This is my first foray into Barr’s works, after reading the prequel short story Demon Spawn. Chaos is just about right! What to Expect A zany adventure mixing science and fantasy, demons and space aliens, dragons and laser beams. What starts off as a disgruntled, subversive, sorceress using-but-not-happy-about-it demon magic quickly evolves into an imminent […]
Book Review
Book Review: Peace Talks, by Jim Butcher
I enjoyed the Dresden Files in the past, so was looking forward to the new installment after a few years’ gap. If you’ve never read them before this is not the place to start, but if you are a fan then this book delivers. What to Expect Peace Talks picks up where the series previously […]
Book Review: Mad House, by Ellis L. Knox
I love Knox’s mix of history and fantasy, so was happy to find this novelette. What to Expect A quick read about a roguish sprite, a loyal ogre, and a house made of magic.This story is mostly atmospheric, but serves as an excellent intro or sample of Knox’s longer works. What I liked I liked […]
Book Review: All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1), by Martha Wells
The Murderbot Diaries won both Hugo and Nebula, and with good reason. What to Expect A novella told from the point of view of an android assigned as a security unit to a team of scientists exploring a new planet. action is packed in this very short novel (or lengthy novella), but more importantly there’s […]
Book Review: Mon Dieu Cthulhu! by John Houlihan
Historical Fantasy (my weakness) mixing with Napoleonic Wars and Cthulhu mythos – what’s not to like? What to Expect ‘Mon Dieu Cthulhu’ is a collection of two stories with the inimitable Gaston d’Bois, a hussar lieutenant fighting in the Iberian peninsula against Wellington’s army. While dealing with the war, he comes across monsters far older […]
Book Review: Into the Second World, by Ellis L. Knox
I’ve previously read Goblins at the Gate by Ellis Knox and loved it, and was looking forward to delve again into his brand of alternate-fantasy-history. What to Expect Into the Second world is a novel of nineteenth-century exploration and adventure, in the style of contemporary masters like Jules Verne and HG Wells. In fact, the […]
Book Review: Kalanon’s Rising, by Darian Smith
Kalanon’s Rising was one of the finalists of SPFBO 2019, and the premise of magical murders mystery caught my eye. What to expect The murder of the king’s nephew (and presumptive heir) is guaranteed to draw attention. The King’s Champion, a current physician and previous war leader, is tasked with finding the murderer and resolving […]
TV Series Review: Up Pompeii
I first heard about Up Pompeii when I reviewed Chelmsford 123, another favourite Roman-esque British sitcom, and someone recommended this show in response. What to expect A British sitcom dating from 1970, about events two millennia prior. The humour is a product of both time periods: a lot less politically correct then current tastes, but […]
Book Review: Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City, by K.J. Parker
I first saw Sixteen Ways to Defend A Walled City when it came out, and it caught my attention: a potentially humorous, military fantasy exploit by an author known for his historical and humorous works (KJ Parker is a pseudonym for Tom Holt). I’m glad I read it. What to expect The story starts by […]
Book Review: What Kings Ate and Wizards Drank, by Krista D. Ball
I can’t remember exactly when What Kings Ate floated past me, but given my love of both fantasy and historical foodstuffs I knew it was going to be a hit. What to expect A non-fiction that’s still light-hearted, both informative and entertaining. The author covers many aspects of food throughout history as a way to […]
