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A Novel Ian Likes: Empty World by John Christopher

Neil Miller has lost his family in a car accident. He goes to live with his grandparents and begins at a new school. Still in a state of shock, he barely notices the news about a plague beginning in India, one that directly attacks the body at its most vulnerable point and ages its victims … Continue reading A Novel Ian Likes: Empty World by John Christopher →

A Biography Ian Likes: C.S. Lewis by A. N. Wilson

Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) is best known as the author of The Chronicles Of Narnia but was also a professor of English at both Oxford and Cambridge. He was also internationally renowned as a lay theologian and Christian apologist. A. N. Wilson is an award-winning novelist, biographer and popular historian. Both men had relationships with … Continue reading A Biography Ian Likes: C.S. Lewis by A. N. Wilson →

A Novel Ian Likes: Illusion by Paula Volsky

Eliste is the daughter of a minor noble in the kingdom of Vonahr. She secures a position as a maid of honour to Queen Lallazay, wife to King Dunulas. But Eliste arrives at the palace in a time of political unrest which soon bubbles over into outright revolution. She manages to escape from the palace … Continue reading A Novel Ian Likes: Illusion by Paula Volsky →

A Novel Ian Likes: Heart Of The Comet by Gregory Benford and David Brin

In the year 2061, humanity has launched an inspirational expedition to explore Halley’s comet on the occasion of its lifetime-spanning orbit around the solar system returning it to the neighbourhood of Earth. It’s supposedly a celebration of technology and ingenuity but the crew appears to be comprised largely of political embarrassments, has-beens and troublemakers. And … Continue reading A Novel Ian Likes: Heart Of The Comet by Gregory Benford and David Brin →

A Memoir Ian Likes: Underfoot In Show Business by Helene Hanff

Despite her intentions being laid out clearly in the opening pages of this book, Helene Hanff (1916 – 1997) never made it as a successful playwright (spoiler alert). However, she was a writer who could meet deadlines and create work quickly and relied almost entirely on her typewriter for a living which means that, by … Continue reading A Memoir Ian Likes: Underfoot In Show Business by Helene Hanff →

A Series Ian Likes: The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison

James Bolivar diGriz is a crook. But he’s really much more than that: he’s a gift to the bureaucracy that plagues his hi-tech society. His actions, he maintains, keep the inept forces of law and a sluggish economy active. He provides entertainment for people jaded by boring news stories. He… well, he’s good at what … Continue reading A Series Ian Likes: The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison →

A Novel Ian Likes: Beloved Exile by Parke Godwin

Arthur is dead. Betrayed in battle, his kingdom is on the verge of collapse. Guinevere, his queen, needs to escape from Camelot to safety. Unfortunately, disaster strikes, and she finds herself the captive – and then slave – of the invading Saxons… I grew up loving the legends of King Arthur. The idea of a … Continue reading A Novel Ian Likes: Beloved Exile by Parke Godwin →

An Album Ian Likes: Sunshine On Leith by The Proclaimers

Craig and Charlie Reid are identical twins. Their music can best be described as “idiosyncratic”, which is a word often used to describe artists who have a distinctive sound that is difficult to pigeonhole. Their 1988 album Sunshine On Leith (their second) was successful in ways that not many people were able to qualify… so … Continue reading An Album Ian Likes: Sunshine On Leith by The Proclaimers →

A Book Ian Likes: A Mirror For Princes by Tom de Haan

Reyhnard is living in a small village, doing some menial work to pay his rent, sharing a cottage with a girl his neighbours view as “simple”. He’s also writing his memoirs: an account of the time when he was a prince, the third son of King Basal of Brychmachrie. He’s also recounting the events that … Continue reading A Book Ian Likes: A Mirror For Princes by Tom de Haan →

A Multimedia Phenomenon Ian Likes: Adrian Mole by Sue Townsend

Adrian has problems: his parents are going through a messy separation; the new girl in school won’t look at him; his community service project is a grumpy old man with a vicious dog; his lunch money is being stolen by the school bully; and he hates his Noddy wallpaper. Unfortunately for Adrian – but joyously … Continue reading A Multimedia Phenomenon Ian Likes: Adrian Mole by Sue Townsend →

A Book Ian Likes: The Song Of Phaid The Gambler by Mick Farren

Phaid is a gambler, currently down on his luck. He usually sidles into town, finds a game worth playing, then sidles out with either a pocket full of winnings or with just the shirt on his back. Trouble is, though, things don’t always pan out that well for Phaid… Mick Farren (1943 – 2013) was … Continue reading A Book Ian Likes: The Song Of Phaid The Gambler by Mick Farren →

A Comic And Movie Ian likes: The Rocketeer

Cliff Secord has problems. He’s a stunt pilot living off what he can get doing air shows, but his ambitions soar higher than that. His girlfriend Betty seems to be much more successful than him which he thinks spells doom for their relationship. And to make matters worse, some gangsters just tried to shoot up … Continue reading A Comic And Movie Ian likes: The Rocketeer →

A Book Ian Likes: Titan by Stephen Baxter

Titan begins with the crash of a space shuttle on re-entry in 2003 and the realisation that people just aren’t that interested in going “out there” very much anymore. So Paula Benacerraf, grandmother, astronaut and nobody to trifle with, joins forces with a rogue scientist and a NASA administrator who knows that the agency’s number is … Continue reading A Book Ian Likes: Titan by Stephen Baxter →