AK Blakemore wins Desmond Elliott prize for a ‘stunning’ debut novel
The Manningtree Witches takes the £10,000 first novel award Continue reading AK Blakemore wins Desmond Elliott prize for a ‘stunning’ debut novel
Category: fiction
How is the idea of Good and Evil explored in Moby Dick?
Let’s explore how Herman Melville shows the differences between good and evil in his masterpiece Moby Dick Continue reading How is the idea of Good and Evil explored in Moby Dick?
Lord of the Flies by William Golding Review
During the silent but terrifying Cold War William Golding produced his masterpiece, Lord of the Flies. Not only is it a gripping tale about a group of schoolboys forced to survive on a deserted island after a plane crash, it is also a brilliant allegorical tale about the conflicts between civilization and primal savagery. This simple and easy to understand symbolism has made Lord of … Continue reading Lord of the Flies by William Golding Review
Using the Epic of Gilgamesh and Beowulf lets discuss typical elements of the Epic Tradition and its influence on modern fiction
The epic tradition represents a record of heroic actions that were once celebrated through song and folktale. Examples of epic stories that started out as folklore and were then written down are the epics of Gilgamesh and Beowulf. The epic tradition includes key elements such as the epic hero and the form of an epic poem, which thus provides the rhythm which made it easily … Continue reading Using the Epic of Gilgamesh and Beowulf lets discuss typical elements of the Epic Tradition and its influence on modern fiction
Hilary Mantel repeats Walter Scott Prize success
The author takes top prize for the grand finale of her Thomas Cromwell trilogy Continue reading Hilary Mantel repeats Walter Scott Prize success
William Shakespeare’s Star Wars: Verily, a New Hope Review
Who’d have thought that Star Wars and Shakespeare go hand to hand perfectly? Well it turns out that author Ian Doescher did and he hits it out the park with ‘Verily, A New Hope’ the first entry in his Star Wars/Shakespeare saga. As it turns out, the story of Star Wars, with all of its drama, tragedy, romance, humour, and amazing characters fits brilliantly into Shakespeare literary … Continue reading William Shakespeare’s Star Wars: Verily, a New Hope Review
11.22.63 by Stephen King Review
If you could go back in time and change the course of human history would you do it? Even if it meant sacrificing so much of your own life in the process? Well that’s the premise of Stephen Kings 54th fiction book, 11.22.63. King gives us a new protagonist in the form of Jake Epping, a high school English teacher from Lisbon Falls Maine, because … Continue reading 11.22.63 by Stephen King Review
Spellbreaker by Charlie N. Holmbury Review
Spellbreaker is the first book book in a brand new two book series written by bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg. This series will be set in an alternate Victorian-era England where magic is common, and where those who can wield it are the powerful and wealthy elite. The books heroine, Elsie Camden, is a lowly orphan who also happens to be an unregistered spellbreaker and … Continue reading Spellbreaker by Charlie N. Holmbury Review
The lawsuit over ‘warmer’ Sherlock depicted in Enola Holmes dismissed
The estate of Arthur Conan Doyle has reached an agreement with Netflix that will see a lawsuit brought by the author’s estate dismissed. The lawsuit was filed earlier this year against the streaming company and alleged that the film Enola Holmes infringed upon copyrighted work by depicting a warmer and more emotional version of Sherlock Holmes. Conan Doyle died in 1930 and while most of his works … Continue reading The lawsuit over ‘warmer’ Sherlock depicted in Enola Holmes dismissed
Richard Osman becomes first debut author to be Christmas No 1
Richard Osman’s mystery novel about a group of elderly wannabe detectives, The Thursday Murder Club, has just become the first ever debut novel to become the Christmas number 1 after selling a staggering 134,514 copies in just one week. The Pointless presenter has beat out the likes of Barack Obama’s memoir A Promised Land and JK Rowling’s The Ickabog to the coverted number 1 spot. Osman’s … Continue reading Richard Osman becomes first debut author to be Christmas No 1
Eyes of Sleeping Children by D.A. Butcher Review
D.A. Butcher comes out swinging hard with this stunning debut novel. Eyes of Sleeping Children is a psychological thriller set in the 1930’s and takes place in a depression hit Kansas that is about to bare the brunt of a giant dust storm. The focus of this story falls squarely upon the Lockhart family, and specifically upon the father Louis. As the storm begins to … Continue reading Eyes of Sleeping Children by D.A. Butcher Review
Fiona’s Guardians by Dan Klefstad Review
I love vampires and I’ve have written about them more than once on this website, so I loved it when Fiona’s Guardians dropped into our inbox. This unique and intriguing novel was just the thing to devour over a free weekend. Daniel is more dedicated to his job than most people are, and certainly far more than he should be. Daniel’s job is his life, … Continue reading Fiona’s Guardians by Dan Klefstad Review
The Tower by Valerio Massimo Manfredi Review
Wow, this is a bad book, I need to get that out of the way first of all, this is not on my recommended list in any way shape or form, unless as a means of torture I suppose. I had high hopes for The Tower, it teases a mythical millenia long secret that has impacted human society from the Roman Empire to present day. … Continue reading The Tower by Valerio Massimo Manfredi Review
Author Spotlight: James Huck discusses his writing method
Author Spotlight is our new series where a guest author writes about their process, their love for the art, and of course, their work. This time out James Huck joins us. I began writing short pieces some time ago, but they were fragments of stories and parts of characters. It wasn’t until I reached a crisis in my career and life that the writing process … Continue reading Author Spotlight: James Huck discusses his writing method
Hollow Road (Maer Cycle book 1) by Dan Fitzgerald Review
On the face of it Hollow Road (The Maer Cycle Book 1) by Dan Fitzgerald sounds like a straightforward and very formulaic fantasy novel. Three characters, Sinnie, Carl, and Finn are sent off on an adventure by a wealthy benefactor, and of course each character has devoted their life to a different profession. Sinnie works for a travelling circus and is a badass with a … Continue reading Hollow Road (Maer Cycle book 1) by Dan Fitzgerald Review
Booklytical 