fifty Shades of Grey." The announcement of Charlie as Christian was applauded by legions of his fans, but stunned a portion of the fan world, and fan anarchy followed. There were public and social media complaints and threats to boycott the movie. One group even started a petition to "draft" Matt Bomer for the role. Within a month, Charlie Hunnam stunned everyone right back by dropping out, for scheduling reasons.

Producers quickly initiated a new search, and nabbed Jamie Dornan for the role. The 31 year old Irish model-turned actor currently plays serial killer Paul Spector in the BBC Two crime drama series "The Fall," starring with Jillian Anderson. He is ls also known for his role as Sheriff Graham Humbert in the ABC series "Once Upon a Time" and for his appearance Sofia Coppola's film Marie Antoinette. He has appeared as a model in many famous campaigns, including Calvin Klein and Dior. As they say, you cannot please all of the people all of the time, so there were still fan critics when Mr. Dornan was announced. However, a greater majority of fans-- who just want to see their movie made-- were happy to have their Christian Grey in place. Now, let the production begin! - A. C. Rose E.L. James announces new book ‘Grey,’ told from Christian Grey’s point of view – EW.com Pinterest Fifty Shades of Grey author E.L. James announced Monday that she will publish a new version of her bestselling novel from S&M-happy billionaire Christian Grey’s point of view.

Fans won’t have long to wait for Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian—the book comes out on June 18, the character’s birthday. According to a press release, the opening page of Grey reads: “This book is dedicated to those readers who asked… and asked… and asked… and asked for this.” “Christian is a complex character,” James said, “and readers have always been fascinated by his desires and motivations, and his troubled past. Also, as anyone who has ever been in a relationship knows, there are two sides to every story. It’s been a great pleasure to return to my happy place—writing, being with Christian and Ana in their universe, and working with the fantastic team at Vintage.” The Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy has sold over 125 million copies, making it one of the most successful publications in history. Show Full Article New Fifty Shades of Grey Book Coming New Fifty Shades of Grey Book Coming By Clare Swanson | Jun 01, 2015 E.L. James announced that she will release a new version of Fifty Shades of Grey, this time written from the perspective of Christian Grey.

Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian will be released by Vintage on June 18 (the character’s birthday). It will be published simultaneously by Penguin Random House U.K. Since the publication of Fifty Shades of Grey in 2011, James said that readers have written her requesting the story told through Christian’s eyes. On the opening page of the book, James writes, “This book is dedicated to those readers who asked…and asked… and asked… and asked for this.” “Christian is a complex character and readers have always been fascinated by his desires and motivations, and his troubled past," said James. "Also, as anyone who has ever been in a relationship knows, there are two sides to every story. It’s been a great pleasure to return to my happy place—writing, being with Christian and Ana in their universe, and working with the fantastic team at Vintage.” Like the previous titles in the series, Grey will be published in the original trade paperback format and as an e-book, in addition to audio and Spanish language editions. “Fifty Shades of Grey is a love story that has enthralled readers in a way that few books have,” said Vintage Books publisher and James's editor, Anne Messitte.

“And when Erika mentioned to me that she wanted to explore Christian's viewpoint and re-open the story, I was incredibly excited for her and for her readers. This book has all the compelling attributes of its predecessors, and I can't wait for Fifty Shades fans to experience the work again from a perspective they have long desired.” Tony Chirico, president of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, added: “Given the secrecy and immediacy of the publication, we've worked hard to ensure that the book will be well represented in the retail marketplace on June 18.” The Fifty Shades trilogy has, to date, sold more than 125 million copies worldwide. ADVERTISEMENT New Book ‘Grey’: ‘Fifty Shades Of Grey,’ But From Christian’s Perspective New Book ‘Grey’: ‘Fifty Shades Of Grey,’ But From Christian’s Perspective Anne Sewell No doubt hoping to mightily cash in on the success of the recent box office hit, Fifty Shades of Grey, author E.L. James has just released the latest book in the sadomasochistic saga on Kindle and in bookstores.

In what is basically a repeat of the first installment, the new book, called simply Grey, aims to re-tell the tale of Christian Grey’s involvement with Anastasia Steele, as featured in Fifty Shades of Grey, but from the probably rather predictable point of view of Christian Grey himself. It’s out! 50 Shades from Christian’s point of view, half price both in-store and online! pic.twitter.com/Sshnf5XmQC — Waterstones (@Waterstones) June 18, 2015 Even more predictably, there has been some amusement about the news of the release of the new book in the Twittersphere. 50 Shades from the man’s point of view? Now let’s hear Moby Dick’s side of things — Fallon Tonight (@FallonTonight) June 17, 2015 And Max Keiser couldn’t resist comparing the whole Fifty Shades of Grey experience to an old animated film. Plot of “50 Shades of Grey” stolen from this early 20th century comic strip.

— Max Keiser (@maxkeiser) June 17, 2015 According to the Independent, the new book basically follows the same story covering the period from May 9 to June 9, 2011, but gives a “fresh perspective” from the viewpoint of Christian Grey and his battle against his compulsion to control Anastasia Steele as well as his “dark sexual desires.” Some may say “same old, same old,” but apparently fans are thrilled anyway, including Sunday Times writer, Rebecca Chance. She even live tweeted the entire time she was reading the new book, before putting together her review. Looks like she is definitely a fan as her tweets go on simply forever. Stay with me #twitterpeople as I live tweet #Grey ! It;s already #epic . The kid is emotionally neglected but has big hands = penis. — RebeccaChance (@MsRebeccaChance) June 17, 2015 According to the Daily Mail, who state there is “nothing vanilla about this book,” E.L. James dedicated the new book to her readers with the words, “Thank you for all that you’ve done for me.

You rock my world every day.” Getting back to the book itself, the story begins with the title character experiencing a nightmare from his childhood (the poor dear was abused by an older woman, one might remember) and how he then meets Steele, whom Grey described as “a whirl of long chestnut hair, pale limbs and brown boots”. Naturally the new book then continues with the story so well known from the Fifty Shades of Grey series of books and the recent film about Grey, Steele, and their raunchy S&M relationship, but slanted from the masculine viewpoint. As reported in the Inquisitr, it seems publishers are investigating the theft of a finished copy of the book , stolen before the publication even happened. However, police reportedly say there is “no evidence” of a crime. However, a little controversy (or could we call that publicity) always goes a long way, especially when it comes to the Fifty Shades of Grey books and films. To assist in promotion of the new book, James is apparently currently in New York as part of an international publicity stunt to advertise the new book.

The previous Fifty Shades trilogy, including Fifty Shades Of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed, has brought in a fair income for the author, who is reportedly a millionaire several times over, with an estimated fortune of £75 million ($120 million). Now add to that the latest novel Grey, and this lady will retire extremely comfortably, no doubt. And then there’s the movies. While there has only been one Fifty Shades of Grey film released so far, more are coming in the near future, including the sequel Fifty Shades Darker. As reported on the Inquisitr, stars Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson have already promised much raunchier sex scenes in the upcoming sequel. [Image: Mike Coppola / Getty Images Entertainment] ‘Grey’ Details Revealed By E.L. James: Will The ‘Fifty Shades’ Companion Book Cover The Whole Trilogy? ‘Grey’ Details Revealed By E.L. James: Will The ‘Fifty Shades’ Companion Book Cover The Whole Trilogy?

06/08/15 AT 5:11 PM Close “Fifty Shades of Grey” readers were thrilled to hear about a new book in the series, but the upcoming “Grey” might not show everything readers want to see. E.L. James wrote on Twitter that the new book will only show the first novel from Christian’s perspective. James announced that her next novel, “Grey,” would be a companion to the “Fifty Shades” trilogy. The book is set to be released on June 18, Christian Grey’s birthday. It’s a fitting release date since the book, her first since finishing her original trilogy in 2012, is told entirely from Christian’s perspective. In case you somehow missed the best-selling novel and hit movie, “Fifty Shades of Grey” follows Anastasia Steele, a student in grad school, as she falls in love with Christian Grey, a rich business man with a love for BDSM. The books are told from Anastasia’s point of view, allowing readers to see her personal thoughts -- sometimes referred to as her “inner goddess” -- but keeping Christian Grey mysterious.

"Grey" will erase some of the mystique, but it seems fans will only see his perspective on the events of the first novel. "Grey," a companion novel to the 50 Shades trilogy, will be told from the perspective of Christian Grey. Jamie Dornan, pictured above at the U.K. Premiere of "50 Shades of Grey," plays the title character. Photo: Getty Images/Ian Gavan Related Stories — E L James (@E_L_James) June 8, 2015 James answered a fan on Twitter who asked what exactly “Grey” would cover. The author, 52, clarified that “Grey” would only show the first novel, “Fifty Shades of Grey,” through Christian’s eyes, not the entire series. There are no further plans announced for other books after “Grey.” Of course, that isn’t to say that James won’t write the other books, “Fifty Shades Darker” and a “Fifty Shades Freed,” from her leading man’s point of view. Future books might depend on the success of the first. Similarly, it isn’t clear if "Grey" will get a movie adaptation.

Actors Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson aren’t signed on for a fourth film yet, but the news of the book has only been public for a little over a week. It doesn’t seem like fans should worry about the end of the “Fifty Shades” books and films just yet. "Grey" will only cover the first novel in the "Fifty Shades of Grey" trilogy. Photo: Vintage Books/Facebook New 'Fifty Shades of Grey' novel out this month shows Christian's view | Reuters Mon Jun 1, 2015 | 6:27 PM EDT New 'Fifty Shades of Grey' novel out this month shows Christian's view NEW YORK E.L. James, author of the hugely successful "Fifty Shades of Grey" erotic novels, has written a new entry in the series that takes the point of view of its male character, Christian Grey, publisher Vintage Books said on Monday. The book, titled "Grey," will be published on June 18, which is the character's birthday.

"In the new book, (James) will offer her fans the opportunity to see the world of 'Fifty Shades' anew through the eyes of its intriguing and enigmatic protagonist," Vintage Books, a division of Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, said in a statement. James, who made her announcement of the new book on the Instagram website, said she wrote it in response to fans who have been asking for Christian's point of view. "Christian is a complex character," the British writer said, "and readers have always been fascinated by his desires and motivations, and his troubled past. Also, as anyone who has ever been in a relationship knows, there are two sides to every story." The book will be published in Britain on the same day and will be available as an eBook and in audio and Spanish-language editions. The trilogy about the erotic relationship between a college student, Anastasia Steele, and business tycoon Grey, has sold more than 125 million copies and is one of the most successful series in the history of publishing. The first book was also turned in an R-rated film starring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan, which has earned more than $500 million at the global box office.

Film adaptations of the second and third books are planned. (Reporting by Patricia Reaney; Editing by Peter Galloway) ADVERTISEMENT

Question: Christian Grey is a character in what recent book trilogy?
Answer: Fifty Shades