I didn't get home until late last night, so my planned post just wasn't to be. It was a beautiful day - today wasn't too bad either - and I spent most of it outside. This time of the year, on these unpredictable shores, you just never know how long it will last - the sun, the blue skies, summer.

I recently begun reading Tad Williams' new novel, The War of the Flowers, and it actually reminds me a little of The Longest Journey - which, of course, was inspired by other tales. Without going deep into spoiler territory, the novel - which, refreshingly enough, is not part of a multiple volume fantasy epic, but that rarest of modern creatures; a stand-alone story - follows the journey of a man who, quite unwillingly, and by the twists and turns of fate, travels through a portal from our world into a magical, parallel Faerie world.

I've been told by reliable sources that there are further and deeper similarities between our two tales, and I'm intrigued to see where Williams is going with the story. It is, of course, a well-established and not particularly original concept - The Chronicles of Narnia did it oh-so-well half a century ago, and fairy tales, myths, and legends have recounted similar journeys; from the ordinary world into the dangerous realms of magic and high adventure, for thousands of years - but it is a fabulous starting-point for a good story. (Which is why we're doing it all over in the next TLJ.)

So far, then, a recommended read - especially if you liked The Longest Journey.  ¶ 22:28