Andrew Shaw

THE LIBRARY OF THE DEAD BY T L HUCHU

The Library of the Dead by T L Huchu may be Young Adult Fantasy but it is so well written it can be enjoyed by anyone interested in the genre. Grimdark but with a light touch. A great read and a great introduction to a very gifted writer.

ASSASSIN'S APPRENTICE BY ROBIN HOBB

If you're looking for a character driven epic grimdark fantasy then books by Robin Hobb will be right up your street. And there is no better place to start than the first in her Farseer Trilogy, Assassin's Apprentice. She crafts a great story but her path to becoming a best seller was not an overnight success. It was only after she'd chosen an androgynous name, where she could be mistaken for a male writer that her books started to fly off the shelves.

And...

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN'S BLOCKBUSTER FILM, THE ODYSSEY

Christopher Nolan's blockbuster film adaptation of the epic Greek poem The Odyssey is now breaking box-office records all over the world. Most people love it but there are those who can't help finding fault with it. Helen of Troy is too black, the plume on the helmet of Odysseus is too red, the armour worn by Greek warriors belongs in a Batman film, not the Bronze Age. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. It's brought the Woke Brigade out...