The Birthgrave is one of my favourite novels. I was surprised to discover that it was Tanith Lee’s first novel, as it is complex and rich, and very mature. To my mind it is clearly the work of a well practised author. There are some books that you go back …

Tehanu is the fourth book in the Earthsea cycle, and the second one from the point of view of Tenar, the girl who brought the Ring of Erreth-Akbe to Havnor from the Kargish Lands with the Wizard Sparrowhawk.

By the time of this story, Tenar has lived as a wife and …

Written after the True Game trilogy, The Song of Mavin Manyshaped is the first in the Chronicles of Mavin Manyshaped, which is actually a prequel trilogy.

Mavin is the mother of Peter, and this is the story of how she learned to be a Shifter. Escaping from the Danderbat Keep with …

Occasionally you will find a book that describes some concept which is interesting, deeply complex, with that flavour of exclusivity. Some books do it by concocting elaborate descriptions, rules, methods and techniques. The best books do it by implication, suggestion, and drawing clever analogies with familiar concepts.

The Player of Games …

Count Zero is the sequel to Neuromancer, William Gibson’s radical cyberpunk novel which redefined modern scifi. At the end of Neuromancer, the Tessier-Ashpool AIs merged and set themselves free of the constraints that bind AIs. If an AI suddenly became free, how would it know itself, how would it place …

The Farthest Shore is the third book in the Earthsea cycle, and is set some years after the events of the first two books. It is told from the point of view of Arren, the son of the Prince of Enlad.

Arren comes to Roke, the Isle of Wizards, to bear …

In this sequel to the first Four Bee Book, Don’t Bite the Sun, the protagonist seems to have found some measure of contentment, although not a perfect adjustment by any means. Although predominately female, she has spent quite some time now as a male, which is causing friction with the …

Greg Egan is a master of the short story and in this collection he deals with many complex scientific concepts, including the moral and ethical aspects, with an ingenious skill. Typically they take a concept, put it into a real setting with normal people, and then there’s a twist.

Axiomatic is …

Demon’s Law is the second book in the Tales of the Bard trilogy, following on from Magician’s Law. There was a great deal to continue with too. We had left The King’s brother Kutor in the wilderness, having been instructed to prepare for war and take the throne, with Owen, …

Jovah’s Angel is the second book in the Samaria Trilogy, set some one hundred and fifty years after Archangel. On Samaria the weather is controlled by intercessions sung by angels, who pray to the god Jovah for weather change. The Archangel is the leader of the angels, who also governs …