Category Archives: Book Reviews

Bleak House by Charles Dickens

Posted on January 31, 2021 by Adam Randall

This is one of the Charles Dickens books which is, perhaps, not quite so well remembered. I don’t think it’s entered popular culture quite as much as A Christmas Carol or Oliver Twist, for example – I certainly went into … Continue reading →

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A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin

Posted on January 19, 2021 by Adam Randall

This is the third book in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Fire and Ice series. Here you can find my reviews for the first two: A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings. I haven’t hated the … Continue reading →

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Chariots of the Gods by Erich von Däniken

Posted on January 7, 2021 by Adam Randall

I’m sure you’re probably familiar with the theory that the Earth was visited by advanced aliens in ancient times and that they guided the early civilisations who saw them as gods. It’s a fun concept for science fiction stories, but … Continue reading →

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The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum

Posted on December 24, 2020 by Adam Randall

Pretty much everybody has heard of Santa Claus. The story of the man who delivers presents to children across the world every year on Christmas Eve is one which most of us will have been told as children… but have … Continue reading →

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The Story of Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson

Posted on December 6, 2020 by Adam Randall

This children’s novel is written in a very clever style – the whole book takes the form of a diary which has been given to the titular Tracy Beaker so that she can record her thoughts and feelings to try … Continue reading →

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Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson

Posted on December 5, 2020 by Adam Randall

As a writer, I love thinking about the English language (and other languages too, but less so, since I can’t write or speak them) and so it was really interesting to read Mother Tongue, because it gave a full history … Continue reading →

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Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup

Posted on December 4, 2020 by Adam Randall

In Twelve Years a Slave, Solomon Northup recounts the twelve years of his life in which he was forced into slavery in America. At times, it’s pretty horrible and difficult to read, but it’s important to read in order to … Continue reading →

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The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

Posted on December 3, 2020 by Adam Randall

In my travels around the internet and popular culture, I often hear Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels talked about as if they were awful people – as if they were responsible for the monstrosities caused by the dictators in history … Continue reading →

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Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

Posted on December 2, 2020 by Adam Randall

This is one of the most unusual books I’ve ever read and that’s certainly not a bad thing. It’s not easy to fit Her Fearful Symmetry into any pigeon holes, but to sum it up succinctly: twin sisters in America … Continue reading →

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Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud

Posted on December 1, 2020 by Adam Randall

I’ve always been a fan of comics, both reading them and writing them. In fact, I’m still writing them into my adulthood. In Understanding Comics, Scott McCloud delves into the history of comics, explaining their origins and influences while also … Continue reading →

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