STARDUST By Neil Gaiman

Published : 1998
Pages : 194
Overall Mark : 9/10

Tristran Thorn is madly in love with Victoria Forester, who he thinks is the most beautiful girl in the village of Wall, so when they witness a shooting star falling from the sky and landing in the magical realm of Stormhold he agrees to go in search of it and bring it back to her in return for her hand in marriage. However, when he finds the star, he discovers that it has taken human form as a young woman called Yvaine, and that a coven of witches are after the star so that they can eat her heart and rejuvinate their youth.

This novel, also available as a graphic novel, is probably the best modern fairy tale I've read in a long time. The characters are rich and vibrate and the scenarios are original and come together in a brilliant medly of twists. The ending is both happy and sad, so there's something for everyone in this wonderful tale of love, betrayal, and evil.

EARTH ABIDES By George R Stewart

Published : 1949
Pages : 312
Overall Mark : 8/10

Isherwood Williams fins himself one of the few survivors of an unknown eppidemic that has wiped out most of the human race. He soon meets some other survivors, and together they prepare to rebuild the human race, but after years of bringing up a new generation without the ability to teach them or train them to do anything that could be of benefit, such as the ability to repair damaged buildings or to hunt for food, Ish questions his standing as the leader of the group.

Clearly the influence for Stephen King's The Stand, this post apocalyptic novel doesn't go down the road of giving us an unbelievable view of the future but instead gives a view that seems frightening belieavable and very probable. None of the characters have ridiculous abilities that make their lives easier, and they don't have a moral code that precludes them from exacting punishment against those they distrust. This novel is simply put a wonderful example of survivalism set against a nautral or unnatural disaster of epic proportions.

DEXTER IN THE DARK By Jeff Lindsay

Published : 2007
Pages : 376
Overall Mark : 8/10

Dexter Morgan is faced with a terrifying concept - being seperated from his Dark Passenger, the part of him that allows him to kill truly evil people without remorse. Now he may have to live the rest of his life with a conscience, making it very difficult for him to act out his murderous tendencies. What's more, there's a killer on the loose - a killer who is so deadly and evil that they even frighten Dexter himself.

The Dexter novels appear to be going from strength to strength, with Jeff Lindsay continually evolving the character into an ever more likeable and loveable rogue. Here we are shown that it isn't just Dexter's Dark Passanger that possesses a blood lust, but that Dexter himself feels incomplete without thatpart of himself. This installment is very different from the previous two, but still gives us some funny situations mixed with some truly terrifying concepts, bordering almost on the supernatural.