(The first part of this book was published as a chapbook entitled “A Time When” in 1975. I’ve managed to procure some copies of early versions of the novels and stories in this series for when it was relevant, but due to my parents not being named Rockefeller I was unable to obtain this.) This … Continue reading Pern Appreciation Month: The White Dragon
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Pern Appreciation Month: Dragonsinger, Harper Of Pern
When we left Menolly at the end of Dragonsong, she was overjoyed to discover that she was going to live at the Harperhall. After a lifetime of abuse because of her musical talent, she was finally going to be recognised and accepted for her skills. Dragonsinger: Harper Of Pern begins with Menolly arriving at the … Continue reading Pern Appreciation Month: Dragonsinger, Harper Of Pern
Pern Appreciation Month: Dragonsong
I mentioned previously that “The Smallest Dragonboy” was picked up as a short story idea because Anne McCaffrey was working through a story about a girl called Menolly. After K’van’s adventure was published, she went back to her notes and fleshed out the basic idea some more. And in 1976, Dragonsong was published as a … Continue reading Pern Appreciation Month: Dragonsong
Pern Appreciation Month: “The Smallest Dragonboy”
In 1973, Anne McCaffrey should have had the world at her feet: she had released several short stories and novels into the world, won some awards that no other woman had won before her, and had the beginnings of a bestselling series in Dragonflight and Dragonquest. However, she had recently divorced her husband and emigrated … Continue reading Pern Appreciation Month: “The Smallest Dragonboy”
Pern Appreciation Month: Dragonquest
It’s not often that you read a sequel that feels as though it was written by a different author. I first experienced this with Terry Brooks’s The Elfstones Of Shannara, the sequel to The Sword Of Shannara, a novel that owes a rather large creative debt to The Lord Of The Rings. Elfstones is a … Continue reading Pern Appreciation Month: Dragonquest
Pern Appreciation Month: Dragonflight
Dragonflight first appeared as two short stories: “Weyr Search” and “Dragonrider”. These were originally published in Analog magazine in October 1967 and in the December – January 1967-68 issues. Together they make up parts 1, 3 and 4 of Dragonflight. Part 2 of the novel (named “Dragonflight” in the book) was submitted to John W. … Continue reading Pern Appreciation Month: Dragonflight
Pern Appreciation Month: Introduction
Anne Inez McCaffrey was born on April 1, 1926. She was the first woman to win both the Hugo and Nebula awards for Science Fiction and was one of the first SF writers to appear on the New York Times bestseller list. She was also a trained opera singer, and music and the performing arts … Continue reading Pern Appreciation Month: Introduction
Anne McCaffrey Centenary: Pern Appreciation Month
April 1st 2026 marks the 100th birthday of Anne McCaffrey (1926 - 2011). Although she wrote many wonderful novels and series, I’d like to devote the month of April to taking a closer look at her Dragonriders Of Pern series, which is easily my favourite of all her books. I’ve mentioned the series here before … Continue reading Anne McCaffrey Centenary: Pern Appreciation Month
A Comic Collection Ian Likes: Voyager and The World Shapers featuring The Sixth Doctor
Colin Baker was announced as the sixth actor to play Doctor Who in 1983. He took over from the incumbent Time Lord in the TARDIS, Peter Davison, during the 21st season of the Classic run of the series in 1984. He made his debut in the final moments of that season’s sixth story, The Caves … Continue reading A Comic Collection Ian Likes: Voyager and The World Shapers featuring The Sixth Doctor
A Novel Ian Likes: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Gilbert Norrell lives with a smug satisfaction caused by being the only practicing magician in Regency England. There are others who would like to study the magical arts, but he has successfully tied up the market for himself… until a young man named Jonathan Strange comes along and upends all that Mr Norrell thought he … Continue reading A Novel Ian Likes: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
A Movie Ian Likes: Krull
Colwyn and Lyssa are the heirs to their respective kingdoms. They’ve come up with a plan to unite them in the face of a mysterious enemy called the Beast. The Beast has a travelling castle and has been terrorising the world of Krull. Colwyn and Lyssa’s plan is pretty simple: they’re going to get married, … Continue reading A Movie Ian Likes: Krull
An Update: Espedair Street by Iain Banks
I don't normally do this, but I sort of committed to it in an earlier blog post. Back in May 2021, I blogged about the late and great Iain Banks's biopic novel Espedair Street. I mentioned in the course of that post that it had been dramatised in 1998 by BBC Radio. In the closing … Continue reading An Update: Espedair Street by Iain Banks
The Great Discworld Retrospective No. 41: The Shepherd’s Crown
Sir Terry Pratchett passed away on March 12, 2015. An advocate of Assisted Dying, he nevertheless succumbed to the conditions of his Alzheimer’s Disease and died of natural causes. For those of us on social media, these were the Tweets that alerted us: I have written elsewhere on how this affected me. In short, despite … Continue reading The Great Discworld Retrospective No. 41: The Shepherd’s Crown
The Great Discworld Retrospective No. 23: Carpe Jugulum
King Verence and Queen Magrat of Lancre have a daughter and are inviting the high and the mighty from all the neighbouring regions to celebrate her naming day with them. However, Granny Weatherwax’s invitation has been misplaced and she is under the illusion that she hasn’t been invited. Unfortunately, her absence means that some foolishly … Continue reading The Great Discworld Retrospective No. 23: Carpe Jugulum
A Novel Ian Likes: Joyland by Stephen King
Devin Jones has taken a summer job at an amusement park hoping to get over the girl who broke his heart. As the summer progresses, though, he becomes embroiled in an old mystery concerning the murder of a local girl and the culprit who was never found… When I was younger I was a huge … Continue reading A Novel Ian Likes: Joyland by Stephen King