Steve

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.

A new threat of doom is looming against the world of Midkemia, while within a war is starting between established enemies. While on another world a child learns quickly to fend for herself and make her way.

A new generation of characters is brought in to balance the (now) older characters from earlier novels.

This seems to be following the pattern of the previous pair of novels, where the old external enemy turns out to be escaping from another greater threat.

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.

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.

This is the first book in new series by Raymond E. Feist set in his Midkemia world. A new danger is emerges as a lost race of elves, the taredhel, have found a way to reach Midkemia (thought to be their ancestral ‘Home'. They need a refuge from the demons that have reduced their former empire to part of one world. But are they, or the demon horde pursuing them the greater threat to Midkemia?

Pug and his Conclave, both older characters and those introduced in part 1, learn more about the threat posed by the demons to Midkemia. After the costly battle at the end of part 1, they must find a way to stop the magician Belasco and his apparent alliance with demons.

After the events of the Brightonomnicon, the teenage Jim O'Malley/Rizla is back in his native Brentford. But all is not well: it seems that Germany won the 2nd world war and now his favourite café serves Bratwurst rather than ‘a full English' for breakfast. Hugo Rune reappears to take Rizla back in time to the ‘40s to help restore history and again defeat Count Otto Black. Again a series of mysteries and who-dunnits need to be solved, this time following the theme of a pack of Tarot cards. ..read more

A hapless teenager is rescued from drowning, but loses his memory. His rescuer is Hugo Rune the self-styled Perfect Master, Guru's Guru, etc, etc. Together they solve 12 mysteries and thwart rune's dark nemesis Count Otto Black.

As outlined in the subtitle, this is an account of the development and career of this particular plane and its part in the British war effort during the mid 20th century. It seems very thorough, covering both famous episodes - such as the Dambusters raids, and less well-known aspects, such as the disagreements over its design and the gambles taken to make the first planes.