S. Rodwell-Williams

Advantages: Great for the kids in the car
Disadvantages: none

...Audio tapes are and absolute God send for long car journeys, they are a great way of keeping the children quiet for an hour or two. The BBC radio collection of Richmal Crompton's Just William stories are a collection twelve of the timeless classics, these have also featured in a BBC television series. Martin Jarvis' narration is just right, it brings all those characters to life - you can almost imagine that round the next bend that William and the Outlaws are going to appear. These stories are not just great for the kids but they are a great nostalgic trip back to childhood. Absolutely recommended.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: seminal
Disadvantages:

...William Gibson claims not to be a science fiction writer, and that is probably true. There are many other writers who have written science fiction in passing, Doris Lessing for example, and J.G. Ballard. None of them has had quite the impact of William Gibson. He is simply a superb writer, and his ability tore a chunk out of the rather mediocre sci-fi mainstream and created cyberpunk. Neuromancer is the book that did it. Dense, fascinating and human it is a story first, with the technobabble well and truly in its place, that is to say the background, a lurid background, but a background none the less. This is a superb book and I recommend it.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: different from all of his other works
Disadvantages: a bit short

...This is a well structured short story. Its particular intention seems to be to give a sense of an isolated interlude in one man’s life. David Williams, a young mildly successful painter and art critic visits the fierce old Bohemian, Henry Breasley, an artist of much superior powers. An ageing Don Juan, he still has two young girls living with him in his French retreat. He is crude, tyrannical and opinionated but also a genius and, at least at heart, vulnerable. All that Williams has in common is the essential vulnerability. However Williams’ brief stay with Breasley and his unsatisfactory relationship with one of the girls leaves Williams feeling an also-ran both as a man and an artist. Once again Fowles writes a totally different novel in content from his previous works while retaining his enviable vivid characterisation and lucid... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful