Review – The Beauty, by Aliya Whiteley

An isolated group of men live in a world without women.  Over the years they have learned to accept this fact, and that they will be the final generation.  It has not been easy. Each of them has their demons … Continue reading

Review – The Honours, by Tim Clare

This is a bold, brave and brilliant book, just like its hero, thirteen years old Delphine Venner. It’s 1935 and troubled Delphine, recently expelled from school, goes to the isolated Alderberen estate with her mother and equally troubled father. An … Continue reading

The Force Awakens – Some Thoughts

This post will contain spoilers. There’s a huge amount to like about the latest Star Wars film. It’s made with passion, the protagonists are real people, the humour works. So does the tension, and those moments of Star Wars senswunda … Continue reading

Book Review – The Corruption of Farbell Gifford

The universe of self-published fiction has its vast and empty reaches of nothing much at all, and a scatter of planets that can appear less interesting the closer you approach. It also has its stars. This book is one of … Continue reading

Review – The Last Flight of the Brobdingnag

Here’s a strange one. I first came across the opening chapters of this oddly charming and compelling tale anonymously posted on Tumblr a couple of years ago. Since then I’d been wondering, off and on,  if the full story would … Continue reading

Indiana Jones Strikes Again

I watched The Woman in Black last night, a film based on the book of the same name by Susan Hill. It was very nice to see an old-style gothic horror film again, one that relied in the main on … Continue reading

Review – Surface Detail, by Ian Banks

Two alliances of civilisations are fighting a virtual war over artificial hells. Depending on your viewpoint the right, or the wrong, side is winning. Needless to say, the Culture has an interest in the outcome. Bank’s penultimate Culture novel, is … Continue reading

Honest blurbs – the what and the how.

When I was a young reader I soon learned to trust – or not trust – the reviews on the back of books. My default weekly selection at the local library was one anthology, one book with a bright yellow … Continue reading

Brutal brilliant cynicsm – Killing Them Softly

A blackest of black comedies about the revenge organised crime exacts against some thieves who stole from them, set against the recent collapse of the global banking system.  In both cases, confidence in the system needs to be restored. In … Continue reading

Prometheus – and hello world.

Welcome to the first blog on my new web site.  I saw Prometheus on the first night of release in the UK with my partner, the lovely Gaie Sebold, and we decided to write a joint blog, which you can … Continue reading