Category Archives: Book Reviews

Thoughts on Andy Weir’s The Martian and Project Hail Mary

Posted on August 7, 2026 by JC

I have been quite critical of modern science-fiction and for good reason. Examples covered on this blog include N.K. Jemsin’s woeful The Fifth Season which saw her win the once prestigious Hugo Award for best novel. She then scored a … Continue reading →

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Splinter of the Mind’s Eye Review

Posted on June 26, 2026 by JC

Splinter of the Mind’s Eye is a Star Wars novel published in 1978 that directly follows the events of the first film. It was written by Alan Dean Foster who also ghostwrote the original film’s novelisation. As it is the … Continue reading →

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The Conan Chronicles by Robert Jordan

Posted on June 14, 2026 by JC

The Conan Chronicles by Robert Jordan, Tor Books, June 15th, 1995 Robert Jordan is an American author best known for his The Wheel of Time fantasy series which began in 1990 with The Eye of the World and spanned fourteen novels; … Continue reading →

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John Scalzi’s Cat Book

Posted on April 29, 2026 by JC

Starter Villain by John Scalzi, Tor Books, September 19th, 2023 It may be hard to believe but the United States came really close to legalising rape in late 2012. You might scoff but this was all but a certainty according … Continue reading →

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A Review of Sid Meier’s Memoir!

Posted on April 19, 2026 by JC

Sid Meier’s Memoir!: A Life in Computer Games by Sid Meier, W. W. Norton & Company, October 12th, 2020 Around the time I picked up John Romero’s autobiography, I noticed Sid Meier’s also listed in the recommended section on Amazon. … Continue reading →

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A Gamma Best Rendered Cold

Posted on March 22, 2026 by JC

Over the last six months or so, I have read through four books by English author Joe Abercrombie. This began with his First Law Trilogy, which includes his debut novel, The Blade Itself. Following the success of this trilogy, he … Continue reading →

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The Dubious Logic of Black Female Resentment

Posted on March 14, 2026 by JC

Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male Power by Ijeoma Oluo, Basic Books, December 1st, 2020 For some reason, I don’t remember how I found out about this book but when I heard about it, I immediately checked if the … Continue reading →

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The Gamma of Melniboné

Posted on November 25, 2025 by JC

Last month I wrote a general review of The Witcher series of short stories and the novels up to The Lady of the Lake (two prequel novels have been published since). Like most, I was more familiar with the character … Continue reading →

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An American Hero

Posted on November 19, 2025 by JC

Jefferson Davis, American by William J. Cooper Jr., Knopf, November 1st, 2001 Though I’ve long had an interest in the American Civil War, I’ve never written a dedicated post about it on the blog. On my one and only trip … Continue reading →

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Scattered thoughts on Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher Series

Posted on October 12, 2025 by JC

Like many in the English-speaking world, I learned of Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher series through the 2007 of the game of the same name. The first book which is a collection of short stories titled The Last Wish, was published … Continue reading →

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