Many readers followed my progress on Blood Red Dust, so I've decided to run a similar series of short blogs for the second book in the series. The new book is underway. I have a small core of characters, some of whom readers met in Blood Red Dust, and others new to the series. The …
Continue reading Progress on the WIP: SciFi in the Making.
This collection of letters written by an American novelist to her family and friends whilst living in Hull, England, during 1999/2000, is, essentially, a very personal book. Having said that, it’s also a book for everyone interested in the cultures, habits and attitudes of both nations. I came across it via Facebook; one of my …
Continue reading Letters From Hull, by Linda Swift, Reviewed.
A book launch, where we sold out of the publisher’s stock! A meeting with Royd Tolkien and lots of other authors. A gathering of enthusiastic and generous people at an event celebrating science fiction, fantasy and gaming. Plus: Visits to relatives and friends in various locations. Visits to Family Research Centres to gather facts for …
Continue reading Fantasticon 2016 and Other Treats
What better place to launch a new science fiction novel than a convention devoted to scifi and fantasy? Well, today (19th November) I’m here at Fantasticon 2016, in Hull, signing copies of my latest book, Blood Red Dust. Set on Mars before the end of this century, it follows the lives of a set of …
Continue reading Today’s Definitely The Day!
From Glen Donaldson on Goodreads: Enjoyed? I positively feasted on this book! It opened a door to a behive-world of thoughty concepts and high-res imagination the likes of which I have rarely seen. The 'frolicksome' character of Jannine deserved a book all on her own! You really have dynamited the vault and poured out the …
Continue reading Blood Red Dust Gains Great Reviews on Goodreads and Amazon.
Launched at the brilliant Fantasticon 2016 in Hull on Saturday 19/Sunday 20 November is my latest science fiction novel, Blood Red Dust. (Tickets here) If you can make it to Hull and pop in, I’d be delighted to sign a copy for you. If you can’t be there, you can still obtain a copy in …
Continue reading Blood Red Dust to Launch 19 November at Fantasticon 2016!
Subtitled, ‘The Story of Muhammad’, this scholarly and meticulously researched book provides answers to many common questions about the Islamic prophet. As an agnostic (It’s impossible for humanity ever to truly ‘know’ whether God exists or not, since such a power must, by definition, be far beyond our comprehension) I have an interest in the …
Continue reading The First Muslim, by Lesley Hazleton, Reviewed.
https://read.amazon.co.uk/kp/card?asin=B01M6A07BE&preview=inline&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_ERalAbGW2P26R&tag=stuartaken-21 A scary collection of thirty-two horror shorts, every one of them exactly 666 words long! These Fantables were mostly the result of a contest run by the publisher, Fantastic books Publishing, but include some tales by selected invited professional writers. The stories run the whole spectrum of horror writing from the traditional through to …
Continue reading 666, An Anthology of Horror Shorts, Reviewed.
My latest science fiction novel, Blood Red Dust, is now available as an ebook as well. You can get a copy by clicking here to buy from Amazon. The paperback version was mentioned in a previous post. As readers of my blog, you get to know about the new book before the official launch. That’s …
Continue reading SciFi Made: Now Available in All Formats!
There are stories from much of the world here, though the bulk concern East Asia, Australia and South America. The author uses simple everyday language to convey his adventures in often exotic locations. The style is easy and peppered with humour, humanity and the occasional caution. This is travel on a budget, so we’re treated …
Continue reading Around the World in 80 Tales, by Dave Tomlinson, Reviewed.
Fantasy merges with scholarship under the masterful guidance of real, original imagination. This book will be pigeonholed as fantasy, paranormal, science fiction, romance, crime, historical and erotic. It is all and none of these: it is something much bigger and better. Playing with time, power, culture and wealth, this novel is at heart a love …
Continue reading Chopin’s Ghost, by Cary Marc Grossman, Reviewed.
Fantasy with a difference, this novel, set in a world of witchcraft, is remarkable for its language and surprising use of logic. The story is told through the first person point of view of an aspirant witch caught up in a civil war among her sisters. There is the usual fantasy ingredient, essential to my …
Continue reading The War of the First Day, by Thomas Fleet, Reviewed.
My old Kindle expired a while back. I replaced the experience with my iPad, but that entails reading from a backlit screen, which isn’t comfortable over long periods, and it’s pretty poor in bright sunshine. So, I took the plunge, removed the padlock from my wallet, and shelled out for a new eReader. Whilst I …
Continue reading My New Kindle has Arrived!
I have never read anything like this. Now, there’s a statement. But what does it mean? This book is subtitled, ‘a portfolio’ and that’s a good description of the range of contents. First, let me advise potential readers that this is material for adults. Those who seek gentle reassurance in romance and the sweet murmurings …
Continue reading The Red Room, by Joan Barbara Simon, Reviewed.
I’m cautious about reviewing poetry: it’s an esoteric art form with echoes of the world of the contemporary arts. In other words, a field full of the pretentious attempting to bamboozle the unwary, and too often succeeding. It differs from the world of visual art in the amount of cash thrown at it, of course, …
Continue reading Navigating Nightmare Ecstasy, by The Junk Talk Poet, Reviewed.
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Antidote to the Novel
Stuart Aken 