The Nargun and the Stars
by Patricia Wrightson (Hutchison Junior, 1973 / Puffin, 1975)
Wrightson’s MG fantasy makes the most of its Australian setting and Aboriginal Dreamtime influences while sneaking in a tale of bereavement and found family. The plot moves at its own pace, in its own direction, while the characters find their way forward.
Jeeves & Wooster, Series Two
adapted by Clive Exton, dir. Simon Langton (ITV, 1991)
Clive Exton hits his adaptive stride, taking plot lines from various of the Jeeves & Wooster novels and short stories and stitching them into familiar (yet pleasingly independent) single-episode treatments. Hugh Laurie’s iteration really is the perfect multiversal embodiment of Bertie Wooster.
Flash Gordon, Season 1
(NBC, 1979-1980)
Insufferably trite, 16-episode peril-per-minute space opera adventure serial, notable for: less-than-cut-price animation; objectified though strong-willed, powerful women; zero changes of wardrobe; and the endless gung-ho optimism of thick-necked, bull-at-the-gate hero Flash Gordon. Worthwhile only for its memorable SF backdrops and vehicle designs.
Chess: Master the Moves
by Leonard Barden; ill. G. Domenech (Chancerel, 1977)
A bizarre if collectible primer aimed at beginners but intelligible only to experienced players, its wisdom delivered through fine-detailed comic-strip illustrations where mediaeval knights discuss strategy, and condescending coach Steve wows chess groupie Sonya (and then an entire harem!). Oh, the 1970s…
Rumpole for the Defence
by John Mortimer; audiobook read by Bill Wallis (Bolinda, 2016)
originally “Regina v. Rumpole” (Allen Lane, 1981)
Seven further trials, adapted from the 1980 BBC Radio series (plus one Play for Today). Behind Rumpole’s cynical bluster and his numerous personal and professional setbacks, Mortimer offers up ingenious case studies in legal defence. Bill Wallis’s audiobook reading is superbly Rumpole-like.
The Secret of Moon Castle
by Enid Blyton (Basil Blackwell, 1953) [Armada, 1991]
![Book cover: “The Secret of Moon Castle” by Enid Blyton (Basil Blackwell, 1953) [Armada, 1991]](https://www.derelictspacesheep.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Blyton_Secret-Moon-Castle.jpg)
Blyton’s ‘Secret’ series ends with a bit of a whimper. The villain is unambiguous and the mystery entails a nebulous mining scheme that, Scooby-Doo style, would have remained hidden if not for his trying to scare the kids off with manufactured spookery.
Maid Marian and her Merry Men, Series 1
by Tony Robinson; dir. David Bell (BBC, 1989)
One-of-a-kind children’s comedy with a penchant for slow-rapped beatbox scene-setting (courtesy of Danny John-Jules). Episodes rattle along through a gamut of small-scale absurdisms, over-the-top, self-aware characters, corny anachronisms and genuine wit. Tony Robinson brings Blackadder vibes as the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham.
The Left Hand of Darkness
by Ursula K. Le Guin (Ace, 1967)
audiobook read by George Guidall (Recorded Books, 2017)
Accomplished prose, meticulous worldbuilding. The Left Hand of Darkness won Nebula and Hugo Awards, and on the strength of its pioneering contribution to feminist SF, who can argue? The plot, however, is far from riveting—a slog for readers and characters alike.
The Wombles: Beautiful Boating Weather
by Elisabeth Beresford (Hodder Children’s Books, 1998)
A slight (14-page) picture book adapted by Elisabeth Beresford from the 1997 TV series (itself derived from her MG novels)! The Wombles prove as loveable as ever, the pictures here being taken directly from the show, but there’s nothing of independent merit.
Faerie Tale
by Raymond E. Feist (Doubleday, 1988)
While Feist’s leisurely characterisation of the Hastings family draws the reader in and makes them susceptible to the creeping dread of faerie lore, the workmanlike omniscient narrative and muddled plot (once removed of its glamour) are unlikely to truly unsettle adult readers.