Category Archives: Review
Iain M. Banks – The Hydrogen Sonata
We’ve now had 25 years of Iain M. Banks’ Culture and The Hydrogen Sonata is the ninth novel to be set in this universe. There is much here that is familiar – Bank’s literary language sets out a widescreen Baroque … Continue reading
George R.R. Martin – Game of Thrones
It’s quite hard to remember what I knew of Games of Thrones back before the television series had such a big impression on me. I know that I had heard of the A Song Of Fire And Ice book series … Continue reading
Filed under Books, Review, Television
The Starry Wisdom – A Tribute To H.P. Lovecraft
The Starry Wisdom is a collection of short stories, plus a few essays and illustrated pieces, based on the work of H.P. Lovecraft. The editor, D.M. Mitchell, has cast the net wide and included authors who you would not normally … Continue reading
J.J. Connolly – Viva La Madness
Viva La Madness is a sequel to the author’s previous novel, Layer Cake. The tile Layer Cake is, in part, a metaphor / slang term for the illegal drug business, in particular cocaine dealing. The novel featured an unnamed protagonist … Continue reading
Iain Banks – Stonemouth
Stonemouth starts with its protagonist standing on a mist enshrouded suspension bridge. And you cannot help but think of one of Bank’s greatest triumphs, The Bridge which also starts on a similar construction. Is Stonemouth a return to form? I … Continue reading
Claire McGowan – The Fall
I’m not sure how I came to this… possibly a review. However I do remember reading the first few pages via Amazon and wanting to read more. It’s basically a crime novel but is also has a bit of chick … Continue reading
Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction edited by Jeff Prucher
Got this is as a Christmas present. It’s ‘just’ a dictionary so it’s hard to say a lot about it… only that’s it’s pretty good. Seems to have just about every ‘sf’ word you can think of eg needle gun, … Continue reading
Prometheus
So Ridley, is that it? Really? Because, to be honest, a few months back I did not really think that the sf film I would be enjoying most at this time of year would be Iron Sky… I mean, you … Continue reading
Breaking Bad
Some time ago I tried watching Breaking Bad. I had heard of the show for a while and that it was pretty good- good enough in fact to put it up with some of the other great shows that have … Continue reading
Filed under Review, Television
Tim Willocks – Bad City Blues and Blood-Stained Kings
Years back I had a day where I had little to do so first thing after breakfast I sat down to a read a bit of this paperback book Green River Rising by Tim Willocks that I had just bought … Continue reading
