Monthly Archives: May 2010
Weeknotes: Philip Reeve and JB Priestley
I’ve been reading Philip Reeve’s Mortal Engine series, or at least Infernal Devices, and about to start The Darkling Plain. What intrigues me about the series is the changing society. It is not necessarily monolithic mobile cities but the way … Continue reading
Weeknotes: Mieville and Blackman
I’ve just been listening to China Miéville’s interview on BBC Radio Four’s Front Row (broadcast 21 May 2010) in which he described himself as an “insufferable punk” when talking about some of his earlier pronunciations on Tolkien. He has certinaly … Continue reading
Nicholas Tucker’s obituary of William Mayne
Nicholas Tucker has written an balanced obituary of William Mayne, the children’s author whose career ended in disgrace. A contemporary of Alan Garner and Susan Cooper, his writing is now being forgotten which is unjust. He does pose an issue … Continue reading
The changing face of genre
Jeff Vandermeer’s Ecstatic Days blog has a link to a post on Next Read where gav has decided that sf is currently dying. Searching for “books that really turn you on and excite you” he finds that “no, instead the … Continue reading
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One of our squids is missing: China Mieville’s Kraken
Ceci n’est pas un sépia. I tried to resist but but no luck, I’m afraid. I’ve just finished China Miéville’s Kraken and realise that there just is no squid. There never was. I do wonder if I read the same … Continue reading
Weeknotes: Doctorow, Powers, Dolamore and Mieville read
It has been a quiet week bookwise since returning to work (which has been anything other the quiet). I read the new Cory Doctorow novel, For the Win (Harper Collins, £14.99). Each of Cory’s novels gets stronger for me and … Continue reading
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Paper cuts under the arches
I was going to write this as part of longer piece having spent yesterday walking around London but hey, why wait… I was in London yesterday to meet an agent to talk over the current state of my book project … Continue reading