Category: Books & Fiction

• Book Review: The Chrysalids by John Wyndham

  This is the least typical of Wyndham’s novels in that it is set in the far future and not in middle England. This is a tale of a small agricultural community on the island of Labrador in a far future post-apocalyptic world. Their historical documents refer to the people of old who were destroyed by…

  MG Mason Creative

  September 15, 2011

  Books & Fiction

  book review, John Wyndham, post-apocalyptic novels, religious extremism, social commentary in science fiction, the chrysalids

• Steampunk: Quirky, Funky, Sexy

  I must admit that I’ve recently developed a bit of a fascination for the sub-genre and its something I’ve approached through the artwork. On my woefully underused tumblr page I have posted several steampunk’d science fiction icons (a dalek, optimus prime, predator, R2D2 and C3P0) and a computer just for the amusement. However I do…

  MG Mason Creative

  August 17, 2011

  Books & Fiction

  Steampunk, steampunk art, steampunk bible, steampunk culture, the anubis gates, the difference engine, wild wild west

• Examples of Social Commentary in Horror

  Having already established that science fiction often contains elements of social commentary, I wish to explore whether the same is true of horror. I had this idea about a week ago and in preparation felt I ought to write a few book reviews of my favourite horror novels. To be perfectly honest I can’t think…

  MG Mason Creative

  August 6, 2011

  Books & Fiction

  horror commentary, horror fiction social commentary, horror social commentary, social commentary in horror books movies games

• Examples of Social Commentary in Science Fiction

  So I can’t really get the events of Frankenstein out of my head and it is still giving me much to ponder, not in and of itself, but how science fiction is such a major and important conduit for social commentary. If I had studied sociology instead of archaeology at university, I would like to…

  MG Mason Creative

  April 4, 2011

  Books & Fiction

  John Wyndham, ray bradbury, sci fi social commentary, science fiction social commentary, social commentary, social commentary in science fiction

• Book Review: Web by John Wyndham

  ‘Web’ is a surprisingly pleasing addition to the career of John Wyndham. Published ten years after his death, it follows similar themes to several of his better known works. After an episode of PTSD, our protagonist purchases an island in the south Pacific in order to create a utopia and get away from the strains…

  MG Mason Creative

  March 30, 2011

  Books & Fiction

  book review, classic science fiction, John Wyndham books, Web john wyndham