I enjoyed this interesting article from the BBC about the international diversification of sci-fi: http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20181203-what-our-science-fiction-says-about-us Nothing ever stays the same and it is very good for the genre to bring in new ideas and new voices. On the other hand we are seeing an increasingly aggressive China and Russia exerting themselves militarily in several regionsContinue reading “the international diversification of sci-fi…”
Category Archives: Reading
“Day Four” – Sarah Lotz – book review…
I don’t often take the time to simply read a book, mostly because I’m usually after working at my day job or writing my own stories. I’m even less likely to be reading a ‘ghost story’ because they tend to lodge uncomfortably in my imagination. So it has been very pleasing to pass a coupleContinue reading ““Day Four” – Sarah Lotz – book review…”
James Phelan – “The Spy” and “Dark Heart”…
This is my second review of James Phelan’s “Jed Walker” stories. Last time out I wrote about “The Hunted”, which was an Ok read. That story was reasonably well drawn but did feel a bit average (scoring 3 / 5 on the ‘Cloak & Dagger’ scale.). So how did the next two books I readContinue reading “James Phelan – “The Spy” and “Dark Heart”…”
Online Science Fiction Book Club: Robert Heinlein Society Panel interview, June 2018…
I’m feeling very pleased and honoured to have had one of my questions about the science fiction writer Robert Heinlein answered in a recent panel interview organised by the Online Science Fiction Book Club (https://www.facebook.com/groups/130411676997908/ ). Heinlein is one of my all-time favourite writers with published work spanning from 1947 to 1987, and posthumously inContinue reading “Online Science Fiction Book Club: Robert Heinlein Society Panel interview, June 2018…”
“Born with the Dead” – Robert Silverberg, 1974
I’ve just finished re-reading Robert Silverberg’s 1974 novella ‘Born with the Dead’ and loved it all over again… I first read this story in the early ’80s and it really stuck with me. I’ve probably given away around a thousand books over the past 30 years, including this one. However, Silverberg was my favourite sci-fiContinue reading ““Born with the Dead” – Robert Silverberg, 1974″
James Phelan – “The Hunted”…
Here’s my review of James Phelan’s “The Hunted” that I finished this afternoon… This was the first ‘Jed Walker’, and indeed the first James Phelan book, that I’ve read. The book had a reasonable plot that took some time to unravel and the closing sequences in St Louis, Missouri, clipped past quickly enough to keepContinue reading “James Phelan – “The Hunted”…”
… but not every “le Carré” is a good “le Carré”…
As much as I enjoyed le Carré stories I shared in my first post, I have to say that I have very mixed feelings about “The Night Manager”. It started well and I had high hopes that I was about to be entertained with a masterpiece of observational writing. I have stayed at many hotelsContinue reading “… but not every “le Carré” is a good “le Carré”…”
The best place to begin? John le Carré…
There was a singular character that sucked me back into Thrillers when I started reading them in earnest last year… George Smiley, created by John le Carré. Smiley is an odd character; to me he didn’t feel directly prominent but there was something about him that stuck in the back of mind, like he wasContinue reading “The best place to begin? John le Carré…”
A review of the books I read in 2017, mostly as preparation for my new post-BREXIT espionage-thriller novel…
I haven’t blogged for a while because I’ve been both deeply engaged with my day-job and also starting to write my next book, a currently un-titled post-BREXIT espionage thriller. Progress with the writing has been slower than I had wanted but I’m now about 30% of the way through and hope to make good progressContinue reading “A review of the books I read in 2017, mostly as preparation for my new post-BREXIT espionage-thriller novel…”
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