Category Archives: reads

The Difficult Chapters…

Posted on July 25, 2017 by Mark Hayes

Every reader has encountered these at some point, more than once I would suspect in most cases. Those chapters that just drag at a readers eyes.  The ones that cause you to put down a book, or more likely not … Continue reading →

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From Beyond: The Complete Lovecraftian#23

Posted on July 19, 2017 by Mark Hayes

You don’t have to read much of ‘From Beyond’ to know you’re in the middle of Lovecraft country. If ever a passage screamed Lovecraft it is this one from the first page of the story… “What do we know,” he … Continue reading →

Posted in Lovecraft, mythos, reads, retro book reviews, rights, sci-fi | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Retro Book Reviews: Fahrenheit 451

Posted on July 11, 2017 by Mark Hayes

Paper burns at 451 Fahrenheit, or so the legend goes… Regarded by many of Ray Bradbury’s finest work Fahrenheit 451 remains as prescient today as it was when it was first written back in the 1950’s. It sits within the … Continue reading →

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‘Beyond Redemption’ and the bedside table…

Posted on June 4, 2017 by Mark Hayes

I read a lot, as most writers do. Indeed it is more or less a prime requisite for the job. The great sage himself, Stephen King, says… “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above … Continue reading →

Posted in book reviews, pointless things of wonderfulness, reads | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Strontium Dogs…

Posted on May 26, 2017 by Mark Hayes

I grew up, back in the 80’s, reading 2000AD. Dredd, Rogue Trooper, Holo Jones, Bad Company, The A.B.C. Warriors, The VC’s, Nemesis the Warlock and all the rest informed my humour, my writing and my love of what sci-fi at its best can … Continue reading →

Posted in 2000AD, goodreads, movies, opinion, pointless things of wonderfulness, reads, sci-fi, writes, writing | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Life in the Passing Place

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Mark Hayes

Step in from the cold, through the saloon door of the strangest bar in creation. A place where causality is just a set of rules and the rules can be bent. Where no one knows your name, but everyone has … Continue reading →

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Oswald Bastable: The Original Steampunk Trilogy

Posted on February 14, 2017 by Mark Hayes

H.G.Wells and Jules Verne share the honour of being amongst the father’s Science Fiction, and retrospectively the fathers of Steampunk. There is little doubt the Verne and Wells influence on Steampunk is huge, though their tales are set in a … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, book reviews, Hannibal Smyth, novels, opinion, pointless things of wonderfulness, reads, retro book reviews, sci-fi, steampunk | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Write What You Want

Posted on April 27, 2016 by Mark Hayes

As happens probably too often, on social media I found myself ranting a little over a shared post. Though in this case for once, it was not a post about politics, racism, dyslexia, homophobia or anything else on the worthy, or … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, big questions, cider lane, editing, Hannibal Smyth, indie, indie novels, indie writers, indiewriter, novels, opinion, reads, writes, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment