Comments on: British Summertime

By: Wesley Osam

Wesley Osam — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 03:03:57 +0000

I occasionally have problems with Cornell’s work. (Mainly that victory is often handed to his characters more because they’ve demonstrated that they’re good people than because they brought it about themselves–on my own blog I described it as winning through grace rather than works, which seems an appropriate metaphor.) It doesn’t matter–I love it anyway. I don’t think he could do anything to lose me as a reader.

As for the characters… I think it’s down to empathy. Cornell just seems to like everybody, even the villains. Which might also be why I find his books consoling, even when they go down a slightly different path philosophically.

By: Pam Adams

Pam Adams — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 01:48:10 +0000

I picked it up in Denver, having run into Paul (and you!) at the daily morning stroll. The book sounded fascinating, and mind-blowing- and lived up to its reputation. Eagerly awaiting Shades, which also sounded wonderful.

By: Lou Anders

Lou Anders — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:02:29 +0000

BRITISH SUMMERTIME is indeed wonderful. Of his DOCTOR WHO novels, HUMAN NATURE is my favorite and brings a tear to my eye. The only thing I object to about their filming it in the new series is now it makes the New Adventures version non-canonical. Small price for one of the best episodes of tv ever. His comic work is also quite good, and, well, check out this short story, "Catherine Drewe."

By: Michael D. Thomas

Michael D. Thomas — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:11:27 +0000

I’ve been meaning to read that for a while. Have you read any of Paul’s Doctor Who novels? They’re quite exquisite.

By: Joe Iriarte

Joe Iriarte — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:48:03 +0000

I kind of felt that way about Time Traveler’s Wife. There were aspects of that book I found problematic, but I wanted to experience the good parts again.

Sometimes a novel blows me away to the point where I’m temporarily ruined for reading fiction, because anything else will seem pale by comparison. Stephen King often does this to me. My solution: This is when I pull the nonfiction books out of my TBR pile.