Dave Higgins's Blog, page 107
October 30, 2015
In Memory: A Tribute to Sir Terry Pratchett by Laura May (ed.) & Sorin Suciu (ed.)
Drawing on the literary legacy of Sir Terry Pratchett without being constrained by it, this anthology is filled with memorable speculative fiction (while avoiding that joke). This review is based on an advanced review copy. The anthology contains seventeen short stories in a variety of genres but united by the concept of memory. ‘Thanks for […]
October 28, 2015
Offering a Hand Not Pointing a Finger
With George Osborne MP attempting – and fortunately failing – to further weaken the UK welfare system, this talk seemed appropriate: Based on the time I spent working in a housing benefit office, her experiences match mine. A significant minority of my time was spent matching up duplicate information and letters chasing up progress on […]
October 26, 2015
Where Has It Bean?
I had a rather pleasant fry-up at the Farm in Clifton yesterday. One of the things that made it especially pleasant was them serving the baked beans in a little dish. And sitting there eating my meal, I mused on how their choice to corral the beans might represent a fitting guide for moral behaviour. […]
October 23, 2015
Silent Clarion by Matthew Graybosch
Combining full-on metal, metaphysical AI’s, and survival horror, Graybosch creates science-fiction that is both emotionally and intellectually satisfying. This review is based on an advanced copy of the entire novel, rather than the serialisation. While every attempt has been made to minimise transcendence of physical knowledge, parts of the review might trigger an n-dimensional vector […]
October 21, 2015
I Is Cheerful
My wife returns this evening from two-weeks away. Which, in the way that such things do, makes me wonder why ‘u’ is the least cheerful vowel in English. As most people who learnt any chemistry or physics will recall, the simplest atom is hydrogen; chemical symbol H. So, we will take hydrogen compounds as our […]
October 19, 2015
One Eye on the Night
Earlier this month, I wrote an article about my love for my wife that didn’t use the word love. This article is about the opposite: when people use the word but not the sentiment. I’m lucky. Not only am I not in an abusive relationship, none of my friends display the signs of being in […]
October 16, 2015
Rarity from the Hollow by Robert Eggleton
Mixing the low comedy so appealing to children with a nuanced portrayal of a disadvantaged life, Eggleton provides absurd science-fiction without descending into inanity. This review is based on an unproofed copy, so assumes spelling and usage issues will not appear in the published version. Lacey Dawn lives in the Hollow, a depressed rural community […]
October 14, 2015
Voices Like Candles
Matthew Graybosch wrote an interesting article yesterday about not fitting in despite appearing to be part of the majority. I might not agree with his suggestion that he doesn’t deserve congratulations for still being functional, but I wholeheartedly agree that sharing feelings of isolation is better than leaving the world in some grand gesture. Because […]
October 12, 2015
A Wise Investment
For the past several weeks the United Kingdom has been filled with the chattering of newsprint about Jeremy Corbyn MP’s decision to postpone formal investiture into the Privy Council due to a prior personal commitment; a commitment he has now revealed. I’m uncertain whether or not the way he handled the disclosure was ideal, but […]
October 9, 2015
Hour of Mischief by Aimee Hyndman
Combining a fast-paced, character-focused plot with a deep and complex world without either skimping or bogging down, Hyndman creates a story where humans can meet gods without being merely accessories. Born to the underclasses, Janet Redstone and her friends both make their living and calm their anger by stealing from the rich. With the twelve […]
