Books, Reviews
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Susan Greenfield - 2121
13 Jun 2013
Renowned science writer publishes first fiction novel on mankind's dependency on technology
In renowned science writer Susan Greenfield’s first foray into fiction, she has created a dystopian world where the technology we rely upon today has left us too dependent on it. Mankind has become divided into the functional NPs (Neo-Puritans) and…
Neil Gaiman - The Ocean at the End of the Lane
11 Jun 2013
Multi award-winning author returns with hit that justifies the hype
Readers of The Ocean at the End of the Lane may experience an occasional sense of déjà vu. So many of the story’s key elements are staples of classic children’s fantasy: three mysterious women in a ramshackle farmhouse who may be more than they appear…
Simone van der Vlugt - Safe as Houses
10 Jun 2013
A well-paced home invasion thriller that ultimately borders on predictable
Functionality of language is key in this tight thriller from best-selling Dutch author Simone van der Vlugt. Mother to five year old Anouk, Lisa finds herself in an unimaginably horrific situation: her isolated country home is infiltrated by a convicted…
Charlotte Grimshaw - Soon
10 Jun 2013
An efficient, coolly poetic tale of Auckland’s glitterati
Treading a fine line between literary and commercial fiction, Charlotte Grimshaw’s Soon is a nuanced, exciting tale of Auckland’s glitterati. Successful obstetrician Simon Lampton holidays with the Prime Minster, David Hallwright. In the melting…
Iain Macwhirter - Road To Referendum
10 Jun 2013
The political commentator's book is a vital contribution to the discussion on Scotland's future
Iain Macwhirter’s Road to Referendum is easily the most accessible piece of writing concerned with the independence debate. Not only one of the shrewdest commentaries on Scottish politics, it is also an important tribute to the country’s…
Pandemonium: The Lowest Heaven
10 Jun 2013
Science fiction anthology published to coincide with ROG's 'Visions of the Universe'
In this visually beautiful anthology, each short story is inspired by a different object in our solar system, from the sun to the moon to Halley's Comet. Speculative fiction fans will be excited just looking at the contents page, with original stories…
David Shaw Mackenzie - The Interpretations
10 Jun 2013
Gripping mystery novel lacks leading character voice
Told across two decades, The Interpretations explores circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Tom Kingsmill, a runner who starts an organised race across Dalmore's new suspension bridge but never reaches the other side. Local police write the…
Robbie Morrison & Jim Murray - Drowntown: Book One
7 Jun 2013
Story set in dystopian London with enough intrigue to hook you in for next instalment
(Jonathan Cape) Scottish comics writer Robbie Morrison got his first big break, like so many great British writers before him, at 2000AD. He co-created Nikolai Dante, Shakara and Shimura (the final one also served as the mainstream debut of artist…
Iain Banks - The Quarry
6 Jun 2013
Iain Banks' final book skillfully portrays our increasingly digital world with famous black humour
Brought forward for publication following Iain Banks’ announcement three months ago that he is ‘officially Very Poorly’ with terminal cancer, The Quarry initially seems a uniquely difficult read. The fact that one of its main characters is in the final…
Stephen King - Joyland
4 Jun 2013
A nostalgic murder mystery with a supernatural twist from the master of horror
Stephen King is a true phenomenon in the world of publishing. One of the highest-selling authors of all time (with estimated sales of over 350 million), his stories have been adapted into over 50 films and TV series (not counting numerous shorts…
Suzanne Egerton - Out Late With Friends And Regrets
31 May 2013
Effortlessly funny and uplifting story about a woman's fight for her independece
Egerton’s debut is charming and effortlessly funny. She brings her characters to life in such a distinctive way that readers will love rooting for them in their triumphs and heartaches because they remind us so much of ourselves. The novel follows…
Morgan McCarthy - The Outline of Love
31 May 2013
Berkshire born author's second novel is an enjoyable coming of age story with a twist
Raised by her father in the Highlands, Persephone Triebold flees her lonely life for university in London. The sights and smells of the big city are evocatively described as Persephone throws herself headfirst into an alien world of female friendships…
Stuart Evers - If This Is Home
31 May 2013
Author's debut novel explores the haunting power of the past and makes for a compelling read
Stuart Evers’ debut is a novel of contrasts; between reality and dreams, coming and going, want and need. Focusing on the harsh truth that you cannot outrun your past, the book is also a tribute to love in all its forms. Trying to escape the dark…
Lance Weller - Wilderness
31 May 2013
A striking and beautiful historical novel
This debut novel from Lance Weller alternates between 1864 and 1899 and tells the story of Abel Truman, a solider who fought and nearly died for the Confederacy in the American Civil War, before being taken in by two former slaves. It is a bold novel…
Joseph Smith - Finally My Ambulance
29 May 2013
Smith's short story 'album' is pretentious, mannered and deeply disappointing
A central conceit in Joseph Smith’s first two novels - The Wolf and Taurus - is that they’re told from the point of view of their titular animals. In this new collection - pretentiously described as an 'album' for some reason - only one of Smith’s tales…
George Monbiot – Feral
28 May 2013
A poignant call to rethink the way we use and view our British landscape
The restoration of the Earth’s ecosystems is a key topic in current environmentalism: a positive, hopeful practice in times of huge environmental stress following centuries of alteration and destruction by human hand. Guardian journalist George Monbiot…
Derby Shorts
24 May 2013
Collaborative anthology on roller derby will make you want to get your skates on
Whether you’re new to roller derby, a wannabe rollergirl or a force to be reckoned with on eight wheels, there can be no finer companion to the beautiful game than the new collaborative anthology from For Books’ Sake and the London Roller Girls. Derby…
James Robertson - The Professor of Truth
16 May 2013
A contemporary story dealing with the aftermath of a Lockerbie-like attack
Twenty-one years after the death of his wife and child in a plane bombing, Dr Alan Tealing remains unconvinced by the official account of this atrocity. Tealing’s obsession with what he calls The Case defines the novel: this is Lockerbie in everything…
Kate Manning - My Notorious Life by Madame X
16 May 2013
A timely historical drama about abortion and the female body in the Victorian era
After a year of American politicians sounding off about women’s bodies like it was the 19th century, Kate Manning’s novel, inspired by an infamous midwife/abortion provider from that era, comes as a reminder of how grim things used to be. Axie…
Helen Ivory - Waiting for Bluebeard
16 May 2013
The poet's latest collection dissolves the barriers between reality and fantasy
In what is undoubtedly her most bewitching poetry collection to date, Helen Ivory peels away the layers of reality and leaves her reader a tantalising world to explore. Each poem is beautifully woven together to create a dream-like narrative. Through…
Curtis Sittenfeld - Sisterland
15 May 2013
A tense, gripping narrative let down by hard-to-swallow racist and homophobic tendencies
When Kate’s identical twin sister, professional psychic Vi Shramm, has a premonition that a giant earthquake is about to strike their hometown of St Louis, Kate begins to set in motion a plan to protect her family. As Vi gets carried away by the media…
Jenny Mayhew - A Wolf in Hindelheim
15 May 2013
Former screenwriter Mayhew's debut novel is a strong, atmospheric story set in pre-WWII Germany
War hangs heavy over the small German mountain community of Hindelheim in Jenny Mayhew’s unusual crime novel, set in 1926. WWI has left local constable Hildebrandt crippled and estranged from his adult son, while the war which we know is still to come…
David Gaffney - More Sawn Off Tales
10 May 2013
Small tales of great depth
When reading this collection of very short stories you will forget where you are, what you’re supposed to be doing and where you’re supposed to be going. It is utterly, and wonderfully addictive. Each 150-word story in this follow up to Sawn Off Tales…
Here and Now: Letters 2009-2011 - Paul Auster and J M Coetzee
10 May 2013
Epistolary correspondence between two stalwarts of contemporary English literature
Paul Auster and J. M. Coetzee, two stalwarts of contemporary English literature, first met in 2008. Shortly after, Coetzee wrote suggesting they “could strike sparks off each other”. Here and Now is the result: epistolary correspondence from 2008 to…
I Am An Executioner
10 May 2013
Nine wildly inventive tales on love, life and death from Indian-born US writer Rajesh Param
I Am an Executioner is the debut collection of short stories by Indian-born US writer Rajesh Parameswaran. The tagline is 'Love Stories', an indication of the inextricability of love, life and death which Parameswaran explores in these nine wildly…
