A Home
ADAMS, Douglas
A The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (A Trilogy in Four Pars) 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984 Humour/SF
A must read/listen to
A Life, The Universe and Everything (The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy 3) 1982 Humour/SF
Clever, funny, original, post-modern themes
A Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency 1987 Humour/SF
P.G. Wodehouse meets Dr. Who: a complete pleasure
B+ The Long Dark Tea-time of the Soul 1988 Humour/SF
Somewhat surreal second ‘Dirk Gently’ novel
& Carwardine, Mark
B+ Last Chance to See 1990 NF (Biology)
Engaging narration of endangered species and their protectors
B+ Mostly Harmless (The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy 5) 1992 Humour/SF
Enjoyable hotchpotch of action, humour, SF satire and post-modern philosophy
B The White Tiger 2008 Novel
Able
concept and writing, potent, but deeply cynical, and consistently unpleasant
company
B Tuesdays With Morrie 1997 NF (Biography)
A nice book more than a challenging or inspiring one
B Helliconia Spring (Part 1 of the Helliconia trilogy) 1983 SF
Two sentient pre-industrial species wax and wane with eon long seasons
B Helliconia Summer (Part 2 of the Helliconia trilogy) 1985 SF
Two sentient pre-industrial species wax and wane with eon long seasons
B Helliconia Winter (Part 3 of the Helliconia trilogy) 1989 SF
Conclusion to epic series: odd slide into technologically advanced human interference
B The Gnole 1991 Fantasy/SF
Inconsistent Pastoral/Supernatural/Conspiracy fantasy
ALLBEURY, Ted
B+ Hostage 1983 Action (Spy)
More spy psychology than action, which enhances. And from an author with some idea of what he was talking about
B The Judas Factor 1984 Action (Spy)
More reflective on the nature of the job and relationships than a thriller
ANDERSON, Poul
A- My Object All Sublime 1961 Short Story/SF
In ‘The Giant Book of Science Fiction Stories’
Killer twist
& Karen
A Faith 1992 Short Story/Fantasy
In ‘After the King: Stories in Honour of J.R.R. Tolkien’
Excellent mood, a worthy tribute
B- Ensign Flandry 1966 SF
OK, but a bit childish with a dodgy political subtext
ANONYMOUS
B The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night 1300s? Fantasy/Short Stories
Constant blood, magic and sex. Diverting but very repetitive
ASIMOV, Isaac
B The Early Asimov, Volume 2 1940s SF/Short Stories
Definitive magazine SF, individual stories around a novel idea
B I, Robot 1950 SF/Short Stories
Average characters and dialogue flesh out novel dilemmas from the ‘three laws’ of his anthropomorphic robots
B+ Foundation (Book 1 of the Foundation trilogy) 1951 SF
A decent idea competently realised, if a bit repetitive
B Foundation and Empire (Book 2 of the Foundation trilogy) 1962 SF
More episodes in the galactic history of peoples guided by a statistical seer
A- Second Foundation (Book 3 of the Foundation trilogy) 1964 SF
Dramatically the best of the series
C Foundation and Earth (Book 5? of what should have remained ‘The Foundation Trilogy’) 1986 SF
Overlong self-indulgent immature money-spinner
AUEL, Jean M.
B The Clan of the Cave Bear 1980 SF
Epic around a Homo sapiens heroine raised by Neanderthals
AUSTEN, Jane
B Mansfield Park 1814 Novel
Atypical, censorious heroine and plot, less fun than usual (apparently)