Category Archives: book reviews

Landscape and Language as Character

Posted on February 7, 2019 by

Reflections on reading The Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy Reading Thomas Hardy’s lesser known novel The Woodlanders returns me to a lifelong fascination with his writing. Hardy was an early literary touchstone for me in my self education as a writer, and … Continue reading →

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Nascent Poet or Hotheaded Murderer?

Posted on October 20, 2018 by

Review of Big Ledge by Brian D’Eon Big Ledge by Brian D’Eon is that rarity in historical fiction—a story that combines historical veracity with narrative fluency and a deep poetic sensibility. D’Eon starts the tale from its endpoint, with its … Continue reading →

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Deconstructing Empire: a Review of ‘The Emperor’

Posted on January 7, 2018 by

“Tired, looking as if they hadn’t slept, they acted under feverish stress, pursuing their victims in the stale air of hatred and fear that surrounded them all. They had no shield but the Emperor, and the Emperor could undo them … Continue reading →

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Kootenay Lake poets release anthology

Posted on April 3, 2017 by

Just in time for National Poetry Month in April, a group of poets from Kaslo and area have released an anthology of their work titled Five Kootenay Lake Poets. The writers’ group, comprising Mark Mealing, Robert Banks Foster, Sheila Murray-Nellis, … Continue reading →

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‘In Your Face’ book review

Posted on February 26, 2017 by

Some books can take you by surprise, suddenly causing a shift in your perceptions. In Your Face: What’s Yours Saying About You? by Emisch Oghma is one such book. It’s a contemporary Western take on the ancient Chinese practice of … Continue reading →

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Caroline Woodward re-releases Alaska Highway Two-Step

Posted on February 22, 2017 by

It’s not often these days a novel gets a second chance at life. Author Caroline Woodward’s first novel, Alaska Highway Two-Step, will get just that, with a new edition being released this month by Harbour Publishing. Woodward’s novel tells the … Continue reading →

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Evolutionaries vs. The Psychopath Factor

Posted on February 21, 2016 by

There’s a classic scene in the Raiders of the Lost Ark movie when Indiana Jones is faced with an expert swordsman in an Arab marketplace.[1] Realizing he’s hopelessly outclassed, Jones simply pulls out his revolver and shoots the man. This … Continue reading →

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