HG's Universe - Hugo's Corner

Hugo was the H in H.G. A beloved family dog who left paw prints on every page without knowing it. He was there through it all. The late nights. The early mornings. The stolen hours crafting worlds in the margins of life.

He passed away shortly after Between Stars launched, never getting to see where the stars take it.

This corner is his. A place where books are read, reviewed and shared. Here you will find what I have been reading since 2026 and honest thoughts on what landed.

The fur between the pages lives on here.

Rendezvous with Rama

Arthur C. Clarke

Coming to Clarke for the first time, having read a handful of other classics, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. What I found was a book that stays with you, not because it answers its questions, but because it doesn't.

Rama itself is the story. A vast, silent object passing through our solar system, observed and explored but never truly understood. It essentially set the template for a whole genre built around this idea, the massive alien structure that defies explanation. The sense of scale and mystery is unlike anything I've read, and Clarke handles it with a confidence that makes you feel the weight of something genuinely unknowable.

There are reservations. The characters are thin and largely forgettable, but that feels intentional. Rama is the only character that matters. The ambiguity that makes it fascinating is also what leaves you slightly adrift by the end, yet I found myself making peace with that, because in many ways that's exactly how space and science work. Not everything resolves neatly. Not everything should.

I didn't feel compelled to seek out the sequels, and from what I understand that instinct was sound. The book stands perfectly well on its own terms.

If you haven't read Clarke, this is a worthwhile place to start.

Available at most retailers. I've included an Amazon link below to make it easy, along with more details about the book.

Amazon Link

After the Syzygy

J.D. Sanderson

I loved this story and I wanted more. The writing pulls you along at pace, yet somehow feels complete, with a sense of future promise that lingers long after the last page.

The characters are wonderful, full of humanity, and the story unfolds like a voyage through a history that hasn't happened yet, told through moments and data points as humanity moves forward into the cosmos. That's a rare quality.

Could it have been longer? Yes. Are there sections I'd have happily seen expanded? Absolutely. But I understand the author's choice, and rather than detracting from the storytelling, the restraint actually enhances it.

If you enjoy stories about space, humanity, and the great questions of what might be out there, you won't get lost in scientific detail. Instead you'll be swept up in something deeper. The question of what comes next.

As a novella it's perfectly sized for anyone easing back into reading, and it left me hungry for more. A story worth telling. A story you should read.

Available at most retailers. I've included an Amazon link below to make it easy, along with more details about the book.

Amazon Link

Around the Dark Dial

J.D. Sanderson

The concept alone hooked me. Short stories told through the framing device of old radio broadcasts, each one complete in itself yet leaving you wanting just a little more. That's the mark of good storytelling.

Every story has a satisfying layer to it, a form of closure that still manages to pull you forward. The ideas within them are fascinating, and as a writer myself, more than a few sparked something in my own thinking.

What I appreciated most practically is how well it suits a busy life. You can pick it up, work through a story, set it down, and come back when time allows without losing the thread or the enjoyment. No guilt about leaving it mid-chapter, because there is no mid-chapter. Each story is its own complete experience.

If your reading time is short and scattered, this is the perfect book for it.

Available at most retailers. I've included an Amazon link below to make it easy, along with more details about the book.

Amazon Link

Project Hail Mary

Andy Weir

Finally got round to this after all the hype, and I'm glad I did.

The story unfolds through moments and flashbacks, piecing itself together in a way that keeps you turning pages. It's fast paced with plenty of unexpected turns, and the characters are wonderful, full of humanity and easy to root for. The ending in particular was satisfying in a way I didn't see coming.

The writing style occasionally repeats itself, and there were sections I skimmed through, but it never derailed the enjoyment or the pace for long.

There is plenty of science woven throughout, which as someone with a love of science and space I found added to the experience rather than slowing it down. But this isn't just for science fiction fans. If you enjoy a good story driven by big questions, compelling characters, and a journey that genuinely surprises you, there's something here for you.

It shares the same spirit as The Martian without needing that as a reference point to appreciate it.

I enjoyed it thoroughly and came away satisfied. Worth every bit of the hype.

Available at most retailers. I've included an Amazon link below to make it easy, along with more details about the book.

Amazon Link

Survive! The Tale of Ballantyne Alysom

Richard Dee - Thank You

This is my first time reading Richard Dee, though after browsing his catalogue I knew I had to start somewhere, and the premise and that wonderfully old school cover pulled me toward this one. I’m glad it did. I like to jump into an author’s work this way, not always in order, unless it’s a dedicated series that demands it.

It starts slowly, but enjoyably so. The world building and characters settle in gently, and before you notice it, you’re being pulled along for the ride. What makes it work is the way the story is told. The survival itself is gripping enough, but it’s woven together with a second thread, the survivors recounting it all afterwards, and the two play off each other beautifully. The story shifts more than once, and there were moments I’d almost forgotten where it began, only to be pulled straight back there again. Each shift kept me hooked rather than lost.

The pace builds steadily, and by the time the story reached its conclusion I found myself wanting more, in the best way. It left enough open that I was happy to draw my own conclusions about what comes next.

A couple of characters faded into the background for me, but the ones I spent the most time with had real voices and personalities that stuck, not least Ballantyne himself, who you’ll find yourself liking less and less for all the right reasons.

At its heart this is a story of survival and the wonder of discovery, the kind that pulls sci-fi and thriller adventure readers in equally. If you enjoy being swept along without quite knowing where you’ll end up, this is well worth picking up.

Amazon Link