Tolkien and the Future of Epic Fantasy 'Then what are You, having no Chaos found To make a World, or any such least Ground? But your Creating Fancy, thought it fit To make your World of Nothing, but pure Wit. Your Blazing-World, beyond the Stars mounts higher, Enlightens all with a Cœlestial Fier. [William, 1st …
Category: Science fiction and fantasy
Undiscovered Territory
The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle A Review 'Challenger smiled with weary and tolerant contempt, as a kindly man would meet the yapping of a litter of puppies.' 'Beyond was an open glade, and in this were five of the most extraordinary creatures that I had ever seen .... Even the babies were as …
The Daemon’s in all of us!
The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman A Review Like many other fans of the original trilogy - and already well into The Secret Commonwealth - I sat down three weeks ago to watch the BBC's production of His Dark Materials. At lunchtime on the following day, I discussed it with a friend. Of course, it …
The Testaments
by Margaret Atwood A Review 'Just look at Tirzah! She sits there, With her strands of vagrant hair; See her down the sidewalk stride, Head held high and full of pride. See her catch the guardian's glance, Tempt him to sinful circumstance. Never does she change her way, Never does she kneel to pray! Soon …
One Day At A Time
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton A Review 'As with Bell, my skin prickles when I see Ravencourt in the mirror. Some part of me remembers my real face and is perplexed by this stranger staring back.' This novel was a 'left-over' from my recent holiday. Having been warned that it was …
Brave New World Postscript
Further Thoughts on Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan Sometimes you just have to read bits of a novel again. Machines Like Me is that kind of novel. (reviewed here) I mused for a long time over the title. What does it mean? Is it a reflection of the fact that we humans, just like …
To a Lighthouse?
Harbour by John Ajvide Lindqvist ‘The sea has given and the sea has taken away.’ Harbour is Lindqvist’s third supernatural novel. This one is set on the fictional island of Domaro in the Swedish archipelago, where Anders and Cecilia have a holiday cottage. One winter day, the couple set out with their six-year-old daughter Maja …
A Matter of Time
The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov The possibility that we might visit our planet’s history – and maybe influence it – is the most tantalising of all fantasies. Perhaps, instead, we might travel into the future and, as observers, discover whether our descendants are still reading books, or watching films. What new mythologies can …
Conscious!
Emily Eternal by MG Wheaton 'I sweep across the world like the break of dawn.' Emily Eternal combines cutting edge technology, speculative science and scientific fantasy in a racy thriller that doubles as a crazy love story. At the same time, it digs into the human psyche searching for answers to age-old questions. Does free …
Secret Societies and Ghostly Terror
The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz Zafon translated by Lucia Graves ‘Never mind the number of candles on your birthday cake,’ writes Zafon in his introduction to The Midnight Palace, ‘for those in the know, it’s what lies beneath them that matters’. Zafon’s first four published novels were intended for young adults. The Midnight Palace, …
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