Philip Berghan-Whyman > Recent Status Updates

An interesting - if variable - set of short stories. They channel Algernon Blackwood, Ambrose Bierce, and Lovecraft, but also have a sense of William Gibson in their blackness (but not in their technologies).

Really good read so far. Much! LeCarre than Rice or Harris.

Not what I expected, but good so far. Reasonably frank accounts of his humanitarian work in Serbia, Rwanda, and Bolivia, as well as military work in Afghanistan, make for interesting and provoking reading. Does lead to thinking about some petty heavy and depressing stuff. Glad my family and friends live here in New Zealand.

I want to like this, but I am struggling with the voice of the two main characters. They are so similar yet the characters really aren't, so I feel it's the author's voice instead.

It has been many years since I read this, but despite many years and new eyes, I am enjoying it again.

I really enjoy some of the stories, and not so much the others. Not sure if it's because I'm getting used to it, or perhaps because the best work was in the first 40% of the collection.

It is amazing some of the stuff people believe.

And I'm now fully into the book. I'm very much enjoying it. It's got some really interesting ideas about how society developed and how the geopolitical shape of the world will change in the near future.

Still quite a dark read, so alternating between it and the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Problem solved.

Getting into the Restaurant at the End of the Universe. Funny all the bits I don't recall ever reading before. Good stuff.

So far, it's actually a bit boring. Having real trouble getting into it.

This is my light relief book. I can hear the narrator from the 80s BBC series as I read the Guide sections. ;-)

The first couple of chapters were such a hard read, I actually put the book aside. Have since picked it up and now enjoying it.

Imaginative and not badly written. Happening very quickly. I know it has "superheroes" in it, but it's not very believable. Currently a three star rating. It's alright but not great.

Still awesome.

A lovely high fantasy feel so far. Looking forward to this one.

I'm actually quite enjoying it. About 3.5 stars so far. It's sort of steam-punk Buffy the fairie slayer. Not highbrow but enjoyable pulp.