Steve Hubbard
@stevehubbard.bsky.social
Former animator and academic- occasional sculptor- occasional writer - occasional comic creator - now largely making musical instruments.
Finished Christopher Fowler’s ‘Bryant & May: England’s Finest’ short story collection. A great selection of short mystery / crime stories. Also a good essay by Chris with some background to the series - his absence feeling especially poignant as I approach the end of the series. #booksky
November 15, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Finished Christopher Fowler’s ‘Bryant & May: England’s Finest’ short story collection. A great selection of short mystery / crime stories. Also a good essay by Chris with some background to the series - his absence feeling especially poignant as I approach the end of the series. #booksky
This was the extra novel, ‘Exiles’ by Mason Coyle. Mixed feelings about this one. It seems to depend on you not knowing much about science / technology for the plot to work. If you do, it’s deeply implausible. More thorough research by the author was called for.
November 10, 2025 at 5:37 PM
This was the extra novel, ‘Exiles’ by Mason Coyle. Mixed feelings about this one. It seems to depend on you not knowing much about science / technology for the plot to work. If you do, it’s deeply implausible. More thorough research by the author was called for.
Recently finished the reread of Christopher Fowler’s ‘Bryant & May: The Lonely Hour’ and already well advanced on the next one (and managed to fit in an extra novel whilst in bed with a cold). Already planning next year’s reading project with a pile of new (to me) novels. #christopherfowler
November 10, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Recently finished the reread of Christopher Fowler’s ‘Bryant & May: The Lonely Hour’ and already well advanced on the next one (and managed to fit in an extra novel whilst in bed with a cold). Already planning next year’s reading project with a pile of new (to me) novels. #christopherfowler
My year’s reading project continues with a re-read of Christopher Fowler’s ‘Bryant & May - Hall of Mirrors’ and I loved it, arguably more than on the first read. Five books left to go in two and a half months. My time is heavily committed at the moment, but is should make it. #bryantandmay
October 18, 2025 at 12:15 PM
My year’s reading project continues with a re-read of Christopher Fowler’s ‘Bryant & May - Hall of Mirrors’ and I loved it, arguably more than on the first read. Five books left to go in two and a half months. My time is heavily committed at the moment, but is should make it. #bryantandmay
Just finished Christopher Fowler’s ‘Bryant & May: Wild Chamber’. From my first reading of the novels I remember this as my favourite in the series - something confirmed on my second reading. Wonderfully written, once again very sad that Chris is no longer with us. Next up ‘Hall of Mirrors’
October 4, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Just finished Christopher Fowler’s ‘Bryant & May: Wild Chamber’. From my first reading of the novels I remember this as my favourite in the series - something confirmed on my second reading. Wonderfully written, once again very sad that Chris is no longer with us. Next up ‘Hall of Mirrors’
Latest reading: Joris Mertens graphic novel ‘Dry Cleaned’ and Christopher Fowler’s ‘Bryant & May: Strange Tide’. ‘Dry Cleaned’ had excellent, evocative art and, the curse of many a graphic novel, poor story structure. Ninety pages of scene setting followed by forty pages of drama.
September 17, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Latest reading: Joris Mertens graphic novel ‘Dry Cleaned’ and Christopher Fowler’s ‘Bryant & May: Strange Tide’. ‘Dry Cleaned’ had excellent, evocative art and, the curse of many a graphic novel, poor story structure. Ninety pages of scene setting followed by forty pages of drama.
Books I read while on my break from social media: Mick Herron’s ‘Bad Actors’, Christopher Fowler’s ‘Bryant & May: London’s Glory’ and Roger Zelazny’s ‘A Night in the Lonesome October’.
September 7, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Books I read while on my break from social media: Mick Herron’s ‘Bad Actors’, Christopher Fowler’s ‘Bryant & May: London’s Glory’ and Roger Zelazny’s ‘A Night in the Lonesome October’.
Latest reading - the 12th ‘Bryant & May’ novel ’The Burning Man’. The next one up is ‘London’s Glory’, a short story collection, but first, the next Slough House book ‘Bad Actors’. #christopherfowler #bryantandmay
July 28, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Latest reading - the 12th ‘Bryant & May’ novel ’The Burning Man’. The next one up is ‘London’s Glory’, a short story collection, but first, the next Slough House book ‘Bad Actors’. #christopherfowler #bryantandmay
Just finished Mick Herron’s ‘Slough House’ the latest in the ‘Slow Horses’ series, and arguably the best so far. Finished on a major cliffhanger, so tempting to charge straight into ‘Bad Actors’, but no, I’ll continue with my grand reading plan with another ‘Bryant & May’ #slowhorses #booksky
July 8, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Just finished Mick Herron’s ‘Slough House’ the latest in the ‘Slow Horses’ series, and arguably the best so far. Finished on a major cliffhanger, so tempting to charge straight into ‘Bad Actors’, but no, I’ll continue with my grand reading plan with another ‘Bryant & May’ #slowhorses #booksky
Very much enjoyed my re-read of the 11th Bryant & May novel ‘The Bleeding Heart’. Seven novels and three collections to go in my main reading project for the year. Not going to read them back to back though - next up- Mick Herron’s ‘Slough House’.
June 30, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Very much enjoyed my re-read of the 11th Bryant & May novel ‘The Bleeding Heart’. Seven novels and three collections to go in my main reading project for the year. Not going to read them back to back though - next up- Mick Herron’s ‘Slough House’.
Taarna from ‘Heavy Metal’
June 23, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Taarna from ‘Heavy Metal’
Just finished Jeff Vandermeer’s ’Acceptance’ - the third Southern Reach book. I think Stephen King’s comment ‘creepy and fascinating’ best sums it up. Not exactly a ‘page turner’ though - I found it a bit of a slog. Still looking forward to the next book when it comes out though. #booksky
June 19, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Just finished Jeff Vandermeer’s ’Acceptance’ - the third Southern Reach book. I think Stephen King’s comment ‘creepy and fascinating’ best sums it up. Not exactly a ‘page turner’ though - I found it a bit of a slog. Still looking forward to the next book when it comes out though. #booksky
Just finished the excellent ‘Bryant & May and the Invisible Code’. I remembered a few bits of it, but not the central storyline. Now about halfway through my year’s reading project. 10 down, 11 to go, though only 8 of those are novels. #christopherfowler #bryantandmay #booksky
June 6, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Just finished the excellent ‘Bryant & May and the Invisible Code’. I remembered a few bits of it, but not the central storyline. Now about halfway through my year’s reading project. 10 down, 11 to go, though only 8 of those are novels. #christopherfowler #bryantandmay #booksky
In between fiction books I’ve been catching up with my harpsichord reading, as I’m currently in the latter stages of building one. Wally Zuckermann’s ‘The Modern Harpsichord’ was published in 1969 and provides a quite readable overview of the mid-century harpsichord revival #harpsichord
May 27, 2025 at 4:45 PM
In between fiction books I’ve been catching up with my harpsichord reading, as I’m currently in the latter stages of building one. Wally Zuckermann’s ‘The Modern Harpsichord’ was published in 1969 and provides a quite readable overview of the mid-century harpsichord revival #harpsichord
Just finished Jeff Vandermeer’s second Southern Reach book ‘Authority’. Excellent final act that has me looking forward to the third book (but another Bryant & May book to go before that). #jeffvandermeer #southernreach #booksky
May 23, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Just finished Jeff Vandermeer’s second Southern Reach book ‘Authority’. Excellent final act that has me looking forward to the third book (but another Bryant & May book to go before that). #jeffvandermeer #southernreach #booksky
Finished re-reading the ninth Bryant & May book ‘Bryant & May and the Memory of Blood’. I found it slow going - it took me about four weeks to read. Remembered very little of it from the first time - to the point that I wondered whether I’d managed to finish it. #booksky #christopherfowler
May 5, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Finished re-reading the ninth Bryant & May book ‘Bryant & May and the Memory of Blood’. I found it slow going - it took me about four weeks to read. Remembered very little of it from the first time - to the point that I wondered whether I’d managed to finish it. #booksky #christopherfowler
My big project, a Clavicytherium (upright Harpsichord) is finally starting to look like a musical instrument. A bit more prep and I’ll be able to string it. I’ve got a couple of weeks work to finish off the keyboard mechanisms. Largely made at @westdean.ac.uk under the tuition of Andy Butterworth.
April 27, 2025 at 10:33 AM
My big project, a Clavicytherium (upright Harpsichord) is finally starting to look like a musical instrument. A bit more prep and I’ll be able to string it. I’ve got a couple of weeks work to finish off the keyboard mechanisms. Largely made at @westdean.ac.uk under the tuition of Andy Butterworth.
Latest reading a re-read of Jeff Vandermeer’s ‘Annihilation’ in advance of reading the rest of the novels in the series. While the language is clearly contemporary, it has powerful echoes of Lovecraftian ‘Cosmic Horror’ more than science fiction, which I read it as the first time around.
April 14, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Latest reading a re-read of Jeff Vandermeer’s ‘Annihilation’ in advance of reading the rest of the novels in the series. While the language is clearly contemporary, it has powerful echoes of Lovecraftian ‘Cosmic Horror’ more than science fiction, which I read it as the first time around.
I’ve been on a roll with the Bryant & May novels. Just finished number eight, ‘Bryant & May: Off the Rails’. This is the one in which Christopher Fowler had to reset the timeline as the lead characters were moving from ‘very old’ to ‘implausibly old’ - by authorial sleight of hand he made the 1/2
April 2, 2025 at 8:20 AM
I’ve been on a roll with the Bryant & May novels. Just finished number eight, ‘Bryant & May: Off the Rails’. This is the one in which Christopher Fowler had to reset the timeline as the lead characters were moving from ‘very old’ to ‘implausibly old’ - by authorial sleight of hand he made the 1/2
Just finished re-reading the excellent ‘Bryant & May On The Loose’ by Christopher Fowler. I’ve jumped straight into book 8, ‘Bryant & May Off The Rails’ as it’s a direct continuation of the story. #booksky #christopherfowler #bryantandmay
March 24, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Just finished re-reading the excellent ‘Bryant & May On The Loose’ by Christopher Fowler. I’ve jumped straight into book 8, ‘Bryant & May Off The Rails’ as it’s a direct continuation of the story. #booksky #christopherfowler #bryantandmay
Just finished volume six of ‘Bryant and May’ - ‘The Victoria Vanishes’. According to Chris Fowler’s forewords, this was originally supposed to be the final novel in the series, but the series proved so popular he wrote another 12 novels and 3 collections. #christopherfowler #bryantandmay
March 19, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Just finished volume six of ‘Bryant and May’ - ‘The Victoria Vanishes’. According to Chris Fowler’s forewords, this was originally supposed to be the final novel in the series, but the series proved so popular he wrote another 12 novels and 3 collections. #christopherfowler #bryantandmay
Watching Michael Wood’s ‘In Search of the Trojan War’ forty years after its first broadcast (24 feb to 31 March 1985). Still the most resonant and compelling documentary series I’ve ever watched. I must have watched it 15 or so times over the years. #michaelwood #insearchofthetrojanwar
March 17, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Watching Michael Wood’s ‘In Search of the Trojan War’ forty years after its first broadcast (24 feb to 31 March 1985). Still the most resonant and compelling documentary series I’ve ever watched. I must have watched it 15 or so times over the years. #michaelwood #insearchofthetrojanwar
Catching up with my Slow Horses reading - ‘Joe Country’ by Mick Herron. An archetypal page turner. All the books in the series so far predate the TV series, where we’re being introduced to characters who are long dead in the novel series. #slowhorses #sloughhouse #joecountry #mickherron
March 13, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Catching up with my Slow Horses reading - ‘Joe Country’ by Mick Herron. An archetypal page turner. All the books in the series so far predate the TV series, where we’re being introduced to characters who are long dead in the novel series. #slowhorses #sloughhouse #joecountry #mickherron
So I watched ‘The Peripheral’ TV series (having recently finished the novel). I think that the decisions that they made in interpreting between mediums were largely successful, with the secondary characters, especially the antagonists, given a lot more depth. Wasn’t initially sure about Lowbeer
March 6, 2025 at 10:00 PM
So I watched ‘The Peripheral’ TV series (having recently finished the novel). I think that the decisions that they made in interpreting between mediums were largely successful, with the secondary characters, especially the antagonists, given a lot more depth. Wasn’t initially sure about Lowbeer
Just finished the re-reading one of the best ‘Bryant and May’ novels, ‘White Corridor’ in which the supporting members of the Peculiar Crimes Unit get a chance to shine. #christopherfowler #bryantandmay #booksky
March 5, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Just finished the re-reading one of the best ‘Bryant and May’ novels, ‘White Corridor’ in which the supporting members of the Peculiar Crimes Unit get a chance to shine. #christopherfowler #bryantandmay #booksky