Browsing all articles in Reviews.
Northern Lights by Philip Pullman
I’ve always found that the best examples of children’s literature are those that don’t try to be for children, they don’t pander to a younger reader, but rather just aim to be a piece of literature in their own right. Pullman drew his inspiration for His Dark Materials from Milton’s Paradise Lost, Blake’s Songs of […]
Shift Omnibus by Hugh Howey
This review contains spoilers for Wool. If you haven’t read Hugh Howey’s Wool, stop here and go do so immediately. You should do this first because Wool is one of the best science fiction books to come out in recent memory, and second because it’s very much a big-reveal kind of book—one I can’t help […]
Swords of Haven by Simon R. Green
Swords of Haven introduces us to Hawk and Fisher; they’re husband and wife, the only truly honourable cops in Haven, a violent and corrupt city filled with monsters, wizards, thieves and politicians. This volume from 2006 collects the first three stories – Hawk & Fisher, Winner Take All, and The God Killer – published between […]
The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M. Harris
Laughter disarms the fiercest of men. – Lokabrenna A child’s fascination with something can last a long time and spark great ideas; ideas that can be turned into books. As a little girl, Joanne Harris found Thunder of the Gods by Dorothy G. Hosford in her local library. She loved the book so much that […]
A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin
After years of making us wait, 2011 rolled into town and so did Mr. Martin’s long awaited book, number five in a planned seven book series. It is safe to say that many of you were patiently waiting with dread as to whether it would be more of the same crawling to useless strings in […]
Orleans by Sherri L. Smith
I find the post apocalyptic genre simultaneously interesting and frustrating. I think that it has a lot of interesting potential to comment on social trends and social experimentation, but I find that it is frequently bogged down by the same story arcs over and over again. Someone who once was an elite is cast down, […]
The Boy With the Porcelain Blade by Den Patrick – Review
I always find it weird… reading a book by someone I’ve met. I first met Den Patrick in 2012 at Fantasy-Faction’s Q & A Session with Peter V. Brett, Myke Cole and Joe Abercrombie. At that point in time, Den Patrick was the ‘events organiser’ at the bookshop (Blackwells) that was hosting the event and […]
Reaper’s Touch by Eleri Stone
I’m a big fan of romance. I believe in love at first sight, flowers, and date nights (even if it’s just an hour out of the house, simply to get a break from the kids). However, when it comes to reading science-fiction and fantasy, I don’t find myself straying too close to the ‘romance’ sub-category. […]
The Reaver by Richard Lee Byers
If you have d20’s on the brain then you’ll love The Reaver by Richard Lee Byers. This swords-and-sorcery adventure crosses through the Forgotten Realms, the destination of choice D&D campaigns. Aficionados of character sheets will have much to recognize and relish, especially the spells. The magic is the most dazzling element of the novel. A […]
The Shattered Crown by Richard Ford
I suppose there comes a time if you review books – and find yourself on a publisher’s mailing list – when you will get sent a book that is either part of a series, or the middle book of a trilogy. The Shattered Crown is such a book. It is the second in the Steelhaven […]
Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson
Ahhh, Memories of Ice, Book Three of The Malazan Book of the Fallen, what an enjoyable tropical holiday you are – that is if tropical holidays contained relentless waves of cannibalistic armies, unspoiled (or should I say utterly tormented) elder races and, of course, friendly Bridgeburner staff! No doubt, a tropical holiday is needed after […]
The Banner Saga RPG
The Banner Saga is an epic role-playing game inspired by Viking legend. Hand-painted landscapes portray a world eerily suspended in perpetual twilight. Cities and towns begin to crumble into chaos. Heroes abandon their hearths and homes to traverse the snowy countryside, gaining allies along the way to help battle a strange, new threat. Decisions have […]
