Let's skip the awkward introductions. And I'm not talking about Paul Cornell there. You know who he is, right? If not, then off you go and check him out. I'll still be here when you get back.
Okay, all done? Good stuff. So, Paul Cornell. It's been a swift ascension to the top of my authorial heap for Mr. Cornell. As the writer of two of the very best RTD-era Doctor Who episodes, Human Nature and The Family of Blood, I knew he was brilliant. But that was before I had met Bernice Summerfield, the original companion-who-is-a-woman-and-an-archeologist, created by Cornell for The New Doctor Who Adventures series of books. She's smart, likes a drink, is terrible at relationships and is the strongest, most relatable person in the room. It would be hard not to fall for her. Now, I'm not going to go all Bernice Summerfield on you here - there will be plenty more opportunities for me to wax lyrical about Benny, she's very much an ongoing concern. To the point then. The first book of Cornell's I read was his second original novel*, British Summertime. That, my friends, is what sealed the deal. Cornell ascended.
The original Gollancz publication from 2002 is currently out of print. However, I wouldn't let that worry you. I picked up the beautiful Monkeybrain Books edition from 2007, featuring a great cover from John Picacio. I believe it's still available, so go treat yourselves.
The story takes us on a wild ride that is up to its neck in crazed science fiction, reconstructed religion and, um, chipshopness. Think The Claws of Axos crashing into Moorcock's Behold the Man whilst A Matter of Life and Death wormholes its way to Bath in the year 2000. And did I mention the focal point is a strong, flawed, completely relatable heroine? In this case, Alison Parmeter. There is a going-for-broke boldness to the plotting (and to a slightly lesser extent in his first novel proper, Something More). Not content with just one or even two distinct narrative threads, Cornell takes on the authorial equivalent of multiverse puppet master, with more story lines than most authors would dare over an entire series. The fact that the story features time travel from early on only heightens what is at stake, the implication being that everything will have to tie together in the end. Without going anywhere near spoiler territory, it is safe to say that Cornell does not disappoint. Far from it.
British Summertime is a magnificently mental novel, one that really should be viewed as a modern science fiction classic. It is at turns frightening, unpredictable, funny and real. And completely unforgettable. You'll find out... So, any time you get an itch in your eye that you cannot quite reach, that just will not go away, think of the Golden Men. Hope they haven't got to you too. I would say to ask yourself, "What would Alison do?" But please don't. Things could get messy. Very, very messy.
(That last part was brought to you from the future. Apologies for any confusion. I, unlike Paul Cornell, do not rule over time and space.)
*not including tie-in and spin-off books
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