When the Music's Over by Aidan Thorn

I've been a fan of Aidan Thorn's writing ever since I saw a story of his in an anthology from Byker Books. I've been following his work since then. What I like about When the Music's Over is that it is unashamedly British. I've seen so many English author's trying to replicate the high quality U.S. noir fiction they've obviously read and love. The author knows his roots and it comes across better because of it.

Another thing I like about this novella is that we get to see a large part of it from the perspective of the hit man that has been hired to take out our hero. The killer is a well-drawn character who acts tough and talks tough but has some very human failings. He's confronted with his own mortality in the form of an illness and he finds that this is changing his perspective on things and hampering his ability to do his job. Given his failing health will he be able to close the hit and take his pay out? This is question I asked myself a lot as I read this story.

The story flow smoothly and the imagery the author created was effective and compelling. A thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining short read that was told from a refreshing perspective.

Number 13 Press have done an excellent job in assembling top quality novellas in this series and Paul Brazill's offering is no exception. They say home is where the heart is....if you're a character in a novella by Paul D. Brazill that heart will probably soon be removed and by a gangster with vicious intent! However, home is where Mark Hammonds, former member of the briefly famous band, Blue Coronet, heads when his chips are down. In this case Seatown is home a place described by the author as being awash with kebab shops and seventies theme bars.

If you've read any of the author's work before you'll know what to expect and that is a motley cast of characters with crazy nicknames such as Bryn Laden, Tuc Plenty and Captain Cutlass. You'll be expecting dry humour and jokes to come flying at you like bullets from a gun.

Brazill delights in torturing his main characters and Mark Hammonds is no exception. He gets beaten, threatened, chased by bikers and generally abused throughout the course of the story as he heads blindy from one disastrous scenario to another all in pursuit of the green folding stuff. As always with all of this author's stories it's entertaining, witty and always a fun read. A great crime caper that is a steal at the price. Five stars.

Carpet Diem by Justin Lee Anderson

If you locked Tom Holt in a room with Douglas Adams, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett with a PC and gave them Tequila for long enough the resulting novel would probably be something like Carpet Diem.

The permanently befuddled main character Simon is extremely reminiscent of Adams Arthur Dent. I liked him immediately. It's clear that Justin Lee Anderson is also a fan of some of the greats I mentioned above.

Carpet Diem has everything that the fan of comic fantasy could possibly want. We have angels, demons, witches, assassins, pirates and ninjas! There is a deadly battle that will decide the fate of the world and our hero Simon must step up to the plate and make the final decision about who will be the victor. Confused? You will be. I loved it.

Satan's Sorority by Graham Wynd

New beginnings are tough. So it is for Sandra, dragged to a Connecticut University against her will by a disapproving Father following what is referred to simply as an incident.

Sandra is shy, quiet and naive. She's an innocent and socially awkward girl. The last place she'd feel welcome is a rowdy sorority.  However, her new room mate drags her along to choose one. She's naturally drawn to the outsiders, the mysterious Sigma Tau Nu and their beguiling sexy leader, Trixie.

Having read some of Wynd's shorter fiction I had a good idea what to expect.  I wasn't disappointed.  Dark humour, the occult, loss of innocence and sex are all themes that featured strongly in this novella. Wynd has well developed, intelligent and believable characters. The flow of the story is perfectly paced with no overly verbose passages which made all the action and tension so much more effective.

The novella is not for the faint of heart with a couple of quite graphic scenes and sexual references, but these are neither gratuitous or overdone. I read through the quickly - a sure sign that it's a thumping good read. Top marks here Wynd is a talent I'd love to read more from.

Daydreams and Devils by Robert Cowan

Robert Cowan has improved upon his excellent first novel, The Search for Ethan. He's brought something I've always hoped to convey in my own fiction - believable characters. Like his first novel this is also a coming of age novel. The story of a young band just finding their feet and trying to have fun, despite all of the fear and anxiety that performing brings.

In a separate plot strand a would be gangster is also finding his feet but for him the consequences of failure are a very real thing to be feared. His boss, Vincent, is not a patient man.

Cowan brings the plot strands together slowly, but thoroughly. There's a playfulness here that wasn't present in the first novel. The dialogue is interesting and at times very cleverly conveyed. Cowan plays about with the word structure often in a comical and entertaining way and it adds a sense of fun to the book.

There are lots of musical references and it's clear this is a particular passion of the author. In short it was a great read. The author has paid attention to the little details to bring a polished and engrossing read. A fantastic novel that can be enjoyed by all, no hesitation in rating this five stars.

Elysian Wonderland by Stuart Ayris

There's one guarantee with any novel by Stuart Ayris - it will always make me smile. Ayris is never a preacher but always a guru. Elysian Wonderland is like a fairy tale for adults.  Alice in Wonderland if you like for the tired, cynical and jaded. Stuart would be the first to admit that he keeps no strict narrative or structure to his novel, he makes up words, throws in rhyme and the result is somehow...magical.

In his latest offering a married couple worn down by the grind of normal, boring everyday life seek out a little excitement, an adventure in order to rekindle their lost spark. What they find is their inner child along with swearing hedgehogs, chain smoking gurus, a magical chef and a strange old man who cries black tiers. In short the usual Ayris magic, as I call it.

Good humour and sharp observation can be found throughout this novel alongside Stuart's true gift of making a tall tale truly entertaining. You can find the magic if you read this book with an open mind and a loving heart. Keep on keeping on Mr. Ayris you sir are a legend.

News From the Clouds by Robert Llewellyn

I have been looking forward to the third instalment in the trilogy for ages. In this novel Gavin Meckler finds himself once more in a strange and futuristic world. Imagine a world where the surface is deadly and uninhabitable.  Winds of up to five hundred miles an hour and huge storms that are tens of kilometres wide daily sweep the surface of the Earth. What option would mankind have but to live underground or in the sky? They choose to do both. 

All of the books in this fantastic series cover ecological issues and without ever preaching. You will find Llewellyn's writing is thoughtful and civilised from the outset. There is no excessive language, sex or violence. Just an interesting and intelligent narrative exploring not only the larger issues that face us all but Gavin’s own personal journey to get in touch with his emotional side. 

There’s a gentle touch to the author’s work that is not often found and very appealing. Like Pratchett and Adam’s it seems quintessentially British. Perhaps the best compliment I can give Llewellyn is that I could imagine Gavin Meckler in a dressing gown bumbling around much like Arthur Dent! This trilogy was a thoroughly entertaining read with depth, heart and a subtle moral message. More of the same please Robert!