Posted on March 9, 2021 Leave a Comment
1. “I like telling stories.” — Hunter Parrish
2. “All fiction has to have a certain amount of truth in it to be powerful.” — George R.R. Martin
3. “Literature is a luxury; fiction is a necessity.” — GK Chesterton
Posted on January 31, 2021 Leave a Comment
Well this might be a great idea or it might not be, but I thought it might be fun to knock together a couple of two or three sentence book reviews based on a selection from my bookshelf. Who knows, if it’s a hit, I’ll maybe do it again… maybe with movies or TV shows. But for today, it’s books.
I selected the books for review entirely at random. They are not necessarily of the same genre, nor are they necessarily books I particularly liked or disliked, nor are they sorted into any particular order.
What I have written about them are my entirely own impressions and opinions, compressed, squeezed and crammed into a few short sentences.
Posted on January 7, 2021 Leave a Comment
If you’ve been following Penstricken since it started in 2015, you may recall that on one occasion I set myself the challenge of writing 6 six-word stories using Thinkamingo’s Story Dice as stimuli. Since I am in an unoriginal sort of mood today, I’ve decided to do it again. The only difference is that this time, in addition to taking my cue from the story dice, I also intend to make each story a different genre, i.e. sci-fi, historical fiction, etc.
As before, I am using one die per story.
Posted on August 2, 2020 Leave a Comment
A bizarre little show, undeniably low-brow in some respects and with off-beat humour that only really managed to tickle me slightly. It took a little while to get started, but once it finally did get going, I found myself quickly starting to love it.
Posted on April 12, 2020 Leave a Comment
There is no doubt in my mind that anyone who loves a rich story, both history buffs and laymen, alike will appreciate From Waterloo to Water Street for the masterpiece it is.
Posted on April 5, 2020 Leave a Comment
S.E. Morgan is a Celtic history enthusiast and the author of the frankly marvellous novel, From Waterloo to Water Street, which chronicles one old Welsh soldier sharing his memories of the Napoleonic Wars with his grandson against the backdrop of the Rebecca Riots.
Posted on April 2, 2020 2 Comments
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett is a hefty tome about the building of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge in 12th century England. It’s full of lovable and deplorable characters, political intrigue, technical details about medieval construction and just a little bit more sex and sexual violence than was necessary.
Posted on January 14, 2020 Leave a Comment
West Wales 1843: Daughters of Rebecca are marching, breaking down toll gates that circle Carmarthen. Cantankerous veteran, Thomas Lewis, is tormented by nightmares of the wars against the French in Spain and the Low Countries nearly thirty years earlier. The Welsh countryside is in turmoil; livelihoods destroyed by unfair tithes and taxes. The workhouse provides a starvation diet for the “deserving poor”. The people’s fight for fair-handed justice has begun. In the Newport uprising three years earlier protesters were gaoled, transported and shot by a government afraid Wales might follow the path of revolution, like France. Carpenter’s apprentice, clever but cautious Will, grapples with resentment that he will not inherit the family farm. Will’s jealousy increases when his handsome, radical older brother falls in love with his best friend, Ellen. Could telling Will the story of his campaigns and battles with the 44th East Essex Regiment help Thomas find peace?
Posted on November 19, 2017 Leave a Comment
1. “I like telling stories.” — Hunter Parrish
2. “All fiction has to have a certain amount of truth in it to be powerful.” — George R.R. Martin
3. “Literature is a luxury; fiction is a necessity.” — GK Chesterton
Posted on March 19, 2017 1 Comment
Well this might be a great idea or it might not be, but I thought it might be fun to knock together a couple of two or three sentence book reviews based on a selection from my bookshelf. Who knows, if it’s a hit, I’ll maybe do it again… maybe with movies or TV shows. But for today, it’s books.
I selected the books for review entirely at random. They are not necessarily of the same genre, nor are they necessarily books I particularly liked or disliked, nor are they sorted into any particular order.
What I have written about them are my entirely own impressions and opinions, compressed, squeezed and crammed into a few short sentences.