Antony Jones

Books reviewed by Ant (861)

  • Red DustYoss
    Red Dust
    by Yoss
    Science Fiction

    For those who haven't heard of him, Yoss is a Cuban science fiction author. He's one of Cuba's most iconic figures in literature, having written over twenty books so far, run science fiction workshops and even found time to be the lead singer of Heavy Metal band Tenaz. Red Dust (translated from Span...

  • The Doors of EdenAdrian Tchaikovsky
    The Doors of Eden
    by Adrian Tchaikovsky
    Science Fiction

    Adrian Tchaikovsky has a talent for writing deep, meaningful scifi. He won the Arthur C Clarke award in 2016 for Children of Time and the 2019 BSFA best novel award for the follow-up Children of Ruin . There are few authors that can quite match his vision for non-human intelligence, or his flair for...

  • The Pillars of the earthKen Follett
    The Pillars of the earth
    by Ken Follett
    General Fiction

    Fair warning, this isn't going to be a normal review, it's the first one I've written post-covid and is much more personal than usual. Some years ago, my father started reading again. Previous to that he hadn't read much for the last few decades outside of Haynes manuals and instruction leaflets (al...

  • Bone SilenceAlastair Reynolds
    Bone Silence
    by Alastair Reynolds
    Science Fiction

    Bone Silence is the third book in Alastair Reynolds Revenger series and follows on from the events of Shadow Captain and Revenger . First off, if you haven't read the first two books in the series, I suggest you do before starting Bone Silence. You could read it stand alone but it wouldn't make as m...

  • World Engines: DestroyerStephen Baxter
    World Engines: Destroyer
    by Stephen Baxter
    Science Fiction

    In Stephen Baxter's collaboration with the late Terry Pratchett, he imagined that there were a limitless number of parallel dimensions just a small step away, each with a slightly different version of Earth (although none others of which contained indigenous humans). In his latest novel, World Engin...

  • Echoes of WarCheryl Campbell
    Echoes of War
    by Cheryl Campbell
    Science Fiction

    In Cheryl Campbell's vision of the future, humanity finds itself enslaved by a genocidal faction of an alien race known as the Wardens. Decades of war has left much of the planet in ruins and threatens the existence of any human (or alien) who offer any form of resistance. Dani thought she had survi...

  • Blood of an exileBrian Naslund
    Blood of an exile
    by Brian Naslund
    Fantasy

    Once a noble lord, after a failure on the field of battle, Silas Bershad "The Flawless" was stripped of all titles and forced into the life of a dragonslayer, moving from one perilous hunt to the next. Stalking dragons and collecting their valuable oil, his only escape seems to be death. But death h...

  • The Return of the Incredible Exploding ManDave Hutchinson
    Science Fiction

    Failed science writer Alex Dolan is just floating along, struggling to find work when multi-billionaire Stanislaw Clayton provides a surprising, well-paid offer out of the blue. He wants Alex to write a book about the world's first privately funded high-energy physics facility - the Sioux Crossing S...

  • CrowfallEd McDonald
    Crowfall
    by Ed McDonald
    Fantasy

    Crowfall is the third novel in Ed McDonald's Raven's Mark series, following on from Blackwing and Ravencry . If you haven't read the previous two books I recommend you do so before reading this book, or indeed this review.   Some time has passed since the events of Ravencry , and the world is change...

  • LentJo Walton
    Lent
    by Jo Walton
    Fantasy

    Jo Walton is a multi-award winning, talented and often under-appreciated author. A number of her novels examine philosophy, religion, divinity and humanity.  Lent continues some of these themes along with her knack for creating irresistible, thoughtful and engaging fiction. Girolamo Savanarola has l...

  • All Roads End HereDavid Moody
    All Roads End Here
    by David Moody
    Horror

    David Moody has been writing his Hater series (which has been optioned for a film by Universal Studios) since 2006, originally with the books Hater , Dog Blood and Them or Us . Then in 2017 he started from the beginning of the story again but from a totally different perspective with  One of Us Will...

  • WanderersChuck Wendig
    Wanderers
    by Chuck Wendig
    Science Fiction

    There seem to be a worryingly large number of ways we, as a species, could become extinct. From huge extra terrestrial rocks hurtling through space or climate change making our world uninhabitable to Trump pressing the wrong button at the wrong time. A virus that seems to strike at random, causing t...

  • Sky in the DeepAdrienne Young
    Sky in the Deep
    by Adrienne Young
    Fantasy

    Heroic Fantasy doesn't always get the credit it deserves, but when done well can be powerful, energetic and immersive fiction.  Sky in the Deep is one of the best examples of recent times and an equal to Gemmell's past stories. The story follows Eelyn, a member of the Aska clan. She's been raised as...

  • A Memory Called EmpireArkady Martine
    A Memory Called Empire
    by Arkady Martine
    Science Fiction

    A Memory called Empire is the debut of Arkady Martine, although reading the book you'd be forgiven for thinking she's been writing best-sellers for years. The vast, interstellar Empire of the Teixcalaanli have appointed Mahit Dzmare as new Ambassador to the capital. When she arrives she realises tha...

  • Broken BranchesBen Ellis
    Broken Branches
    by Ben Ellis
    Science Fiction

    In the not too distant future, your social standing is based on the "purity" of your genes and the ability to trace your family through the "national family tree" genetic database. All men are sterile and fertility drugs are only given to state-sponsored couples whose genetic match are approved. Tho...

  • A Time of BloodJohn Gwynne
    A Time of Blood
    by John Gwynne
    Fantasy

    Following the events of A Time of Dread , this book raises the stakes even further. Drem and friends flee the horrors at Starstone Lake. They must warn the Order of the Bright Star that a Demon has risen, but Fritha, the Demon's high Priestess has other ideas and is hot on their heels. Meanwhile, co...

  • The City of Lost FortunesBryan Camp
    Fantasy

    Post-Katrina New Orleans is haunted by history and destruction. Similar burdens are shouldered by the Street Magician Jude Dubuisson. He's got a gift of finding things people have lost - inherited from an unknown father. His gift has become an almost overwhelming curse following the storm, with so m...

  • No WayS J Morden
    No Way
    by S J Morden
    Science Fiction

    No Way is the follow up to the gripping thriller One Way.   A perilous journey to the Red Planet by a group of convicts. Deciding that it was much more economically viable to train people that would have otherwise rotted in a jail rather than a group of experienced and highly trained Astronauts form...

  • The Buried DaggerJames Swallow
    The Buried Dagger
    by James Swallow
    Science Fiction

    So this is it, the 54th and final book in the Horus Heresy series. But before you despair, it isn't the end of the story and the mad Titan Horus is only just knocking on the doors of Terra. The final battle will be played out over a series of novels called the Siege of Terra , presumably ending with...

  • Titan DeathGuy Haley
    Titan Death
    by Guy Haley
    Science Fiction

    The 53rd and penultimate book in the epic Horus Heresy  series and the brave soldiers of the Emperor attempt to hold back the armies of chaos from reaching Terra. The line is drawn on Beta-Garmon and god-machines of the Adeptus Titanicus are at the front. Horus has defeated all that have stood befor...

  • Lies SleepingBen Aaronovitch
    Lies Sleeping
    by Ben Aaronovitch
    Fantasy

    Lies Sleeping is the seventh book (eighth if you count The Furthest Station) in the impressive River of London urban fantasy series, following Peter Grant - detective constable for the metropolitan police and apprentice wizard. It looks like time may finally be up for the Faceless Man (Martin Chorle...

  • JunctionDaniel M Bensen
    Junction
    by Daniel M Bensen
    Science Fiction

    Junction asks the question: what would we do if we had access to a brand new, virgin world? Would we destroy it like we are doing with our own world? Or would we learn from our mistakes and treat this as a second chance to do things right? Daisuke Matsumori is a Japanese nature show host who happens...

  • The HungerAlma Katsu
    The Hunger
    by Alma Katsu
    Horror

    The hardback version of  The Hunger was originally launched last year and it drew some critical acclaim from authors including Sarah Pinborough and Joanne Harris. Both the Observer and the Guardian loved it. Stephen King said of it: Deeply, deeply disturbing, hard to put down, not recommended readin...

  • Corax Lord of ShadowsGuy Haley
    Corax Lord of Shadows
    by Guy Haley
    Science Fiction

    Corax Lord of Shadows is the tenth book in the pre-Horus Heresy Primarch series, featuring the leader of the Raven Guard. Set During the great Crusade, the immense void-cities of the Carinae must be brought under the control of the Imperium. Corax joins his Legion with an Imperial War Host to being...

  • The Ruin of KingsJenn Lyons
    The Ruin of Kings
    by Jenn Lyons
    Fantasy

    The Ruin of Kings is the debut of Jenn Lyons, it's an impressive way to make an entrance. The beginning of epic fantasy series A Chorus of Dragons, the book has just been optioned to be turned into a TV series. Growing up in the slums of the city Suur, Kihrin learns to entertain with music while als...

  • Shadow CaptainAlastair Reynolds
    Shadow Captain
    by Alastair Reynolds
    Science Fiction

    I've been reading Reynolds books since he began writing them and have seen him grow over the years from a seriously talented writer to one of the best in his field. Revenger was one of his finest works to date, Shadow Captain eclipses it easily. It's the second in a planned trilogy but manages to av...

  • Arm of the SphinxJosiah Bancroft
    Arm of the Sphinx
    by Josiah Bancroft
    Fantasy

    Arm of the Sphinx is the second in the Books of Babel series by Josiah Bancroft and follows on from the events of Senlin Ascends . Tom - who is now going by the name of Captain Mudd, continues his search for Marya. He has help, with the airship The Stone Cloud and it's motley crew. Since the events...

  • 2001 an odyssey in wordsIan Whates
    2001 an odyssey in words
    by Ian Whates
    Science Fiction

    2001: An Odyssey in words is a collection of twenty-seven stories, all exactly 2001 words in length and written to honour the late, great author Arthur C Clarke. The anthology is a collaboration between  The Arthur C. Clarke Award and NewCon Press which began life as a kickstarter project, exceeding...

  • Senlin AscendsJosiah Bancroft
    Senlin Ascends
    by Josiah Bancroft
    Fantasy

    Senlin Ascends is the ground-breaking debut of Josiah Bancroft and the beginning of the Books of Babel series. Originally self published in 2013, the book was picked up by Tor / Orbit when it became clear just how special the novel really is. Since then the series has continued with Arm of the Sphin...

  • Mecha Samurai EmpirePeter Tieryas
    Mecha Samurai Empire
    by Peter Tieryas
    Science Fiction

    Mecha Samurai Empire follows on from the United States of Japan , an alternative history novel which continues the story of Philip K Dicks seminal novel The Man in the High Castle (now an established TV series). For those who are aren't aware, the idea is that the "Allies" lost World War two and as...

  • The TouristRobert Dickinson
    The Tourist
    by Robert Dickinson
    Science Fiction

    The Tourist (not to be confused with the book and film of the same name by Olen Steinhauer) is a story of time travel, imagining a future where people can take holidays to the past and experience the genuine 21st century in all it's glory. There are three main tour operators offering holidays to the...

  • Ghost StoryJim Butcher
    Ghost Story
    by Jim Butcher
    Fantasy

    It's difficult to write a review of Ghost Story without giving spoilers away about the previous book, Changes . Having said that, I'd recommend reading Changes before attempting Ghost Story , while any of the Dresden Files novels can be read individually, read this one without knowing the history wi...

  • The House by the CemeteryJohn Everson
    The House by the Cemetery
    by John Everson
    Horror

    There seems to be a rise in a new form of entertainment these last few years, that of the live action experience. While "escape rooms" seem to the most prevelant, there is also a niche for those who would prefer to be scared rather than think about puzzles. The House by the Cemetery is an old, derel...

  • Thirteen Days by Sunset BeachRamsey Campbell
    Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach
    by Ramsey Campbell
    Horror

    Ramsey Campbell has won countless awards over the years and many of his stories are considered classics in the field of horror. S. T. Joshi has stated that " future generations will regard him as the leading horror writer of our generation, every bit the equal of Lovecraft or Blackwood. " Thirteen D...

  • HallowdeneGeorge Mann
    Hallowdene
    by George Mann
    Fantasy

    Hallowdene is the second book in the Wychwood series, a crime thriller that weaves into the story supernatural elements. Elspeth Reeves is making a new life for herself in a quiet, sleepy village near Oxford, having escaped the hectic life of London. As a journalist for the local paper, she is often...

  • By the pricking of her thumbAdam Roberts
    Science Fiction

    By the pricking of her thumb follows on from The Real Time Murders published last year, but can be read as a stand-alone novel. Set in a future where almost everyone spends all their time in a virtual world, private investigator Alma is caught up in another impossible murder. She has been asked to i...

  • 131 DaysKeith Blackmore
    131 Days
    by Keith Blackmore
    Fantasy

    Blackmore is a vastly under-appreciated author. His Mountain Man novels are a superb example of a post-apocalyptic / zombie series. 131 days does for heroic, gladiatorial fantasy what Mountain Man did for Zombies, a charged, fast-paced story that has confidence, style and plenty of GrimDark. Every y...

  • The Folio Book of Horror StoriesRamsey Campbell
    Horror

    The Folio Book of Horror Stories is a new anthology, collecting some of the finest stories of the macabre written over the last two hundred years or so. The collection is edited and introduced by the award winning, legendary author and critic Ramsey Campbell, who has thoughtfully provided an insight...

  • The Left Hand of DarknessUrsula K Le Guin
    The Left Hand of Darkness
    by Ursula K Le Guin
    Science Fiction

    The Left Hand of Darkness was first published almost 50 years ago, receiving critical acclaim and firmly establishing Le Guin as a serious, talented author. It's known as one of the first examples of feminist science fiction and retrospectively won the Hugo and Nebula awards. I don't think it's an e...

  • Sleeping GiantsSylvain Neuvel
    Sleeping Giants
    by Sylvain Neuvel
    Science Fiction

    I missed reviewing Sleeping Giants when it first came out. I've finally got round to picking up a copy to find out it's now been out long enough that there are two further novels in the series: Waking Gods and Only Human. Back in 2016 It was one of those break-out novels such as The Martian and Wool...