Anyone remember the old book reviews section of my website? For several years, I was in the habit of reviewing everything I had read, and the database grew to about eighty titles. I’ve let the reviews slip for the past six months, and even went as far as taking the link to the section off my main site.
I’ve decided to kickstart the thing again, in a new, friendler format: a WordPress blog. I’ve laboriously transcribed all the reviews into it. Before, the database was just a basic alphabetical list. Now, it’s a fully searchable archive, which can also be filtered by author or genre. I’ve also included a filter for self-published and small press titles.
So, have a peek at Darryl’s Library.
The Christmas holiday commences in a few minutes for me. I have promised Andrew Harrison that I will write the script for the next Midnight Pictures film over the break, so while he’s getting fat on turkey, I will be scribbling away at the word processor. I wouldn’t have it any other way, as I am likely to be bored and depressed otherwise. There’s a cheery note to end the post on! Merry Christmas, everyone!
Darryl Sloan 
I flicked through some of the science fiction section. One small correction: there is another Elite novella, called Imprint. I got it with the VGA PC version.
Also, don’t forget that at least one version of Frontier comes with a collection of short stories.
I don’t know if you’re aware but there is actually quite a healthy Elite fan-fiction scene.
http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/The_Frontier_WikiNews
Not that I’ve ever taken the time to read any myself.
Merry Christmas too you also.
I’m sorry to hear that you’re depressed this time of the year. As Christians, you and I know the real reason for the celebration. I pray that God sends some cheer your way this year.
God Bless You.
Can’t wait to see the finished film.
Have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year! Lee (formerly of the Rumour Machine)
Mike,
Thanks for the info. I had no idea about Imprint. Had a quick hunt for it online and found it. One click glance, and I’ve spotted terrible punctuation. Might give this one a miss.
Jeff,
I hate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day because I live alone, and I feel like I can’t visit my friends because everyone’s doing their own family stuff. But I’m way too positive to get depressed about it. Christmas is just a pain in the ass that I want to see the back of, so that life can get back to normal.
I don’t know how things are in America, but family life here is so nuclear, it’s tragic. And so is church life. I’ve abandoned church completely because I’ve never been able to stop feeling like a stranger.
family life here is good – surely its what you make of it. you are bound to have various uncles and aunties around you, do you live hundreds of mile away from people, why not bring up a bottle of wine and visit them for a social.
There are some relatives nearby, but very few that I am close to. Some that I never see because I feel we have so little in common. I wouldn’t know what to say if I showed up.
Christmas Day is one of those rare days of the year that is “organised.” You can’t just show up somewhere and expect an extra place at the table, nor can you invite yourself somewhere.
Besides, I’m a geek, and geeks are not renowned for their social skills.
It’s now Boxing Day, and I’m writing this at a friend’s house. Life is normal again. Good riddance to Christmas for another year.
I’m getting pretty sick of your unreasonable optimism about things. It’s New Year next
It’s worse for me as have to get through Christmas (ouch!), New Year (thwap!) and then a birthday at the end of January (slap!). I suppose I get it all out of the way in one go. At least I get some money (which I need!) 🙂
There’s always a bigger geek. Over the last few days, I’ve done a bit of writing and done some very useful reading.
The only thing I remember in general about New Years is having to avoid all the drunks if I’m out walking late. Oh, and the fireworks keeping me awake. I’m just a moany old git.
thats an awful attitiude, and one that is common with other ‘so called’ christians. your using your geek status (although there is no wrong with being a geek!) as a way of cutting yourself off from other people – do you want to do live on the moon? hello is always a good start.
by the way christmas day is not always organised – you only think that (for some reason). why not say in advance that you might be going around to the house.
“So-called Christians”? There’s a sweeping generalisation, if ever I heard one. If we’re living lives of sin and debauchery, feel free to say that. Otherwise, you’re out of line.
Far from cutting myself off from people, I love being with my friends. If you had read my post properly, you would have seen that the reason I hate Christmas is precisely because I don’t get to see people, not because I “want to live on the moon.”
What’s with the hostility? Can’t you understand that not every family circle is the same? Not everyone’s experience matches yours, and the things you take for granted, others may not.
I think it is an unreasonable and immature faith which presumes to judge other Christians according to one’s own perceived (and unrealistic) standards. The anonymous poster should realise that it his own attitude which is awful and characteristic of “so called” Christians who have no understanding of real life nor the words ‘love’ and ‘charity’.
The reality is that Christmas is a very hard time of year for anyone who is alone, whether they are Christian or not. Even though one may have relatives nearby, if there is no one who is emotionally close to you, then you are essentially alone. That’s a hard position to be in at any time of the year, but especially at Christmas.
Inviting yourself somewhere, just showing up with a bottle of wine, or trying to set it up beforehand, is very awkward. Despite what the anonymous poster believes, Christmas gatherings are mostly an organised, nuclear affair. If you’re not accustomed to celebrating Christmas with family or other familiar social group, then there is an intense feeling of pariahism that has to be overcome if you do show up somewhere unexpectedly (or even expectedly). As Darryl tried to point out, he’s not sufficiently socially comfortable in order to ride those feelings out.
I’m suprised that some have reacted so harshly to Darryl’s comments about how he feels at Christmas time. Jeez, guys, how about offering some understanding and encouragement like Jeff instead? Must we either try to hold people up to an inhuman standard, or bring them down to our own level of depression?
Darryl, I appreciate the difficulties you, and many people, face at this time of year. Just so you know, there’s ALWAYS an extra place for you at our Christmas dinner table. My only regret is that it’s 4000 miles away.
Thanks, Chris. You are a true friend.
To Lee: Thanks for dropping by! I only validated your comment the other day; something must have went wrong with the notification system. The writing is flowing well at the moment. I’m on track for having the script finished by the end of the hols, and Andy and I are pretty excited about getting started. Keep in touch, mate.
Living on the moon. What an attractive idea! I feel akin to The Prisoner, who when told by Number Two that he envisions “the whole world as The Village”, responds by saying he’d like to live on the moon (in other words away from this false society). In another episode, the Villagers are having a festival. A gardener puts up a box of flowers by his window. The Prisoner snarls, “Suppose I don’t want any flowers?!” To which the gardener replies with an overt smile, “Everybody has flowers.” I guess if you’ve never seen The Prisoner TV series, this won’t mean much to you. The scene is an attack on this world’s insistence that we enjoy ourselves at particular times of the year.
“Tis the season to be jolly” whether you’re jolly or not.
That’s what I dislike about Christmas and New Year, personally. It’s the fakeness of it all.
So I’m with Darryl.