First things first, this isn’t an actual or proper encyclopaedia. It’s a collection of essays that each detail a particular aspect of the history and make-up of Science Fiction. But it’s lavishly illustrated and features a fairly comprehensive list of magazines and awards relevant to the field as well as a chronology of movies that … Continue reading A Reference Book Ian Likes: The Encyclopedia Of Science Fiction (1978)
Tag: Literature
A Novel Ian Likes: The Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy
Grace Melbury was promised to Giles Winterbourne by her father when they were both very young. Giles has held true to this promise, but Grace’s father has realised that in making Grace “worthy” of Giles, she has been educated far beyond the station of a tenant farmer. Giles accepts that Grace does not deserve the … Continue reading A Novel Ian Likes: The Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy
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 Book Ian Likes: Espedair Street by Iain Banks
Daniel Weir was going to end it all. As the songwriter for one of the most successful bands in rock history, he feels that his recent life has been meaningless and useless, and that the world would be better off without him. So he decides to tell the story of what happened to make him … Continue reading A Book Ian Likes: Espedair Street by Iain Banks
A Book Ian Likes: Possession by A. S. Byatt
I’ve always loved an enigmatic layered title. My own writing has often been given titles that convey multiple meanings or make obscure puns, mostly for my own amusement. A. S. Byatt’s novel, Possession, is full of these layers, puns, levels and references to things past and current. And that’s just in the title. It’s the story … Continue reading A Book Ian Likes: Possession by A. S. Byatt
Stuff Ian Likes 