Category Archives: Fiction

Kaspian Lost (1999)

Posted on March 5, 2013 by

Even though this has a SF element to it, it’s more of mainstream novel of a fifteen year old who has a cynical and challenging view of authority and is trying to deal with a mystical experience. This is very … Continue reading →

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The Interloper (The Ex-Duke)-E.Phillips Oppenheim (1925)

Posted on February 28, 2013 by

Oppenheim was famous for his hundreds of spy and espionage novels. This is not one of them. It’s billed as a novel of social intrigue. It’s a story of revenge without violence and moves quickly. It also reads like a … Continue reading →

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A Lot To Make Up For-John Buell (1990)

Posted on January 9, 2013 by

Character study about a recovering alcoholic searching for the girl he did wrong. She was also addicted but is now changing her life in the small town of Ashton, Canada. She’s Adele Symons who likes to be called Del. She … Continue reading →

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The Hot And The Cool-Edwin Gilbert (1953)

Posted on December 31, 2012 by

A good story about the world of Jazz musicians in the early fifties. It revolves around members of a sextet waiting to hit the big time. Rather than get bogged down with technical descriptions of Jazz, Gilbert uses names of … Continue reading →

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The Man Who Held The Queen To Ransom And Sent Parliament Packing-Peter Van Greenaway (1968)

Posted on December 11, 2012 by

The man of the title is Captain Richard Wyatt. He used to lecture his men on politics and they paid attention. He thought the Monarchy was a useless leftover from a bygone era and the Parliament was loaded with do … Continue reading →

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The Outer Edges-Charles Jackson (1948)

Posted on May 31, 2012 by

Marketed as a crime novel but it’s really about the lives of various suburbanites. There is a monstrous crime commited but it’s more in the background. No police procedural or investigation of any kind is mentioned. Jackson is the author of … Continue reading →

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A Likely Story-Donald E.Westlake (1984)

Posted on May 25, 2012 by

Westlake gets away from the crime novel for a send up of the publishing business. There are a few laugh out loud moments. Overall it’s a humorous look at an author and the hassles in his personal life as well as … Continue reading →

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Act Of Violence-Basil Heatter (1954)

Posted on February 23, 2012 by

Don’t let the cover fool you. This is not a crime story but an unorganized mess that starts some threads and then drops them. The book just keeps bouncing off walls. Tony Kamp was born in Austria. During WWII he … Continue reading →

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Edge Of Eden-Nicholas Proffitt (1990)

Posted on December 19, 2011 by

Excellent novel that takes place in 1978 Kenya. The basic action-mystery story is surrounded by the flavor of the country including tribal rivalries and the demise of the Great White Hunters. A new law outlawing hunting is in effect and now … Continue reading →

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Nightshade & Damnations-Gerald Kersh

Posted on November 16, 2011 by

Eleven Stories from 1947,48,53,54,57,58,62,68. The collection was edited by and contains an introduction from Harlan Ellison. Some stories have a SF element while others have a horror content. In all it’s good fiction that crosses all boundries. Favorites: “The Queen … Continue reading →

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