Reading

Reading has been an integral part of my life for as long as I can remember.

Reading is important. Not just as a practical skill, but as a way of broadening horizons and exercising the imagination. It's also enjoyable. To anyone who says that they never read for pleasure because they don't like reading, I say that you simply haven't found the right thing to read. That's why I think it's so important for kids to be introduced to a wide variety of reading material – so that they have the opportunity to discover what interests and inspires them.

It's a sad fact of life that many people stop reading for pleasure as they get older... as their lives become busier and more complex. And it is true that I don't read as much or as often as I did when I was a kid. But I do still read. And I can't imagine reaching a stage in life where reading was not important enough to find time for.

What do I read? All sorts of different stuff. I have an interest in science fiction and fantasy, so a lot of what I read falls within the boundaries of these genres. I read lots of books aimed at kids and teenagers... not just because I write this sort of stuff, but because I've never completely grown up. If you're interested in seeing what I've been reading, here's a list.

2008

Dinosaur Encyclopedia, Caroline Bingham (Dorling Kindersley Limited, London, 2007)
A good kids' intro to dinosaurs. Read this one for research.

Dragon Dawn, Carole Wilkinson (Black Dog Books, Vic, 2007)
Prequel to the Dragon Keeper trilogy. Shorter than the other books, but just as engaging.

The Well of Lost Plots, Jasper Fforde (Hodder and Stoughton, Great Britain, 2003)
This is the third book in the Thursday Next series about a literary detective who enters books. Best one so far. The series just keeps getting more bizarre as it progresses.

Big and Me, by David Miller (Ford Street Publishing, Melbourne, 2008)
Thought-provoking, picture book dealing with the topic of a child living with an adult suffering from mental illness. Beautifully illustrated with photos of paper sculptures.

D*U*C*K, Poppy Z Brite (Subterranean Press, USA, 2006)
Fifth book in the continuing adventures of chefs Ricky and G-Man in the restaurants of New Orleans. A little thinner on plot than past installments, but still a good read.

Aurealis #38/39, (Chimaera Publications, Melbourne, 2007)
Jam-packed double issue of the always good, science fiction, short story mag. Highlights: "Champagne and Ice" by Cat Sparks and "What Goes Around" by Stephen Dedman.

Larklight, by Philip Reeve, with illustrations by David Wyatt (Bloomsbury Publishing, London, 2007)
Sequel to Larklight. Completely FAB kids steam-punk novel. Go read it!

GROW: Under the Southern Cross, edited by Lyn Hurry and Anne Hamilton (Writerlynks Grow, Qld, 2008)
Anthology of stories and poems for children and young teens. Hightlight: "Just Living" by Anna Beth McCormack.

Crossing the Line, by Dianne Bates (Ford Street Publishing, Melbourne, 2008)
Thought-provoking, insightful, disturbing, engrossing and ultimately sympathetic YA novel about a teenaged girl coping with depression and obsession.

The Ice-cream Man, by Jenny Mounfield (Ford Street Publishing, Melbourne, 2008)
Creepy, YA psychological thriller. A cut above the average due to excellent characterisations.

Winnie-the-Pooh (80th Anniversary Edition), by AA Milne, with illustrations by EH Shepard (Egmont, London, 2006) (originally published by Methuen & Co Ltd, Great Britain, 1926)
An absolute classic. I read it to my 5-year-old daughter and we both loved it. Lots of big words, long sentences and complex situations, so I needed to stop reading every now and then to explain things... which actually added to the experience.

Larklight, by Philip Reeve, with illustrations by David Wyatt (Bloomsbury Publishing, London, 2006)
Thoroughly engaging and charming kids' science fiction novel, set in an alternative 1851, where the British Empire has spread out into the solar system. Loved it!

Wardragon (Book 4 of The Jelindel Chronicles), by Paul Collins (Ford Street Publishing, Melbourne, 2008)
YA fantasy. Final installment of the series... and a good conclusion it is. Quite different from in predecessors, as it isn't about a quest.

Dragonsight (Book 3 of The Jelindel Chronicles), by Paul Collins (Penguin Books, Australia, 2005)
YA quest fantasy. Although part of a series, it is a complete novel in its own right. Worth a read.

Aurealis #37, (Chimaera Publications, Melbourne, 2006)
A science fiction, short story mag. A good issue. Highlights: Rjurik Davidson's "Domine".

Doctor Who. Short Trips: Defining Patterns, edited by Ian Farrington (Big Finish Productions, England, 2005)
Short story collection based around the TV series Doctor Who. Don't bother unless you're a fan - it's full of references and characters that only a die-hard fan would get. As with previous anthologies I've read in this series, it's a mixed bag. Unlike other anthologies in this series, this one has a story by Me. Highlights were "Closing the Account" by Stephen Hatcher and "The Book of My Life" by Ian Mond.

The Equen Queen (Book 2 of Quentaris, Quest of the Lost City), Alyssa Brugman (Ford Street Publishing, Melbourne, 2008)
The Quentaris Chronicles are a series of shared-universe, stand-alone novels for kids, set in the magical city of Quentaris. This is the second book in the new set of Quentaris novels. This one actually continues the adventures of characters introduced in the first book. A good read.

Dragonfang (Book 2 of The Jelindel Chronicles), by Paul Collins (Penguin Books, Australia, 2004)
I read book 1 years ago and really enjoyed it. Given that the fourth and final book is about the be released, I thought I better get a move on and read this one. A good, solid YA quest fantasy. Although part of a series, it is a complete novel in its own right.

Trust Me!, edited by Paul Collins (Ford Street Publishing, Melbourne, 2008)
Excellent YA anthology with a wide variety of stories, poems and illustrations spanning a range of genres. It's over 400 pages in length and has 50 contributors (including yours truly). Highlights for me were Scot Gardner's "Answers" and Gary Crew's "The Returning Tree". But there were lots of other great stories.

The Workers' Paradise, edited by Russell B Farr and Nick Evans (Ticonderoga Publications, Western Australia, 2007)
A small press Australian speculative fiction anthology inspired by Howard's WorkChoices legislation. It's rather left-wing; it's a cohesive anthology; and it's very good, although a little exhausting. The stand-out story for me was "Magda's Career Choice" by Rowena Cory Daniells.

Lost in a Good Book, Jasper Fforde (Hodder and Stoughton, Great Britain, 2002)
This is the second book in the Thursday Next series about a literary detective who enters books. The bizarre and fascinating world of the first novel is expanded, which takes Next's character into new uncharted areas. I enjoyed this book more than the first. Characterisation and plotting are a lot better. Looking forward to reading the next one.

The Spell of Undoing (Book 1 of Quentaris, Quest of the Lost City), Paul Collins (Ford Street Publishing, Melbourne, 2008)
The Quentaris Chronicles are a series of shared-universe, stand-alone novels for kids, set in the magical city of Quentaris. This is the first book in the new set of Quentaris novels. The parameters have been changed. Quentaris has been ripped from the ground and turned into a floating city, and is now under attack by another floating city. This would have to be my favourite of the Quentaris books so far, and a fab beginning for a new series.

The Truck, Jan Whitaker (unpublished manuscript, 2008)
A YA murder mystery set in 1970s mid-west America. A fascinating set of characters and a really good sense of place define this novel. The novel has been entered in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award and the first few chapters can be read online.

Bridge to Terabitha, Katherine Paterson (Puffin Books, Great Britain, 1980) (originally published in 1978 by Victor Gollancz)
Classic novel for older kids about friendship and grief. I originally read it about 22 years ago, and was prompted to do so again by the recent release of a film based on it. Reading it now, I found it just as moving and emotional as I did the first time around.

The Comical Tragedy or Tragical Comedy of Mr Punch, Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Dave McKean (Bloomsbury, Great Britain, 2006)
An unusual graphic novel about family and childhood memories, all tied up with the performance of Punch and Judy shows. It's rather weird, somewhat melancholy and utterly fascinating.

The Wolves in the Walls, Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Dave McKean (Bloomsbury, Great Britain, 2007) (originally published in 2003 by HaperCollins)
Superb children's book from a brilliant story teller. Genuinely creepy in places, but with a unexpected ending that wipes away all fear.

2007

Soul Kitchen, Poppy Z Brite (Three Rivers Press, New York, 2006)
The latest installment in the continuing adventures of chefs Ricky and G-Man in the restaurants of New Orleans. This time around we have a chef wrongfully convicted of murder, a rich and powerful man up to his eye-balls in shady dealings backing a new restaurant and a doctor who's only too willing to prescribe lots of painkillers. Brite manages to keep things fresh and interesting. Loved it!

Champagne: How the world's most glamorous wine triumphed over war and hard times, Don & Petie Kladstrup (Harper Perennial, New York, 2005)
A lively and interesting history of Champagne. Made me want to drink more of it. :-)

The Word Museum: The most remarkable English words ever forgotten, Jeffrey Kacirk (Touchstone, New York, 2000)
Basically, this is a dictionary of words that have fallen out of use. Fascinating and amusing read.

Allira's Gift (Book One of The World of Grrym), Paul Collins and Danny Willis, with illustrations by Danny Willis (The Five Mile Press, Victoria, 2007)
This is the first book in a new kids' fantasy series. It's an engaging start with lots of well realised characters and exciting adventure. Take note that it finishes on a bit of a cliff-hanger.

The Eyre Affair, Jasper Fforde (Hodder and Stoughton, Great Britain, 2001)
Weird and intriguing book about Thursday Next, a literary detective trying to stop a master criminal from entering the original manuscript of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre and changing the story. The whole thing is set in an alternative universe with many differences from our own world — key amongst them is that the Crimean War is still being waged. Fforde has created a truly bizarre and fascinating world, but seems to have been carried away with his own inventiveness. He gives so much attention to the world, that the plot occasionally suffers and the characters rarely rise above being two-dimensional. Although in some ways disappointing, I enjoyed the book enough to seek out the first of its sequels.

Jacob's Essays, David McLean (unpublished manuscript, 2007)
An English teacher reads the creative essays of one of his students and wonders whether the student is really the author of these stories, which are told from a perspective beyond the young student's years. A very interesting read because of the two perspectives — that of the jaded teacher trying to discover the truth behind the stories; and that of the writer of the stories (who may or may not be Jacob). An unpublished manuscript with heaps of potential. Hopefully it will soon find a publisher.

Pool, Justin D'Ath (Ford Street Publishing, Vic, 2007)
Intriguing, character-based YA novel involving an ordinary teenage boy, a sloping pool with supposed curative powers, a mysterious butterfly and a blind girl who claims to be nocturnal. Well worth a read.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, JK Rowling (Bloomsbury, UK, 2007)
The Harry Potter saga is finished, and this book brings it all to a very satisfying conclusion. It feels strange not having another Harry Potter book to look forward to reading. :-(

cØck: Adventures in Masculinity, edited by Andrew Macrae and Keith Stevenson (Couer de lion, Melbourne, 2007)
A rather disappointing speculative fiction anthology dealing with masculinity. I found most of the stories uninspiring. The only real standout for me was Paul Haines's creepily disturbing "Father Father".

Ripples #9, (Ripples Magazine, July 2007)
I haven't read an issue of this mag since #2. It has improved, but still comes across as somewhat amateurish. Highlight was Simon Petrie's "Carbon Sequestration".

Who Is Snape, Orson Scott Card (http://www.hatrack.com/)
A rather interesting essay on the development of Snape's character in the Harry Potter novels by well-known spec fic author Orson Scott Card. The essay is available on his official website. Worth a read if you're a Harry Potter fan.

Dragon Moon, Carole Wilkinson (Black Dog Books, Vic, 2007)
Third and final book in the Dragon Keeper trilogy. Absolutely BRILLIANT! Read it! Now!

Before the Storm, Sean McMullen (Ford Street Publishing, Vic, 2007)
Hidden behind a cheesy cover is an absolute gem of a book. It's a YA, science fiction, historical story about cadets from the future traveling back to the opening of the first Australian Parliament in 1901, in order to stop a bombing and change history. Excellent plot and brilliantly believable characters.

Shadow Plays, edited by Elise Bunter (Elise Bunter, ACT, 2007)
A small press Australian speculative fiction anthology. This anthology has a really good mix of stories and is definitely my favourite of the anthologies I've been published in. I would normally list one or two stories as highlights... but there are so many good stories in this anthology I simply couldn't narrow it down. Highly recommended!

Fantastic Wonder Stories, edited by Russell B Farr (Ticonderoga Press, Western Australia, 2007)
A small press Australian speculative fiction anthology. It's got some good stuff in it... but also some ordinary stories and some confusing stories as well, and even a story by yours truly. Quite a good read. Highlights were "Soulshaper" by Rowena Cory Daniells, "Luxury Goods" by Robert Hood, and "Arctica" by Cat Sparks.

The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde , Robert Louis Stevenson (Aerie Books Ltd, USA, 1988) (originally published in 1886)
Classic novel exploring the dichotomy of human nature. Not quite what I expected... the first part of the book follows a lawyer's investigations into Mr Hyde's association with Dr Jekyll. We only get Dr Jekyll's story in the last third of the book. Well worth a read.

The Meaning Machine: An introduction to sentence-making for secondary students, I.V. Hansen (The Jacaranda Press, Queensland, 1977)
This is one of my old highschool English textbooks. I refer to it every now and then when I need to clarify something about sentence structure. But recently I decided I could do with a bit of a refresher on the technicalities of writing, so I read it cover-to-cover. It really is an excellent book.

The Quentaris Chronicles: The Plague of Quentaris, Gary Crew (Lothian Books, Melbourne, 2005)
The Quentaris Chronicles are a series of shared-universe, stand-alone novels for kids, set in the magical city of Quentaris. Not one of the better Quentaris outings. It's rather uneven, and doesn't seem to know what age-groups it's being pitched at. Nevertheless is contains some interesting moments and ideas.

The Devil's Footsteps, E.E. Richardson (The Bodley Head, London, 2005)
A kids' horror novel about disappearing children, set in a town where people seem to pretend that the problem doesn't exist. Atmospheric and entertaining, but not brilliant.

The Hiveborn, Paul Collins (Bohemian Ink Publishing, Andover, 2006)
The third book in The Earthborn Wars trilogy. Best of the three.

The Song of Arthur, Robert Leeson (Walker Books, London, 2000)
A retelling of the Arthurian legends from the point of view of a bard named Taliesin. The book has a very "oral history" feel to it. This made it a little hard for me to feel for any of the characters. Despite this, it is still an interesting read.

The Skyborn, Paul Collins (Starscape Books, New York, 2005)
The second book in The Earthborn Wars trilogy. The first one was good, but this one's even better. Exciting, YA SF adventure.

2006

The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, Chris Fuhrman (Pan Macmillan, USA, 1994)
Humorous, poignant and at times disturbing, coming-of-age story. Not at all what I expected... but a very good read nonetheless.

Coraline, Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins, New York, 2002)
Superb children's fantasy novel about a young girl who steps through a doorway into another world.

The Quentaris Chronicles: Slaves of Quentaris, Paul Collins (Lothian Books, Melbourne, 2003)
The Quentaris Chronicles are a series of shared-universe, stand-alone novels for kids, set in the magical city of Quentaris. It took me a while to warm to this one... but once I did, I really enjoyed it.

Eidolon I, Jonathan Straham & Jeremy G Byrne (eds) (Eidolon Books, Western Australia, 2006)
For the most part this is an exceptionally good anthology of science fiction/fantasy stories... but it does contain a couple of very weak stories as well. It's hard to pick a favourite... but I think I'll go for Simon Brown's "Leviathan".

The Bells of Germelshausen, Eleanor Nilsson (After Dark, Thomas C Lothian, Melbourne, 1999)
Atmospheric kids dark fantasy... has a very fairy-tale quality to it.

Angels and Demons, Dan Brown (Transworld Publishers, Great Britain, 2001)
Just as engaging and exciting a read as its sequal, The Da Vinci Code. The ending is a little over-the-top.

George's Marvellous Medicine, Roald Dahl (Puffin Books, London, 2004) (originally published in 1981)
Quirky and imaginative.

Beyond The Dusk, Victor Kelleher (Random House, NSW, 2000)
Dark fantasy, illustrated kids novelette. Quite atmospheric.

Stormbreaker, Anthony Horowitz (Walker Books, London, 2000)
This is the first in the Alex Rider series of kids' spy novels. It's a good edge-of-your-seat thriller, with some interesting, well-realised characters.

The Earthborn, Paul Collins (Starscape Books, New York, 2003)
A good-old-fashioned teen sci-fi adventure. It's the first book in The Earthborn Wars trilogy.

Fly By Night, Narrelle M Harris (Homosapien Books, ACT, 2004)
Here's a little gem worth seeking out. It's small press and hard to find, but worth the effort. Two crime novellas about gay pop duo Duo ex Machina, who keep finding themselves in the midst of murder.

Pet Shop Boys. Literally, Issue 30 (Pet Shop Boys Club, UK, July 2006)
It's the official mag for the pop duo Pet Shop Boys. What can I say! I'm a fan!

Sassycat: The Night of the Dead, Richard Harland (Omnibus Books, South Australia, 2005)
A kids' ghost story told from the perspective of a cat. A fun and inventive read.

The Quentaris Chronicles: Swords of Quentaris, Paul Collins (Lothian Books, Melbourne, 2003)
The Quentaris Chronicles are a series of shared-universe, stand-alone novels for kids, set in the magical city of Quentaris. Another enjoyable outing in the city of Quentaris.

Walter Wants to be a Werewolf, Richard Harland (Aussie Chomps, Penguin Books, Victoria, 2003)
It starts off fairly simple and predictable... but you can always depend on Richard Harland to be anything but predictable. The story takes an unexpected and truly bizarre turn, resulting in a very entertaining kids book.

The Quentaris Chronicles: Quentaris in Flames, Michael Prior (Lothian Books, Melbourne, 2003)
The Quentaris Chronicles are a series of shared-universe, stand-alone novels for kids, set in the magical city of Quentaris.This one is the first book. The plot feels a little rushed, but it does a good job of introducing the city of Quentaris.

The Quentaris Chronicles: The Forgotten Prince, Paul Collins (Lothian Books, Melbourne, 2006)
The Quentaris Chronicles are a series of shared-universe, stand-alone novels for kids, set in the magical city of Quentaris.This one is a fast-paced, entertaining romp with a nice sense of humour.

Nightmares & Dreamscapes, Stephen King (Hodder and Stoughton, Great Britain, 1993)
An okay short story collection, but definitely not one of King's better books. Most of the stories are too long and feel like they could use a good edit. But when he gets it right, he's damn good – particularly "The Ten O'Clock People" and "The House on Maple Street".

The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown (Transworld Publishers, Great Britain, 2003)
A very exciting and interesting read... edge of your seat stuff.

The Art of Star Wars: Episodes IV-VI & I-III, edited by Shinji Hata (Siebold Books, Japan, 2005)
This is the book to accompany the traveling Art of Star Wars exhibition. This edition accompanies the exhibition held from 19 Nov 2005 - 3 April 2006 at the Singapore Science Centre. I went to the exhibition whilst holidaying in Singapore and bought a copy. An interesting, if somewhat patchily written, book.

I Saw Nothing: The Extinction of the Thylacine, Gary Crew, Illustrated by Mark Wilson (Lothian, Melbourne, 2003)
Gary Crew has a real talent for writing the text for picture books. A great story about the last Tasmanian Tiger. And Mark Wilson's illustrations are beautiful.

2003-2005

Whilst the Iron was Hot (Bayside Night Writers, Melbourne, 2005)
A locally published short story anthology from the Bayside Night Writers group, which publishes one anthology each year. Not great... but readable. The highlight was Mairi Neil's "A Strange Encounter".

Prime, Poppy Z Brite (Three Rivers Press, New York, 2005)
Brite's third installment in the continuing adventures of chefs Ricky and G-Man in the restaurants of New Orleans. This time she's added a bit of a murder-mystery twist at the end. Loved it just as much as the first two.

Garden of the Purple Dragon, Carole Wilkinson (Black Dog Books, Melbourne, 2005)
This is the sequel to Dragonkeeper, continuing the story about a girl and a dragon in ancient China. Wow! I thought the first book was GREAT... but this one is even better. LOVED IT!

Doctor Who. Short Trips: A Day In The Life, edited by Ian Farrington (Big Finish Productions, England, 2005)
Entertaining short story collection based around the TV series Doctor Who... but only for fans! A mixed bag. Highlights were "Sold Out " by Danny Oz, "The Heroine, the Hero and the Megalomaniac" by Ian Mond and "Waiting for Jeremy" by Richard Salter.

Ripples #2, (Ripples Magazine, Oct 2005)
A new speculative fiction magazine. Cheap looking and not a great read. Still... it's only the second issue. Hopefully it will improve with time.

American Gods, Neil Gaiman (Harpertorch, New York, 2001)
Not quite the tour-de-force I was expecting after reading the reviews and hearing the comments of other readers; but an enjoyable book nonetheless. Loved the concept.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, JK Rowling (Bloomsbury, UK, 2005)
JK is back in form. Miles better than Book 5. REALLY enjoyed it.

Dalek Survival Guide (BBC Worldwide Ltd, London, 2002)
Crap! A blatant cash-in book. I was asked to review it for Frontier Online... which is the only reason I read it.

Neverwhere, Neil Gaiman (Harpertorch, New York, 1996)
Gaiman creates an utterly fascinating world beneath the streets of London in this amazing novel. The breadth of Gaiman's imagination never ceases to amaze me. Oh.. and I loved Hunter!

Liquor, Poppy Z Brite (Three Rivers Press, New York, 2004)
Brite again takes us through the restaurants of New Orleans is her second book to follow the adventures of Ricky and G-Man. It is now ten years after The Value of X and our heroes are opening their own restaurant. I found it difficult to read this book without getting hungry. Loved it... looking forward to reading the next one.

The Value of X, Poppy Z Brite (Subterranean Press, Burton, 2003)
Quite a departure from Brite's visceral horror of past books. This novel sees her shifting focus to the restaurant scene in New Orleans and introducing the characters Ricky and G-Man. In essence this book is really quite a sweet, teen romance about two guys overcoming the odds. Loved every word!

Aurealis #33/34/35, (Chimaera Publications, Melbourne, 2004)
A triple issue of this science fiction, short story mag. A good bumper issue. Highlights: Lee Battersby's "Father Muerte and the Rain" and Chuck McKenzie's "Eight-Beat Bar".

Smoke and Mirrors, Neil Gaiman (Headline Book Publishings, London, 1999)
A damn good collection of short stories.

The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy & Other Stories, Tim Burton (Faber and Faber, London, 1997)
A collection of poetry and illustrations from film director Tim Burton... the man who gave us Batman, Edward Scissorhands and many other films. One word to describe this book: FREAKY!

Death: The Time of Your Life, Neil Gaiman (DC Comics, New York, 1997), [originally published as three separate issues in 1996]
A graphic novel revolving around the character of Death, originally created by Gaiman for his Sandman comics. Typical Gaiman... brilliant, as always!

The Sandman: Endless Nights, Neil Gaiman (DC Comics, New York, 2003)
A collection of graphic short stories (or comics, if you prefer) that made it onto the New York Times bestseller list. Seven stories, one for each of the Endless... characters that Gaiman created for his Sandman comic book series that ran for 1988 to 1996. If you think that comics are frivolous and just for kids – READ THIS! Brilliant stuff!

The Amber Spyglass, Philip Pullman (Scholastic, London, 2000)
This is the third and final book in the His Dark Materials trilogy. Awe-inspiring in its scope and concepts. Yet, for me, it was ultimately not entirely satisfying. It felt as if the author had gotten a little carried away with his own inventiveness. Although I still enjoyed it, I would say it's my least favourite of the trilogy.

Rust, Charles Maekivi (Futuretrack Australia, WA, 1999)
A collection of short stories aimed at a teen audience. Not bad, but nothing special.

The Subtle Knife, Philip Pullman (Scholastic, London, 1997)
This is the second book in the His Dark Materials trilogy. As the middle book in a trilogy, it's very dependent on the other two and therefore doesn't really feel like a complete book. Nevertheless, it makes compelling reading. The greater story is revealed and the whole thing goes off in unexpected directions. Can't wait to read the final book.

The Black Crusade, Richard Harland (Chimaera Publications, Victoria, 2004)
This is the prequel/sequel to The Vicar of Morbing Vyle. As bizarre as the first book... but with a touch more humour. Check out the book's website. The cover was illustrated by my wife, Kerri Valkova.

Doctor Who. Short Trips: Past Tense, edited by Ian Farrington (Big Finish Productions, England, 2004)
Entertaining short story collection based around the TV series Doctor Who. You've got to be a fan to like this sort of stuff. Some good stories, some not-so-good. Highlights were "Bide-a-Wee" by Anthony Keetch and "Of The Mermaid and Jupiter" by Ian Mond and Danny Heap.

Northern Lights, Philip Pullman (Scholastic, London, 1995)
This is the first book in the His Dark Materials trilogy. Although a quest-fantasy with all the tropes associated with the genre, it is one of the most original and enthralling stories I've ever read. The perfect first book of a trilogy, it provides closure yet also opens up the story, ready for the next book to take things into a completely different direction. Apparently aimed at children and young adults, this is the sort of book which knows no audience age boundaries.

Add A Dash Of Pity and other short stories, Peter Ustinov (Prometheus Books, New York, 1996)
Although best known as an actor, Ustinov was also an accomplished author. This collection (with stories of late 1950s vintage) demonstrates his extraordinary talent as a short story writer. Loaded with wit, compassion, interesting characters and an incredible depth of knowledge, these stories are immensely enjoyable.

It's True: The Romans Were The Real Gangsters, John and Joshua Wright (Allen & Unwin, NSW, 2004)
Another amusing little non-fic kids' book... takes a whole new approach to the Roman Empire, comparing its leaders to gangsters.

It's True: Crime Doesn't Pay , Beverley MacDonald (Allen & Unwin, NSW, 2004)
Amusing little non-fic kids' book about crime.

Lord of the Nutcracker Men, Iain Lawrence (Collins, London, 2002) (originally published by Random House, USA, 2001)
Excellent children's historical novel set in England during the early days of the First World War. Ten-year-old Johnny plays with toy soldiers in his aunt's garden while his father is in the trenches fighting the real war... slowly he begins to realise that war isn't a game.

Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine #8, (Andromeda Spaceways Publishing Co-op, Qld, 2003)
The cover boldly states "Australia's JAM-PACKED Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazine"... and indeed it is jam-packed with 16 short stories, some poetry and a few articles to boot. The quality is somewhat patchy, ranging from ordinary to very good. No stinkers in this lot... but nothing really exceptional either. Highlights for me were Kevin Maclean's "Butterfly" and Sue Bursztynski's "Bytepals".

Where in the World, Simon French (Little Hare Books, NSW, 2002)
A delightful, gentle children's book about traveling, life and death, and change... all linked together by a love of music.

Beyond Therapy, Christopher Durang (1982 version – one of the characters was written out after the initial 1981 off-broadway run.)
A VERY funny play about an odd group of people with interesting hang-ups.

Aurealis #32, (Chimaera Publications, Melbourne, 2003)
A science fiction, short story mag. Quite a good issue. Hightlights: Richard Harland's "Catabolic Magic" and Brendan Duffy's "The Lamb".

Fire in the Belly: The inside story of the modern Olympics, Carole Wilkinson (Black Dog Books, Melbourne, 2004)
Enjoyable, non-fiction kids book, filled with lots of fascinating facts.

Stardust, Neil Gaiman, Illustrated by Charles Vess (DC Comics, New York, 1998)
Although published by a comics publisher, this is actually a full novel accompanied by illustrations. A charming grown-up fairytale.

Dreamwalkers, Isobelle Carmody, Illustrated by Steven Woolman (Lothian, Melbourne, 2001)
Stunningly illustrated and designed kids fantasy story.

Gothic Hospital, Gary Crew (Lothian, Melbourne, 2001)
Unusual teen fantasy/horror. Never quite knew where it was heading. Liked it!

The Peace Garden, Lucy Sussex, Illustrated by Rolf Heimann (Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1989)
A nice, simple kids story, let down by the very ordinary illos.

The Vicar of Morbing Vyle, Richard Harland (Karl Evans Books, Australia, 1993)
Bizarre fantasy/horror novel. Well worth a read if you're after something a bit different.

Dragonkeeper, Carole Wilkinson (Black Dog Books, Melbourne, 2003)
Enthralling kids fantasy novel about a girl and a dragon in ancient China. Best thing I've read in ages. It won an Aurealis award and an Australian Childrens Book Council award.

Tenderness, Robert Cormier (Puffin Books, London, 1997)
Excellent psychological thriller about a teen serial killer.

Naming the Dark, Annie Dalton (Methuen, UK, 1992)
An unusual and interesting teen fantasy novel. Although I enjoyed it, ultimately I found it somewhat unsatisfying.

The Rented House, Phil Cummings (Random House, NSW, 2000)
Uninspiring novel about a group of kids and the stranger that moves into a house on their street.

Thirsty, M.T. Anderson (Walker Books, London, 1997)
Interesting teen vampire story. Not at all what I expected.

No Standing Zone, Margaret Clark (Random House, NSW, 1999)
A simple story, well told. Quite compelling reading.

The Last Temptation, Neil Gaiman, Illustrated by Michael Zulli (Dark Horse Comics, USA, 2000) (Originally published as three separate issues in 1995)
Odd little graphic novel based on Alice Cooper's concept album, Lost in America. Gaiman's writing is always a fascinating read.

Murder in Aisle 9, Jim Schembri (Lothian, Melbourne, 2000)
Predictable and uninspiring teen mystery.

Peter Pan, JM Barrie (Modern Publishing Group, 1993) (Originally published as Peter Pan and Wendy in 1911)
Charmingly written novel of Barrie's play. There are many eloquent turns of phrase in these pages. At times it was what I expected... and at other times it surprised me.

The Harp at Midnight, Caiseal Mor (Random House, NSW, 1999)
Enjoyable Celtic teen fantasy novel.

Agog! Terrific Tales, Edited by Cat Sparks (Agog! Press, NSW, 2003)
A somewhat hit-and-miss collection of speculative fiction from Australian writers.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Mark Twain (1889)
Long winded and meandering, often humorous, occasionally political and sometimes lacking internal logic... but always interesting. My god, there are some incredibly long sentences in this novel.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, JK Rowling (Bloomsbury, UK, 2003)
Long winded, fairly plotless and such an incredible disappointment after the first four books.

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Last Modified: Thursday, 23 October, 2008.