“The Ocean at the End of the Lane” is a fantasy novel dealing with a strange adventure of a young boy meeting a slightly older girl, her mother and grandmother, who live in a farm just down the road from him. The farm contains a pond which the girl, Lettie Hempstock, insists is an ocean.…
“Smoke and Mirrors” is a collection of short stories by the author of “American Gods” (and other great novels) Neil Gaiman. Some of these short works are poems, others the more regular prose, some are creepy, some are quirky, all of them make great reading. I am going to review four of the stories that…
“Death Masks” is the fifth in the Dresden Files, a series of books written by Jim Butcher that follow the character Harry Dresden, a wizard living in modern-day Chicago. The books follow a fantastical world that exists alongside the normal world, with magic, a wizard council, vampires, werewolves, demons and all the usual magical creatures.…
When I was a kid I loved fairy-tales, fantasy, myths and legends. Movies that told fantastical adventures were watched and re-watched, and I was especially enthralled with the monsters and other fantastical creatures that appeared. I loved any stories which included magic and fantasy. A lot of these old movies would be shown on tv…
“The Last Boy” is described as science fiction, but personally I would call it fantasy – there is precious little science involved. Sira (Flynn Allen) is living in a caravan with his dying mother. She gives him instructions about a place he needs to travel to, and a map. There is a ‘wind’ that will…
This is the second in a series of five books, but can be read without having read the first novel. It involves a young boy who is the seventh son of a seventh son, and on his eleventh birthday discovers he has magical powers, being the last of the Old Ones, servants of the Light…
“The Father Christmas Letters” is a collection of letters and accompanying pictures written by JRR Tolkien for his children. Of course it is traditional in many countries for children to write letters to Father Christmas, but Tolkien’s children were lucky enough to receive letters back. (What a great dad Tolkien must have been, with so…
Once upon a time There was a castle, a palace, a kingdom There was a beautiful princess, a handsome prince There was a king and queen, wicked, or benign A wizard counsellor, a fairy godmother A dark forest, a magical tower A witch, an elf, a dwarf Mystical creatures and charmed artifacts Once upon a…
“Cat People” is a fantasy/horror B movie, directed by Jacques Tourneur. It is one of the films of the period produced by Val Lewton, who has become well-known for his production of these types of films that are a cut above the quality of this sort of film. While “Cat People” has many flaws, it…
And so I lie upon my bed Having adventures inside my head Making up stories where I’m the star Who loves and is loved both near and far Who carries on in the face of death Who keeps on fighting til my last breath Who wins the day and slays the beast Is guest of…
Eclectic Assemblage 