REISSUES
The big-name paperback this month is IMAGINARY FRIEND (Rated 3 out of 5 stars , 26 November, Orion), the new book (his first in 20 years!) by Stephen Chbosky, author of ThePerks Of Being A Wallflower. A horror novel, it follows an abused mother starting over in a new town with her young son. After going missing in the woods, he reemerges six days later, now accompanied by a voice only he can hear… We said: “There’s rather too much going on at times… More positively, comparisons with Stephen King don’t seem fanciful in terms of Chbosky’s gifts for dialogue and differentiating a big cast of characters.” “Walker Dryden”, author of CITY OF A THOUSAND FACES (Rated 4 out of 5 stars , 26 November, Orion) is actually two people: Mike Walker and John Scott Dryden, who previously brought the city of Tumanbay (capital of an empire built on the slave trade) to life in a Radio 4 drama. This literary version centres on two brothers - head of the Palace Guard and Commander of the army - as they face a rebellion led by a mysterious woman. We said: “An engaging cast and a multi-layered plot command the attention - though there’s some sense of being constrained by what works for radio.” Finally, Anthony Daniels relates the view from behind the shiny gold faceplate in memoir I AM C-3PO (Rated 4 out of 5 stars , 5 November, DK). We said: “Daniels’s writing is witty and to the point. Hardcore fans might not learn anything new, but it’s extremely enjoyable.”