Alfred Noyes (1) (1880–1958)

Typically, I don't care for poetry, but "The Highwayman" is one of a handful of poems that I do like.

I first heard it when my teacher read it out to my form group at the end of term in December 1988. We were the only class in school not allowed a Christmas party because the teacher didn't believe this should be allowed, so he read us a series of poems & stories, of which "The Highwayman" is the only one I remember. I liked it as it has a strong story and I've always had a fascination with highway robbers.

Not long after this, I saw the video to Fleetwood Mac's "Everywhere", which is inspired by "The Highwayman" poem. I've watched this on and off over the years & listened to the song countless times, so I guess this has kept the poem in my memory all this time.

It never occurred to me to re-read it. The only reason I have now done so is because the poem was featured in Wallis Peel's non-fiction book on highwaymen and highwaywomen called "Stand and Deliver".

I remembered a lot of it, including the outcome, because the "Everywhere" video reveals it, but this didn't spoil anything. It's short and to the point with a vivid narrative and a supernatural twist.… (more)

Religious, apocalyptic sci-fi. The start in which our protagonist gets to view how people behave in private is quite good and theres some decent sci-fi surrounding the apocalypse, but not a lot happens for much of the text. I was all set to give it 1 star, however it picks up towards the end and has some good albeit short lived action.
Also the author is pretty good at examining the hypocracy of modern society and politics. However while good at examing these issues the author always seems to come to the wrong conclusion about them.

This is a religious story although i'm not sure what religion the writer is. At first he seemed christian, then born-again-christian, then maybe scientologist, there was a bit where he seemed to imply eden was another dimension or planet or something... i don't know. Oh and it wouldn't be religious sci-fi if the characters didn't get direct knowledge from god in the form of suspiciously accurate visions as if being sufficiently religious would qualify you to join the X-Men.

Now on to all the niggles and there are a lot of them. Large sections of the novel are just lectures like when the protagonist goes on a tiraid which comes very close to blaming the apocalypse on what he considers obscene art.
Theres a bit where its frankly stated that being a good person is pointless unless your also christian. He uses unexpanded phrasing like people forgetting the 'old loyalties', or 'the dignity of woman', i don't know what they mean but if you hear people talk like that in real life and your not a white male, i would seriously advise you to RUN FOR YOUR FREAKING LIFE! ;) .
Theres a weird attempted defense of Mussolini. The female character reminisces about her uncles plantation and comes pretty close to calling slavery the good old times. At one point they also say people had become as immoral 'as the latest nigger song'.

As i said though some parts of interest mostly at the start and end.

Edit: Made available by the Merril Collection.… (more)