The wounded one Doris Lessing’s benighted world of Shikasta, initially intended to carry the much more harmonious name of Rohanda, will be instantly recognisable to Earthlings as a twice-renamed version of their own home. This novel was written at a time of conflict, within revolutionary … Continue readingHOW TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH ALIENS
An unloved raincloud Ged, apprentice wizard, walked with Ogion, his mentor, through the mountains, as they meandered their way to Ogion’s home. It was a long and silent walk, with a mage who wasn’t too fond of speech and a teenage apprentice who did his … Continue readingA Walk in the Forest at Night and the Silence of Wizards
Paris Hilton makes a cooking show I’ve never been able to watch cooking shows. I can just about tolerate tiny clips of Gordon Ramsey screaming at people. Since the lockdowns began, however, I have found cooking shows strangely enraging. This two-minute trailer of Paris Hilton’s … Continue readingEdible Glitter, Revolutionary Planets and the Summoning of Dragons
The day before everything changed forever It was only almost a year ago, only just March 2020, on the day before a curfew that everybody knew was only just the start, that I spent my last day of free movement doing little things. I bought … Continue readingElegies, Lost Worlds and the Overwhelming Intrusions of Insects at Night
The argument for uselessness When I was in school, we had rare occasions when we could Ask Questions. These were excitable, noisy occasions, because we could finally play the game of Embarrass the Teacher. Sooner or later, when all else failed, when reasonable explanations were … Continue readingSchools, Poems, Stones and Other Useful Things
Worlds, words, here and there “When I smashed my knee, and had to lie around,” he said, “I decided there was no use living without delight.” After a silence she said, in a dry tone, “Bliss?” “No. Bliss is a form of VU. No, I … Continue readingSpaceships, Sperm Whales and Explorations of the Dark
Marvel-apoca-unpoca-stutter-lypse The most recent version of the apocalypse that seeped into public consciousness was Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War. Instead of saving the world (sorry, universe) before it ended, the Avengers had to wait a whole sequel to re-pocalyp/unpocalyp (or just repopulate) the universe. Keep in … Continue readingMarvel, Ragnarok and Other Stories of the Apocalypse