I thought I had read more books this month, but I come to only seven in total. I blame work as well as my continuing addiction to Football Manager. Hey, Plymouth Argyle won’t win its fit Premiership championship in row on its own, no will it?
Britain’s War Machine — David Edgerton
Exploding the myth that Britain went unprepared into World War II, or couldn’t keep up with the Axis or its larger allies during it.
Double Vision — Tricia Sullivan
An interesting failure this, a mindfuck novel written in 2005 but set in 1984. Cookie Orbach is a psychic, or at least that’s what she believes she is, who watches the Grid, an alien planet she can only observe through watching television. But is it real, or is her talent being exploited for much baser purposes than she imagines?
The Black Opera — Mary Gentle
A freethinking opera writer has to write the best opera he has ever created to save the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies from a miracle.
The Moving Toyshop — Edmund Crispin
Somehow I don’t think this was an entirely serious detective novel. Made me laugh out loud in a couple of places. Watch out for the cameo appearance by a certain Philip Larkin.
From Egypt to Babylon — Paul Collins
A visually orientated history of the Bronze Age in the Middle East and Near Asia. Lots of gorgeous pictures, decent overview of the history there.
The Saxon Shore — Valerie A. Mansfield
Much more limited in scope is this, looking at the reality of what might have been the “Saxon Shore”, mentioned in just one surviving Late Roman document. I’ve been interested in this for a while and found this handbook in a bookstore in Plymouth earlier this year.
The Jewel in the Skull — Michael Moorcock
I’ve had the graphic novel adaptation Jim Cawthorne did in the seventies for ages, but only recently bought the novel. First in years I’ve read a proper Moorcock fantasy novel.
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