The Affinity Bridge by George Mann is one of those books which by being brilliant in parts makes me pickier about its faults. Its setting, an alternative Victorian universe and primarily London, is richly imagined and determinedly steampunk. Nor does Mann rely on one mystery to carry the book. He has subplots and hints at…

Death has forgotten me,gone out on a picnicwearing Edwardian dress.I hope her bustle pinches. I have an antiseptic room,food through a tubeand I can’t laugh.Still, there’s no ants. Ah, Death. About time.What? No, wait. Hey!Don’t walk past.Food poisoning’s room 7.

Abandon the fences, for they are only rawexcuses to refuse ownershipof sky beyond and earth below; the growing worldextending, embracing, dancing the seasons over the suburbs. As if the seasons ended at your fence line.As if death could be held off, birth refused. Fences are delusional. This is me; that is you.Haven’t you heard de…

Magic can’t be allowed to simply happen. In a coherent (novel) world, there have to be consequences, and limits to magic add tension and conflict. So creating a magic system means the characters can’t just wish themselves happy or out of trouble. If they make a love potion, it might have a side effect of…

With my mind so full of my own novel, I’m finding it difficult to concentrate on reviewing anyone else’s. So I thought I’d simply flat out recommend an all time, fantastic author. Terry Pratchett. If I hadn’t been such a shy kid way back when, I could have met him when he dropped into our…