I was going to write a polemic about the “christian” right in American politics, but decided my blood pressure couldn’t take the strain today. So, instead I’m writing my overdue review of Harry Connolly’s books, Child of Fire and Game of Cages. Okay, if you don’t like anything fantastical or supernatural, my advice would be to look away now. But you’ll be missing good reads. Your loss. There’s no vampires, werewolves or angels in these books, although there is quite a lot of magic. I read them right after finishing one of Charles Stross’s Laundry books and it seemed to...

Being the son of an accountant, there’s a certain inevitability that I’m going to die one day. Oh, and pay my taxes religiously as well. (Is it me, or is this tax thing getting more complicated all the time?) Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a Tea-bagger – the idea of government isn’t inherently repellent to me as I long ago realised I prefer someone else to deal with all the mundanities of defense, trash collection and traffic wardens. And if they take money from lobbyists, give themselves large salary increases and skim a bit off the top, are we...