John le Carre’s 5th novel is 50 years old, but the world it describes is only yesterday, a modern world with the only discrepancies the make of cars, or whether everyone has a boilerman enter their home to start the morning. In their concerns and the way they live their lives, the folk described don’t […]
Heart on my sleeve when it comes to this book review … Just read this on Tor.com, and I get it completely: Lately, it’s really difficult to be enthusiastic about books. Perhaps I’ve read too many of them. Perhaps—though less likely—I haven’t read enough, and if I read a few more, the enthusiasm will come […]
“Kostaki looked up at the church door. While they were paying attention to Kichijiro, it had been pulled inward. “In ghost stories, doors creak. A door opening silently is more sinister.” Anno Dracula 1899: One Thousand Monsters by Kim Newman
Dear Mr Kim Newman, I am very glad at all the Anno Dracula books, even though years ago I had to work hard to track down the original so now I have two, and I keep telling myself no, you don’t have to have the paperback of Johnny Alucard to go with the others just […]
The scariest day of the year is approaching fast. Will he…? Won’t she … ? Don’t they …? Should I …? is it legal to … ? I’d remove Valentine’s day from the calendar, except my powers don’t extend quite that far … yet. The gifts are tacky and / or market forced upon us, […]
So excitement is right. There must just be something wonderful about being a ‘Tim’. I’ve raved before about Tim Powers, and of course there is Tim Brooke-Taylor, and, er, I suppose, Tiny Tim. But Australian Tims are in another category altogether – and I am not (just) talking about Tim Tams. Tim Winton releases a […]
Is there a voluntary exclusion program for The Book Depository? Its not my fault … its right there, on my PC … the books, the books … you just press the buttons – yes, just like a poker machine, yes … a package comes in the post … like CHRISTMAS! For years my wife has […]
If you are already planning on reading ‘Pandemonium’ by Daryl Gregory, don’t read any further. There are no more spoilers here than on the back cover blurb, but … I went on a Daryl Gregory binge last weekend. I’d had ‘Raising Stony Mayhall’ on my wishlist at The Book Depository for some time, and received […]
(Having mentioned Ron Dionne in my first post, here is a review of his novel SAD JINGO I previously posted elsewhere) We know why the children who read Harry Potter identify with the main wizard. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was magic in the world? And if there was, of course I would be […]
Nobody is looking 