Month: Jul 2015

The Demon King, by Cinda Williams Chima, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Fiction, ReviewLeave a comment

This story sits well within the sub-genre of magical fantasy. There are the wizards and amulets, thieves, hill-folk, princesses and queens associated with the genre. The tale is well told, with plenty of action and a good deal of well-handled romance in the various relationships. For me, however, it is a little formulaic and reminded …

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Running for ME/CFS no. 43

On By stuartakenIn Author, charity, Fundraising, ME/CFS, Progress, Running1 Comment

A little late this week with this one. My apologies; other things on my mind. The programme for last week was: Wednesday, 6 sessions of 3-minute runs alternating with 2-minute walks; Friday, 5-mile run/walk with alternating 2-minute runs and 1-minute walks; Sunday, 30-minute brisk walk. Wednesday, I set out to do the session along my …

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A Renewed Regime.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, charity, Creative Writer, Fiction, ME/CFS, Organisation, Progress5 Comments

Way back in 2014, that's last year in case you're not sure, I was writing fairly regularly and working on a couple of projects. But, in the middle of that year, we made a momentous decision: we would move house from our domain of 14 years and settle in an area of the country where …

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Running for ME/CFS no. 42

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, charity, Fundraising, ME/CFS, Progress, Running5 Comments

This week asked for a Wednesday session of 6 times 3-minute runs alternating with 2-minute walks. However, after the last fortnight's issues, I decided to do a straight 20-minute run initially, to get back into some sort of pattern. That turned out to be no problem and I actually covered a little more ground than …

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Slam, by Nick Hornby, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Review1 Comment

Much to the probable annoyance of nearby sun-lounger occupiers, I read this on holiday by the pool. Annoyance? Yes; the book had me laughing out loud with its wit. This very funny and often moving story is told through the voice of boy growing from near 16 to 18 years old. He becomes embroiled in …

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The Prey, by Andrew Fukuda, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Review1 Comment

This science fiction novel was found in the small library of the hotel where I holidayed on the Greek Island of Thassos. Although this is the middle book of a trilogy, it stands quite well on its own. The depictions of both a world strangled by the genetic mistake of a fanatic and a sub-society …

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Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Review2 Comments

Discovered in the small hotel library whilst holidaying on the Greek island of Thassos, this book was one I'd always intended to read. I'm glad I did. It's an imaginative, moving and subtly horrifying romance about organ donation based on the use of clones. Told in 1st person by Kath H, it begins by recounting …

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Sapiens, by Yuval Noah Harari, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Review4 Comments

Subtitled, 'A Brief History of Humankind', 'Sapiens' is a work of extraordinary scholarship presented in very readable form. There's a great deal of humour here, carrying the message. The whole text is readily accessible without any dumbing down. Thought-provoking, mind-enhancing, terrifying, encouraging and illuminating, this piece of work encompasses many disciplines. It examines human endeavour …

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Returning to the World of Technology

On By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Organisation, Progress8 Comments

On 25th June I wrote a longish post on the way technology seems to have taken the role of master instead of the servant it was intended to be. You can find that post by clicking here. This is the follow-up post I promised then. How did I manage without an online presence, without the …

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Where There’s Smoke, by Penny Grubb, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Review3 Comments

This great crime tale in the P.I. Annie Raymond series see the detective back in Hull, working with people she'd much rather forget. As with all Penny Grubb's fiction, there is much more going on than meets the eye at first. Annie is at once suspicious, as she is sent back to her old tramping …

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