PositiveThe Guardian (UK)It’s a typically sprawling narrative set in 15th-century Europe during the chaotic Hussite revolution, in which religious reformers fought Catholic armies loyal to the Holy Roman Emperor ... Sapkowski peppers the story with telling period detail, vivid and violent set pieces, and scatological humour. After a slow start, in which the historical and political backdrop is filled in by characters discoursing at length, the narrative settles into a bloody but satisfying picaresque.
Stephen Graham Jones
RaveThe Guardian (UK)... combines literary horror, a slasher-revenge plot and a Native American reservation backdrop to great effect ... Aside from delivering the staples of the horror genre, Jones is excellent at depicting the anxiety of Native Americans in contemporary society – and the finale is stunning.
Ernest Cline
RaveThe GuardianIt's the year 2044, and the world is a dystopic hell riven by starvation and disease. The impoverished populace spend their time in OASIS, which started as a multiplayer online game and has evolved into a global virtual reality. Wade Watts is one of these unfortunates, an endearingly nerdy and socially maladjusted youth who dreams of discovering the lottery ticket embedded, Willy Wonka-style, in OASIS by its billionaire tycoon creator … The strength of Cline's first novel, other than its geeky referencing of 1980s pop culture, is the characterisation of the Candide-like Wade and his redemptive quest in both VR and the real world.
