Imagine fantasy and historical fiction are fused into a mystery, like what you’d get with a mash-up of Umberto Eco’s Name of the Rose, anything by Terry Brooks, and Harry Potter. The result, if it’s decently done, would be Ironfoot (Book 1 of the Enchanter General). There’s a touch of historical reality in the social divisions between the native Saxons and the ruling Normans, which is probably accurate given the setting in 1164 England. The brief cameos by Eleanor of Aquitaine, Henry II, and a […]
I am so disappointed!
Oh dear. I initially thought this novel was a fabulous historical fiction set in the Antipodes, à la Oscar and Lucinda or The Luminaries. But then the story began to lose momentum two-thirds of the way through before falling apart completely in the final act. Ooh, but the beginning is so, so good! It is New Year’s Eve, 1902, in the quiet town of Marumaru, New Zealand. Colton Kemp designs window displays for one of the two department stores in town. Although he dedicates himself […]
The DODO Doorstopper
‘My name is Melisande Stokes and this is my story. I am writing in July 1851 (Common Era, or – let’s face it – Anno Domini) in the guest chamber of a middle-class home in Kensington, London, England. But I am not a native of this place or time. In fact, I am quite fucking desperate to get out of here.’ Having never read anything by Nicole Galland before, I may be speculating, but her influence on Neal Stephenson’s infodump tendencies seems to be a positive […]
Mostly dull
Dr John Dee is astrologer to Queen Elizabeth I and, in most people’s eyes, a conjuror. Not because of his magical ability (as he has none) but because…well, mostly because the general population back then wasn’t exactly known for its reasonability, and seemed to really enjoy watching people get executed (and accusing someone of witchcraft virtually guaranteed getting them killed). Menaced by apparent portents of doom, Queen Liz sends Dr Dee on a secret mission to help protect her – recovering the bones of King […]
Life is a Cabaret, old Chum
I can’t believe it’s taken me 40 years to read Christopher Isherwood. Ok, maybe it’s only been 34 years because there’s no way I could have read this when I was 6. But I digress. The Berlin Stories is a combination of two of Isherwood’s novels – The Last of Mr Norris (Mr Norris Changes Trains in this edition) and Goodbye to Berlin. In Mr Norris, instead of Christopher Isherwood, the narrator is William Bradshaw (Isherwood’s middle names). Norris and Bradshaw meet on a train. […]
Love Children Through the Ages or Where Did That Old Car Come From?
Back after a 7 year hiatus (CBR3 Full Cannonball under my belt) for the 10th Anniversary! Surely a 7 year break renders me ready for this again, right? Must not let review to do’s pile up, must not let review to do’s pile up…….Here we go! Forever judging a book by its cover, I went on a Beatriz Williams kick this summer. Never having read her books before, I was lured in by a few with a flapper on the cover. All things Roaring 20’s […]
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