LESS ART MORE GOFFS: aka the new Gene Wolfe book is out on 1 January 2003. I mention this as part of my charity shop HAUL this lunchtime where I spent ‘7.50 on what must have been (ulp) fifteen books. To be fair they were only 50 English Pence each but still. Amongst the Sweet Valley High Classics and Cheerleaders series, I also picked up THE FIFTH HEAD OF CERBERUS by the aforementioned Mr. Wolfe*. The cover is GRATE – it features a drawing of a youngish looking boy pointing into the distance inna Littlewoods catalogue stylee whilst crouched on the rock next to him peering over is a gurl clothed in what looks like one of Alice in Wonderland’s knock-offs. In the sky there are FLYING SAUCERS hurrah! Also $Mysterious_Mountain_City with lots of fancy-schmany towers, but then again this was the 80s.

Nowhere though is a blurb, ooh pique my curiosity why don’t you. As if the blurbs on Book of the New Sun ever gave indication to contents though – arf. I just opened a page randomly (blimey small print tastic) and found the word “feign-pheasant’. Am hoping to open it up next and read of “pseudo-grouse”.

*How he must have enjoyed the playground game “What’s the Time Mister Wolf(e)”.