Hourglass – John Morressy’s ‘Del Whitby’ trilogy

(Originally published in Vector, Jul 2001)

Some books you read and forget them the next day. Some books you read and they never leave you. The ‘Del Whitby’ trilogy by John Morressy are three books that, for me, definitely fall into the latter category.

The 'Del Whitby' trilogy by John Morressy

The series is set in a future universe where mankind has expanded in a series of waves to conquer the stars. On the way they have encountered a number of humanoid aliens, some of which are, or almost are, indistinguishable to humans and with some of these they have interbred. The events of the novels themselves take place in a post-expansion phase, when space travel has become a much rarer event than previously. What little there is in ships up to two centuries old as new ones are no longer being constructed; the technology having been lost. Space travel is also somewhat dangerous, not from mechanical failure of the old ships which were crafted to last, but from the slavers, pirates and the ultra-mysterious ultra-alien Rinn that lurk out in space. The books centre about several very different examples of some of the few rare starfarers of this time.

The 10 least necessary Doctor Who figures

What is says on the tin. Number One is hilarious… is it actually for real? Oh yes.

I can’t help thinking that they over-ordered far two many frame things for Casandra ‘skins’ and got RTD to write in her demise just that they could flog ‘Destroyed Cassandra’.

Complicity by Iain Banks

Book...

I first read Complicity in a day. The narrative locks you in from the opening words – in the second person, ‘you do this, you do that’, making you complicit in the action – and does not let you go all the way through the intense plot until the final downbeat paragraphs.

Cameron Colley is a hack journalist who tries to emulate his hero Hunter S Thompsom, if not in writing success then at least in narcotics consumption. He’s just cocked up his big chance at writing the big story. But now he has a hope of redemption. An anonymous ‘Deep Throat’ has been contacting him giving him clues to an apparently unconnected series of gruesome murders that point the way to the fact that the victims were all part of a conspiracy to create a shady arms deal. However as the investigation continues Cameron ends up having to confront issues arising from his own family history.

Banks underscores the action with a long scream of anger against the right wing establishments that allow such arms deals to go ahead, even to be encouraged. Although there’s been a lot of water under the bridge since it was written, these issues are still relevant, if not more so when considering examples like the references to the first Gulf War.

Irn-Bru

Take Britain’s favourite poem…

…and add it to Scotland’s other national drink and here’s the result: