A Novel Ian Likes: Perdido Street Station by China Mieville

Isaac dan der Grimnebulin, a freelance scientist with some dubious ties to the underworld, is commissioned to create a means of flight for a Garuda – a race of humanoid bird-like creatures – who has had his wings removed for reasons that are never made entirely clear until the novel’s conclusion. Isaac throws himself into … Continue reading A Novel Ian Likes: Perdido Street Station by China Mieville

A Novel Ian Likes: King Of Morning, Queen Of Day by Ian McDonald

Emily is the daughter of a scientist considered… eccentric… by his peers. She also believes that she can communicate with faeries. Jessica is a free spirit confined to a drab world of work and home; she gets caught up with a young man she thinks is a member of the IRA but is in fact … Continue reading A Novel Ian Likes: King Of Morning, Queen Of Day by Ian McDonald

A Novel Ian Likes: Legend by David Gemmell

The Nadir are on the rise. The fractious northern tribes have been united under one ruler – Ulric – and he is marching them south, conquering every country in his path. Only the fortress of Dros Delnoch stands between him and the Drenai nation. It’s undermanned, poorly maintained and run by a dying duke and … Continue reading A Novel Ian Likes: Legend by David Gemmell

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 Book Ian Likes: Tea With The Black Dragon by R. A. MacAvoy

Martha Macnamara has come to California to find her daughter Elizabeth, who appears to have disappeared. While searching for her she meets the enigmatic Mayland Long, an oriental gentleman of indeterminate age with lovely long fingers that can reach all the way around a teacup and – importantly for Martha’s day job as a musician … Continue reading A Book Ian Likes: Tea With The Black Dragon by R. A. MacAvoy

An Author Ian Likes: in memorium, Sir Terry Pratchett

(This post was originally written on the original stuffianlikes blog the day after Sir Terry passed. I've tidied up some grammatical errors and added a couple of pictures but this is otherwise the way it appeared 4 years-minus-a-day-ago) I usually dwell on these posts for bloody ages but this one needs to be gotten down … Continue reading An Author Ian Likes: in memorium, Sir Terry Pratchett

A Book Ian Likes: Nifft The Lean by Michael Shea

Michael Shea came to prominence in the 1970s with his novel The Quest For Simbilis, a sequel of sorts to Jack Vance’s Dying Earth novel, The Eyes Of The Overworld. But despite much of his work – his brilliant short stories aside – displaying their roots very heavily on their sleeve he has a fantastic originality to his … Continue reading A Book Ian Likes: Nifft The Lean by Michael Shea

A Trilogy Ian Likes: Memory, Sorrow And Thorn by Tad Williams

Memory, Sorrow And Thorn, comprising The Dragonbone Chair, Stone Of Farewell, To Green Angel Tower (1988 – 1993) by Tad Williams. In case you haven’t noticed, fantasy is a pretty hefty part of our literary lives now. But it has really only been the last ten years or so that fantasy authors have begun to shed their … Continue reading A Trilogy Ian Likes: Memory, Sorrow And Thorn by Tad Williams

A Film Adaptation Of A Book That Ian Likes: The Princess Bride

A young boy (Fred Savage) lays sick in bed. His grandfather (Peter Falk) arrives to read him a story to make him feel better. The boy is less than impressed with this but acquiesces. He is horrified to discover that this book - despite his grandfather’s claims to the contrary - is a ”kissing book.” … Continue reading A Film Adaptation Of A Book That Ian Likes: The Princess Bride