Dark, sordid, gritty, thrilling, and gorgeous in its own peculiar way.
In 1949 London, a bookseller’s clerk stumbles into a secret, exceptionally dangerous aspect of his city.
Physically and emotionally awkward Dennis Knuckleyard is negotiating for a job lot of books written by occult author Arthur Machen when he falls into a weird sort of trap. One of those books is a dangerous metafiction: It’s an imaginary book that Machen refers to in one of his stories, but which shouldn’t exist independently. The unreal volume represents a breach into Long London, aka the “Great When” of the title, a theoretical landscape populated by archetypes and other strange, dangerous beings, and the philosophical foundation of material London. Finding both peril and assistance in unexpected places, Dennis must get the book back to Long London, and also facilitate a meeting between a crime kingpin and one of Long London’s denizens, the embodiment of crime itself. As always, Moore’s prose harks back to the New Wave movement of speculative fiction so prevalent in the 1960s and ‘70s; it’s strongly reminiscent of Michael Moorcock’s more experimental work. The style is well suited to the more hallucinatory passages depicting Long London; and yet, this novel is actually plotted more straightforwardly than one might expect of Moore, who usually delights in elaborate tangents. Though still grounded in cynicism, it also displays more faith in people than is typical for the author; while the setting is a grim post-war London featuring both human and inhuman monsters, the protagonist, Dennis, discovers multiple instances of kindness from complete strangers who have no obvious motivation to help him as much as they do. Moore is certainly far from the first to write about a magical London or a parallel London, but his evocation is well drawn and unique. This first installment of a projected series is clearly a prelude to something interesting—whatever it turns out to be—and solid indication that Moore, who is still mostly known for his iconic graphic novels (Watchmen, 1987, etc.), does not require an artist to paint a picture.
Dark, sordid, gritty, thrilling, and gorgeous in its own peculiar way.Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781635578843
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024
An existential crisis that steps on its own final moments.
With only a month left until the world ends due to a swiftly approaching black hole, Don and Rodney, a retired gay couple, road-trip from Maine to Washington to spend their final days with their son.
After reports that a planet-swallowing black hole is making its way toward Earth, Rodney and Don—who have been together for 40 years and survived everything from homophobia to the HIV crisis—decide to pack their belongings into an RV, say goodbye to their neighbors, and travel from Camden, Maine, to Washington to uphold a promise to spend their final days with their son. They can’t wait any longer, since there’s already chaos around the country: “Military vehicles in the streets of most cities and towns. Looting, rioting, the burning of cars and buildings and people, all of it had already happened.” As they make their way west across the country, they encounter fellow travelers ranging from close-knit families to free-spirited hippies, some of whom have come to terms with the impending end of the world and others who haven’t. While the story seems to be asking readers what they would do if they had 30 days left to live, and reflects on what different kinds of acceptance might look like in the face of unavoidable tragedy, it loses some of its poignancy in a series of thinly padded monologues about the meaning of life. Clearly intended to pack an emotional punch, it’s failed by an abrupt ending, and the way the journey’s mystery—which will be obvious to many readers—is revealed by an info dump in the last chapter.
An existential crisis that steps on its own final moments.Pub Date: April 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781250881236
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Tor
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
A tender reminder that gratitude is a path we choose, one conversation at a time.
In Green’s inspirational novel, a journalist boarding the wrong train discovers the right moment to speak the words that matter.
Daniel arrives at the Beacon station carrying a leather notebook filled with an unfinished eulogy for his still-living grandfather, only to be swept onto the mysterious 5:07 Gratitude Express, a steam locomotive that appears “for those who want to express gratitude.” His uncanny journey sends him through vividly rendered moments from his own life, where he witnesses the ripple effects of kindnesses he has offered and reunites—sometimes for the first time—with people who were permanently shaped by those actions. Each stop brings a new encounter: A childhood classmate says, “That morning, you altered the course of my life”; an elderly woman confesses, “Your simple act of kindness saved me that day”; a mentor tells him, “You need to figure out what you’re good at and what you like to do. Because when you do that, your potential is limitless.” By the time Daniel reaches Cedarville, intent on seeing his grandfather—the person who most profoundly shaped him—his reflections echo the conductor’s warning that “Time is unpredictable, and unsaid words bring pain and regret.” What follows is a moving affirmation of connection that honors the story’s central message: Appreciation should be expressed to the living. Green structures the narrative as a fable, with emotional clarity and cinematic pacing. The train’s dissolving walls, the recurring whistle rising “high into the dark sky,” and the symbolic briefcase filled with long-kept letters lend the tale a gentle magical-realist texture. While the storyline remains linear and accessible for all ages, the themes—regret, legacy, and intergenerational love—invite adult reflection. The prose is simple, intentionally so, grounding the fantastical elements in an earnest emotional register. This is not a plot-twist-driven story; it’s a quiet parable urging readers to act before time steals their chances. Readers who appreciate heartfelt, uplifting narrative journeys will find resonance in Green’s message.
A tender reminder that gratitude is a path we choose, one conversation at a time.Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2026
ISBN: 9798891385252
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Jan. 13, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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