R. L. Stedman

Writer

Reading

Great Books for Brainy Boys

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Great Books for Brainy Boys

Do you have a bright boy in your life? Lucky you!

teenager - school visit

BUT it’s hard to keep a bright boy fed with books. So many MG and YA books have pink covers, or touchy-feely romance, or feature bearded manly-men: my boys just couldn’t relate to these stories.

You know how kids can be fussy eaters? (“I don’t like broccoli/tomatoes/mushrooms?”) They’re exactly the same with books.

But it’s really important that kids learn to love reading. If nothing else, a book is a battery-free boredom-killer. A book can be carried anywhere and shoved under your little darling’s nose the moment he becomes restless.

But books are more than entertainment; they’re education. Books teach without even trying. From stories, kids learn facts, coping strategies and how to see the world through another’s eyes. In today’s techno-focussed society, words are super important; if you’re unable to communicate ideas, its pretty hard to hold down any well-paid job. Today, being brain-fit is more important than being physically-fit.

Here’s a list that might help.

Full disclosure: my boys are in their late teens. In their middle grade years (ages 8 – 10) they were competent, not voracious readers. I had to work real hard to find stories they liked. One son likes character-focussed novels; the other is (still) crazy about science, and for the longest time he’d only read ‘how to’ manuals. (I remember reading him the dishwasher plumbing manual for bed time reading!)

But now they’re both advanced readers, in the top streams at their university/schools and while they still have strong preferences, they’ll read across genres. I compiled this list of books with their help.

I’ve put in links to the Amazon pages of all the titles, so you can read a bit more about them.

 

Please note: this list is by no means complete. I’ve left out most of the mega hits, like The Hobbit, The Maze Runner, The Hunger Games and Harry Potter, as I’m sure you’re already aware of them. Plus, of course there are plenty of other wonderful stories I’ve left out, or just haven’t discovered yet. This list is mostly speculative fiction (horror, sci-fi and fantasy) as I found my science-focussed son engaged best with this genre.

If you’re looking for further ideas, try Zac Harding’s blog: https://bestfriendsarebooks.com – or ask a librarian

 

Younger Readers (8 – 10)

Animorphs – KA Applegate

Goosebumps – R. L. Stine

  • These are science-fiction/horror-lite series, and both have an enormous number of titles. One son insisted on reading them in order, which I found real stressful, because do you think the library had them all available at the right time?

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory & Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator  – Roald Dahl

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar   – Roald Dahl

“What keeps the elevator up?” asked Charlie.

“Skyhooks, of course,” said Mr Willy Wonka.

 

When Our Jack Went to War – Sandy McKay.

Based on the true story of Sandy’s great-uncle in WW1. This book is really good for kids with shorter attention spans, as it’s interspersed with cuttings from newspapers, so the formatting helps retain the interest.

 

The Prankster and the Ghost – R. L. Stedman

This is my book, so I guess this could be shameless self-promotion, but I wrote this with my kids in mind. The idea came about from my son’s school camp: within the first hour, one kid had their arm run over by the bus, another had a trip to ED, and my son was convinced the camp was haunted.

The Horse and His Boy – C. S. Lewis

The story of Shasta, runaway slave and his talking horse. A stand-alone adventure set in the Narnia world, this was the only one in the series my kids warmed to, but they both loved it.

Middle Grade (10 – 13)

Horowitz Horror – Anthony Horowitz

These are really good horror stories for kids, but be aware that they may induce delicious terror in the child-reader. So I don’t recommend these for binge- or late-night reading (unless you want to be woken by a kid with nightmares). Horowitz also wrote the Alex Rider series for older kids, about a spy academy for teens. TBH my kids didn’t really relate to the Rider series, “they’re too predictable”, but others may enjoy.

 

The Cherub Series – Robert Muchamore

Another series about teen spies for MG – YA readers. These stories are the ultimate in formulaic, binge-reading, so once a kid is hooked they’ll be gagging for the next in series. One of my sons hated these books, but the other devoured them, so again, worth a try. There are heaps of titles in this series – definitely a bonus when you’ve got a holiday planned. Just be aware that Muchamore writes about real-life issues, like trafficking. Younger children may not be ready for this type of content, so I do suggest caution.

 

The City of Ember (3 book series) – Jeanne DuPrau

A story about a civilisation surviving underground. This was made into a neat little movie, starring Bill Murray and Tim Robbins, and is a well-written exciting science-fiction dystopia for younger readers.

 

 

A Wrinkle in Time – Madeline L’Engle

An absolute, must-read classic for intelligent MG and YA readers: time travel, space travel, a brain-box kid and his older sister. This is part of a series, but you don’t need to have the entire series to enjoy this outstanding adventure.

 

When You Reach Me – Rebecca Stead

An award-winning adventure about time travel. Miranda receives anonymous letters that seem to be able to predict the future. This story is full of puzzles and plot twists. It’s based on an idea in A Wrinkle in Time, so its good to read them together.

 

Cosmic – Frank Cottrell-Boyce.

The story of an unusually tall 12-year-old who’s mistaken for an adult, and how he pranks his way into becoming an astronaut. This isn’t a simplistic read, but if you’ve a kid with a good attention span, they’ll love this story. Cosmic (and Cottrell-Boyce’s other works) make very good audio books, great for long car journeys.

 

Johnny Maxwell Series – Terry Pratchett

More information in this blog post.

Only You Can Save Mankind

Under the Mountain – Maurice Gee

See this blog post here. Fantastic story, disappointing movie.

 

Chrestomanci Series – Diana Wynne Jones.

This was the series that got me hooked on reading, when I was only 9! My favourite in the series is still Charmed Life, about orphan Cat and the mysterious enchanter Chrestomanci, but Witch Week is also great, and even now I laugh out loud when I read it. This series introduces the concept of multiple worlds and discusses causality, so it’s a thought-provoking read for science-fiends.

Older Readers (13 +)

I think my kids enjoyed the books here precisely because they are NOT written for kids – most were written before YA was a ‘proper’ genre.

 

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams

Great fun to read aloud and surprisingly accessible; we laughed our way through this book.

 

The Invisible Man – HG Wells

A classic, and still a fantastic story. A man walks into a bar, his face wrapped in bandages …

 

The Day of The Triffids – John Wyndham

Wyndham’s novels are written in a rather dry, reportage style, which my son loved.  If your child enjoyed the Triffids, they’ll be happy, because there are others to try: The Kraken Wakes, Chocky, The Midwich Cuckoos. (My son also loved The Trouble With Lichen, but I couldn’t stand it!)

 

The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown

I know, right? But my 13 year old totally loved this book, the idea of the puzzles and the fast-paced story-telling kept him hooked.

 

The Raven Boys – Maggie Stiefvater

My boys weren’t massively into this series, but it will certainly appeal to some boy readers. More info in this blog post here.

The Foundation Series – Isaac Asimov

My son devoured this series when he was 14, and it’s still one of his favourites. The combination of science and world-building in Asimov’s books makes these books deeply appealing to young people. Apologies to all Asimov fans, but I find reading his books as exciting as watching paint dry. The ideas are great, but it’s hard work to reach them (plus he’s as sexist as hell), so I wouldn’t expose a teen to Foundation until he or she is a truly competent reader.

 

And then …

Well, once a kid is says he’s enjoying Asimov, they’re on their own, and good luck keeping up with them!

Rights in Space
photographs from pixabay and deposit photos – used under license

True Love and Book Boyfriends: 7 Great Romance Novels

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Old-Fashioned Romance

It’s Valentine’s Day week! Time for romance and true love.  To celebrate the festival, here’s my top favourite romances. All these books are old (well, most of them, anyway), and have stood the test of time. Just like true love. And if you want to check out a sample of these wonderful novels then just click on the title;  you should be able to read a preview on Amazon.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

A post shared by RL Stedman (@rlstedman) on


A Necklace of Souls – by ME!

Okay, so I know this is my book, but as a writer it’s impossible NOT to fall in love with a romantic hero of your own creation. And what’s not to like? Will is kind, dependable, vulnerable, athletic – oh, and a kick-arse fighter!

Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte

It’s hard not to go past storm-browed Heathcliff, whose good looks and moody personality became the ideal persona of a romantic hero. Personally, I’d find him just a little hard to live with – but who said romance was practical?

Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte

“Reader, I married him.” The best ending to a book ever. Plus, the gothic, creepy setting. Plus, there’s Mr Rochester, with his complete absence of a first name, and his mysterious past.

Angels – Marian Keyes

I adore Marian Keyes: like the best romantic novelists she explores both the dark and light aspects of humanity, but always with a veneer of Irish humor. This, to me, is a stand-out exploration of the fantasy culture of LA – how hard people push themselves to appear better than they are. It’s also really funny, especially the description of Mass. It’s not just a church service – it’s a SHOW.

Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen

This is my favourite Jane Austen. I love Mr Darcy’s flawed personality and the finely observed mannerisms, the ironic, almost sarcastic tone. This novel also makes the heroine powerful; although Lizzie Bennett is poor, she has integrity of character – and through this, Mr Darcy recognises his own shortcomings.

These Old Shades – Georgette Heyer

The story of Justin, Duke of Avon, and Leonie, orphaned urchin, turned mysterious beauty. Set in Paris in the years of Le Roi de Soleil, this story exudes decadence and melodrama. It’s exciting and romantic, full of understated descriptions of the fashions and culture of the time. Highly recommended.

Gone With the Wind – Margaret Mitchell

The clothes! Rhett Butler! Scarlett O’Hara! Their very names mean romance. Yet, this novel is so much more. It’s a tale of a time long gone, of ignorance and greed. It’s the story of a selfish, privileged girl with a total lack of insight – and yet, how can you not enjoy her. She’s flawed, yes, but she is human; she’s a battler, and she’s courageous. And Rhett is pretty hot too 🙂

Romance is always in fashion. 45% of Amazon sales of ebooks are Romance – yet despite that, the genre has a bad rap.

“Oh, it’s just a romance novel,” say the critics, disparagingly. And yet, who doesn’t love a good romance? What is so wrong with a happy ending (or, in the case of Gone with the Wind, happy-ish)?

Romance is much, much more than escape; a great romance is a portrayal of a society, an exploration of character, and at heart, its triumph over adversity.

We all need more romance.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Books to Read if You Love Downton Abbey

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Countess at Downton Abbey

Do you love period dramas that are absolutely BRIMMING over with romance?

If you love Downton Abbey: Here’s some books you’re guaranteed to love!

 

A Room With A View

I know, I’ve talked about this book before. For good reason: it’s gorgeous.

A Room With a View is my favourite E. M. Forster work. The book is about Lucy, an upper-middle class young woman embarking on her first trip to Italy. Lucy is disappointed when she fails to gain a room with a view in the pensione; a widower with a son offers her his room — and thus her adventure begins.

The story about tolerance and love, and hence ‘A Room With A View’ is also about how the character’s own views change. A Room With a View is a really easy read, but don’t be fooled by how easy a read it is; it took Forster nearly ten years to construct this small masterpiece. As a writer, I don’t find this at all strange. Simplicity is hard.

Why is it a great read? Partly because of Lucy’s transformation, but mostly because of the characters: Mr Beebe, the parson; Freddy, Lucy’s “unpromising” brother and Charlotte Bartlett, Lucy’s cousin.

The 1985 movie by Marchant-Ivory won 3 Oscars and is fabulous viewing, particularly Maggie Smith, who gives Charlotte Bartlett more depth than even Forster managed.  The score, featuring Kiri te Kanawa, is simply stunning.

Forster later wrote a satirical piece, called “A View Without A Room” as a postscript to this work.

The Remains of The Day

Like Downton Abbey, The Remains of the Day is set in a large country house in the years before World War Two, where a butler, Mr Stevens, and housekeeper, Miss Kenton, work together to ensure the comfort of Lord Darlington.

Mr Stevens is reluctant to admit his feelings for Miss Kenton and buries himself in his work of service. Only later does Stevens realise that perhaps this loyalty was misplaced; perhaps his days have passed, as have the days of the country houses.

The Remains of the Day won the Man Booker, but don’t let that put you off (!) — it’s a lovely read, especially if you like slower-paced period dramas.

The novel was made into a brilliant movie starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson, and their nuanced performances make the story come alive. I watched the movie first — its one of those rare creations that almost (not quite, but almost) better than the movie!

Brideshead Revisited

Brideshead Revisited is a tale of love: the love of the protagonist, Charles Ryder, for an upper class family, the Fyltes. He falls in love with the oldest son, Sebastian, but then there’s the sister, Julia … but mostly, the house Brideshead, is what he loves.

Brideshead Revisited is told from the perspective of Charles, beginning when he’s billeted at Brideshead as a soldier in WW2, so the novel is gripped by a sense of nostalgia and loss. The story deals with the homosexuality of Sebastian, what it’s like to be a Catholic in an Anglican society (the Fyltes are Catholic), but mostly it’s about the end of a privileged lifestyle.

Personally, Brideshead Revisited is my least favourite of these novels, although it’s probably the best retelling of the era, and possibly the most autobiographical. It was made into a television series in the 1970s. I remember this series as being staggeringly popular, but to me it seemed inordinately long!

Jeeves and Wooster

Jeeves and Wooster Box set

A series by P. G. Wodehouse, the Jeeves and Wooster novels feature the all-knowing valet Jeeves and his inept-but-harmless upper-class employer, Bertie Wooster.  Wooster narrates over ten novels in a charmingly ignorant fashion, using pre-war slang; language that fits beautifully in the early Downton Abbey series.

The Jeeves novels are basically situational comedy. Wooster tumbles from complicated scrape to complicated scrape, requiring rescuing by Jeeves.

Jeeves and Wooster were incredibly popular characters, and the series influenced a number of British comedy writers: you can see aspects of Wodehouse in Blackadder and Monty Python, and Bertie Wooster and the sapient Jeeves have starred in a number of television shows.

(If you watch this clip you’ll see Downton Abbey in the background!)

Love in a Cold Climate

Love in a Cold Climate

I have to confess: I’ve not read Love in a Cold Climate yet, despite it being on my TBR pile for ages!

Written in 1949 by Nancy Mitford, the story narrates the adventures of Polly Hampton and her love for her paedophilic uncle (nicknamed “Boy”). The story was a huge best seller and is still popular today.

Love in a Cold Climate takes place in similar settings and characters to Downton Abbey, and as Mitford moved in these circles (she was a contemporary and friend of Evelyn Waugh) the settings are authentic.

Mitford’s story is as interesting as her fictional romances; one of the notorious Mitford sisters, she was probably the least political of the set. The Times described them as: “Diana the Fascist, Jessica the Communist, Unity the Hitler-lover, Nancy the Novelist and Deborah the Duchess.”

Love in a Cold Climate (I wonder if its title was the reason for Love in a Time of Cholera) was made into a number of mini series. Here’s a clip of the 1982 version, staring a very young-looking Judi Dench.

The Larnachs


The Larnachs

Unlike the other books in this blog post, The Larnachs isn’t set in England; the events in this story take place very close to my house – in Dunedin, New Zealand.

I’ve included The Larnachs in this list as the setting is similar in many ways to Downton Abbey, and there are similar themes of changing morality, wealth, privilege and class. However, unlike Downton, the events in this story actually happened.

William Larnach, a self-made millionaire, was a politician in colonial New Zealand. After the death of his first two wives he married Constance de Bathe Brandon, daughter of a well-to-do aristocratic family. William and Constance moved to Larnach’s new-built castle near Dunedin, where Constance met and fell in love with William’s oldest son, Dougie.

This is a sensitively-told story of a doomed love triangle. Marshall is a very empathetic writer, and sets the scene of this troubled family with compassion.

The story ends tragically, but the beautiful castle Larnach built has survived.

You can visit it today – we do, frequently. There’s supposed to be a ghost there, but we’ve never seen it!

 

I hope you enjoyed this list.

I know it’s not exhaustive; there’s plenty of other wonderful stories out there. Feel free to recommend your favourites in the comments!

 

5 Books to Read if You Love Doctor Who and Sherlock

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books like doctor who

Love Doctor Who and Sherlock?

If you’re a fan of Sherlock and Doctor Who, here’s a series I can almost guarantee you’ll love! This is the Rivers of London (Peter Grant) series, written by Ben Aaronovitch.

Ben Aaronovitch Peter Grant Series

The books are set in London, and follow the adventures of biracial Peter Grant, the first wizard to be discovered in the police force in fifty years. Peter finds himself averting various magical disasters and along the way has a relationship with a river, a dog and a faceless villain. And no, it’s not like Harry Potter. Well, it is a bit…

Once you’re hooked, there are FIVE books to discover. And it’s not one of those series that has a couple of not-so-good stories. All these books are great. And, as a bonus, there’s another, called The Furthest Station, coming out this year.

Why is it like Doctor Who?

Well, for a start Aaronovitch was a writer for Doctor Who! So of course he really knows how to capture the London voice. There’s this deeply ironic, subversive, gallows-humour that pervades the series. And of course, the city itself makes a fantastic setting; there’s the underground, the history and – did I mention the rivers?

Blurb:

“Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut. But Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost.”

Best Quote:

“My name is Peter Grant and I am a member of that mighty army for justice known to all right thinking people as the Metropolitan Police and as ‘the filth’ by everyone else.”

Where can I find?

Here’s links to the Amazon listings for these books:

Rivers of London (published in the US as Midnight Riot)

Moon Over Soho

Whispers Under Ground

Broken Homes

Foxglove Summer

The Hanging Tree

Extras

There’s a  heap of additional material: comic books, novellas, short stories. If, like me, you’re a bit confused about what fits where, check out Aaronovitch’s website.

Hope you enjoy!

Book Review(s): 4 Unusually Good Fairytale Retellings

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4 Unusual (and Exciting) Fairytale Retellings —

I’ve been reading a lot of fairytales.

5 Books I Fell in Love With

This is partly because I’m writing my own collection, and it’s always helpful to see another author’s work.

But mostly I read fairytales because they’re just darned fun! Even though the ending is never in doubt, still, its great to anticipate the twists. And think, wow, how did they come up with that?

There are a host of fairytale retellings to choose from, from Marissa Meyer’s science-fiction cyberpunk Cress to Gena Showalter’s White Rabbit in Zombieland series.

The four books here are some of the best of the genre that I’ve read in the last two years.

One you’ve probably heard of, but two were totally random finds on the library bookshelves, and one was such an unexpected treat that I wanted to share it here.

Book Reviews (In No Particular Order)

1. Nameless: A Tale of Beauty and Madness by Lili St Crow

This little gem is a Snow White retelling. A battered child is found alone in the snow by the godfather of the Seven — one of the powerful, mafia-like families, that rule the magic-ridden city of New Haven. The child, Camille, does not remember her real name, nor why she has such terrible nightmares. And always there’s the smell of apples, oh and yes she has to be careful of mirrors… Nameless is a grim-dark kind of story, set in an alternative reality, and the world-building is truly fantastic. If anything, I’d love more information about the Seven and all the other characters that dance in and out of the story with no explanation, but have strange, mysterious pasts. Like Marya, the fey croissant-making housekeeper and the Potential, that turns adolescents into magic workers, sometimes with unexpected results.

Nameless - Fairytale retellings

2. The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman

This beautiful book has stunning illustrations by Chris Riddell. Although the story begins as a Sleeping Beauty retelling, it quickly morphs into something much more interesting. It’s a very short read, but its the sort of story you can turn to again and again. And like most of Gaiman’s works, The Sleeper and the Spindle is pure, beautiful, quirky escapism.

The Sleeper and the Spindle

3. Enchanted by Alethea Kontis

Enchanted suffers from an unremarkable title, but don’t let that put you off. The story is about Sunday, the seventh-born daughter of a woodcutter and a very strict Mama. Kontis skilfully weaves Jack the Beanstalk, the Princess and the Frog, Little Red-Riding Hood and a host of other fairytales; there’s even a nod to the original Grimm Brothers versions. This is a funny, quirky and exciting story and its well worth reading.

Enchanted

4. The Snow Queen: Heart of Ice by KM Shae

KM Shae specialises in fairytale retellings, and they’re all great reads. Heart of Ice is my favourite — even though it’s not a strict retelling — but I totally recommend Rumpelstiltskin too. Heart of Ice tells the story of Princess Rakel, exiled from the palace because of her magical control over snow and ice, and how she overcomes the distrust of her captors to save them from an invading army. The story is really about learning to accept who you are, and its both entertaining and fun. It’s a clean read, but not a dumb read, and its the sort of book that mothers and daughters can both enjoy. Plus, its cheap (!) and there’s more in the series to try!

the snow queen

 

 

3 Intriguing Books That Made Great Holiday Reading

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What to Read on Holiday?

fairytale book
Image source

The big problem with holidays is: what to read? You need something chunky enough to occupy the airport layover but with sufficient pacing to hold keep your attention at a thousand feet. I got lucky on a recent trip and found three great books that did both.

Here they are, in order of reading (I’ve included links to the Amazon pages of these books, in case you want to try an extract for yourself).

  1. A City of Mirrors
  2. The Sudden Appearance of Hope
  3. The Bridge to Lucy Dunn

About My Holiday:

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you’ll see I’ve just been to Australia. The trip was a fascinating mix of bizarre and sublime – from an Elvis competition to humpback whales! (I’ll probably blog later on this unlikely combination.)

Each of these books definitely added to my holiday experience, partly because of the themes they tackled, but also because when you have a good book, how can you be bored?

A City of Mirrors

Holiday reading - Mirrors

A City of Mirrors by Justin Cronin

This is the third and final novel in The Passage Series (The Passage, The Twelve  ).

The Passage Series is set in a dystopian future, where a people have been transformed into bat-like vampires; only a few true humans remain.

So far so tropish.

But what sets The Passage apart from others in the genre is the sheer quality of Cronin’s writing, his fascinating characters and the underlying tone of the desparation. The books are long, but they’re very digestable.

A City of Mirrors is, I think, the best in the trilogy. Mirrors follows Amy, the girl from nowhere and we learn about her ability to move through time. There’s more of Alicia too, which I always like (being partial to sword-carrying red-haired heroines!) but mostly the story follows Peter Jaxom and Sara Mitchell.

Peter and Sara believe that the virals have been vanquished. But they forgot about Zero, the oldest and the worst of the Twelve, and Zero never went away – he’s just been waiting.

What’s to like: as with the other books in the series, the writing is very good; at times, it’s brilliant. The story is compelling, the characters interesting and there’s enough tension to keep you reading.

What’s annoying: There’s the largest info-dump in the world, where Zero reveals his life history in one enormously long sequence. Goes on for aaages, and most of it you can pretty much skim. Some characters could be interesting but we never really know them (like Pim, who’s deaf and dumb). Also, the print version is enormous – just on 600 pages. Stupidly, I brought the print version and ended up carrying a brick around in my suitcase. If you’re getting it for a holiday read, definitely get the e-version!

Best quote:
‘The world was real and you were in it, a brief part but still a part, and if you were lucky, and maybe even if you weren’t, the things you’d done for love would be remembered.’

The Sudden Appearance of Hope

Holiday Reading - Hope

The Sudden Appearance of Hope by Claire North

I love Claire North’s writing – her other books Touch and The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August were enthralling, intriguing sci-fi/fantasy mixed with thriller action. Technically (speaking as a writer here) this is hard to achieve – when writing sci-fi you need to explain the world, but a thriller has to be fast-paced to be, well, thrilling. North manages this difficult challenge brilliantly.

You can read more about Touch and Harry August in an earlier blog post here.

Like Touch and Harry August, The Sudden Appearance of Hope features a protagonist with an unusual ability: Hope Arden is totally forgettable. No one remembers her, not her parents, her friends, or her lovers. She’s therefore an extremely successful thief. And borderline suicidal. Enter Perfection, an app promising users a perfect life, a terrorist named Byron and suddenly Hope becomes the key to a new, extremely valuable technology.

Like Mirrors, Hope is a long book, so if you’re reading it on holiday, definitely get the e-version.

What’s to like: Like North’s other works, the pacing is superb. All three of us – husband and teenage son – raced through this book! The ideas unpacked by the story are truly compelling: What is perfection? How much does software understand? What are we, if no-one remembers us? What is memory?

What’s annoying: There are a lot of bullet points and lists. Sometimes this is interesting, sometimes not so much. Hope describes the technology developed by Perfection as a threat to the species – but I never understood how. And finally, the way Hope jets around the world merrily on stolen passports really annoyed me.

It’s not the passports that strain belief (although I don’t think they’re quite as easy to steal as North makes out, but hey, it’s fiction) but the absence of jet lag. I’ve done enough long haul flights to know how crippled you feel on arrival.

Oh yes, and the part where Hope does her own physiotherapy. That whole chapter (I’m a physiotherapist by training) was really a WTF read. Totally unbelievable. My son goes ‘oh mum, it was fine’! So if you’re a physio, just skip that chapter.

Best quote:

“Truth: sometimes a murderer cannot be found. Truth: sometimes your children are taken and you are left behind. Truth: poverty is a prison. Truth: disease and age come to us all.”

The Bridge to Lucy Dunne

Holiday Reading - Lucy Dunne

The Bridge to Lucy Dunne by Exurb1a

My son introduced me to this work. Exurb1a is a youtuber (I’ve not watched his videos but I sure want to now).

The Bridge to Lucy Dunne is a short-story collection of fantasy and speculative sci-fi. They’re easy to read and very well-written. Some are very short, others are in multiparts. Some are written like an interview transcript, others as diaries,  others as a fable.

Like The Sudden Disappearance of Hope, the stories in Lucy Dunne discuss deep issues: who are we, why are we here, what is God, what is time? But also they’re entertaining and because they’re all so different you can’t really predict what’s coming next.

I think books like The Bridge to Lucy Dunne represent an exciting new wave of platform agnostic narratives: youtube, book, gaming.

What’s to like: The shortness of the stories! Seriously, after reading two massive books it was a relief to dive into a quick read. I enjoyed the diversity of the story structures. But mostly, I enjoyed the ideas behind the stories. My favourite was VASE, about a device that removes your awareness of thought. Without conscious thought, what are we? No depression, but no rapture. And yet, does this make us more or less human?

(A digression: I was listening to this really surreal interview with Thomas Thwaites (GoatMan: How I took a Holiday from Being Human) – some concepts in VASE are real.

Listen to the interview here: Acting the Goat )

What’s annoying: Some of the stories (The Rite, The Flowers) were a little predictable. And some of the more complex issues, like VASE, might be more suited to a deeper structure, like a novella.

Best Quote:
“When cameras were invented plenty of people thought they stole the soul of anyone they took a picture of. There’s always a brief period of hysteria when a new technology comes around.”

Over to you.

Feel free to share. Any book discoveries you’d recommend? What holiday reads have you found?