More Posts By Peter
Review: The Greenhollow Duology – Silver in the Wood & Drowned Country – Emily Tesh
In a cabin in Greenhollow Wood lives Tobias Finch. While the outside world knows him as the ‘Wild Man’, he sees himself as the steward of the wood, protecting the villagers from the evil beings that roam under the boughs. Mostly, though, he works on keeping his cabin in order. And he keeps a cat. When his new landlord, Henry Silver, a young scholar of folklore, passes by on a rainy night, Tobias invites him in. Their acquaintance will bring drastic change to Tobias’ centuries-long routine.
Review: Ogen van Tijgers / Eyes of Tigers – Tonke Dragt
Jock Martijn is a former planetary explorer who was fired from the service and now lives out his life in alcoholism and internal struggle as a part-time painter and creative coach for delinquent youth in the overstructured society back home on Earth. His life changes when a new rebellious youth is assigned to his group, and the space ship Evening Star returns home from Venus with two of his former colleagues, who have important news to share with the rest of humanity.
Review: Age of Myth – Michael J. Sullivan
Almost by accident, Raithe, a human warrior hunting out on forbidden lands, kills a god. By doing so, he sets in motion a series of events that will irreversibly change the relationship between humans and their Fhrey overlords. Meanwhile, Persephone must overcome loss and grief to manoeuvre the people of the human settlement of Dahl Rhen safely through the inevitable conflict – while a demon is lurking in the forst just beyond the town palissade.
Review: Torenhoog en Mijlenbreed / Wide as England, Tall as a Spire – Tonke Dragt
Planetary researcher Edu arrives on Venus for his second tour of duty exploring the area around the domed base. Even though the researchers are not allowed to venture into the tall forests that cover most of the planet’s surface, Edu is fascinated with them and dreams of taking a walk under their canopy.
Review: Snow Crash – Neal Stephenson
Hiro Protagonist is a freelance hacker, CIC operative, best sword fighter in the world, and also a pizza courier for the Mafia. When it seems he might incur the wrath of Uncle Enzo by delivering a pizza late, he is saved by Y.T., a skateboarding courier with an attitude. They form a partnership in an attempt to unravel the ever-thickening plot around real-world diseases being spread via the digital metaverse and people attending a particular franchise church speaking in tongues.
Review: Sistersong – Lucy Holland
In 6th century Britain, three sisters, the daughters of the King of Dumnonia in modern-day Cornwall, feel their culture is beset on all sides: as Saxons invade the land, a Christian priest tries to convert the Dumnonians and convince them to abandon their old faith. When a mysterious stranger arrives at the court, the love between two of the sisters is tested – while the third feels uncomfortable in her body and the role society has given her.
Review: The Farthest Shore – Ursula Le Guin
A young prince is sent to the island of Roke to warn the masters of the School of Wizardry of the disappearance of magic from the shores of Earthsea. Alongside the boy, the Archmage Ged sets sail to find the source of the mysterious illness that is draining magic from the land.
Review: The Tombs of Atuan – Ursula Le Guin
A small girl is taken to the temple complex of the Tombs of Atuan to be inducted as the high priestess of the Nameless Ones. Said to be the reincarnation of the previous high priestess, the young girl must take on the arduous and sometimes gruesome tasks of her office alone. The child’s loneliness and isolation only grow when she finds an intruder has penetrated into the great labyrinths underneath the Tombs.
Review: A Wizard of Earthsea – Ursula Le Guin
After a magic talent helps a young boy protect his village from a savage attack by sea-born raiders, the boy is sent of to learn magic from an ancient mage living on a nearby island. It is the start of a series of adventures across the many islands of Earthsea, in which the boy does not just learn about magic, but also about the dark side of himself and the emotions that will show him that side.
Curator Question: 2025 Resolutions
Our Curators discuss their 2024 New Year’s Resolutions – what is on their to be read/watch/listen/play list for the coming year?
Yearly Wrap-up: 2024 in Review
Our curators look back at their 2024 resolutions, and their favourite fantasy and science fiction media of the past year. Which media on their to be read/watch/listen/play piles got their attention? And what else did the year bring?
Review: Consider Phlebas – Iain M. Banks
In a galaxy-spanning conflict between the Culture, a post-scarcity human civilisation, and the Idirans, an empire of proud, reptilian three-legged warrior giants, one of the Culture’s artificial super Minds is nearly destroyed and hides on the forbidden planet of Schar’s World. Both the Culture and the Idirans send their agents after it. Bora Horza Gobuchul, a shape-Changer, is hunting the Mind on behalf of the Idirans – but it is a long way to Schar’s world in a war-torn galaxy, and his Culuture nemesis Perosteck Balveda, is on his heels…