Author Archive: AndyWhitaker
I live in deepest darkest Essex where I enjoy photography, real ales, walking my dog, cooking and a really good book. I own an e-book reader which goes with me everywhere but still enjoy the traditional paper based varieties.
My oriental studies have earned me a black belt in Suduko and I'm considered a master in deadly Bonsai (there are very few survivors).
Mad Professor: The Uncollected Short Stories Of Rudy Rucker by Rudy Rucker (book review)
‘The Mad Professor’ is a collection of 13 of Rudy Rucker’s short stories. Rucker himself is a double professor, starting with mathematics and moving on to computer science. The stories are presented in reverse chronological order with the newest stories first with one exception, the last story ‘Visions Of The Metanove’l was written last. Of [...]
False Covenant: A Widdershins Adventure by Ari Marmell (book review).
‘False Covenant’ is the second in the ‘Widdershins Adventure’ fantasy series of novels by Ari Marmell. It picks up about six months after the ending of ‘Thief’s Covenant’ and things are not going well for the Flippant Witch Tavern. The backlash from the Church of the Hallowed Pact to events covered in the first novel [...]
Conflagration by Mick Farren (book review).
‘Conflagration’ is the sequel to ‘Kindling’ which’ unfortunately’ I have not read. I say ‘unfortunate’ as ‘Conflagration’ is a cracking read and perhaps I might have got even more from it had I read the first book. However, don’t let that put you off this book as it more than stands on its own with [...]
Interzone # 240 – May-Jun 2012 (magazine review).
This is the May-June 2012 edition of the magazine with a cover depicting a figure with a human head but robotic human body suspended upside down above a pool. It has the well-established format of an interview, a selection of short stories and some reviews. From the cover artwork my expectations were to expect a [...]
The Stars Blue Yonder by Sandra McDonald (book review).
The inside cover note says that Chief Terry Myell died and became a god and now he’s back to life. He is being directed to save humankind but gets distracted with time travel and an alien adversary called the Flying Doctor. Having read the book, I can say that just about sums it up with [...]
The Intrinsic # 2 (comicbook review)
The second issue of The Intrinsic’ comic starts where the first edition left off. Ishmael Stone (Philosopher Rex), his accomplice Blind Jack and the two new recruits are being attacked by a demonic hoard from another dimension. Given that the new recruit Tori was until late in the first episode a dancer, it’s not surprising [...]
Agent To The Stars by John Scalzi (book review)
I first came across John Scalzi when I read ‘Old Man’s War’. This book made a big impression on me and is one of the few physical books I have retained for re-reading. Unfortunately, Scalzi’s subsequent novels were not so well received and so he dropped off my radar. When I saw the book listed, [...]
Space Captain Smith by Toby Frost (book review)
Imagine that the British Empire never faded but expanded into space taking it’s Victorian attitudes with it. Isambard Smith is a product of that environment and very comfortable with its morals and social values. Unfortunately, he’s not a happy chap, having spent a year entering data about asteroids into a computer and having six requests [...]
The Intrinsic (comicbook review)
The first edition of ‘The Intrinsic’ covers chapter 1 ‘Torment’. Before getting further into the plot I should mention that the story was written by Sean Patrick O’Reilly, Casey Jones and Erik Hendrix with Allan Oterd doing the pencilling. The colorist for this edition was Chandran Ponnusamy and EriK Hendrix did the letters. The artwork [...]
The Dark Knight Rises: The Official Movie Novelisation by Greg Cox (book review)
I must admit I have never read a Batman book before. Of course, I have read untold numbers of Batman comics and graphic novels. When added to the’ Batman’ TV shows, films and cartoons I have watched over the years, I think I can say that I know one or two things about our batty [...]
Get social with us