Blog Archives

What’s a New Zealand novel? Sue Esterman

Posted on June 10, 2016 by NZ Books

Enemy Camp
David Hill
Puffin, $20.00, ISBN 9780143309123

Lullaby
Bernard Beckett
Text, $26.00, ISBN 9781922182753

Open Your Eyes, Jackson Ryder
Rudy Castaneda Lopez
Escalator, $30.00, ISBN 9780473295691

It has been interesting to read three such different but compelling books. All three writers are New Zealanders, but only one book is identifiable as a New Zealand novel. I mention this only because there was a session at the recent Writers Week in Wellington during the Arts Festival where I was expecting a robust discussion about what constitutes a New Zealand writer but unfortunately that didn’t happen. So the question is still there, but I don’t think I can address that in this review except through an occasional comment.

Tagged with: Bernard Beckett, David Hill, Escalator Press, Issue 114, Puffin, Rudy Castaneda Lopez, Sue Esterman, Text, Winter 2016
Posted in Fiction, Literature, Review, Young adults

End times, Susan Pearce

Posted on September 1, 2011 by NZ Books

Their Faces Were Shining Tim Wilson Victoria University Press, $30.00, ISBN 9780864736291 August Bernard Beckett Text Publishing, $30.00, ISBN 9781921758041 These days, Second Coming websites glean enough donations to post video ads on music sites, so even if you…

Tagged with: Bernard Beckett, Issue 95, Spring 2011, Susan Pearce, Text Publishing, Tim Wilson, Victoria University Press
Posted in Fiction, Literature, Review

Anti-brain fade, Bernard Beckett

Posted on September 1, 2009 by NZ Books

Anti-brain fade Self-confessed geek Bernard Beckett is seduced by the history of science Asked to write on a “book that means a lot to you”, I knew I’d write about non-fiction, and indeed a piece of science writing. I am…

Tagged with: Bernard Beckett, Issue 87, Spring 2009
Posted in Imprints

Darts and sledgehammers, Sue McCauley

Posted on December 1, 2008 by NZ Books

Two Little Boys Duncan Sarkies Penguin Books, $28.00, ISBN 9780143020912 Acid Song Bernard Beckett Longacre Press, $29.99, ISBN 9781877460111 Girlie Gillian Ranstead Penguin Books, $28.00, ISBN 9780143010005 “I thought it was one of those boys’ books,” said a friend when…

Tagged with: Bernard Beckett, Duncan Sarkies, Gillian Ranstead, Issue 84, Longacre Press, Penguin Books, Sue McCauley, Summer 2008
Posted in Fiction, Literature, Review

Likely stories, James C Raymond

Posted on June 1, 2008 by NZ Books

Falling for Science: Asking the Big Questions Bernard Beckett Longacre Press, $39.99, ISBN 9781877361722 Imagine yourself in Egypt in the third century BC. You believe the earth is round – what else would cause ships’ masts to appear before…

Tagged with: Bernard Beckett, Issue 81, James C Raymond, Longacre Press, Winter 2008
Posted in Non-fiction, Science

The hum of their parts, Anna Jackson

Posted on June 1, 2007 by NZ Books

Paperchase G Brassi Scholastic, $17.00, ISBN 1869437098 Thieves Ella West Longacre Press, $18.99, ISBN 1877361488 Genesis Bernard Beckett Longacre Press, $18.99, ISBN 9781877361524 These three novels are all presented as thrillers. It is interesting to see thrillers being written especially…

Tagged with: Anna Jackson, Bernard Beckett, Ella West, G Brassi, Issue 78, Longacre Press, Scholastic, Winter 2007
Posted in Fiction, Literature, Review, Young adults

All aboard for Planet Teenage, Brigid Lowry

Posted on September 1, 2005 by NZ Books

Deep Fried Bernard Beckett and Clare Knighton Longacre Press, $18.95, ISBN 1887361119 Box Penelope Todd Longacre Press, $16.95, ISBN 1877361127 Sil Jill Harris Longacre Press, $18.95, ISBN 1877361143 Elizabeth Knox recently entered the realms of young adult fiction with her…

Tagged with: Bernard Beckett, Brigid Lowry, Clare Knighton, Issue 71, Jill Harris, Longacre Press, Penelope Todd, Spring 2005
Posted in Fiction, Literature, Review, Young adults

Full lives and f words, William Taylor

Posted on June 1, 2004 by NZ Books

Malcolm and Juliet Bernard Beckett Longacre Press, $18.95, ISBN 1877135941 Out of Tune Joanna Orwin Longacre Press, $18.95, ISBN 1877135909 Coming Back David Hill Mallinson Rendel, $16.95, ISBN 0908783868 Dark Penelope Todd Longacre Press, $18.95, ISBN 1877135968 On a Good…

Tagged with: Bernard Beckett, David Hill, Deborah Burnside, Issue 66, Joanna Orwin, Longacre Press, Mallinson Rendel, Penelope Todd, Penguin, William Taylor, Winter 2004
Posted in Fiction, Literature, Review, Young adults

Journeys and sympathies, Anna Jackson

Posted on September 1, 2003 by NZ Books

Home Boys Bernard Beckett Longacre Press, $18.95, ISBN 1877135887 Lin and the Red Stranger Ken Catran Random House, $16.95, ISBN 1869415779 Tiggie Tompson’s Longest Journey Tessa Duder Penguin, $16.95, ISBN 0143318128 Finding myself questioning the whole genre of young…

Tagged with: Anna Jackson, Bernard Beckett, Issue 63, Ken Catran, Longacre Press, Penguin, Random House, Spring 2003, Tessa Duder
Posted in Fiction, Literature, Review, Young adults

Bad girls and bright boys, Raymond Huber

Posted on March 1, 2002 by NZ Books

No Alarms Bernard Beckett Longacre, $16.95, ISBN 1877135755 Spider William Taylor Longacre, $16.95, ISBN 1877135607 These two young adult novels are character studies that reveal both the desperation and the potential of the teenage years. No Alarms is a fast-paced,…

Tagged with: Autumn 2002, Bernard Beckett, Issue 57, Longacre, Raymond Huber, William Taylor
Posted in Fiction, Literature, Review, Young adults