The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950) is weirder than I remembered

Hello readers! Last weekend I read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, having not picked up the book since I was about ten years old. This book is possibly the first fantasy story that I ever read, and I have fond memories of it – and for the Chronicles of … Continue reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950) is weirder than I remembered →

Blog plans for 2026

Hello readers! Happy new year! I’d like to post a quick update regarding upcoming projects on this blog. I’m not planning any major overhauls of its structure: all posts will remain related to science fiction and fantasy (sometimes tangentially). But last year, some of my favourite post formats were underused, with only two six-minute summaries … Continue reading Blog plans for 2026 →

Frankenstein (2025) is not for fans of the book

Hello readers! Last week I watched Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, which released on Netflix on the 7th of November. The film has received very positive reviews from audiences and critics alike – but now that it has breached containment and is reaching people beyond the del Toro fanbase, I am sensing a shift in opinion. … Continue reading Frankenstein (2025) is not for fans of the book →

Attempting to understand “romantasy”

Hello readers! Have any of you visited a bookshop lately? A few weeks ago I was browsing Amazon, and I ended up scrolling through an endless stream of “romantasy” novels. I wasn’t seeking these titles intentionally (far from it), but as soon as I entered the fantasy section, Amazon assumed that romantasy was what I … Continue reading Attempting to understand “romantasy” →

Dune (1965) is a timeless classic

Hello readers! I finally got around to reading Frank Herbert’s Dune. Not sure why it took me so long, as I’ve been curious about the book for as long as I can remember. It is so well-known, so well-loved, and so well-integrated into the public imagination that most of us have felt its influence, either … Continue reading Dune (1965) is a timeless classic →

The Last Man (1826) is a miserable read…

Hello readers! I recently finished reading The Last Man, a dystopian novel written in 1826 by Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein. I first learnt of this book’s existence when I was researching the origins of science fiction, as The Last Man is often listed as the earliest example of the dystopian, apocalyptic genre. The … Continue reading The Last Man (1826) is a miserable read… →

Science fiction and the future: Part Two

Hello readers! In the previous post, we explored the challenges associated with setting a speculative science fiction story in a particular future year. The writer must choose a date that feels plausible to the reader, or else their credibility will be eroded, the foundations of their fictional world will be shaken, and their otherwise carefully-crafted … Continue reading Science fiction and the future: Part Two →

Science fiction and the future: Part one

Hello readers! I’ve been pondering the science fiction genre again – specifically, science fiction stories which are set in our universe, with some connection to our world. I haven’t done a thorough survey, but I get the impression that most science fiction falls into this category, rather than being pure science fantasy. And within this … Continue reading Science fiction and the future: Part one →

New concept art: Norbert

Hello readers! Just a short post this week. I’m adding another character doodle to the Highmoor series art collection. This is Norbert, one of the four protagonists, and for those of you that have read the books, I hope that this is somewhere close to your mental image of the character. It might sound odd … Continue reading New concept art: Norbert →

Free book weekend: 21st-23rd February

Hello readers! This weekend, five of my books will be available for FREE on Amazon (find them here). Unfortunately, Kindle Store scheduling issues have meant that I can’t include Synwyr, my most recent work – but all my books should be back on Kindle Unlimited in mid-March, as explained in this recent post. And from … Continue reading Free book weekend: 21st-23rd February →