Christmas in a Good Catchment Area

Well I was going to do a long rambling post about how book sales were going and 'Juvie' was coming along, talk about this little film and it's relation to 'DarkFather', how I found this very funny, and give an in depth run down of my Christmas hopes and fears - but unfortunately I've been laid to waste with a cold, so I haven't done anything and I'm off to Munich tomorrow.

So instead I've written your own Christmas story. Enjoy.

Christmas in a Good Catchment Area

By Adam J. Shardlow

The boy opened the door and stared at the large black leather boots that stood upon the welcome mat.

‘Who is it?’ Came the call from over his shoulder.

Looking up past the heavy brocade trousers, the colour a deep burgundy russet, and the large barrel chest wrapped in a fur trimmed cloak, to the voluminous white beard that spilled downwards and frothed and curled elaborately around red tinted cheeks and deep set blue eyes, the boy smiled with delight.

‘I’ll see to it,’ came a second male voice as the boy’s father stepped up to the door.

The boy looked around the rotund figure to the antiquated sledge that was parked across their drive, eight reindeer pawing at the snow covered ground, steam and twinkling slipstream sparking off their flanks.

‘Ah - I see. We give to a set of charities by direct debit every month,’ said the boy’s father eyeing the imposing mythical seven foot figure standing by the replica boot scraper. ‘Rwanda and a couple of animal charities.’

‘It’s Santa,’ said the boy smiling and pointing upwards.

‘No - it’s just someone dressed as him. What have we told you about pointing?’

‘Who is it?’

They were joined at the door by an elegantly dressed woman in a figure complimenting suit, elaborate hair coiffured into position.

‘Santa,’ said the boy slightly more insistently.

‘It’s someone collecting for Christmas - sorry, you didn’t say which charity?’

‘But we’ve already given,’ she added.

‘I’ve told him that.’

‘It’s very late to be knocking on doors - we are a Neighbourhood Watch area, you know.’

‘THIS PLACE - IT WAS NOT HERE THE LAST TIME,’ said the figure dramatically.

‘Oh,’ said the wife as the voice rumbled through the house like a sound from some ancient poem.’

‘I see - he’s foreign,’ muttered the husband. ‘We’re a new build. Finished this year, good commuting distance to the city,’ he added in a slow and methodical manner, ‘and the schools are excellent. It’s really a very good catchment area.’

‘THE CHILDREN AND THE ORPHANAGE.’

‘Is that what it used to be - we didn’t know? They’ll have all gone now. Would you like some tea?’ Asked the wife, the politeness out of her mouth before she could stop it.

‘Bit late to be out,’ mentioned the father noticing that one of the reindeer was chewing on the hedge, another defecating on the drive. ‘I suppose, you have to pass all sorts of tests now to do this sort of job. You know, get the ‘little children’ test. It’s political correctness gone mad, I say’

‘GONE?”

‘Yes, completely mad.’

‘Santa!’

The boy put out a hand to touch the giant but found it pulled back by his mother who smiled discreetly.

‘What have we told you! Santa’s not real, he’s just a left over from a Judo-Christian myth. Sorry about that, it’s hard to keep them focused. That’s a very good suit by the way. Did you have it specially made?’

‘ALL GONE?”

‘You’re not ‘The Round Table’ are you, as we’re not members but our neighbours are and we always thought it looked good decent fun - perhaps you could put in a word?’

‘I WILL FIND THEM ALL THIS VERY NIGHT.’

‘Really? They’re making you work all night? Seems harsh - I suppose you don’t have much in the way of union representation?’

‘Santa?’

‘TONIGHT IS AS LONG AS IT NEEDS BE.’

‘Well, if they’re paying above the minimum then I suppose it’s all right.’

The figure bowed elaborately before putting a hand deep within a hidden pocket and pulling out a gift wrapped in bright green paper and tied with a perfect red crepe bow.

‘FOR YOU, SAMUEL’ he said, and placed it in the boys outstretched hand.

‘Oh you don’t have to, really,’ said the wife.

‘How much do we owe you?’ Added the husband resentfully.

The large mythical being turned and trudged back to his sleigh, small bells at his calves jingling the sound of Christmas deep into the night.

The door was closed to keep out the cold as the boy opened his present.

‘How did he know his name?’ Asked the father, reaching for the phone and dialling the police. ‘That’s really not right at all.’

The boy gasped with awe at his first present of the night, an exquisitely carved soldier in a red suit with a high black hat, a rifle over his shoulder. He smiled and stroked it carefully and held it up for his mother to inspect.

‘Oh, I do hope that’s Fair Trade.’

I'm Not a Natural Runner

It’s turned very cold and wet here. This has the disadvantage of keeping me away from any kind of exercise that involves going outside. I’m not a natural runner, finding it a laborious and not enjoyable past time, however that said I feel my writing improves if I get regular exercise. When it’s dark at four in the afternoon I’m even less inclined to go out. I went yesterday morning but it was a woeful attempt. The advantage is that I get lots of stuff done, and so plenty of press releases for ‘The Missing’ have gone out and ‘Juvie’ is getting its rewrites done.

The Missing is now available from Blackwell’s.

Over at Forbidden Planet they have an interesting link to interviews with Joe Sacco and Eddie Campbell.

Plus Kate Griffin has some very sane and sensible things to say about the Protection of Children Act 1999.

The Missing - Available now.

Well I was going to do a piece today in reply to an article I read in the Guardian about Waterstone's and the problem it has around the changing book landscape. Many moons ago, whilst trying to make ends meet at university and for a short period afterwards, I worked for Waterstone's as a book seller. I enjoyed it, and even though the pay was crap, just being around books all day and many like minded people was a joy. That said, the store went through many changes whilst I was there and you were always under the threat of closure as new stores moved into the area and year on year the book buying public dwindled.

Waterstone's needs to change, it needs to stay vibrant but it also needs to stay close to modern advances in technology. Things are going to change but the desire to buy good quality hard back editions of books won't go away completely, but people will want digital and audio versions of those same books.

Anyway I could go on about that but it seems I should really mention that 'The Missing' has now appeared on Amazon for pre-order at the not unreasonable price of £8.99 a copy.

Please feel free to order a copy and if you want to me to sign or inscribe it, contact me and I'll be happy to do so.

I will be having a opening night for the book somewhere in Edinburgh probably in December or early January. I'll let you know the dates as soon as possible.

Also if any one reading this posts reviews for magazines or websites again contact me and I'll sort out review copies.

I don't really know what else to say about it. I'm happy that it's here, but it's taken far too long and I'm already on to new things and ideas. Writing and publishing seems to be like keeping several balls in the air at the same time, you have the work you're currently writing in one hand and work that makes it to print (often several months or years after you've finished it) in the other. Strange and dislocating.

Below is the blurb from the back of the book.

A girl vanishes from a crowded shop.

A wife awaits a husband who will never arrive.

Parents mourn a daughter who never existed.

They are the missing, lost souls, the disappeared.

Nick Stuart wakes to find his girlfriend gone, not just from his bed but from the minds and memories of friends and family. Convinced he is to blame for her disappearance he seeks help but all evidence of her existence has been wiped away. Has she left him, or is something more sinister at work? What happened the night she vanished? And who is the man with eyes that burn like a desert?

The police have their own worries as the heat wave builds and turns the city into a melting pot of violence and frustration, all brought to a head by the mysterious 'Missing Man', who snatches woman from the streets leaving no clues.

As they investigate the two cases become linked, but who is behind the crime - a man, a monster or a myth?

Copulating woodland creatures

Been working my way through the new novel ‘Juvie’. I’ve about finished the second draft but still need to add in a couple of ideas I had whilst writing it and was too far on to go back. After that I’ll have a short break before printing it off and having a read through before the third rewrite.

I’ve heard that ‘The Missing’ is at the printers but still have no confirmed date for its release. I’m hoping before Christmas, but you never know with the publishers.

'the small print' has sold 900 copies and you can now buy it online. If you haven't already got a copy please get one as all the money goes to charity. You can order it from www.thesmallprint.com

Things to look at this week include:

Issuu is place where artists and authors publish all sorts of works from magazines to comics, to piece of art to short stories many completely free. This is something I’m interested in as I find the modern way of publishing might well be on its last legs. I don’t think we’ll stop buying printed material but the old fashioned publisher trying to sell his books to a few chain stores and then paying for advertising just can’t carry on. Publishing is coming back to the masses. Anyway have a look around and tell me if you see anything interesting.

An article about how a lot of literary authors write a novel. Some strange ideas out there but I guess you find what works best for you.

And another about how comic books are not just for geeks. As if you didn’t know already. this article refers to COMICA: The London International Comics Festival which sounds brilliant and I wish I was going to.

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The new Terry Pratchett is a Discworld novel that starts as if it’s been written by someone else. All the usual tropes are present, but it feels as if its been filtered through muslin or else it’s an echo of Pratchett. The reason for this is that he dictated large chunks of the novel and an assistant wrote them up. However once ‘Unseen Academicals’ gets going the whole thing settles down and the work becomes pure Pratchett.

Like all his later works this deals with big themes and its only tokenistically about football delving as it does into a discussion of sexism and racism. The novel introduces several new characters and sets its self up for a return to below stairs at Unseen University.

‘Tales from Outer Suburbia’ is a lovely book by Shaun Tan. Like his other works these fall into books for both adults and children alike with the most wonderful strange art work. This is a book of short stories with tales about strange stick creatures, a visit to the end of the world and a visiting marine mammal things are always strange yet never sinister in this great book.

A new work by Bryan Talbot is always worth a read and ‘Grandville’ is no exception. I mean it’s steampunk with badgers - you can’t ask for better than that. Part Sherlock Holmes, part Rupert the Bear and a dash of Tarantino, Talbot introduces us to Detective Inspector LeBrock of Scotland Yard. Brilliant art work, great dialogues and copulating woodland creatures. Brilliant.

Harvey Pekar can be a bit depressing. He obsesses about everything and worries too much. He’s kind of a working man’s Woody Allen however rather than films his anxiety Harvey turns them into comic art and has produced ‘American Splendor’ for about as long as I’ve been alive. The art work is by several different artist including Crumb, but the voice is always Pekar’s as complain and kvetches about life.

Finally, we have the new children’s book by John Connolly of Charlie Parker fame. ‘The Gates’ is about science and myth and religion all running into one. CERN have accidently allowed a demon to open up a portal in a small English town so that she can bring about the end of the world. Unfortunately she has aroused the suspicion of young Samuel Johnson and his dog, Boswell. Explaining the science as he goes along this is a comedy in the vain of Pratchet with many asides and explanations of scientific principles. When it’s good it’s hilarious, the best character being the put upon demon Nurd, but not all the jokes work.

Read this week:

Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett

Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan

Grandville by Bryan Talbot

Best of American Splendor by Harvey Pekar

The Gates by John Connolly

Why the new blog layout?

All shall be revealed soon.

In the meantime here is a link to keep you entertained. A new book released based on the Woody Allen comic strip drawn by Stuart Hample.

Out for lunch

I’ve just had several intensive writing days so that I can get the bulk of the second draft of ‘Juvie’ written. That’s now about three quarters done and I hope to have it complete by the end of next week. At the same time I’ve been enjoying some glorious Edinburgh autumnal weather and eating many nice lunches in the bars round and about town.

I went over to the Botanical Gardens yesterday as the weather was so fine and took some photos, and hope to see the Spain exhibition on at The Mound later today.

I’ve also been catching up on some reading:

‘Dark Entries’ is Ian Rankin’s first attempt at a graphic novel and he decided (perhaps unwisely) to write a John Constantine story. It’s not bad, it’s just not anything amazing. the story is a little predicatable, Constantine doesn’t feel like the John I know and love and the art work by Werther Dell’Edera doesn’t help.

I do however like the format it’s be printed in. Standard book size (about half the size of a graphic novel) with a good hard back cover, though the printed paper inside is a little cheap feeling.

‘All His Engines’ by Mike Carey however is much better, in fact it’s probably one of the best Constantine’s I’ve read. The story is gripping and sinister, the characters are well created and the art work by Leonardo Manco is thrilling and vivid. John in LA is a fish out of water but this highlights his Britishness as he takes on demons and old death Gods. Worth reading and a good starting place if you’ve never read any before.

‘American Jesus’ is a new work by Mark Millar, the l’enfant terrible of comics who’s work seems to be in the ascendency at the moment. I imagine this book causes all sort of issues in those of a slight religious bent, but in truth its a book about being a kid, growing up and taking responsibility for your actions. The artwork by Peter Gross is simple, reminding me of children’s books with its pale colour work.

A good work that no doubt be controversial. I’ll be interested to see them make this one into a movie and who would supply the funding.

‘The Adventures of Jimmy Corrigan - The Smartest Kid on Earth’ is a simply told tale of loneliness and your place in a family. At first the character just comes across as pitiful, but he grows on you until eventually you hope that everything turns out right for the sad Jimmy, with his overbearing mother, new found father and lack of a love life. The art work is brilliantly rendered, like pop art in miniature. A great heartfelt book.

Read this week:

‘Dark Entries’ by Ian Rankin

‘All His Engines’ by Mike Carey

‘American Jesus’ by Mark Millar

‘The Adventures of Jimmy Corrigan - The Smartest Kid on Earth’ by F. C. Ware

Coming soon to an interweb near you...

I’ve been working away at the second draft of my new novel which I can announce here. The book is called ‘Juvie’ and is set fifteen seconds into the future, that is just slightly ahead of time now. Set in Greenville, a town in the middle of the grass desert that could be the US or else a town in Europe, the novel follows Ben, a teenager who has decided to stop taking his inhibitors. The world around Ben is antagonistic too children and juveniles alike, treating them with outright hostility and ensuring that they are constantly watched and monitored after ‘the incident.’

The book is about paranoia, surveillance culture, Big Brother and the Mothering State, how we’re fearful of those who differ from us, are younger than us, think in different ways to us.

I hope to have the second draft done by Christmas with another rewrite early next year.

‘The Missing’ has had it’s cover approved and I’m now awaiting the proof copy for one last read through. The publisher’s claim it will be out for Christmas - so fingers crossed. I’ve got a website going live very shortly adamjshardlow.co.uk will be the place to find out about my work and also the new home for this blog. I’ll let you known when it’s live.

'the small print' also has a blog.

Right back to work, but before that here are a few things to keep you busy:

A great little story in pictures by the very talented Shaun Tan is available at The Guardian.

The Mannahatta Project is cool interact map showing what parts of Manhattan looked like in 1609.

A new blog by a friend of mine. He’s managed the sum total of one update so far but I’m sure he’ll add another. He is a little angry with life. Stay away if you don’t like swearing.

The website for artist Vincent Chong

And an interview with John Jarrold which is very perceptive and informative.

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Warren Ellis is well known for his comic books, but his single novel should be hunted out as well. Crooked Little Vein is a pastiche crime novel, part Raymond Chandler, all Warren Ellis. It’s laugh out loud funny and shocking and perverted (in only the best sense) and clever.

A burned out PI Michael McGill lands a case for the American Presidents heroin addicted Chief of staff to search out a lost part of the Constitution. This leads to a nightmare road trip across the US in the company of a nymphomaniac into the darkest underbelly of alternative sexual deviance.

Did I mention it was funny?

Warren Ellis (not to be confused with the musician) is a definite favourite of mine. You can read his daily updated website here. He’s a little misanthropic, but below the gruff exterior I have first hand knowledge that he’s a very nice man deep down (I won’t say what it is to protect his cover).

Read this week:

Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis

Cover Design

The draft version of the cover for 'The Missing' has arrived. No one has said I can't so I'm sure it's okay to share it with you:

I like what they have done. The colours, deep red and yellow, represent the fact that the story is set in the middle of a heat wave. The urban setting is obvious and even though the warehouse does look a little American, it also looks like the big old warehouses in Nottingham's Lace Market area (the location of the book). The font for the title I think really works and the black band helps my name stand out. I also like the fact it's a wrap around cover.

There are to be a few changes, a tag line is to be added to the top of the front cover which I think will read "They are the missing, lost souls, the disappeared," and the blurb on the back is to be tidied up. My name will also be up-cased as this seems to the be main format on most novels today.

I'll post the finished cover when it arrive but in the meantime let me know what you think.

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Midnight Days is a series of Neil Gaiman's early works for Vertigo collected together. It shows how he matured as an author and comic book writer. The Hellblazer short 'Hold Me', is brilliant, a slow burning, grimy story set in an acid lit London tower block. It's stark and simple and wonderfully drawn by Dave McKean.

Other stories are less easy to enjoy mainly because they are read out of context. The first two are both based on the 'Swamp Thing' mythos and require you to have some understanding of what has happened to the character previously, whilst the Sandman story is a little long winded but has a great pay off.

An enjoyable collection if only to show how Neil Gaiman has gained in competence and style.

Read this week:

Midnight Days by Neil Gaiman.

Normal Service is Resumed

Everything was all very exciting there for a moment, what with festival events, short stories being published, readings, seeing Neil Gaiman (three times), late night meals and friends in bars.

But now it's all back to normal.

I've picked up the new novel again, which definitely needs a name change, but ideas are coming in thick and fast. 'DarkFather' is with another publisher and 'The Missing' is still in limbo awaiting art work.

Copies of 'the small print' are still available. Let me know if you want one.

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Interesting article in the Arcitects Journal on comic book cities.

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China Mieville is one of my favourite authors. He's hard work but very rewarding with complex narrative, ideas and structure weaving through his varied and genre bending works. 'The City and the City', is probably his most demanding works so far. Written as a thriller and set in two fictional East European cities it deals with a murder that needs investigating. These two cities have history and a partition is in place for they exist in the same geographical space.

The book is a deliberation on the duality of perception, how people see the same things differently and Kafkaesque confusion. A brilliant book.

Batman Black and White is collection of short comic book stories by a who's who of writers and artists. Some of the stories work, like the sombre 'Perpetual Mourning' by Ted McKeever and Gaiman's 'A Black and White World' and others don't, like the rather staid story 'The Hunt' by Joe Kubert. The best thing however is the art work. Monochrome with many different interpretations of the Dark Knight.

'Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom, is the second book I've read by Cory Doctorow on my iphone as he gives his work away for free under a creative commons license. Some of his work I buy in print if I like them (such as the brilliant Little Brother) other I don't. Down and Out is one I won't buy. It's good, I found the concept and ideas of a world where no one dies and people live in the thrall of getting online support from friends (think Facebook) and strangers very good. It just didn't work for an entire novel.

Likewise Craphound, which is a free online comic based on one of Doctorow's short stories. It's not bad, but it doesn't really go anywhere and the art I found just a little simplistic with jumps in the flow which didn't make sense.

Read this week:

The City and the City by China Mieville

Batman: Black & White by Various

Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow

Craphound by Cory Doctorow

Underword - Edinburgh Fringe 2009

A few photos from last nights event, which went very well. I didn't mess up or make too much of a fool of myself. We had a good turn out of about 200 people which helped to buoy the enthusiasm and applause.

Other writers from 'the small print', included Gareth Lee...

... and Mike Smith.

'The Small Print' is here

Just a quick note to say that 'the small print' is here. It has covers and pages, two short stories and a poem by me, more goodies by other authors and a brilliant introduction by Alan Campbell:

If you want a copy it costs £5.00 plus P&P with at least £3.75 going to The British Heart Foundation. Drop me an email and I'll ensure one gets posted out to you (it's a limited run, so be quick).

One wedding and a Funeral

Life has a nasty habit of sneaking up and punching you in the ear when you least expect it. It’s sneaky, and just when you think you’ve made friends, it decides to get ugly. We had a wedding to go to this weekend in Dunblane and were looking forward to the weekend, but Monday my wife’s Grandfather passed away so we ended up making a long detour across the border into England to Leicestershire for the funeral (which was sombre and respectful).

We’re now back in the very wet capital and need to go catch a train in a few minutes.

Therefore I’ve not done much on the book this week and will pick it with gusto from Monday.

It’s also my Mum’s birthday today - so Happy Birthday. Hope you are enjoying Barga.

A quick reminder that you can see me this week at Underword, where I shall be reading part of ‘Heart of Glass’ which is now available to purchase in a copy of ‘the small print,’ (send me an email if you want a copy).

Details are below:

Wednesday 19th August, 7.50pm–8.40pm

Fingers Piano Bar, Frederick Street

Admission is free so if you’re in Edinburgh come along and give me your support. I’m going to need it.

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I’m a comic book fan, always have been, but I like a certain type of comic book. I like dark and angst-ey, UK or European settings, where points are made and arguments examined. I’m not too big on the pants over tights superhero comics (apart from Batman, who I don’t think is a superhero - an argument for another day), so I have to say that All Star Superman left me cold.

People told me it was brilliant and that this would change my mind, but it didn’t, not really. I like the art work by the great Frank Quitely, but I found the story lumpen and slow and Superman is just kind of annoying. Sorry - I tried.

Read this week:

All Star Superman vol. 1 by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely

All Star Superman vol. 2 by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely

For one night only

I’ve been away to Bristol for the weekend having a very nice wedding anniversary rest and recuperation holiday that involved much food and wine but also a trip to see the Banksy exhibition 'Banksy vs the Bristol Museum', which was better than I anticipated after queuing for nearly three hours to get inside. His art is cool and funny and clever and poignant, some works only fall under one of these adjectives but others take into account more if not all of them at the same time. I’ll add some photos to my flicker stream which can be seen here.

Last week was busy as I went to see a couple of authors both with new books out. First was John Connolly, who was full of energy and eager to regale stories from his trip to New York talking to men who were cops during the late 70s. Having read the new parker novel you appreciate the amount of work and research that John puts into his books. You can read my review below.

Me and John Connolly

The second author was to meet with Alan Campbell who’s third volume from the Deepgate Codex: God of Clocks is out in hardback. Alan is of course the writer of the introduction in the small print and on the back of our meeting I now have a small performance spot at this years Fringe Festival.

I’m joining other writers as part of Underword on their ‘newbie’ night. Details are below:

Wednesday 19th August, 7.50pm–8.40pm

Fingers Piano Bar, Frederick Street

Admission is free so if you’re in Edinburgh come along and give me your support. I’m going to need it.

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The Strain is the teaming up of Guillermo Del Toro (director of such films as Pan’s Labyrinth and the Hellboy franchise) and Chuck Hogan. Now Del Toro is one of the most prolific directors in the cinema today and I can't imagine he has much time to sit down and write a best seller, therefore I conclude that the ideas are his and in truth Hogan wrote the book.

It’s not bad, a retelling of the Dracula myth but set in modern day New York. It feels very much like a modern American TV show, a sort of 24 or else Heroes format. The story really picks up near the end but as this is part of a trilogy it doesn’t end very satisfactorily. The vampires are interesting, giving a new twist to the idea and staying far away from cool Goth types with tonnes of sex appeal.

The new Charlie Parker novel is brilliant. Stop reading this review and go and buy it. Go on, get it now! Oh all right - The Lovers sees Parker trying to get to the bottom of his family life. Why did his father kill two innocent teenagers and then take his own life? What happened on that fateful night? Why will no one talk about it? Parker travels back to New York to visit his father’s old friends and something is waiting for him, something old and nasty.

The books are getting darker and moving ever closer to a natural conclusion. I feel that Connolly is taking the reader somewhere and that somewhere is going to be a very dark, very bad place. The supernatural elements are also increasing as Parker delves deeper into the honeycomb world that exists around us. The writing as ever is fluid and fast paced, the characters are well rounded and mature and the ideas are frightening. A great book from a continually improving author. Thanks for this book John.

Read this week:

The Strain by Guillermo Del Torro and Chuck Hogan

The Lovers by John Connolly

Who is the nun in the mask and what is everyone hiding?

I’ve been working with the editorial team to get the last of the changes made before ‘the small print’, is sent off to the printers. Alan Campbell has kindly supplied the intro and the book will be on sale at the Edinburgh Book Festival 2009 as well as being sold on the street during the Fringe.

An open night has been planned at The Mound for late August. I’ll let you know dates when I get them.

This week I get to see John Connolly and Alan at Waterstones. I’ll do a write up for this blog later in the week.

A new short story of mine, ‘Pastoral Effect’, has also been released in New Horizons. Get it whilst stocks last.

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Ronin has been claimed by many to be Miller’s greatest work. I’m not so sure. I like it and the story and visuals are interesting but it just doesn’t hold my attention as much as his Sin City books. It tells the story of a 13th century samurai who is born into the future to resume his age-old battle with a daemon. The art work is a little understated for my liking and the story leaves more questions hanging in the air than it settles. It’s good, but not brilliant.

The Ninth Circle obviously refers to Dante’s version of hell, and in this novel by first time author Alex Bell (female not male), the lead character finds himself pulled towards this final circle. Waking in a flat in Budepest with concussion Gabriel Antaeus finds himself battling daemons and talking to angels as he tries to work out who he is and where he came from. It’s a good idea but I found the narrator somewhat infuriating plus he makes some leaps of deduction that don’t make sense (he realises early on he’s speaking English to himself. How? Surely any first language makes sense to you when you’re thinking in your own head. How do you know what language you think in?).

Fell Vol. 1. by that gruff exterior (but I secretly believe him to be rather nice), hard drinking comic genius Warren Ellis is brilliant. Detective Richard Fell finds himself banished to Snowtown (part London, part New York) from the more affluent city across the waters. Here he starts about rehabilitating himself whilst taking down the criminals of this strange and dark city. Who is the nun in the mask and what is everyone hiding? Who knows, but it’s fun guessing. Ellis is working on more Fell stories and I can’t wait.

The Prisoner of Zenda is a Ruritanian Romance novel, a series of books that were popular in the 1890s. The book focuses on an idle English gentleman who visits the eastern European country of Ruritania and just happens to resemble the king. Thrust into a deadly plot where he must impersonate the monarch the book is a roaring adventure that feels very dated today. It also has some laugh out loud statements about women that would have your local feminist up in arms.

Read this week:

Fell: Volume 1 Feral City by Warren Ellis and Ben Templesmith

The Ninth Circle by Alex Bell

Ronin by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley

The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope

Refreshed and relaxed.

Back from my holiday to find...nothing much has changed. There are still deep issues in Iran, the British economy is still punch drunk, the weather in Edinburgh is still grey and I still don’t have a firm date for the release of ‘The Missing.’ Being out in Marrakech I made sure I stayed away from the internet, in the desert I couldn’t get anything. No phone signal, no wifi, no electricity. In these instances I always expect something momentous to happen whilst I’m hidden from the world. I always think I’m going to get back to the UK and be asked, ‘have you heard the news?’, but it never happens. Even Michael Jackson waited until I returned.

So now I’m rested and ready for action. The holiday was excellent. We stayed at The Riad Dar One, run by a very nice French man and his two very large dogs. The hotel catered for our every need as well as providing us with a room on the top floor terrace that gave a view over the city.

In the desert we stayed at La Pause, which was both luxurious and primitive at the same time. With great views of the desert, this is the only time I’ve been able to use the term ‘an oasis of calm,’ in its truest form.

The people of Marrakech are friendly, the food was wonderful and the sun, very, very hot.

So now back to life and writing and trying to make some sort of career out of my humble works.

I'll put more photos up on my Flickr! stream.

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I did a lot of reading whilst away and tried to get through a small chunk of the books that have grown next to my desk.

Already Dead is the first Joe Pitt novel from Charlie Huston. It’s a fast simply plotted book, part film noir, part horror. Pitt is, as the book title tells you, already dead; but he’s returned as a private eye for hire in a New York City split by vampire clan loyalty. It’s fast and furious and great fun to read, with some excellent lines. I will certainly be reading the rest of the series.

A Madness of Angels is Kate Griffin’s (better known as Catherine Webb) first book for adults. A bit slow to start but it builds into a wonderful urban fantasy. Griffin has created a magic which runs off the power, vitality and electricity of London city, with magicians becoming part of the urban experience. Unlike much of Urban Fantasy, which just plonks a magical story into a modern setting, Griffin has interwoven her novel with a modern essence completely dependent on urbanity and the interconnectivity of the modern world. The book riffs off Neverwhere, but it is its own work and one worth praising.

Carey’s ‘Thicker Than Water’, is the fourth in the Felix Castor series following the London freelance exorcist. As usual Felix is in hot water with everyone, but this time the world that Carey has created is changed as something new enters the fray, something which will make Felix judge what the return of the dead is all about. The novel doesn’t so much end but open up the saga for the next novel. Another good read.

MPD - Psycho Vol. 1 is the first in an ongoing Manga series that lead to a film in its native Japan. It follows Yousuke Kobayashi, a man suffering from multiple personality disorders, framed for a murder he is unsure he committed and now out of prison and joined to a ‘special’ police unit hunting dangerous serial killers. It’s brutal, perverse, gory and as with most Manga, slightly confusing as to what is happening, but at the same time contains brilliant off kilter ideas.

Read this week:

Already Dead by Charlie Hutson

A Madness of Angels by Kate Griffin

Thicker Than Water by Mike Carey

MPD - Psycho by Tajima and Otsuka