Dave Higgins's Blog, page 98
July 8, 2016
The Vampires’ Birthright by Aiden James & Patrick Burdin
Combining a choice between two, probably unsuitable, immortal lovers, with evil monsters roaming large parts of the world, James and Burdin create a paranormal romance free from the sense of tightness that can afflict the “girl with a destiny encounters a secret vampire conspiracy” novels. This novel is the second volume in the Lifeblood Legacy […]
July 6, 2016
Liberty Uplifts, It Does Not Oppress
Freedom of speech is a vital cornerstone of our society, but everybody must remember they have responsibilities not to spread hatred or fear. Anyone using freedom of speech as an excuse to break the law should face the full force of the law. – Karen Bradley MP (HC Deb 5 July 2016, vol 612, col […]
July 4, 2016
The Tension Inside
To watch humans is to see doublethink. Earlier today, I passed a woman in the company of two children. She strode on with the elder child at her side, while the younger – I estimate some five years of age – followed on behind at a reasonable walk. As they approached, she looked over her […]
July 1, 2016
Keepers of the Forest by James McNally
Weaving scenes of everyday life with the acts of humans in support of belief, McNally creates a novel focused more on how the possibility of the supernatural makes people act than on the supernatural itself. Disenchanted by his life, Brian reluctantly accepts a job as a swimming teacher in the Adirondack forest to clear his […]
June 29, 2016
The Harshness of Tolerance
Complexity and nuance are hard. They demand thought and effort without guaranteeing they will provide the right answer at the end. I can feel the absolutism tugging at me with its promises of an immediate answer that will let me move on to more enjoyable things. To avoid its pull, I’ve decided to dump some […]
June 27, 2016
When Is a Lap Not a Lap?
The outside world isn’t always pleasant, which can make the choice between leaving the house and spending more time with your cat a tricky one. However, now you don’t have to (at least if you live or know someone who lives in Japan); you can take your lap with you. If, like me, you pondered […]
June 24, 2016
Curiosity Quills: Chronology
This anthology contains 24 short stories of speculative fiction in a range of genres and styles. ‘Draconic King’ by James Wymore: seeing weakness in a neighbouring country, a young king attempts to convince the dragon who aided his ancestors to join his invasion. ‘Wind Up Hearts’ by Stan Swanson: two people, granted longevity by an […]
June 22, 2016
No Journey Without Song
With the final day and a bit of the UK Referendum on EU Membership filling my feeds, I felt the need to offer an alternative. Whether you’ve become bored with the same sound-bites or just wish a little entertainment, I hope this offering from the ever-cthonic HP Lovecraft Historical Society will Yogsotherate your day: There […]
June 20, 2016
Happy Monday
Jasper has become aware that not all humans like Mondays. So here’s a present to make you feel better. For Jasper is a benevolent fuzzy god.
June 17, 2016
Übermensch by Mathew Babaoye
Combining one extreme of a post-scarcity society with a protagonist who starts with nothing, Babaoye weaves an intriguing answer to the question, ‘if you had no past and anything was possible, what would you be?’ Awaking with complex language skills and motor-control, but no memories, Id learns he is a bio-engineered slave of the mysterious […]
