I was asked to review 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love by Christopher J Scalia in this month's Spectator World.
Novelist and Reviewer: Author: The Other Book, The Liberators. The Darkening Path Trilogy: The Broken King, vol. 1; The King's Shadow, vol. 2, and The King's Revenge, vol. 3. The Double Axe, a retelling of the Minotaur story, and The Arrow of Apollo. How To Teach Classics to Your Dog published October 2020. Wildlord, publishing October 2021.
Wednesday, 16 July 2025
Tuesday, 15 July 2025
How to Write Children's Fiction: Part 1
Over on Substack, I'm doing a short series of three essays on How to Write Children's Fiction.
I've also written about the process of being a fiction reviewer.
Thursday, 10 July 2025
Seascraper by Benjamin Wood, and more Jenny Nimmo
I've been following Benjamin Wood's literary career since his first, very good novel, The Bellwether Revivals, and have reviewed a few of his novels, including The Ecliptic (ten years ago) and, more recently, The Young Accomplice. His new novella, Seascraper, is excellent, and I wrote about it for The Spectator.
Meanwhile, over on Substack, I've been writing more about Jenny Nimmo, and the mysteries of magic and influence.
Tuesday, 8 July 2025
Paper certificates, and Ivy Compton-Burnett
Over on Substack, I've written more about Ivy Compton-Burnett's inimitable, spare, intriguing work, having read Parents and Children.
And I've also written a piece for The Spectator about the need for physical certificates as rites of passage.
Tuesday, 1 July 2025
Summer Children's Book Round Up, et alia
I've reviewed five children's / young adult titles for my Summer Children's Book Round Up in Literary Review:
How To Train Your Dragon School by Cressida Cowell
The Narzat and the Shifting Shadow by Luke Marchant
The Wood Where Magic Grows by Andy Shepherd
Live by Luke Palmer
Aphrodite by Bryony Pearce.
Also, over on Substack, I've been writing about AI (again), as well as re-reading Thomas Kyd's The Spanish Tragedy.