R

RANKIN, Ian

B- A Good Hanging 1992 Crime/Short Stories

OK, but short form feels like you’re on fast-forward

B+ Beggars Banquet 2002 (1990-2000) Crime/Short Stories

Capable, interesting

RANKIN, Robert

D Armageddon the Musical 1991 Humour/SF

Poor, seedy, charmless Pratchett copy

REILLY, Matthew

B- Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves 2011 Action

Every action/war hero movie as text. That’s, unapologetically, it.

REMARQUE, Erich Maria

A All Quiet on the Western Front 1929 War/Auto-biography

Powerful. Awful. Profound.

RIDKER, Andrew

The Altruists 2019 Novel

Somewhat coldly narrated character studies of Boston middle class family characters

ROBINSON, Kim Stanley

A- Red Mars 1992 SF

Impressive epic of colonisation of Mars – depth in characters, setting and plot

ROBINSON, Marilynne

B- Housekeeping 1981 Novel

Well written, but cold, somewhat misanthropic atmosphere

RODDA, Emily

B Finders Keepers 1990 Juvenile/SF

OK theme, ideas, execution

A- The Forests of Silence (Deltora Quest 1) 2000 Fantasy/Juvenile

Enjoyable straight-ahead swords and sorcery for kids

ROWLING, J.K.

B+ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone 1997 Fantasy/Juvenile

Enjoyable

B+ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 1998 Fantasy/Juvenile

Still enjoyable

B+ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 1999 Fantasy/Juvenile

OK ride. Morally dubious. Good series structure

B+ Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 2000 Fantasy/Juvenile

Fine. Dumb twist. Enticing hints of future developments

B+ Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix 2003 Fantasy/Juvenile

Strengths just about outweigh the weaknesses.

ROZAN, S. J.

B A Bitter Feast 1998 Crime

Definitely not second rate. But not quite first rate either.

B Ghost Hero 2011 Crime

Sum is less than its parts

RUBINSTEIN, Matt

B Death of the Author 2012 Crime

Capable writing, cool idea, but the form works as much against as for the book