Gollancz

I have to say I'm not a fan of travelling underground and 'Metro 2033' is an adventure in itself that hopefully we'd never have to cope with on the London tube if the apocalypse ever was to happen here.

I felt that Dmitri Glukhovsky's book was full of imagination and vision - he gives Artyom his main character full reign in this post apocalyptic fantasy of saving his Metro station where he lives. But can he save humanity itself from the dangers that he himself has to go through from the very unwordly creatures?

Can't emphasise enough - buy this for the Kindle - it's a huge, heavy book and uncomfortable to read unless sitting at a table !

Where to start - its classified as an epic, and the comparisons with Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series (which Sanderson helped complete) are inevitable and valid. It nearly lost me at the first hurdle as the size, plus the complexity and goriness of the first chapter didn't appeal but as it was a gift, I thought I should carry on, and I was well rewarded. It's a fantasy feast - rich, satisfying, complex.

The sequel to the Name of the Wind follows the next instalment of Kvothe's account of his life to the Chronicler. The main story is again framed with a little more of his present circumstances, with hints about links with his past and his companion Bast.

It's been a while since I tackled any ‘hard' science fiction and boy, was this hard - aggressive, violent, bleak, depressing, biased. I ploughed on but ultimately gave up as I found I didn't care what happened to Carl Marsalis.

To be fair to the author, the book isn't hard to read, but the style and content didn't work for me. I want my fiction to entertain, amuse, educate and expand my views, and this didn't. Perhaps if I were of different age or gender, it might be different - I got the impression the anticipated readership would be younger and probably male .....

This book takes the flooding disaster plot and widens it to impact on a global scale. The central characters are hostages at the start of the book, but then their fates are linked with the businessman who rescues them. The story is divided into episodes, over several decades, each separated by several years as the flood worsens and plans have to change. The backdrop changes from London, to America, the Andes and the Himalayas and elsewhere as they seek increasingly crowded sanctuaries.

How important is it to act with compassion? Can a maths brain tester save your life? And what hope does a small-town, assistant bank manager with no ambition have against an all powerful, ruthless, military dictator? These are just some of the questions that Stephen, Mark and Hannah have to grapple with when they unwittingly stumble into the beautiful but troubled world of Eldarn.

This is a second book of a three part trilogy. Although separated into three books, this is one continuous story divided only by three different front covers. It is definitely worth making sure that you can access them in quick succession.

This is the last book in the Eldarn sequence. The evil that inhabited Nerak has got possession of Mark Jenkins. Mark is now a prisoner in his own mind forced to carry out unspeakable evil. His ensuing rampant and violent campaign soon has Eldarn under Mark's thumb. Only our ramshackle and much diminished group of friends stand between Mark and the evil he is about to release from the fold. Destroying Mark may be the only way to prevent the annihilation of Eldarn but can Steven Taylor really kill his best friend and house-mate, even for the greater good?

This story follows three men during the course of a battle between the clans of the North and the army of the Union. The three main characters are: Bremer dan Gorst (supposedly the Kings observer in the Union army), Prince Calder (son of the former northern king) and Curnden Craw (leader of a band of northern warriors). It is no surprise that there are no real heroes here. Despite his orders, Bremer seeks out action in vain attempts to regain his self-worth. Calder has few friends or allies and is desparate to improve his position without getting killed in the process. ..read more

This latest novel from Robert Rankin purports to be a sequel to the War of the Worlds, is set in 1895 and follows the British Empire's successful victory over Mars. The main character, George Fox, first appears as the young assistant of a showman, Professor Coffin, helping display the pickled remains of a Martian. They sell all to fund a round the world trip on the Empress of Mars luxury airship in search of the Japanese Devilfish Girl - potentially the Greatest Ever Attraction.