Although at times deeply distressing, this wonderful book is actually a joy to read.  Set at the time of Indian independence and partition, it is a vivid yet subtle portrayal of the corrupting power of wealth and class, subtly understated yet ever-present beneath the surface.  When a very poor young man unexpectedly finds himself the recipient of a windfall, he and his family are destined to become something abhorrent, as they immerse themselves into the – at the time – unregulated, unlic...

Quite a heavy going read, but pretty entertaining for it.  Edward McMahon is a great writer with an undoubted interest in his subject matter, though I would suggest this book will appeal primarily to those who share his passion for the nuts and bolts of Sub-Saharan politics, politics general or democratic process in the making.  In it, an American international development worker is tasked with liaising with all parties to ensure fair and democratic elections in the fictional Central African ...

Being the 14^th in the series, and having not read the first 13, I could have been somewhat on the back foot reading Chasm of Exiles, but I actually felt that I pretty much hit the ground running with it.  Much of it is deeply cerebral, as the very satisfyingly layered, traumatized and guilt-damaged main character, Jacob Stearne, faces his demons and talks to his god (quite literally) frequently; you genuinely feel this black ops/wet work veteran’s struggle with his self-imposed reckoning, f...

If you’re worried this is going to be a mind-numbing book about politics, you couldn’t be more wrong.  It is a hugely entertaining and genuinely fun, “mostly true” tale of two young-at-heart grown-ups who just decide, one day, they won’t sit around and do nothing while their country goes to the dogs around them – a sentiment I’m sure many of us share in the current climate.  But I don’t want to downplay the validity of their mission; they’re clearly both exceptionally smart ...

An in-depth and intriguing insight into the world of international business and cultural barriers, as a Danish professional and his business partner attempt to sell their services to counterparts in Saudi Arabia, amidst religious factional turmoil at the end of the 1970s.  It is an eye-opening exposé of a country and a region which has been changed dramatically since events at that time, and hints at the long-lasting effects on global politics and terrorism today.  But at the time, as outlin...

Exceptionally articulate and hard worked, this is an admirable piece of investigative fiction by Madeleine Dale.  It is also, sadly, an incredibly depressing yet vitally important exposé into the despicable world of endangered animal poaching.  The author knows her subject intimately, and reports in detail on the human, corporate, law-enforcement and political aspects of the trade in, most specifically in this book, pangolin parts, this particular creature being one of the most ancient, crue...

Unapologetically liberal and unashamedly topical, this short fable is both simplistic and complexly layered, as a stinging indictment on the immigration debate – which probably bears striking resemblances the world over.  It is tremendously engaging, and I read it in a single sitting, although it is rather a novella than a novel, at about 20,000 words.  And it is a good read, whichever side of centre your political views fall on; I must admit, without wanting to throw my hat into the debati...

Stories about an oppressive dictatorship in the very near future are bang on trend at the moment, but very few are as good as this soul-destroying cautionary tale by T.K. Kanwar.  In fact, the last time I read a book quite this good on the subject was, in fact, the last time I read and reviewed a book by Kanwar.  The World We Deserve is not so much a direct sequel to Identity Crisis as the afterword may lead you to believe, but it is definitely a series of sorts, in the same narrative vein, o...

This is a truly beautiful book, epic and grand in scale.  Alan Lessik writes in melodic and lyrical style, telling a sweeping tale of love between the world wars, how ordinary people’s lives were so disrupted by the collapse of relations between nations, and indeed how a peace-loving man finds himself tested at every turn, by global events and tragic ones in his own life.

This is much more than simple LGBT romance, and it would be tremendously unfair to categorize it exclusively as such.  ...

It isn’t often I throw superlatives around, but I think it is fair to describe this book as something of an epic – and it is very, very good.  Nor is it common for me to be crying out for a sequel, but having reached the end of this, I would love to see one, to see characters reunited.  I’ll try not to spoil anything; suffice to say that the premise concerns three young, orphaned siblings, although beyond a certain point the readers only get to follow two of them.  The end is left perfe...

M.K. Nielsen’s book can be described in many ways, and it is likely reviewers will all have their own choice of adjectives, but one thing which is unambiguous and not in doubt, across the board, is that it is a real work of excellent quality.  Even better, it is that rare thing: a gripping fiction book in which the reader genuinely doesn’t know what is going to happen next.  The story itself, to be honest, is a very simple one; the book is perhaps more literary or metaphorical than a form...

I love the premise of this very topical, contemporary satire.  The vast majority of us, in our right mind, are waiting for the day – praying, indeed – that the woke left implode and figuratively eat each other.  The intelligent and rational amongst us know that they are just not compatible with each other, and their ideological fantasy world is simply not achievable.  Sadly, the rational majority are becoming increasingly silenced by a culture of fear.  Social media has fertilized an utte...

Let’s get this clear, right off the bat: this book is outstanding.  Tremendous.  Simply the best book I’ve read in a very long time, without a hint of doubt.  Furthermore, while it is very rare for me to stoop to the cliched hyperbole that a book “should be read by everyone”, in this case, given its subject matter and current societal trend, not to mention the book’s sheer quality, it absolutely must be read by everyone, right now, before it’s too late – although, of course, mos...

If you like flash fiction with an edge, I think you’ll really like this collection, like I did.  A fun and creative, if at times sardonic play on mainstream and utterly obscure headlines, compiled during the lockdown of the pandemic.  For the most part, as you might expect, there is a lot of left-wing, anti-Trump, anti-Brexit vitriol in some of these 150-word or so vignettes – thankfully, that’s not all the book is about, though.  All in all, the authors are good quality, and the cause ...

It seems daily now that we see images of asylum seekers turning up on boats in Europe and Britain, but for many of us they are little more than faceless migrants; little mind is paid to their background, or their tortuous journey to reach here.  This outstanding fictionalized chronicle by Bunye Ngene tells this particular part of their story in its full, shocking detail, from a writer who undoubtedly knows the reality, rather than simply rehashing the emotive triggers of competing news media ...

The history of black America contains a lot of twists and turns. In case you think this is obvious, On the Wrong Side of God by Harry Boyd highlights many subtle political deviants of which I was unaware. 

Boyd is reaching out to the black Christian Church: ‘This book is to draw believers back to the word of God and into an intimate relationship with Christ.’ It is engaging and readable, a lively testament to the work of the Holy Spirit. He is a committed black Christian with a deep love...

This book is a lot of fun… to an extent.  Insofar as it only means to be, up to a certain point, before it has a very, very serious umbrella message.  Beautifully presented, it addresses literally everything about the story of mankind, our role in the world, and our future role in it.  Up until the last quarter’s sermon, I don’t think Tom takes it particularly seriously.

Tom has a theory on everything, and that’s all this book really is, in the main.  He does his research, of course,...

Stronger than Blood by Allan Mason is a complex thriller, devised with considerable imagination, and cleverly written. The author has a firm grasp of the world of electronic manipulation that we live in and a wonderfully warped sense of humour. He has used these skills to morph the present American political system into a new order all too believably.

USA, 2055. Albert Woods lives in Washington in a world of absolute government control. His personal life is overseen by Victor, the interactiv...

In this incredibly hard-worked account by a passionate political commentator, the “center” to which Walter refers is the moderate, rational ground between the left and right political wings.  The question of its continued existence is one which has become more prominent in recent years, in many countries, but perhaps none more so than the United States, following the election campaign and subsequent election of one of the most divisive presidents in living memory: Donald Trump. 

I admit,...

Without doubt, Clinchandhill is an excellent writer and “47 Hours…” is a work of immense quality, right from the very first line.  The author’s grasp and narration of political history and Latin American political culture is insightful and/or incredibly well researched, and you suspect that this book was a long time in the creation – the outcome was definitely worth the investment.  I am left in little doubt that Clinchandhill has had first-hand experience of the country in which th...