#91 = Vol. 30, No. 3 = November 2003
Andrew M. Butler
Towards a Reading List of the British Boom
This selection of British Boom novels focuses on writers who have come to prominence since the early 1990s. Their usual general category is designated thus: SF (Science Fiction), F (Fantasy), H (Horror), C (Children’s), AH (Alternate History), S (Slipstream), and TV (Television). Because so many children’s writers have included fantastic elements in their fiction, this listing is far from definitive. There also are many more mainstream writers who use fantastic elements (whether acknowledging them or not).-- AMB
Almond, David. [C] Skellig. London: Hodder, 1998.
─────. Heaven Eyes. London: Headline, 2000.
Ahearne, Joe. [TV] Creator and director of Ultraviolet (1998)
Amies, Chris. [SF] Dead Ground. Abingdon, UK: Big Engine, 2002.
Arden, Tom. [F, pseudonym] The Harlequin's Dance. London: Gollancz, 1997.
─────. The King and Queen of Swords. London: Gollancz, 1998.
─────. The Sultan of the Moon and Stars. London: Gollancz, 1999.
─────. Empress of the Endless Dream. London: Gollancz, 2002.
Asher, Neal.[SF] Gridlinked. London: Pan, 2001.
─────. The Line of Polity. London: TOR UK, 2003.
─────. The Skinner. London: Pan, 2002.
Aylett, Steve. [S] The Crime Studio. London: Serif, 1994.
─────. Slaughtermatic. London: Phoenix House, 1998.
─────. The Inflatable Volunteer. London: Indigo, 2000.
─────. Atom. London: Phoenix, 2001.
─────. Only an Alligator. London: Gollancz, 2001.
─────. Toxicology. London: Gollancz, 2001.
─────. Dummyland. London: Gollancz, 2002.
─────. Shamanspace. London: Codex, 2002.
─────. The Velocity Gospel. London: Gollancz, 2002.
Baldry, Cherith. [C]. The Emerald Throne. London: Macmillan, 2001.
─────. Exiled from Camelot. London: Green Knight, 2001.
─────. The Lake of Darkness. London: Macmillan, 2001.
─────. The Reliquary Ring. London: Macmillan, 2002.
─────. The Silver Horn. London: Macmillan, 2001.
Banks, Iain. [S] The Wasp Factory. London: Macdonald, 1984.
─────. Walking on Glass. London: Macdonald, 1985.
─────. The Bridge. London: Macmillan, 1986.
Banks, Iain M. [SF] Consider Phlebas. London: Macmillan, 1987.
─────. The Player of Games. London: Macmillan, 1988.
─────. Use of Weapons. London: Orbit, 1990.
─────. Excession. London: Orbit, 1996.
─────. Inversions. London: Orbit, 1998.
─────. Look to Windward. London: Orbit, 2000.
Barclay, James. [F] Dawnthief. London: Gollancz, 1999.
─────. Noonshade. London: Gollancz, 2000.
─────. Nightchild. London: Gollancz, 2001.
─────. Elfsorrow. London: Gollancz, 2002.
Baxter, Stephen. [SF] Raft. London: HarperCollins, 1991.
─────. Timelike Infinity. London: HarperCollins, 1992.
─────. Anti Ice. London: HarperCollins, 1993.
─────. Flux. London: HarperCollins, 1993.
─────. Ring. London: HarperCollins, 1994.
─────. The Time Ships. London: Voyager, 1995.
─────. Voyage. London: Voyager, 1996.
─────. Gulliverzone. London: Orion, 1997.
─────. Titan. London: Voyager, 1997.
─────. Vacuum Diagrams. London: Voyager, 1997.
─────. Moonseed. London: Voyager, 1998.
─────. Traces. London: Voyager, 1998.
─────. Webcrash. London: Orion, 1998.
─────. Mammoth. London: Millennium, 1999.
─────. Manifold 1: Time. London: HarperCollins, 1999.
─────. Silverhair. London: Orion, 1999.
─────. Longtusk. London: Gollancz, 2000.
─────. Manifold 2: Space. London: HarperCollins, 2000.
─────. Deep Future. London: Orion Gollancz, 2001.
─────. Icebones. London: Gollancz, 2001.
─────. Manifold 3: Origin. London: Voyager, 2001.
─────. Evolution. London: Gollancz, 2002.
─────. Phase Space. London: Voyager, 2002.
Baxter, Stephen, and Arthur C. Clarke. The Light Of Other Days. London: HarperCollins, 2000.
Brenchley, Chaz. [F] Tower of the King's Daughter. London: Orbit, 1998.
─────. Feast of the King's Shadow. London: Orbit, 1999.
Brooke, Keith. [SF; writes C as Nick Gifford] Keepers of the Peace. London:Corgi, 1990.
─────. Expatria. London: Gollancz, 1991.
─────. Keepers of the Peace. London: Corgi, 1991.
─────.[as editor] Infinity Plus website.
Brooke, Keith and Eric Brown. Parallax View. Mountain Ash, Wales: Sarob Science Fiction and Fantasy, 2000.
Brookmyre, Christopher. (Crime) Boiling a Frog. London: Little Brown, 2000.
Brown, Eric. [SF] The Time-Lapsed Man and Other Stories. London: Gollancz, 1990.
─────. Meridian Days. London: Gollancz, 1992.
─────. Penumbra. London: Orion/Millennium, 1999.
─────. New York Nights. London: Gollancz, 2000.
─────. New York Blues. London: Gollancz, 2002.
Brown, Molly. [AH] Invitation to a Funeral. London: Gollancz, 1995.
─────. Bad Timing and Other Stories. Abingdon, UK: Big Engine, 2001.
Byrne, Eugene. [AH] ThiGMOO. London: Simon & Schuster/Earthlight, 1999.
─────. Things Unborn. London: Earthlight, 2001.
Byrne, Eugene, and Kim Newman. Back in the USSA. Willamantic, Ct: Mark V. Ziesing, 1997.
Calder, Richard. [SF] Dead Girls.London: HarperCollins, 1992.
─────. Dead Boys. London: HarperCollins, 1994.
─────. Dead Things. London: Voyager, 1996.
─────. The Twist. London: Earthlight, 1999.
─────. Frenzetta. London: Orbit, 1998.
─────. Malignos. London: Earthlight, 2000.
─────. Impakto. London: Earthlight, 2001.
─────. Lord Soho. London: Earthlight, 2002.
Chadbourn, Mark. [F] World's End. London: Gollancz, 1999.
─────. Always Forever. London: Gollancz, 2001.
─────. The Devil in Green. London: Gollancz, 2002.
Clark, Simon. [H] King Blood. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1997.
─────. The Fall. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1998.
─────. Night of the Triffids. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 2002.
Clute, John. [SF] Appleseed. London: Orbit, 2001.
Cobley, Michael. [F] Shadowkings. London: Earthlight, 2001.
Cockayne, Steve. [F] Wanderers and Islanders. London: Gollancz, 2002.
─────. The Iron Chain. London: Gollancz, 2003.
Cornell, Paul. Something More. London: Gollancz, 2001.
─────. British Summertime. London: Gollancz, 2002.
Crowther, Peter, and James Lovegrove. Escardy Gap. London: Earthlight, 1998.
[Crowther currently is best known for publishing limited editions of novellas under the PS Publishing imprint.]
Davies, Russell T. (TV) Creator of Queer as Folk, but also writer of various sf TV series for children.
Deighton, Jack. [SF; pseudonym] A Son of the Rock: A Space Libretto. London: Orbit, 1997.
Evans, Christopher. [SF] Mortal Remains. London: Gollancz, 1995.
─────. Ice Tower. London: Dolphin, 2000.
Fforde, Jasper. [S] The Eyre Affair. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 2001.
─────. Lost in a Good Book. London: NEL, 2002.
─────. The Well of Lost Plots. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 2003.
Furey, Maggie. [F] Harp of Winds. London: Legend, 1996.
─────. Dhiammara. London: Legend, 1997.
─────. The Heart of Myrial. London: Little Brown/Orbit, 1999.
─────. Spirit of the Stone. London: Orbit, 2001.
─────. The Eye of Eternity. London: Orbit, 2002.
Gaiman, Neil. [F; Comics] Stardust. New York: Avon Spike, 1999.
─────. American Gods. London: Gollancz, 2001.
Garnett, David. [SF] Space Wasters. London: Orbit, 2001.
Gentle, Mary. [SF/F] Golden Witchbreed. London: Gollancz, 1983.
─────. Ancient Light. London: Gollancz, 1987.
─────. Scholars and Soldiers. London: Macdonald, 1989.
─────. Rats and Gargoyles. London: Bantam, 1990.
─────. The Architecture of Desire. London: Bantam, 1991.
─────. Left to his own Devices. London: Orbit, 1994.
─────. Ash: A Secret History. London: Gollancz, 2000.
Greenland, Colin. [F/SF/S] Daybreak on a Different Mountain: A Fantasy Novel.London: Unwin, 1985.
─────. Other Voices. London: NEL, 989.
─────. Take Back Plenty. London: Unwin, 1990.
─────. Harm's Way. London: HarperCollins, 1993.
─────. Seasons of Plenty. London: HarperCollins, 1995.
─────. Mother of Plenty. London: Voyager, 1998.
─────. Spiritfeather. London: Dolphin, 2000.
─────. Finding Helen. London: Black Swan, 2003.
Griffith, Nicola. [SF] Ammonite. London: Grafton, 1993.
─────. Slow River. London: Voyager, 1995.
Grimwood, Jon Courtenay. [SF/AH] neoAddix. London: NEL, 1997.
─────. Lucifer's Dragon. London: Nel, 1998.
─────. reMix. London: Simon & Schuster/Earthlight, 1999.
─────. redRobe. London: Earthlight, 2000.
─────. Pashazade. London: Earthlight, 2001.
─────. Effendi. London: Earthlight, 2002.
─────. Felaheen. London: Earthlight, 2003.
Hamilton, Peter F. [SF] Mindstar Rising. London: Pan, 1993.
─────. A Quantum Murder. London: Pan, 1994.
─────. The Nano Flower. London: Pan, 1995.
─────. The Reality Dysfunction. London: Macmillan, 1996.
─────. The Neutronium Alchemist. London: Macmillan, 1997.
─────. The Naked God. London: Macmillan, 1999.
Holdstock, Robert. [F] Gate of Ivory. London: Voyager, 1998.
─────. Celtika. London: Earthlight, 2001.
─────. The Iron Grail. London: Earthlight, 2002.
Holt, Tom. [F] Expecting Someone Taller. London: Futura, 1988.
─────. Odds and Gods. London: Orbit, 1995.
─────. Open Sesame. London: Orbit, 1997.
─────. Paint Your Dragon. London: Orbit, 1997.
─────. Wish you were Here. London: Orbit, 1998.
─────. Valhalla. London: Orbit, 2000.
─────. Nothing but Blue Skies. London: Orbit, 2001.
─────. Falling Sideways. London: Orbit, 2002.
─────. Little People. London: Orbit, 2002.
─────. Song For Nero. A Novel. London: Orbit, 2003.
Ings, Simon. [SF/S] Hot Head. London: Grafton, 1992.
─────. City of the Iron Fish. London: HarperCollins, 1994.
─────. Hotwire. London: HarperCollins, 1995.
─────. Headlong. London: HarperCollinsVoyager, 1999.
─────. Painkillers. Bloomsbury: London, 2000.
Jeapes, Ben. [C] Her Majesty's Starship. London: Scholastic, 1998.
─────. The Ark. London: Scholastic, 2000.
─────. Wingèd Chariot. London: Scholastic, 2000.
─────. The Xenocide Mission. Oxford: David Fickling Books, 2002.
Jones, Diana Wynne. [C] Deep Secret. London: Gollancz, 1997.
─────. The Year of the Griffin. London: Gollancz, 2000.
Jones, Gwyneth. [SF] Kairos. London: Unwin Hyman, 1988.
─────. White Queen. London: Gollancz, 1991
─────. Flowerdust. London: Headline, 1994.
─────. North Wind. London: Gollancz, 1994.
─────. Seven Tales and a Fable. Cambridge, MA: Edgewood Press, 1995
─────. Phoenix Café. London: Gollancz, 1997.
─────. Bold as Love: A Near Future Fantasy. London: Gollancz, 2001.
─────. Castles Made of Sand. London: Gollancz, 2002
Jones, Gwyneth (writing as Ann Halam.) [C] The N.I.M.R.O.D. Conspiracy. London: Dolphin, 1999.
─────. Don't Open Your Eyes. London: Dolphin, 2000.
─────. Dr. Franklin's Island. London: Dolphin, 2001.
─────. Taylor Five: The Story of a Clone Girl. London: Dolphin, 2002.
Joyce, Graham. [H] Dreamside. London: Pan, 1991.
─────. Dark Sister. London: Headline, 1993.
─────. Requiem. Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Signet, 1995.
─────. The Tooth Fairy. Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Signet, 1996.
─────. Indigo. London: Michael Joseph, 1999.
─────. Leningrad Nights. Harrogate: PS Publishing, 1999.
─────. Smoking Poppy. London: Gollancz, 2001.
─────. The Facts of Life. London: Gollancz, 2002.
Kalu, Peter. [SF] Lick Shot. London: The X Press, 1993.
─────. Black Star Rising. London: The X Press, 1998.
Levy, Roger. [SF] Reckless Sleep. London: Gollancz, 2000.
─────. Dark Heavens. London: Gollancz, 2003.
Lovegrove, James. [SF] The Hope. London: Gollancz, 1990.
─────. Days. London: Phoenix, 1997.
─────. The Foreigners. London: Gollancz, 2000.
─────. Imagined Slights. London: Gollancz, 2002.
─────. Untied Kingdom. London: Gollancz, 2003.
Lovegrove, James (writing as J.M.S. Lovegrove) The Krilov Continuum. London:Millennium, 1998.
─────. Berserker. London: Millennium, 1999.
MacLeod, Ian R. [SF] The Great Wheel. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1997.
─────. Voyages by Starlight. Sauk City: Arkham House, 1997.
─────. The Light Ages. London: Earthlight, 2003.
MacLeod, Ken. [SF] The Star Fraction. London: Orbit, 1995.
─────. The Stone Canal. London: Orbit, 1996.
─────. The Cassini Division. London: Orbit, 1998.
─────. The Sky Road. London: Orbit, 1999.
─────. Cosmonaut Keep. London: Orbit, 2000.
─────. Dark Light. London: Orbit, 2001.
─────. The Human Front. Introduction by Iain M Banks. Leeds: PS Publishing, 2001.
─────. Engine City. London: Orbit, 2002.
McAuley, Paul J. [SF] Four Hundred Billion Stars. London: Gollancz, 1988.
─────. Secret Harmonies. London: Gollancz, 1989.
─────. Eternal Light. London: Gollancz, 1991.
─────. The King of the Hill. London: Gollancz, 1991.
─────. Red Dust. London: Gollancz, 1993.
─────. Pasquale's Angel. London: Gollancz, 1994.
─────. Fairyland. London: Gollancz, 1995.
─────. The Invisible Country. London: Gollancz, 1996.
─────. Child of the River. London: Gollancz, 1997.
─────. Ancients of Days. London: Gollancz, 1999.
─────. Shrine of Stars. London: Orion/Gollancz, 1999.
─────. The Secret of Life. London: Voyager, 2001.
─────. Whole Wide World. London: Voyager, 2001.
McDonald, Ian. [SF] Desolation Road. New York: Bantam Spectra, 1988.
─────. Empire Dreams. New York: Bantam Spectra, 1988.
─────. Out on Blue Six. London: Orbit, 1990.
─────. Speaking in Tongues. London: Gollancz, 1992.
─────. Hearts, Minds and Voices. London: Gollancz, 1993.
─────. Necroville. London: Gollancz, 1994.
─────. Sacrifice of Fools. London: Gollancz, 1996.
─────. Kirinya. London: Gollancz, 1998.
─────. Tendeléo's Story. Leeds: PS Publishing, 2000.
─────. Ares Express. London: Simon and Schuster, 2001.
McKenna, Juliet E. [F] The Warrior's Bond. London: Orbit, 2001.
─────. The Assassin's Edge. London: Orbit, 2002.
Meaney, John. [SF] To Hold Infinity. London: Bantam, 1998.
─────. Paradox. London: Bantam, 2000.
─────. Context. London: Bantam, 2002.
Miéville, China. [F] King Rat. New York: Tor, 1999.
─────. Perdido Street Station. London: Macmillan, 2000.
─────. The Scar. London: Macmillan, 2002.
Morgan, Richard. [SF] Altered Carbon. London: Gollancz, 2002.
─────. Broken Angels. London: Gollancz, 2003.
Newman, Kim [SF/H] The Night Mayor. London: Simon and Schuster, 1989.
─────. Bad Dreams. London: Simon & Schuster, 1990.
─────. Anno Dracula. London: Simon & Schuster, 1992.
─────. Jago. London: Grafton, 1992.
─────. The Original Dr. Shade, and Other Stories. London: Pocket Books, 1994.
─────. The Quorum. London: Simon & Schuster, 1994.
─────. The Bloody Red Baron. New York: Carroll & Graf, 1995.
─────. Famous Monsters. London: Pocket Books, 1995.
─────. Andy Warhol's Dracula. Leeds: PS Publishing, 1999.
─────. Life's Lottery. London: Simon & Schuster, 1999.
─────. Dracula Cha Cha Cha. London: Simon & Schuster, 2000.
─────. Seven Stars. London: Simon & Schuster, 2000.
Noon, Jeff. [SF] Vurt. Littleborough: Ringpull, 1993.
─────. Pollen. Greater Manchester: Ringpull, 1995.
─────. Automated Alice. London: Doubleday, 1996.
─────. Nymphomation. London: Doubleday, 1997.
─────. Pixel Juice: Stories from the Avant Pulp. London: Doubleday, 1998.
─────. Needle in the Groove. London: Anchor, 2000.
─────. Falling Out of Cars. London: Doubleday, 2002.
O'Shaughnessy, Darren. [SF] Ayumarca. London: Millennium, 1999.
Palmer, Stephen. [SF] Glass. London: Orbit, 1996.
─────. Memory Seed. London: Orbit, 1996.
─────. Muezzinland. Holicong, PA: Cosmos Books, 2003.
Parker, K.J. [F] Colours in the Steel. London: Orbit, 1998.
─────. The Belly of the Bow. London: Orbit, 1999.
─────. The Proof House. London: Orbit, 2000.
─────. Shadow. London: Orbit, 2001.
─────. Pattern. London: Orbit, 2002.
Pratchett, Terry. [F] The Discworld novels (1982 to date; Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe; London: Gollancz; London: Cassell; and London: Transworld).
─────. The Bromeliad. London: Doubleday, 1989-1990.
─────. The Johnny Maxwell trilogy. London: Doubleday, 1992-1996.
Pullman, Philip. [F] Count Karlstein, or the Ride of the Demon Huntsman. London:
Chatto and Windus, 1982.
─────. The Ruby in the Smoke. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1985.
─────. The Shadow on the Plate. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986.
─────. The Shadow in the North. Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin, 1988.
─────. Spring-Heeled Jack: A Story of Bravery and Evil. London: Doubleday, 1989.
─────. The Tiger in the Well. New York: Knopf, 1990.
─────. The Tin Princess. Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin, 1994.
─────. The Fire-Maker's Daughter. London: Doubleday, 1995.
─────. Northern Lights. London: Scholastic, 1995.
─────. Clockwork, or All Wound Up. London: Doubleday, 1996.
─────. The Subtle Knife. London: Scholastic, 1997.
─────. I Was a Rat!... or The Scarlet Slippers. London: Doubleday UK, 1999.
─────. The Amber Spyglass. London: Scholastic/David Fickling, 2000.
Reeve, Philip. [C] Mortal Engines. London: Scholastic, 2001.
Reynolds, Alastair. [SF] Revelation Space. London: Gollancz, 2000.
─────. Chasm City. London: Gollancz, 2001.
─────. Redemption Ark. London: Gollancz, 2003.
Roberts, Adam. [SF] Salt. London: Gollancz, 2000.
─────. On. London: Gollancz, 2001.
─────. Stone. London: Gollancz, 2002.
─────. Polystom. London: Gollancz, 2003.
Roberts, Katherine. [C] Song Quest. London: Element, 1999.
─────. Spellfall. London: The Chicken House, 2000.
Robson, Justina. [SF] Silver Screen. London: Macmillan, 1999.
─────. Mappa Mundi. London: Macmillan, 2001.
─────. Natural History. London: Macmillan, 2003.
Rowling, J. K. [C] The Harry Potter Books, published by Bloomsbury (1997-pres.).
Ryman, Geoff. [F] The Warrior Who Carried Life. London: Unwin, 1985.
─────. The Unconquered Country: A Life History. London: Allen and Unwin, 1986.
─────. The Child Garden, or a Low Comedy. London: HarperCollins, 1989.
─────. “Was...”. London: HarperCollins, 1992.
─────. 253: The Print Remix. London: Flamingo, 1998.
─────. Unconquered Countries: Four Novellas. London: Voyager, 1999.
─────. Lust. London: Flamingo, 2001.
─────. Vao. Introduced by Gwyneth Jones. Harrogate: PS Publishing, 2002.
Siegel, Jan. [F] Prospero's Children. London: HarperCollins/Voyager, 1999.
─────. The Dragon Charmer. London: Voyager, 2000.
─────. Witch's Honour. London: Voyager, 2002.
Sinclair, Alison. [SF] Cavalcade. London: Orion, 1998.
Smith, Gus. [F] Feather and Bone. Abingdon, UK: Big Engine, 2001.
Smith, Michael Marshall. [H/SF] Only Forward. London: HarperCollins, 1994.
─────. Spares. London: Harper Collins, 1996.
─────. The Vaccinator. Harrogate: PS Publishing, 1999.
Smith, Michael Marshall, writing as Marshall Smith. The Straw Men. London: HarperCollins, 2002.
Stableford, Brian. [SF] Inherit the Earth. New York: Forge, 1998.
─────. The Cassandra Complex. New York: TOR, 2001.
─────. The Fountains of Youth. New York: Tor, 2001.
─────. The Omega Expedition. New York: TOR, 2002.
Sullivan, Tricia. [SF] Lethe. New York: Bantam Spectra, 1995.
─────. Someone to Watch Over Me. London: Orion, 1997.
─────. Dreaming in Smoke. London: Millennium, 1998.
Sullivan, Tricia (writing as Leith, Valery.) [F] Company of Glass. New York: Bantam Spectra, 1999.
─────. The Riddled Night. London: Gollancz, 2001.
─────. The Way of the Rose. London: Gollancz, 2001.
Walton, Jo. [F] The King's Peace. New York: TOR, 2000.
─────. The King's Name. New York: TOR, 2001.
Watson, Ian. [SF] Oracle. London: Gollancz, 1997.
─────. The Great Escape. Urbana, Il.: Golden Gryphon, 2002.
Whitbourn, John. [AH/F] Popes and Phantoms. London: Gollancz, 1994.
─────. To Build Jerusalem. London: Gollancz, 1995.
─────. The Royal Changeling. London: Earthlight, 1998.
─────. Downs-Lord Dawn. London: Earthlight, 1999.
─────. Downs-Lord Day. London: Earthlight, 2000.
─────. Downs-Lord Doomsday. London: Earthlight, 2002.
Williams, Liz. [SF] The Ghost Sister. New York: Bantam, 2001.
─────. Empire of Bones. London: Bantam, 2002.
Wilson, John. [F] Guardians of Alexander. Abingdon, UK: Big Engine, 2002.
Wooding, Chris. [C] The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray. London: Scholastic, 2001.
─────. Poison. London: Scholastic, 2003.
─────. The Weavers of Saramyr. London: Gollancz, 2003.
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