Sirens Simon Messingham Derelict Space Sheep, 338 pages Review by Katie Gray I was tentatively excited for Sirens. Being a die-hard Doctor Who fan I was familiar with Simon Messingham’s work – he’s the author of no less than seven expanded universe novels across four different books ranges. Naturally I was interested to read his
Shattered Minds Laura Lam Tor, 400 pages Review by Eris Young In a future North American West Coast ruled behind the scenes by a sinister corporation called Sudice, neurological experiments are conducted on criminals and drug addicts: people the company think no one will miss. One of these addicts is Carina, a neuroprogrammer and former
The Rift Nina Allan Titan Books, 400 pages Review by Neil Williamson The very simple truth at the heart of Nina Allan’s brilliant new novel is that between any two people there exists a chasm. No matter how close someone is to you – friends, lovers, family – no matter how completely you trust them,
Ancestral Machines, A Humanity’s Fire Novel Michael Cobley Orbit, 504 pages Review by Duncan Lunan I enjoyed the Humanity’s Fire trilogy which preceded this novel, but I was concerned that the opening of the Well into vast sub-layers of alternative realities and ancient technologies would submerge the emphasis on human values which had characterised the
The Last Days of New Paris China Mieville Del Rey, 224 pages Review by Eris Young Set against a backdrop of crumbling streets and burned-out buildings, The Last Days of New Paris follows the parallel stories of Thibault, the last surviving member of a rebel army of artists, and Jack, arrogant acolyte of occultist Aleister
The List Patricia Forde Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 368 pages Review by Katie Gray In the city of Ark, food, water and words are tightly rationed. The world as we know it has ended, the sea levels have risen, and in the last known bastion of civilisation the people must speak the new language, List, or be
Rupert Wong and the Ends of the Earth Cassandra Khaw Abaddon Books, 155 Pages Review: Benjamin Thomas Rupert Wong and the Ends of the Earth is the second part of the saga of Rupert Wong, our favorite cannibal chef. While Ends of the Earth is technically a novella, it packs more in its pages than
Raven Stratagem Yoon Ha Lee Solaris, 400 pages Review by Iain Maloney Criticism is a funny old thing. The critic is late to the party: the book is published, printed, often already in shops and on people’s nightstands by the time the review comes out so any criticism offered is at best parenthetical. As a
Stranger of Tempest Tom Lloyd Gollancz, 472 pages Reviewed by Ian Hunter With ringing endorsements from the likes of Adrian Tchaikovsky, James Barclay and Edward Cox and a great cover by Jon McCoy, of a lone rifleman (actually our hero armed with a Mage Gun that fires elemental bullets) on the cover about to square
All the Galaxies Philip Miller Freight Books, 308 pages Review by Henry Northmore Fans already know that many of the strongest works in the genre use sci-fi as a prism to examine our own world. Taking existing concepts and extrapolating into the future, exaggerating for effect or repositioning them on strange new worlds. We live