Tag: books
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Frankenstein is 200 Years Old: What is it About?
It’s considered the first ever proper modern science fiction novel. 200 years after it was first published, it still manages to wow audiences. It’s been reinvented more times than Madonna but a resurgence a few years ago means we are once again craving the timeless tale. It all began when Danny Boyle adapted it for…
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Science Fiction’s Sub-Genres in a Nutshell (Part 1)
To the uninitiated, science fiction is about space battles and exploring planets full of strange and wonderful creatures. Yet science fiction has never “just” been about spaceships and alien planets. That is just one subgenre of our weird and wonderful genre. There are many more and you might be surprised at some books and films…
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Book Review: Bioshock Rapture by John Shirley
Having recently replayed all of the Bioshock games (including the DLCs I never played before), Amazon recommended me this – an official novelisation of the early years of the city where the first two games (and both DLCs) are based. I’ve generally been mistrusting of this type of book, feeling they often lack the depth…
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Book Review: The Ruins By Scott Smith
I saw this film maybe six or seven years ago and was aware it was based on a book. The film was just ok, but I enjoyed it enough to read the book. There are several key differences between this and the film, one of which I prefer in the film. For the most part…
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Book Review: IT By Stephen King
I first read this book when I was about 13 but didn’t really get it at the time. Now I am in my 40s, I can look back with hindsight and admit that I didn’t get it. But that’s ok. Not everybody gets Stephen King all of the time, not even his long term fans.…
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Book Review: Russka by Edward Rutherfurd
So, onto the next mammoth book by Edward Rutherfurd who is known – perhaps uniquely – for creating a story around the history of a place and populating it with characters and their descendants as we move through history’s most memorable events. This time, he has chosen to take on the geographically mighty Russia, telling…
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The Power of Words #1: Advertising
This is the first of a series of discussion pieces that I want to do this year on how we use and manipulate, or are manipulated by words. Language is a powerful tool and in the wrong hands can be a strong weapon. Despite the old saying words can hurt and do cause damage. Commercial…
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Book Review: The Portable Door by Tom Holt
Paul Carpenter is a bit of a sad case. Socially inept, living alone, a succession of unrealised crushes (he falls in love with practically every girl he meets), he has no job and no money. When he applies for a mundane job he doesn’t want and promptly fluffs the interview, he doesn’t expect to be…
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