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Three Seasons: Three Stories of England in the Eighties
A washed-up trawler captain. A sleek young businessman. And the Master of an Oxford college. Through these three characters, all beautifully drawn, Mike Robbins has created a vivid picture of the 1980s, a divisive era of great change.
Three Seasons is a book of three novellas, unconnected with each other, but all set in the south of England in the 1980s.
In Spring, a middle-aged Hull trawler skipper, his great days gone, has one last throw of the dice in a South Coast port.
In Summer, an ambitious young man makes his way in the booming Thames Valley property market, unconcerned with the damage he does to others.
In Autumn, the Master of an Oxford college welcomes his two sons home, but they awake difficult memories from half a century before.
Three Seasons is about the Thatcher era in Britain, but it is not about politics. These three stories are portraits of a country and its people on the verge of change.
Three Seasons is a book of three novellas, unconnected with each other, but all set in the south of England in the 1980s.
In Spring, a middle-aged Hull trawler skipper, his great days gone, has one last throw of the dice in a South Coast port.
In Summer, an ambitious young man makes his way in the booming Thames Valley property market, unconcerned with the damage he does to others.
In Autumn, the Master of an Oxford college welcomes his two sons home, but they awake difficult memories from half a century before.
Three Seasons is about the Thatcher era in Britain, but it is not about politics. These three stories are portraits of a country and its people on the verge of change.
226 pages, Paperback
First published December 7, 2014
2 people are currently reading
805 people want to read
About the author
Mike Robbins
9 books224 followersMike Robbins is the author of two books of travel memoirs, three books of fiction, and a scientific book on climate change. He has been a journalist, traveller, development worker and climate-change researcher.
Born in England in 1957, he graduated in 1979 and worked in rock-music publishing, financial journalism, as a traffic broadcaster and as a reporter on the fishing industry. In 1987 he went to work as a volunteer in Sudan, an experience he described in his book Even the Dead are Coming (2009). He later also worked as a volunteer in Bhutan and went on to live in Aleppo, Brussels and Rome. These travels led eventually to a collection of long travel pieces, The Nine Horizons (2014), and a novel, The Lost Baggage of Silvia Guzmán (2014). A collection of three novellas, Three Seasons: Three Stories of England in the Eighties, was published at the end of 2014, and a novella, Dog!, in September 2015. A polemic on British democracy, Such Little Accident, appeared in 2016. Robbins's latest book, a collection of essays on the 20th century, was published in May 2022 with the title On the Rim of the Sea.
Robbins is also the author of a scholarly work on agriculture and climate change, Cropping Carbon: Paying Farmers to Combat Climate Change (2011), published by Earthscan (now part of the Taylor & Francis group).
After many years in New York, he now lives in Norwich, England.
(Author pic by S.Ligabue)
Born in England in 1957, he graduated in 1979 and worked in rock-music publishing, financial journalism, as a traffic broadcaster and as a reporter on the fishing industry. In 1987 he went to work as a volunteer in Sudan, an experience he described in his book Even the Dead are Coming (2009). He later also worked as a volunteer in Bhutan and went on to live in Aleppo, Brussels and Rome. These travels led eventually to a collection of long travel pieces, The Nine Horizons (2014), and a novel, The Lost Baggage of Silvia Guzmán (2014). A collection of three novellas, Three Seasons: Three Stories of England in the Eighties, was published at the end of 2014, and a novella, Dog!, in September 2015. A polemic on British democracy, Such Little Accident, appeared in 2016. Robbins's latest book, a collection of essays on the 20th century, was published in May 2022 with the title On the Rim of the Sea.
Robbins is also the author of a scholarly work on agriculture and climate change, Cropping Carbon: Paying Farmers to Combat Climate Change (2011), published by Earthscan (now part of the Taylor & Francis group).
After many years in New York, he now lives in Norwich, England.
(Author pic by S.Ligabue)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 7, 2015
In my early thirties, I went through an intense period of Anglophilia. The more I read about England and the English, the more convinced I was I'd been born in the wrong country. The fact that I couldn't just hop on a plane and move to the home of my ancestors frustrated me greatly. This surely contributed to the savagery I directed at my home country while writing my own novel, in which I pretend to be English and rewrite reality.
That passion has since cooled, but reading Tom Robbins' Three Seasons resurrected, briefly, a bittersweet affection for a time and place that was never mine.
Three Seasons: Three Stories of England in the Eighties collectively creates a living, breathing sense of a world that, once read, will never leave your head, a feat I believe is possible only through literature.
And make no mistake, this book reads like lit. In fact, I haven't read such expert storytelling since university. Mr. Robbins is effectively God. He looks upon a person, and instantly knows everything about him before casually moving on to another. The rumours are true: Third-Person Omniscient lives!
The prose is calm and smooth. I never had to reread a sentence to understand something - a hard trick, I assure you. The details are many but not too much. The dialogue is interesting and realistic. Real fiction writers can pull this double duty without seeming to break a sweat.
Of the stories, I liked "Summer" best, though it's hard to say why, since the protagonist is quite the git. I see from other reviews I'm not alone. Maybe it's because we've all known people like Terry Malcolm. He's hardly Heinrich Himmler, but he is one of those shallow cunts you really hope a just God will one day put in his place.
Mr. Robbins is an elegant writer who, should you give him a few quiet hours, will entertain you at an elevated level.
That passion has since cooled, but reading Tom Robbins' Three Seasons resurrected, briefly, a bittersweet affection for a time and place that was never mine.
Three Seasons: Three Stories of England in the Eighties collectively creates a living, breathing sense of a world that, once read, will never leave your head, a feat I believe is possible only through literature.
And make no mistake, this book reads like lit. In fact, I haven't read such expert storytelling since university. Mr. Robbins is effectively God. He looks upon a person, and instantly knows everything about him before casually moving on to another. The rumours are true: Third-Person Omniscient lives!
The prose is calm and smooth. I never had to reread a sentence to understand something - a hard trick, I assure you. The details are many but not too much. The dialogue is interesting and realistic. Real fiction writers can pull this double duty without seeming to break a sweat.
Of the stories, I liked "Summer" best, though it's hard to say why, since the protagonist is quite the git. I see from other reviews I'm not alone. Maybe it's because we've all known people like Terry Malcolm. He's hardly Heinrich Himmler, but he is one of those shallow cunts you really hope a just God will one day put in his place.
Mr. Robbins is an elegant writer who, should you give him a few quiet hours, will entertain you at an elevated level.
June 20, 2017
Mike Robbins certainly knows how to write, and for a book like this which contains three short novellas, he definitely manages to effortlessly pack a hell of a lot in, with all those important parts of what makes good fiction sewn together: great characterisation, a sense of place - with all its sounds and smells, well constructed stories that go off on tangents but tie together, inserting technical facts which are easily understood by the layman reader, and managing to be both deep and humorous along the way.
To be honest, I didn’t engage with the stories on a personal level quite as much as I did with Robbins’ other two fiction books that I whole heartedly loved reading (‘Dog!’ and ‘The Lost Baggage of Silvia Guzman’), but there is still much to enjoy in these three gentle stories that reflect different facets of English life in the 1980s.
The first story, set in Spring, about the crew of a fishing trawler is a lovely little tale that perhaps epitomises the modern changes of industry and the day to day lives of the working class.
The second, set in Summer, is a great reflection on the newness of middle class Yuppie 80s, where privatisation, property and business took centre stage and turned Great Britain into even more of a Capitalist nightmare, despite the tale being primarily about a right idiot who you’ll love to despise; a brilliantly crafted character, and one of the most memorable from this book.
And the last story, set in Autumn, takes the reader to the upper classes, where an Oxford tutor is forced to return to his youthful past, when his family arrive home with their own problems and ambitions. (A very clever story, where the present, the past, and the settings of two countries are entwined with sheer ease – not an easy thing to do in a story only 80 pages long.)
When I started reading, I wondered why Robbins hadn’t gone the full hog and made this book ‘Four Seasons’ and included winter, but – in my opinion at least – I realised that these three seasons were perfect to reflect the three classes of 80s’ England.
In Spring, there is hope. In summer, there is uncaring. In autumn, there is the eve; the penultimate stage before 90s post-Thatcher Capitalism comes in abundance (where even Derek Trotters yearn to be Yuppies).
But most of all, this book isn’t about Capitalism or Thatcher Britain; it’s just about people.
To be honest, I didn’t engage with the stories on a personal level quite as much as I did with Robbins’ other two fiction books that I whole heartedly loved reading (‘Dog!’ and ‘The Lost Baggage of Silvia Guzman’), but there is still much to enjoy in these three gentle stories that reflect different facets of English life in the 1980s.
The first story, set in Spring, about the crew of a fishing trawler is a lovely little tale that perhaps epitomises the modern changes of industry and the day to day lives of the working class.
The second, set in Summer, is a great reflection on the newness of middle class Yuppie 80s, where privatisation, property and business took centre stage and turned Great Britain into even more of a Capitalist nightmare, despite the tale being primarily about a right idiot who you’ll love to despise; a brilliantly crafted character, and one of the most memorable from this book.
And the last story, set in Autumn, takes the reader to the upper classes, where an Oxford tutor is forced to return to his youthful past, when his family arrive home with their own problems and ambitions. (A very clever story, where the present, the past, and the settings of two countries are entwined with sheer ease – not an easy thing to do in a story only 80 pages long.)
When I started reading, I wondered why Robbins hadn’t gone the full hog and made this book ‘Four Seasons’ and included winter, but – in my opinion at least – I realised that these three seasons were perfect to reflect the three classes of 80s’ England.
In Spring, there is hope. In summer, there is uncaring. In autumn, there is the eve; the penultimate stage before 90s post-Thatcher Capitalism comes in abundance (where even Derek Trotters yearn to be Yuppies).
But most of all, this book isn’t about Capitalism or Thatcher Britain; it’s just about people.
August 31, 2018
Three seasons is a book containing three beautiful stories, Spring, Summer and Autumn. I think it is talking about life, Spring is about a teenager starting a career in fishing, Summer is about an arrogant middle aged man not caring about anybody but himself and Autumn is about an old professor about to enter retirement.
The research by Mike has been impeccable, the detail during Spring was fascinating, reading about the scenes on the boat transported me there, so much so that I got my first ever craving to watch "the perfect storm". I also found Summer to be interesting as the story is based in the area I live, I am pretty sure at one point one of the characters drove past where I work (Bonus points to the author there). The best parts of Autumn were the characters, very well created and how the death of the record was handled had me laughing, I remember when the CD came out I hated them too, well they got their comeuppance with the arrival of the MP3!
This is the first work I've read by Mike Robbins and I'm really looking forward to reading some more.
Blog review is here> https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2018...
The research by Mike has been impeccable, the detail during Spring was fascinating, reading about the scenes on the boat transported me there, so much so that I got my first ever craving to watch "the perfect storm". I also found Summer to be interesting as the story is based in the area I live, I am pretty sure at one point one of the characters drove past where I work (Bonus points to the author there). The best parts of Autumn were the characters, very well created and how the death of the record was handled had me laughing, I remember when the CD came out I hated them too, well they got their comeuppance with the arrival of the MP3!
This is the first work I've read by Mike Robbins and I'm really looking forward to reading some more.
Blog review is here> https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2018...
July 13, 2016
In Three Seasons Mike Robbins takes us back to the 80s. Not in that detached retro deconstructionist way that makes it look like a plastic paradise to all who never lived through it, but instead to a world of surface promise and ideas too big for its boots, about the disparity between a culture invested in tradition and bygone eras but aiming itself full throttle into the unknown. The novellas contained within this brief collection are very British, but even more English. The mundanity of everyday life and the difficulties of restless egos rub shoulders with those settling for less and others facing disappointment. Tension between generations is perceptively represented. A consistent thread is the undercurrent of background forces, working away without the conscious acknowledgement of the characters. The strength of these stories comes from the author’s detailed observations of human nature and the stage upon which these tales are played out. Everyone has known a Terry Malcolm. I will say no more. I was impressed by how easily the writing flowed and just how vividly I time travelled. Though the stories are satisfying they contain an air of ambiguity that leaves the reader with the sense of a full and rounded world outside of what is on the page.
As an aside, I thought the simple and expressive descriptions of landscape and nature were quite fine.
A rewarding collection, centred on characters penned with an empathetic and sophisticated eye.
As an aside, I thought the simple and expressive descriptions of landscape and nature were quite fine.
A rewarding collection, centred on characters penned with an empathetic and sophisticated eye.
July 4, 2015
4.5 stars rounded to 5.
Three well-written novellas that compliment each other make this book a good value read.
In each story the author captures the ambience of the 80s brilliantly. The central characters were diverse, an elderly fisherman struggling to make a living around fishing quotas, a Yuppy fully embracing 'Its all about me & loadsamoney' culture and an academic from a privileged background. All expertly drawn and realistically flawed (and one character particularly loathsome) they were people I could easily relate to and recognise.
The combination of stories that span class distinctions give an excellent snapshot of Britain in the 1980s. The contradictions, unfairness, hypocrisy and sense of monumental change.
Personally my least favourite story was the first but I thoroughly enjoyed the other two. Depending on the reader's age and disposition the book could be considered nostalgic, retro or dated but as someone who was there I can say it captures the essence of the decade perfectly.
I've added another book from this author to my reading list.
Three well-written novellas that compliment each other make this book a good value read.
In each story the author captures the ambience of the 80s brilliantly. The central characters were diverse, an elderly fisherman struggling to make a living around fishing quotas, a Yuppy fully embracing 'Its all about me & loadsamoney' culture and an academic from a privileged background. All expertly drawn and realistically flawed (and one character particularly loathsome) they were people I could easily relate to and recognise.
The combination of stories that span class distinctions give an excellent snapshot of Britain in the 1980s. The contradictions, unfairness, hypocrisy and sense of monumental change.
Personally my least favourite story was the first but I thoroughly enjoyed the other two. Depending on the reader's age and disposition the book could be considered nostalgic, retro or dated but as someone who was there I can say it captures the essence of the decade perfectly.
I've added another book from this author to my reading list.
September 2, 2015
These are beautifully told stories with a very strong sense of place- it is easy to get lost in them. Each story was told with a unique voice, and all were very good. It's funny that many of the other reviewers preferred the third story- though good, it was definitely my least favorite of the three. I actually enjoyed reading about the characters I didn't like in the first two stories- and in the second, I was very actively rooting against the clearly unlikable Terry. I'm not sure which story I would choose as my favorite, because I enjoyed both Summer and Spring so much.
I really want to drill home the strength of the worlds that Mike created. Reading these stories, you strongly feel like you are there with the characters, which I think is something rare. Not many stories can accomplish that so well.
I really want to drill home the strength of the worlds that Mike created. Reading these stories, you strongly feel like you are there with the characters, which I think is something rare. Not many stories can accomplish that so well.
July 12, 2015
Thank you for my copy of this book which I received in a goodreads giveaway.
Three seasons is a short book of three stories all set in England in the 1980s. Spring is about a washed up fisherman living in the past and desperate to make his big breakthrough.
Summer was my favourite story. Terry is an estate agent and one of the most unpleasant and obnoxious people. His career is everything to him and he cares not one bits for the people, including his wife, that he damages in pursuit of his dreams.
Autumn is a story of a college lecturer struggling with the lives of his grown up children.
A great read, very quick but full of substance
Three seasons is a short book of three stories all set in England in the 1980s. Spring is about a washed up fisherman living in the past and desperate to make his big breakthrough.
Summer was my favourite story. Terry is an estate agent and one of the most unpleasant and obnoxious people. His career is everything to him and he cares not one bits for the people, including his wife, that he damages in pursuit of his dreams.
Autumn is a story of a college lecturer struggling with the lives of his grown up children.
A great read, very quick but full of substance
January 7, 2015
In England, by most accounts, the penultimate decade of the 20th century began a few months prior, with the Labour Party’s sweeping electoral defeats of late 1979. Scarcely a year into this new nominally-Conservative era, formerly posh Brixton, Toxeth, and Chapeltown neighborhoods of London, Liverpool, and Leeds exploded into race riots, as unemployment skyrocketed. IRA bombings throughout England punctuated the Time of Troubles continuance into its middle decade. On the other side of the globe, Argentina invaded the farthest flung remnant of the Empire, sparking the Falklands War. To many at the time, it must have seemed the United Kingdom was coming apart at its seams.
What had appeared for generations to be a mostly orderly, British-organized world (occasionally reaffirmed through major wars) was deconstructing, socially and economically, before their eyes. It is against this backdrop that Mike Robbins draws the characters of Three Seasons, each attempting to place themselves within the tumult of transition, through the course of three chronologically consecutive, yet ostensibly unrelated, novellas.
Deep in the UNESCO archives there is a striking Peter Lord photograph from 1975, in stark black and white, showing the hulking Tyne Pride Tanker towering above Leslie Street in Wallsend, the port of its birth. Within a decade, that historic shipyard and dozens more along the northeast coast of England would be all but closed, belated recognition of the shrinking navy and a new global economy. The larger-than-life seamen of the opening chapter, once rulers of the North Atlantic, pit themselves against this preordained deflation in a most direct fashion. But in the pages that follow, Robbins skillfully weaves the stories of journalists, businessmen, professors, ad-men, brokers, housewives, mothers, fathers, and all manner of Englishmen and women, who were also battling to keep their footing atop more subtlety shifting sands.
The author humbly claims these stories salvaged from the bottom of the suitcase he departed London with in 1987. More likely the originals were carefully barreled in the back of his mind, to age and mature, as Robbins circumnavigated the world as a development worker. The nuance and body that flavor this work, the depth conveyed in even a few short sentences, could only be written by a man who has lived a multitude of lives. While the bones of these stories may well date back to 80’s England, the characters that inhabit that world are surely enlivened by the decades since.
By structuring his work as three independent books, Robbins necessarily invites comparison – and favoritism. Spring, which draws heavily on the author’s formative years as a young journalist working the English docks and its gruff men for tales, is one of the best short stories I have ever read. It is masterfully foreboding, building relentlessly from the first few lines in the darkened night of a small, seaside town to its climax out beyond the breakwaters. In a simple reading, it could be a cautionary fable of ego, but through the delicate exposure of each character’s ultimate fragility, Robbins creates a nearly comprehensive empathy for all the fated participants. The result is a remarkably compelling and incredibly complete story of just seventy pages, where it seems not even a single additional word need be appended.
In contrast to Spring’s perfect, singular arc, the following Summer is a layered complexity of competing personal stories. As a loosely woven mat, the individual reeds touch only occasionally, but at critical intersections, dipping above or below, redirecting each other’s paths in varying degrees of intensity. It may be presumptuous to suggest, but at times it feels Robbins here is pushing his own literary bounds to see how far he can fly – much like the primary character’s white BMW coupe, hurtling around country corners at the limit of adhesion. Insomuch as his insufferable lead Terry has been thoroughly fleshed out as a character, but 1-dimensional as a human being, Robbins has succeeded. The real strength, however, of this story is the exploration of his characters over the transitory generation described in the introduction. Taking liberty to examine their previous incarnations as idealistic youths, Robbins builds almost incongruous backstories that, in the shift back to the present, highlight the shift the whole nation took in the intercession.
Fall, paradoxically perhaps, plays as a comfortable, extended denouement. Now zooming further out to capture several generations of England’s cultural evolution, the reader can place the previous tales and their consequences along a greater spectrum of continual change. With the wisdom of years, Robbins, through his professorial muse, seems to desire to reassure all of his characters (perhaps even the prior iterations of himself, the wet-behind-the-ears journalist and the middle-aged aid worker) that the grander themes of humanity – of family, of tolerance, of thoughtfulness – will weather the storms of progress, come what may.
What had appeared for generations to be a mostly orderly, British-organized world (occasionally reaffirmed through major wars) was deconstructing, socially and economically, before their eyes. It is against this backdrop that Mike Robbins draws the characters of Three Seasons, each attempting to place themselves within the tumult of transition, through the course of three chronologically consecutive, yet ostensibly unrelated, novellas.
Deep in the UNESCO archives there is a striking Peter Lord photograph from 1975, in stark black and white, showing the hulking Tyne Pride Tanker towering above Leslie Street in Wallsend, the port of its birth. Within a decade, that historic shipyard and dozens more along the northeast coast of England would be all but closed, belated recognition of the shrinking navy and a new global economy. The larger-than-life seamen of the opening chapter, once rulers of the North Atlantic, pit themselves against this preordained deflation in a most direct fashion. But in the pages that follow, Robbins skillfully weaves the stories of journalists, businessmen, professors, ad-men, brokers, housewives, mothers, fathers, and all manner of Englishmen and women, who were also battling to keep their footing atop more subtlety shifting sands.
The author humbly claims these stories salvaged from the bottom of the suitcase he departed London with in 1987. More likely the originals were carefully barreled in the back of his mind, to age and mature, as Robbins circumnavigated the world as a development worker. The nuance and body that flavor this work, the depth conveyed in even a few short sentences, could only be written by a man who has lived a multitude of lives. While the bones of these stories may well date back to 80’s England, the characters that inhabit that world are surely enlivened by the decades since.
By structuring his work as three independent books, Robbins necessarily invites comparison – and favoritism. Spring, which draws heavily on the author’s formative years as a young journalist working the English docks and its gruff men for tales, is one of the best short stories I have ever read. It is masterfully foreboding, building relentlessly from the first few lines in the darkened night of a small, seaside town to its climax out beyond the breakwaters. In a simple reading, it could be a cautionary fable of ego, but through the delicate exposure of each character’s ultimate fragility, Robbins creates a nearly comprehensive empathy for all the fated participants. The result is a remarkably compelling and incredibly complete story of just seventy pages, where it seems not even a single additional word need be appended.
In contrast to Spring’s perfect, singular arc, the following Summer is a layered complexity of competing personal stories. As a loosely woven mat, the individual reeds touch only occasionally, but at critical intersections, dipping above or below, redirecting each other’s paths in varying degrees of intensity. It may be presumptuous to suggest, but at times it feels Robbins here is pushing his own literary bounds to see how far he can fly – much like the primary character’s white BMW coupe, hurtling around country corners at the limit of adhesion. Insomuch as his insufferable lead Terry has been thoroughly fleshed out as a character, but 1-dimensional as a human being, Robbins has succeeded. The real strength, however, of this story is the exploration of his characters over the transitory generation described in the introduction. Taking liberty to examine their previous incarnations as idealistic youths, Robbins builds almost incongruous backstories that, in the shift back to the present, highlight the shift the whole nation took in the intercession.
Fall, paradoxically perhaps, plays as a comfortable, extended denouement. Now zooming further out to capture several generations of England’s cultural evolution, the reader can place the previous tales and their consequences along a greater spectrum of continual change. With the wisdom of years, Robbins, through his professorial muse, seems to desire to reassure all of his characters (perhaps even the prior iterations of himself, the wet-behind-the-ears journalist and the middle-aged aid worker) that the grander themes of humanity – of family, of tolerance, of thoughtfulness – will weather the storms of progress, come what may.
April 20, 2017
This was an enjoyable read. Three stories - Spring, Summer and Autumn - unrelated, but portray different people at different stages of their lives as they live through an era of great change.
Whilst I'm too young (ahem) to remember the major struggles of the 80s, and these stories are of England (being Scottish and all), Mike writes with such eloquence and grace that no matter which era or country you were born in, you can feel the characters' presence and conflicts with 'modern' life.
Fresh and to the point, this novel was an easy read, and leaves you thinking about life in the 80s for a long time after.
Whilst I'm too young (ahem) to remember the major struggles of the 80s, and these stories are of England (being Scottish and all), Mike writes with such eloquence and grace that no matter which era or country you were born in, you can feel the characters' presence and conflicts with 'modern' life.
Fresh and to the point, this novel was an easy read, and leaves you thinking about life in the 80s for a long time after.
February 9, 2015
As advertised, this book is comprised of three novellas set in England in the nineteen eighties. The relatively rare novella format (a book that is longer than a short story but shorter than a novel) is said to be making a comeback in the age of e-books. This is a good thing because, in the hands of a skilful author, a good novella allows for the character development expected of a novel, while retaining the immediate, punchy quality of a short story.
In each of the three seasons of the title, the author achieves this dual objective with consummate ease. In Spring, I counted no fewer than five well-developed characters; including the likeably self-effacing John, who was blown up minesweeping at the end of the second world war. In Summer, there are three; my favourite being the artfully crafted Eileen, long-suffering wife of the dreadful Terry Malcolm. (She is going to leave him, I swear.) And in Autumn there are three; four if you count the deceptively vacant Tamsin, who is quickly revealed to be someone who knows how to use her looks to get what she wants.
Although the stories themselves are unrelated to each other, a subtle theme that unites them is that of how events in the present are often shaped by events of the past. Spring is the saga of the dour Skip, who is desperate to recapture his faded glory days as an award-winning captain during the sixties. His bitter reminiscences cloud the decisions he makes, leading to unintended consequences. The culmination of Summer is a flashback to a confrontation between Terry and Roy during the seventies, shedding a different light on the relationship between them. Autumn also culminates in a flashback, this time an extended one which goes back fifty years. This was the highlight of the whole of Three Seasons for me and, other than disclosing that it involves an old radiogram, I won't spoil the plot with any further comment.
Also running through the novellas are themes we have largely forgotten twenty- five years later; when speeding was policed by cops in cars rather than by ubiquitous speed cameras, when vinyl records were losing the battle against compact discs, when radiograms were being converted into drinks cabinets, and when people routinely lit up cigarettes in bars, restaurants, and buses.
At least things are so much better now. All we have these days is global poverty, a pervasive culture of entitlement, endemic corruption, hip-hop, twitter…
Hmm, anyone got a time machine handy to take me back to the eighties?
(I received a free copy of this story in exchange for a credible review.)
In each of the three seasons of the title, the author achieves this dual objective with consummate ease. In Spring, I counted no fewer than five well-developed characters; including the likeably self-effacing John, who was blown up minesweeping at the end of the second world war. In Summer, there are three; my favourite being the artfully crafted Eileen, long-suffering wife of the dreadful Terry Malcolm. (She is going to leave him, I swear.) And in Autumn there are three; four if you count the deceptively vacant Tamsin, who is quickly revealed to be someone who knows how to use her looks to get what she wants.
Although the stories themselves are unrelated to each other, a subtle theme that unites them is that of how events in the present are often shaped by events of the past. Spring is the saga of the dour Skip, who is desperate to recapture his faded glory days as an award-winning captain during the sixties. His bitter reminiscences cloud the decisions he makes, leading to unintended consequences. The culmination of Summer is a flashback to a confrontation between Terry and Roy during the seventies, shedding a different light on the relationship between them. Autumn also culminates in a flashback, this time an extended one which goes back fifty years. This was the highlight of the whole of Three Seasons for me and, other than disclosing that it involves an old radiogram, I won't spoil the plot with any further comment.
Also running through the novellas are themes we have largely forgotten twenty- five years later; when speeding was policed by cops in cars rather than by ubiquitous speed cameras, when vinyl records were losing the battle against compact discs, when radiograms were being converted into drinks cabinets, and when people routinely lit up cigarettes in bars, restaurants, and buses.
At least things are so much better now. All we have these days is global poverty, a pervasive culture of entitlement, endemic corruption, hip-hop, twitter…
Hmm, anyone got a time machine handy to take me back to the eighties?
(I received a free copy of this story in exchange for a credible review.)
May 12, 2020
First of all, Mike Robbins is an exceptional writer. His prose is confident, artful, and packed with the details of real life. You can see his scenes vividly as his often-flawed characters make their way through the consequences of their choices.
That the three short novellas (or long stories) in this collection are all set in the 1980s is really beside the point. There’s a certain timelessness to the scenarios—failing industries, narcissism in business, personal nostalgia and the wide scope of life. But the ‘80s was a time of change, and all three of these pieces have tendrils that tie them to the past as well as link them to what would come next.
Robbins uses a unique, almost omniscient point-of-view technique for shorter fiction, treating us to views of the world through numerous, fully realized characters. It’s refreshing, since we’ve all become accustomed to the myopia of most short stories and novellas, but here we experience events through a variety of eyes and we can start to see how subjective life really is and how hidden most of our real selves are.
Other reviewers outline the stories in plenty of detail, but I’ll add that one of the genuine pleasures of this book is the detailed look we get at such disparate things as what it’s like to be out on the North Sea in a fishing trawler (with a self-medicating, jaded captain at the helm) or to pilot a glider plane with an intractable student who could plow the thing into the ground if you don’t snatch control from him in time. We also get glimpses of aid-worker life in Africa, English public school in the 1930s, and the hidden protections afforded undeserving cads by their secret-society brethren.
And as others have said, any of these tales could have received the full-novel treatment—particularly “Autumn,” the third story, because of the sheer volume of material that one offers for exploration. It would read like a new book from E. M. Forster.
Three Seasons gave me a great introduction to Robbins’ work, and I’m looking forward to digging into more sooner than later.
That the three short novellas (or long stories) in this collection are all set in the 1980s is really beside the point. There’s a certain timelessness to the scenarios—failing industries, narcissism in business, personal nostalgia and the wide scope of life. But the ‘80s was a time of change, and all three of these pieces have tendrils that tie them to the past as well as link them to what would come next.
Robbins uses a unique, almost omniscient point-of-view technique for shorter fiction, treating us to views of the world through numerous, fully realized characters. It’s refreshing, since we’ve all become accustomed to the myopia of most short stories and novellas, but here we experience events through a variety of eyes and we can start to see how subjective life really is and how hidden most of our real selves are.
Other reviewers outline the stories in plenty of detail, but I’ll add that one of the genuine pleasures of this book is the detailed look we get at such disparate things as what it’s like to be out on the North Sea in a fishing trawler (with a self-medicating, jaded captain at the helm) or to pilot a glider plane with an intractable student who could plow the thing into the ground if you don’t snatch control from him in time. We also get glimpses of aid-worker life in Africa, English public school in the 1930s, and the hidden protections afforded undeserving cads by their secret-society brethren.
And as others have said, any of these tales could have received the full-novel treatment—particularly “Autumn,” the third story, because of the sheer volume of material that one offers for exploration. It would read like a new book from E. M. Forster.
Three Seasons gave me a great introduction to Robbins’ work, and I’m looking forward to digging into more sooner than later.
December 31, 2014
The “Three Seasons” is an outstanding piece, written by Mike Robbins. I enjoyed reading all the three stories, but the first one was quite exceptional. Mike has created the events so real that I felt I was not only reading a book; but also standing next to a man in a boat and watching everything by my own eyes…
The beautiful structure of sentences and the imagination he has created with them pushed me to read constantly the first chapter without a break.
"Kevin, at 17, was still growing. Day by day quite unreasonable amounts of food vanished into him. Steaming plates of spaghetti chased casserole dishes of beef stew to join the mighty roast of the day before, to fuel the building of a new human machine. The ma¬chine didn’t look that impressive, being a shade under five foot ten and rather thin; but his face was open and cheerful, albeit so covered in spots that you’d be hard put to find unblemished skin in between."
I have read many books by present-day authors, but the “Three Seasons” was somehow different from all of them. Why? Because, it is not only about a story that you read, but also about the reality you get to learn about the harshness of life “the story of a fisherman’s life and the secrets you have never heard” - when the weather is freezing and you are in the water and yielding your last breath.
For me a man who lives in a landlocked country, the story is quite interesting. Because I always thought, catching a fish is just pulling and pushing your net on the water, but I learned no, it is all about the pain and suffering you have to go through to survive. From chopping fingers, to getting burned and freezing weather, but again do not worry, Katherine (A lady journalist who works for gazette) and her bizarre questions will keep you occupied.
Some parts of the book is even written in a very good rhyme like this one
"A thin morning sunshine had broken through and the sky was blue, but patches of very dark grey cloud hung on above the town, in which the first cars were beginning to move."
Total inspiring
The beautiful structure of sentences and the imagination he has created with them pushed me to read constantly the first chapter without a break.
"Kevin, at 17, was still growing. Day by day quite unreasonable amounts of food vanished into him. Steaming plates of spaghetti chased casserole dishes of beef stew to join the mighty roast of the day before, to fuel the building of a new human machine. The ma¬chine didn’t look that impressive, being a shade under five foot ten and rather thin; but his face was open and cheerful, albeit so covered in spots that you’d be hard put to find unblemished skin in between."
I have read many books by present-day authors, but the “Three Seasons” was somehow different from all of them. Why? Because, it is not only about a story that you read, but also about the reality you get to learn about the harshness of life “the story of a fisherman’s life and the secrets you have never heard” - when the weather is freezing and you are in the water and yielding your last breath.
For me a man who lives in a landlocked country, the story is quite interesting. Because I always thought, catching a fish is just pulling and pushing your net on the water, but I learned no, it is all about the pain and suffering you have to go through to survive. From chopping fingers, to getting burned and freezing weather, but again do not worry, Katherine (A lady journalist who works for gazette) and her bizarre questions will keep you occupied.
Some parts of the book is even written in a very good rhyme like this one
"A thin morning sunshine had broken through and the sky was blue, but patches of very dark grey cloud hung on above the town, in which the first cars were beginning to move."
Total inspiring
August 6, 2015
The book begins with Spring. Skip is a coarse old sea captain, obsessed and desperate to relive the triumphs of his past in the fishing industry. He goes out on a foolhardy expedition that ends in a tragedy. The man, nonetheless, remains dwelling on his dreams. Kevin was my favorite character in this story. I loved his carefree attitude and the way he brushed aside his father’s disapproval of him joining Skip’s sea crew to find a proper job in the most humorous kind of way. He was so easy for me to like.
In Summer we have Terry, or ‘the pig’, an estate agent, who reminded me of an overly confident, self-absorbed maniac. He’s the kind of person who has little to no consideration at all for the people around him unless they add to his own personal gain. He and his wife don’t even have a foundation anymore because he’s so obsessed with his job. Talk about someone who really needs to just stop and smell the roses!
Autumn opens with a student receiving a harsh rebuke from the school’s headmaster whom we come to know as Paul Makepeace. Paul’s story of his youth especially touched me. He was the misfit in the private school where he was relentlessly bullied about his height. He learned to accept the pain with detachment. I felt the character’s emotions. He had me tearing up at some points. I was so grateful he had a friend in Christine. They were kind of oddballs. I also really liked Christine’s vigorous and eccentric vicar father. After learning about his past, I began to see Paul mold from an impassive boy into a stern, though considerate father. He wanted what was best for his children, but he didn’t control them and he wasn’t cruel. I saw him as a very practical man. I loved the hectic interactions between him and his family, and in a way I felt like his life story could have been its own individual book.
All personal opinions aside, this book is a very well written. The author combined a group of character driven stories wonderfully. I enjoyed reading this.
In Summer we have Terry, or ‘the pig’, an estate agent, who reminded me of an overly confident, self-absorbed maniac. He’s the kind of person who has little to no consideration at all for the people around him unless they add to his own personal gain. He and his wife don’t even have a foundation anymore because he’s so obsessed with his job. Talk about someone who really needs to just stop and smell the roses!
Autumn opens with a student receiving a harsh rebuke from the school’s headmaster whom we come to know as Paul Makepeace. Paul’s story of his youth especially touched me. He was the misfit in the private school where he was relentlessly bullied about his height. He learned to accept the pain with detachment. I felt the character’s emotions. He had me tearing up at some points. I was so grateful he had a friend in Christine. They were kind of oddballs. I also really liked Christine’s vigorous and eccentric vicar father. After learning about his past, I began to see Paul mold from an impassive boy into a stern, though considerate father. He wanted what was best for his children, but he didn’t control them and he wasn’t cruel. I saw him as a very practical man. I loved the hectic interactions between him and his family, and in a way I felt like his life story could have been its own individual book.
All personal opinions aside, this book is a very well written. The author combined a group of character driven stories wonderfully. I enjoyed reading this.
February 10, 2015
As several other reviewers have summarised the plots, I will not do so again. Mike Robbins expertise at fleshing out characters into believable people in so little time is quite remarkable.
I lived through the period in the south of England, albeit as a teenager, and yes the themes of drink driving being common for some people was, unfortunately, very true. The likelihood of being caught or not was indeed the deciding factor, rather than the danger of the activity. As for the Masons and funny handshakes, which are mentioned in Summer, yes they did exist in many occupations, including the police. The subject always produces an interesting expression of profound disgust from a relative who was a middle grade police officer in London during the period.
The intricate, technical details of fishing trawlers, cars and gliders in the first two stories left me cold, but the characters, and the way their memories were seamlessly linked into their current actions was masterful.
Like other readers, I found the third story the most enjoyable. Up until that point I admired the writing style and professionalism of the writer rather than enjoying the material, which left me in a quandary on how to rate this work, but the third book sealed the deal.
I’d be interested in reading more about the characters in Autumn. The aid worker, the flighty brother and his new wife, the artistic sister and how their father moved from being the family disappointment to the successful man he appears to be in the novella.
I lived through the period in the south of England, albeit as a teenager, and yes the themes of drink driving being common for some people was, unfortunately, very true. The likelihood of being caught or not was indeed the deciding factor, rather than the danger of the activity. As for the Masons and funny handshakes, which are mentioned in Summer, yes they did exist in many occupations, including the police. The subject always produces an interesting expression of profound disgust from a relative who was a middle grade police officer in London during the period.
The intricate, technical details of fishing trawlers, cars and gliders in the first two stories left me cold, but the characters, and the way their memories were seamlessly linked into their current actions was masterful.
Like other readers, I found the third story the most enjoyable. Up until that point I admired the writing style and professionalism of the writer rather than enjoying the material, which left me in a quandary on how to rate this work, but the third book sealed the deal.
I’d be interested in reading more about the characters in Autumn. The aid worker, the flighty brother and his new wife, the artistic sister and how their father moved from being the family disappointment to the successful man he appears to be in the novella.
September 1, 2015
I found the writing in these novellas engaging and descriptive, and yet not so contrived as to leave long descriptive passages. I was never inclined to skip sections, which is my crude gauge for the readability of literary fiction.
The author’s journalistic background shone through as each story included detailed subject background, some relating to the era—the 80s—but mostly as a vehicle to delve deeper into the plots and characters. I found the information interesting and informative but never overpowering.
I enjoyed each story for different reasons, and there truly is no connection between them. This made for three enjoyable reads, although I felt a bit short-changed by the ending of the second tale.
If you enjoy a writer who takes the time to word-paint the weather and the physical scenes and characters, I think you’ll enjoy these stories. I did.
Disclaimer: This review was originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. I may have received a free review copy.
The author’s journalistic background shone through as each story included detailed subject background, some relating to the era—the 80s—but mostly as a vehicle to delve deeper into the plots and characters. I found the information interesting and informative but never overpowering.
I enjoyed each story for different reasons, and there truly is no connection between them. This made for three enjoyable reads, although I felt a bit short-changed by the ending of the second tale.
If you enjoy a writer who takes the time to word-paint the weather and the physical scenes and characters, I think you’ll enjoy these stories. I did.
Disclaimer: This review was originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. I may have received a free review copy.
February 19, 2015
Three Seasons portrays Britain in the 1980s by telling three novella-length stories which provide social history case-studies of the country at that time. Having lived through those times myself, though with considerably less political involvement than Robbins clearly had, the stories both rang true and extended my own knowledge of parts of British society with which I was not familiar. I like books that bring history to life in an engaging way. Having read Robbins’ interesting earlier novel, The Lost Baggage of Sylvia Guzman, I can see many continuities of theme with that earlier piece, which delivers a witty and perceptive commentary on the state of Britain, from the viewpoint of an asylum-seeker.
The first story is about trawlermen, telling a disturbing story, the background to which is the decline of the fishing industry. Robbins draws on his extensive knowledge of the fishing industry to deliver an educational feast of information. At times I was not sure I wanted to know all of the detail he provides (about snoods, cuddies, papersounders, precision baiters, the ten metre rule, and the like) but the story was engaging and saw me through the technical detail, in the best tradition of Patrick O’Brien, whose books use the same technique to deliver a similar sense of authenticity and immersion in an historical period.
The second story has a much larger cast of characters and I wondered if, with a more elaborate plot, this had the potential to be developed into a full-length novel. At the centre of the story is the conflict between Terry, the brash estate agent, pitched against Roy, the kindly teacher and part-time gliding instructor. This conflict extends across the decades and we learn, eventually, that it has its roots in a shared experience of student politics. The difference between the ‘good guy’ and the ‘bad guy’ is very sharply drawn, and perhaps could have been more subtle at times. Like the trawler story, the knowledge Robbins shows of glider flying is impressive, although this time I found the technical details were less obtrusive, being subsumed by a very real sense of the gripping – even hair-raising – sense of excitement that a glider pilot feels when in the air. Conveying this excitement to someone like me, who has no experience of flying in any kind of light aircraft, is quite an achievement. The twist at the end of the tale is a fitting commentary on the direction set by Mrs Thatcher for the future development of British society.
The third story was undoubtedly the best one. It was less overtly political than the other two, and the characterisation more subtle. A scene between the somewhat moralistic Tim, newly returned home from a spell working in an overseas development project, and Tamsin, his sister-in-law, who he initially stereotypes as belonging to the same hypocritical, materialistic world as his Porsche-driving brother, is very well done and helps us realise that drawing firm moral lines is almost always a mistake if we are to understand the people we encounter. What I liked most about this story, though, was its moments of lyrical contemplation, often of the past life of characters as they ruminated about their family relationships, often also contemplating the wonders of the natural environment, which succeeded in conveying something about the complexity and wonder of the world we live in at a very profound level. Like the watercolours painted by Tim’s sister, these moments were intensely beautiful and suggest to me that Robbins has the capacity to write a truly great novel one day. I look forward to reading more of his output in the future.
I gave it four stars because I have a personal preference for full length novels.
I gave it 4 stars because I hav
The first story is about trawlermen, telling a disturbing story, the background to which is the decline of the fishing industry. Robbins draws on his extensive knowledge of the fishing industry to deliver an educational feast of information. At times I was not sure I wanted to know all of the detail he provides (about snoods, cuddies, papersounders, precision baiters, the ten metre rule, and the like) but the story was engaging and saw me through the technical detail, in the best tradition of Patrick O’Brien, whose books use the same technique to deliver a similar sense of authenticity and immersion in an historical period.
The second story has a much larger cast of characters and I wondered if, with a more elaborate plot, this had the potential to be developed into a full-length novel. At the centre of the story is the conflict between Terry, the brash estate agent, pitched against Roy, the kindly teacher and part-time gliding instructor. This conflict extends across the decades and we learn, eventually, that it has its roots in a shared experience of student politics. The difference between the ‘good guy’ and the ‘bad guy’ is very sharply drawn, and perhaps could have been more subtle at times. Like the trawler story, the knowledge Robbins shows of glider flying is impressive, although this time I found the technical details were less obtrusive, being subsumed by a very real sense of the gripping – even hair-raising – sense of excitement that a glider pilot feels when in the air. Conveying this excitement to someone like me, who has no experience of flying in any kind of light aircraft, is quite an achievement. The twist at the end of the tale is a fitting commentary on the direction set by Mrs Thatcher for the future development of British society.
The third story was undoubtedly the best one. It was less overtly political than the other two, and the characterisation more subtle. A scene between the somewhat moralistic Tim, newly returned home from a spell working in an overseas development project, and Tamsin, his sister-in-law, who he initially stereotypes as belonging to the same hypocritical, materialistic world as his Porsche-driving brother, is very well done and helps us realise that drawing firm moral lines is almost always a mistake if we are to understand the people we encounter. What I liked most about this story, though, was its moments of lyrical contemplation, often of the past life of characters as they ruminated about their family relationships, often also contemplating the wonders of the natural environment, which succeeded in conveying something about the complexity and wonder of the world we live in at a very profound level. Like the watercolours painted by Tim’s sister, these moments were intensely beautiful and suggest to me that Robbins has the capacity to write a truly great novel one day. I look forward to reading more of his output in the future.
I gave it four stars because I have a personal preference for full length novels.
I gave it 4 stars because I hav
January 5, 2015
Author Mike Robbins has penned a brilliant group of stories in Three Seasons, each being very different and showing Robbins’ broad range as an author. The first story is a subtly written drama revolving around an aging fisherman’s desire to reclaim his days of glory. It is painted with rich imagery and characters that well place you in the moment. His description of events both on the shore as well as at sea evoke a strong sense of reader bonding with the characters and scenes. At the abrupt end, you find yourself wishing it had been longer (as is the case with any well written short story or novella.)
The second story, except for the style of writing, seemed be be written by an entirely different author. Unlike the more subtle tale that preceded it, this one, centered on Terry, a brutish realtor, was an in-your-face mellow drama with one of two main characters being despised nearly from the outset. I was impressed by the crisp differences and congratulate Robbins for portraying two sides of a very emotional tale, showing brilliantly that no one is ever the villain in their own mind. I am not normally a fan of the flashback, but Robbins uses it masterfully here and produces scenes in multiple time periods that, were they to be expanded into stories of their own, could very well be very successful novels. I particularly like the University flashback and would here, now, encourage the Author to expand upon Roy’s story (past and present)…I believe you have a winner there.
The third story was best in my estimation. In it I saw hints of Robbins’ own real life adventures around the globe (first discovered by me in The Nine Horizons). But that was only the sweetest of taunts before flashback takes us to prewar England and the life of a troubled, non conforming boy who is destined to be Master of an Oxford college despite his father’s assessment of his son. The imagery presented in this, as well as the others, is enveloping to the senses and despite a few abrupt segues, flows seamlessly to tell the story at hand. In the end, as stated earlier, any good short story leaves you feeling robbed when the telling is done. The third story, as the second, is more than capable of standing on it’s own feet as a full length novel…in fact, I’d dare say an author with such splendid talent as Robbins, could very well draw a series out of the third, drifting back and forth across the time lines as he goes. From steam filled train platforms of depots long gone, to artistic renderings of junkyard detail, this author had me hooked and ready to buy the next book in the series.
In all, this collection of stories from the eighties is very entertaining and educational. But far more important is the emotion they leave you harboring and the longing that the author expertly implants in you. Very well done, Mr. Robbins. I would recommend this collection of stories to anyone who likes to read.
The second story, except for the style of writing, seemed be be written by an entirely different author. Unlike the more subtle tale that preceded it, this one, centered on Terry, a brutish realtor, was an in-your-face mellow drama with one of two main characters being despised nearly from the outset. I was impressed by the crisp differences and congratulate Robbins for portraying two sides of a very emotional tale, showing brilliantly that no one is ever the villain in their own mind. I am not normally a fan of the flashback, but Robbins uses it masterfully here and produces scenes in multiple time periods that, were they to be expanded into stories of their own, could very well be very successful novels. I particularly like the University flashback and would here, now, encourage the Author to expand upon Roy’s story (past and present)…I believe you have a winner there.
The third story was best in my estimation. In it I saw hints of Robbins’ own real life adventures around the globe (first discovered by me in The Nine Horizons). But that was only the sweetest of taunts before flashback takes us to prewar England and the life of a troubled, non conforming boy who is destined to be Master of an Oxford college despite his father’s assessment of his son. The imagery presented in this, as well as the others, is enveloping to the senses and despite a few abrupt segues, flows seamlessly to tell the story at hand. In the end, as stated earlier, any good short story leaves you feeling robbed when the telling is done. The third story, as the second, is more than capable of standing on it’s own feet as a full length novel…in fact, I’d dare say an author with such splendid talent as Robbins, could very well draw a series out of the third, drifting back and forth across the time lines as he goes. From steam filled train platforms of depots long gone, to artistic renderings of junkyard detail, this author had me hooked and ready to buy the next book in the series.
In all, this collection of stories from the eighties is very entertaining and educational. But far more important is the emotion they leave you harboring and the longing that the author expertly implants in you. Very well done, Mr. Robbins. I would recommend this collection of stories to anyone who likes to read.
June 5, 2015
Three Seasons is an accomplished, highly readable collection of three novellas by a writer whose a master of the novella – that “almost” Cinderella of the literary world. Subtitled Three Stories of England in the Eighties, all are connected only by being set in three seasons, spring, summer and autumn.
I love reading novellas – longer than short stories, shorter than novels, yet long enough to be immersed in a world that is slightly simpler than that of the more convoluted novel.
And these were engaging indeed.
In the first, Spring, a middle-aged Hull trawler skipper, sixtysomething Skip has one last chance to make it big. Kevin, an eager young working class teen joins the crew on the boat that early morning, oozing enthusiasm and eagerness. And then there’s the young twenty-two old reporter, Katherine, reporting on the events of the fishing village. How each story edges alongside the other is part of the beauty of this piece filled with fishing and trawler detail, the vessel bobbing on the cold seas. But there’s a disaster at the heart of this story, and Robbins’ skilled hand leads us onward, breathlessly to its inevitable conclusion.
In the second, Summer, we’re in the heart of the booming merciless 1980s. Terry strides into the story, ambitious, adulterous, his eye on the booming Thames Valley property market. Terry was the least likeable or sympathetic of the characters, but nevertheless holds interest despite his bravado and arrogance. In a story that epitomises the worst of eighties greed and immorality, the story ranges across a weekend, while its roots stretch back ten years. An allegory for a decade long gone, yet immorality can never be confined to a single time.
The last, Autumn, is a mediative piece that centres on the Master of an Oxford College, Makepeace. Long married to Christine, he’s settled into a rigid severity: “Makepeace’s face was lined and rather severe, the eyes themselves of mid-blue, the hair wiry, strong, grey now of course, but complete and slightly curled.”
His two grown-up and very different sons are coming home for a viist Tim, home from working abroad in Africa and the Amazon, and James, arriving with his new wife of two weeks. Still living at home is their impressionable teen daughter, Liz. The story takes place over the night and morning of the sons’ visit, playing out against each of their histories, roving from Makepeace to Tim to James to the new wife, Tamsin with the exotic aura of being an actress about her. The story loops into the past, shedding light on how the man grew into his and how the past has the ability to not only to erode with its corrosiveness, but also how memory helps us to heal, to bend. How it is possible to release the pain of the past and ultimately learn to forgive and learn new ways of being and relating.
I love reading novellas – longer than short stories, shorter than novels, yet long enough to be immersed in a world that is slightly simpler than that of the more convoluted novel.
And these were engaging indeed.
In the first, Spring, a middle-aged Hull trawler skipper, sixtysomething Skip has one last chance to make it big. Kevin, an eager young working class teen joins the crew on the boat that early morning, oozing enthusiasm and eagerness. And then there’s the young twenty-two old reporter, Katherine, reporting on the events of the fishing village. How each story edges alongside the other is part of the beauty of this piece filled with fishing and trawler detail, the vessel bobbing on the cold seas. But there’s a disaster at the heart of this story, and Robbins’ skilled hand leads us onward, breathlessly to its inevitable conclusion.
In the second, Summer, we’re in the heart of the booming merciless 1980s. Terry strides into the story, ambitious, adulterous, his eye on the booming Thames Valley property market. Terry was the least likeable or sympathetic of the characters, but nevertheless holds interest despite his bravado and arrogance. In a story that epitomises the worst of eighties greed and immorality, the story ranges across a weekend, while its roots stretch back ten years. An allegory for a decade long gone, yet immorality can never be confined to a single time.
The last, Autumn, is a mediative piece that centres on the Master of an Oxford College, Makepeace. Long married to Christine, he’s settled into a rigid severity: “Makepeace’s face was lined and rather severe, the eyes themselves of mid-blue, the hair wiry, strong, grey now of course, but complete and slightly curled.”
His two grown-up and very different sons are coming home for a viist Tim, home from working abroad in Africa and the Amazon, and James, arriving with his new wife of two weeks. Still living at home is their impressionable teen daughter, Liz. The story takes place over the night and morning of the sons’ visit, playing out against each of their histories, roving from Makepeace to Tim to James to the new wife, Tamsin with the exotic aura of being an actress about her. The story loops into the past, shedding light on how the man grew into his and how the past has the ability to not only to erode with its corrosiveness, but also how memory helps us to heal, to bend. How it is possible to release the pain of the past and ultimately learn to forgive and learn new ways of being and relating.
November 1, 2016
Reviewed on behalf of The Review Board by Harmony Kent.
I received a free MOBI copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
Three seasons, Spring, Summer, and Autumn link three otherwise separate short stories, which range from the fishing fleets of Hull to the property market in the Thames Valley to the Master of an Oxford College. As the author points out in the blurb, though set in Thatcher-era Britain, the tales contain no politics and have little to do with the upheavals common to that galvanic period.
Rather, they take on a micro-view, down to the individual and personal perspectives, which goes to show that humanity hasn’t changed all that much in the last three and a bit decades. Each tale attempts to offer an atmospheric interpretation of the feeling of the eighties, which—of course—differs for each person that experienced those times.
The first story deals with the decline of the fishing industry in Hull, and follows a sixty-year-old trawler captain, who’s done the job for forty-five years and drank for about forty.
The second story deals with a somewhat impetuous estate agent involved in the Thames Valley property market, and who makes some questionable decisions with far-reaching consequences.
The third and final story deals with an aging college master, for whom present events take him back to his childhood and show how his future came to be shaped.
The pacing of each story is steady to slow, and the collection somewhat eclectic. This isn’t a book that fits readily into any one category, other than ‘short fiction’. Being tight on time these days, I looked forward to dipping into these little tales rather than having to commit to a lengthy novel. Unfortunately, I ended up struggling with this read.
The topics and characters failed to draw me in. The narrative reads extremely passively, and is filled to the brim with filter words (saw, heard, felt, thought, etc.) and delaying the action unnecessarily with devices such as ‘started to/began to’. I have to say, on the flip side, that the spelling is to a good standard.
It would appear that the author has done his research, especially around the shipping subjects, and the descriptions bring an authentic feel to the fiction. On balance, the book left me feeling neither one way nor another and isn’t one I’m likely to remember. However, apart from the issues mentioned above, it’s a decent enough read. For that reason, I give it six out of ten TRB stars, which equates to three out of five on other rating scales, and means ‘one better than a five’, which is ‘flip a coin and/or take a chance (if you dare).’
I received a free MOBI copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
Three seasons, Spring, Summer, and Autumn link three otherwise separate short stories, which range from the fishing fleets of Hull to the property market in the Thames Valley to the Master of an Oxford College. As the author points out in the blurb, though set in Thatcher-era Britain, the tales contain no politics and have little to do with the upheavals common to that galvanic period.
Rather, they take on a micro-view, down to the individual and personal perspectives, which goes to show that humanity hasn’t changed all that much in the last three and a bit decades. Each tale attempts to offer an atmospheric interpretation of the feeling of the eighties, which—of course—differs for each person that experienced those times.
The first story deals with the decline of the fishing industry in Hull, and follows a sixty-year-old trawler captain, who’s done the job for forty-five years and drank for about forty.
The second story deals with a somewhat impetuous estate agent involved in the Thames Valley property market, and who makes some questionable decisions with far-reaching consequences.
The third and final story deals with an aging college master, for whom present events take him back to his childhood and show how his future came to be shaped.
The pacing of each story is steady to slow, and the collection somewhat eclectic. This isn’t a book that fits readily into any one category, other than ‘short fiction’. Being tight on time these days, I looked forward to dipping into these little tales rather than having to commit to a lengthy novel. Unfortunately, I ended up struggling with this read.
The topics and characters failed to draw me in. The narrative reads extremely passively, and is filled to the brim with filter words (saw, heard, felt, thought, etc.) and delaying the action unnecessarily with devices such as ‘started to/began to’. I have to say, on the flip side, that the spelling is to a good standard.
It would appear that the author has done his research, especially around the shipping subjects, and the descriptions bring an authentic feel to the fiction. On balance, the book left me feeling neither one way nor another and isn’t one I’m likely to remember. However, apart from the issues mentioned above, it’s a decent enough read. For that reason, I give it six out of ten TRB stars, which equates to three out of five on other rating scales, and means ‘one better than a five’, which is ‘flip a coin and/or take a chance (if you dare).’
February 2, 2015
I really enjoyed this book, which is made up of three distinct long short stories or novellas about aspects of life in 1980s Britain. It was well-written, with some intriguing portrayals of the very different characters, and the mutli-faceted storylines were interwoven well, always coming to a satisfying and emotionally involving conclusion.
The first story, Spring, is a haunting story of deep-sea fisherman Skip’s attempt to try and revive his business with a new fishing technique. But much more than this, it is a wistful portrayal of the older fishermen being constrained by past successes in a now-dwindling industry, and trying to make a fresh start. There was rather a lot of technical detail in places, but I felt it was relevant to the story and was soon overcome by my involvement with the characters and their situation, and the evocative sense of place, both in the harbour and out at sea.
Summer contrasted brash estate-agent-on-the-make Terry, with the steadier, more likeable Roy, a teacher and amateur gliding instructor. At first I found Terry extremely unlikeable, almost to the point of being relieved when the story moved to Roy’s point of view, but there are people like him in the world and, like all the characters in these novellas, he was well-drawn and ultimately convincing. As with all the stories here, the past played an important part in the present narrative and gave a good insight into the motivations and developments.
Autumn was different again, focusing on the story of an ageing university lecturer whose two sons’ homecoming trigger memories and a reassessment of his life. Again, the situation is seen from several points of view, in particular with the experiences of one son, Tim, as an aid worker providing a backdrop to his attitude to his brother’s new fiancé – like the reader, his attitude changes and he finds she is better for getting to know – and a moment of unexpected closeness and beauty with his sister. This is set against his father’s reminiscences, which underpin what I felt to be the underlying theme of the story: finding one’s own way in life despite prejudices and expectations.
I liked the seasons concept (in fact, altough there are only three novellas, winter does also feature in several of the backstories), which echoed the theme of a number of different aspects of a period – the 1980s – just as the seasons are different faces of a year. The stories were well-written and involving, and I’m inspired to read more by the author.
The first story, Spring, is a haunting story of deep-sea fisherman Skip’s attempt to try and revive his business with a new fishing technique. But much more than this, it is a wistful portrayal of the older fishermen being constrained by past successes in a now-dwindling industry, and trying to make a fresh start. There was rather a lot of technical detail in places, but I felt it was relevant to the story and was soon overcome by my involvement with the characters and their situation, and the evocative sense of place, both in the harbour and out at sea.
Summer contrasted brash estate-agent-on-the-make Terry, with the steadier, more likeable Roy, a teacher and amateur gliding instructor. At first I found Terry extremely unlikeable, almost to the point of being relieved when the story moved to Roy’s point of view, but there are people like him in the world and, like all the characters in these novellas, he was well-drawn and ultimately convincing. As with all the stories here, the past played an important part in the present narrative and gave a good insight into the motivations and developments.
Autumn was different again, focusing on the story of an ageing university lecturer whose two sons’ homecoming trigger memories and a reassessment of his life. Again, the situation is seen from several points of view, in particular with the experiences of one son, Tim, as an aid worker providing a backdrop to his attitude to his brother’s new fiancé – like the reader, his attitude changes and he finds she is better for getting to know – and a moment of unexpected closeness and beauty with his sister. This is set against his father’s reminiscences, which underpin what I felt to be the underlying theme of the story: finding one’s own way in life despite prejudices and expectations.
I liked the seasons concept (in fact, altough there are only three novellas, winter does also feature in several of the backstories), which echoed the theme of a number of different aspects of a period – the 1980s – just as the seasons are different faces of a year. The stories were well-written and involving, and I’m inspired to read more by the author.
May 26, 2015
These three uniquely different series of novellas are set in England in the 1980s. Each story is deeply captivating, subtle and intriguing with a sophisticated effort to understand in an atmospheric sense what it was like to live in a country that was on the brink of change.
Spring is the first story that I found to be deeply touching as it follows the life of 60 year old trawler man called Skip, who had spent 45 years at sea and 40 years as a drinker. He wouldn’t normally risk a drop of alcohol between breakwaters until now as he tries to revive his business with his newly invented long-lining system. However, his one last chance to change his fate has the most devastating consequences which all lead to an unexpected series of events that will change and shape the rest of his life. This is rather a bleak tale of the realities facing many fishermen in a time where the government decommissioned many fishing vessels and the sense of place and time is exceptionally well characterised.
Summer is the second story and follows the conflicts and a number of ambiguous flashbacks between an impetuous estate agent called Terry and a guy called Roy, who is the meeker of the two who teaches and is an amateur gliding instructor. Terry remembers Roy as a boring and a very serious right-wing Labour supporter at university who opposed most of Terry’s political views. Their long grudge against one leads to some intriguing and unpredictable consequences.
Autumn is the third and final story and once again the author uses a number of ambiguous flashbacks of an aging college master called, Paul Makepeace where a series of present events take him back on an unforgettable journey in to his childhood that have undoubtedly shaped his future.
Although these three stories are in no way connected to one another, I felt deeply connected to the well-developed characters’ in each story and couldn’t help but think that the underlying moral of each story was that each character managed to find their grounding, despite a number of evolutionary and cultural changes that were taking place around them in the 1980s.
Disclosure: I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
My Ranking: 5 Stars
My Review Sites:
http://walkerputsche.wordpress.com/
http://catherineroseputsche.webs.com/
http://t.co/G0ExZgmlwc
https://twitter.com/Putsche73
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Amazon.com/UK
Spring is the first story that I found to be deeply touching as it follows the life of 60 year old trawler man called Skip, who had spent 45 years at sea and 40 years as a drinker. He wouldn’t normally risk a drop of alcohol between breakwaters until now as he tries to revive his business with his newly invented long-lining system. However, his one last chance to change his fate has the most devastating consequences which all lead to an unexpected series of events that will change and shape the rest of his life. This is rather a bleak tale of the realities facing many fishermen in a time where the government decommissioned many fishing vessels and the sense of place and time is exceptionally well characterised.
Summer is the second story and follows the conflicts and a number of ambiguous flashbacks between an impetuous estate agent called Terry and a guy called Roy, who is the meeker of the two who teaches and is an amateur gliding instructor. Terry remembers Roy as a boring and a very serious right-wing Labour supporter at university who opposed most of Terry’s political views. Their long grudge against one leads to some intriguing and unpredictable consequences.
Autumn is the third and final story and once again the author uses a number of ambiguous flashbacks of an aging college master called, Paul Makepeace where a series of present events take him back on an unforgettable journey in to his childhood that have undoubtedly shaped his future.
Although these three stories are in no way connected to one another, I felt deeply connected to the well-developed characters’ in each story and couldn’t help but think that the underlying moral of each story was that each character managed to find their grounding, despite a number of evolutionary and cultural changes that were taking place around them in the 1980s.
Disclosure: I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
My Ranking: 5 Stars
My Review Sites:
http://walkerputsche.wordpress.com/
http://catherineroseputsche.webs.com/
http://t.co/G0ExZgmlwc
https://twitter.com/Putsche73
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Amazon.com/UK
February 21, 2015
As a systems thinker who always digests management or technology genres, and habitually using bullet point structure, I have to admit, I don’t get the chance to read many Novella format books a lot, but Robbins’s “Three Seasons” did offer me the fresh experience for experiencing the spectrum of scenes & themes, the sophistication of people and life, the evolution of culture in England in the 1980s.
As a critical thinker, even before reading, I was contemplating: why are there only three seasons, Spring, Summer and Fall, why did the author skip Winter? Is it too frozen and foggy to stop him from “seeing what could happen in the Winter of England”? Or, are the events that happened in the first three seasons already too enriched to add further stories….Either way, I agree, there was a lot going on, the elegant descriptions of details, the elaboration of different characters & personalities, and the flow of political themes, make the plot even more profound than it seems to be….
Spring: the first story is about fishermen, who reminisce about their days of glory. Robbins applied his enriched experience and extensive knowledge in the industry to provide technical details and vivid description about the boats, the stories in the past and now; on the sea and across the land…
Summer: in the second story, the author well articulated a few characters with contrasting personalities. The conflicts between them was thought-provoking, and the story also adds a few dashes of political themes about societal development and changes.
Autumn: I liked the third story the most, because the characters seemed very vivid and multi-faceted. Two grown-up sons visit their parents - the college professors, while the youngest daughter was just reaching the age to make career decisions - choosing what she wanted to be. They all have different life experiences, perceptions and personalities. And the elegant description about surrounding fills the story with imagination: “He thought he could see the Milky Way. The star seemed every bit as bright as they did in lower latitude” …..
Since I don’t read a lot of novels, I personally found some of details to be a bit excessive or a bit overwhelming for me, and felt they didn’t really help to capture or refocus on the core of the stories, but as mentioned, it is a new experience for me to learn the history, the industries, the culture and many more.
As a critical thinker, even before reading, I was contemplating: why are there only three seasons, Spring, Summer and Fall, why did the author skip Winter? Is it too frozen and foggy to stop him from “seeing what could happen in the Winter of England”? Or, are the events that happened in the first three seasons already too enriched to add further stories….Either way, I agree, there was a lot going on, the elegant descriptions of details, the elaboration of different characters & personalities, and the flow of political themes, make the plot even more profound than it seems to be….
Spring: the first story is about fishermen, who reminisce about their days of glory. Robbins applied his enriched experience and extensive knowledge in the industry to provide technical details and vivid description about the boats, the stories in the past and now; on the sea and across the land…
Summer: in the second story, the author well articulated a few characters with contrasting personalities. The conflicts between them was thought-provoking, and the story also adds a few dashes of political themes about societal development and changes.
Autumn: I liked the third story the most, because the characters seemed very vivid and multi-faceted. Two grown-up sons visit their parents - the college professors, while the youngest daughter was just reaching the age to make career decisions - choosing what she wanted to be. They all have different life experiences, perceptions and personalities. And the elegant description about surrounding fills the story with imagination: “He thought he could see the Milky Way. The star seemed every bit as bright as they did in lower latitude” …..
Since I don’t read a lot of novels, I personally found some of details to be a bit excessive or a bit overwhelming for me, and felt they didn’t really help to capture or refocus on the core of the stories, but as mentioned, it is a new experience for me to learn the history, the industries, the culture and many more.
March 17, 2015
Three Seasons
Mike Robbins
In Three Seasons Mike Robbins has compiled 3 separate stories about taking place in England in the 1980s. They are Spring Summer and Autumn.
The first feature is SPRING.
The story takes place in an English fishing village. It is the end of the fishing season, everyone is trying to get the last big haul.
Skip is the captain of the boat and wants to gain noteriety for the largest catch. He has not had that honor in many years. He also has an idea. He wants to show that a different way of catching the fish is the most profitable and time saving. He is well versed in the ways of the fisherman from Norway and Wales. Their way is too expensive so he has invented a method that would be far more inexpensive. He is out to prove his theory right.
A female reporter covering this finds a bit more than that. She decides to work on a feature as well. What she learns has a completely different vibe to it. Alcohol, self absorbtion and a great lack of concern for safety lead to a tragic ending for that days outing. I will say that the author showed a great deal of knowledge of the fishing industry and the boats themselves that he incorporated into the story.
The Second Feature SUMMER centers around a main character Terry. Terry is a self absorbed investment firm employee who wants to make partner. He hits and injures a teenage girl driving drunk, brings home a medical issue to his wife, treats her a with disdain, and uses andtakes adavantage of everyone he meets.
The author melds all of the elements of thee story along with the characters to finally reveal the relationships at the end.
In the Third Feature. Autumn, the author writes of a family. He ties their current lives to each other. In many ways they all are different, but in showing how they are so different he is actually showing us how much alike they trully are. Where we come from and how we get there not only defines our lives but the lives of those that come after us.
This book is truly unique and a bit different in style than some, however it is a good read. It may be a bit slow at times it is definitely worth reading.
I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Mike Robbins
In Three Seasons Mike Robbins has compiled 3 separate stories about taking place in England in the 1980s. They are Spring Summer and Autumn.
The first feature is SPRING.
The story takes place in an English fishing village. It is the end of the fishing season, everyone is trying to get the last big haul.
Skip is the captain of the boat and wants to gain noteriety for the largest catch. He has not had that honor in many years. He also has an idea. He wants to show that a different way of catching the fish is the most profitable and time saving. He is well versed in the ways of the fisherman from Norway and Wales. Their way is too expensive so he has invented a method that would be far more inexpensive. He is out to prove his theory right.
A female reporter covering this finds a bit more than that. She decides to work on a feature as well. What she learns has a completely different vibe to it. Alcohol, self absorbtion and a great lack of concern for safety lead to a tragic ending for that days outing. I will say that the author showed a great deal of knowledge of the fishing industry and the boats themselves that he incorporated into the story.
The Second Feature SUMMER centers around a main character Terry. Terry is a self absorbed investment firm employee who wants to make partner. He hits and injures a teenage girl driving drunk, brings home a medical issue to his wife, treats her a with disdain, and uses andtakes adavantage of everyone he meets.
The author melds all of the elements of thee story along with the characters to finally reveal the relationships at the end.
In the Third Feature. Autumn, the author writes of a family. He ties their current lives to each other. In many ways they all are different, but in showing how they are so different he is actually showing us how much alike they trully are. Where we come from and how we get there not only defines our lives but the lives of those that come after us.
This book is truly unique and a bit different in style than some, however it is a good read. It may be a bit slow at times it is definitely worth reading.
I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 5, 2015
Real people captured in the tides of change http://www.amazon.com/review/R3F10FEA...
In three stories, the author looks back to England in the 80s. I use 'stories' loosely. These are not classic tales with a beginning, middle, and end, but rather vignettes, word pictures of a moment frozen in time, but a moment that speaks to lifetimes and changes. We're introduced to characters and places, and then, through a series of memories interwoven with the present, we see some of how the characters came to be. Layers peel back, and we find someone quite different underneath.
The characters are well-rounded, drawn in shades of somber gray, as real people tend to be. Some are likeable, some despicable, but the author manages to find at least a little good in everyone, although the despicable are not always punished and the good do not always prevail.
The writing is always strong and clear. It is heavy on historical and technical detail, especially in the first story, Spring. Those details provide a richness and flavor that make the lives of the characters more meaningful. All in all, it's an interesting collection.
I received this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
In three stories, the author looks back to England in the 80s. I use 'stories' loosely. These are not classic tales with a beginning, middle, and end, but rather vignettes, word pictures of a moment frozen in time, but a moment that speaks to lifetimes and changes. We're introduced to characters and places, and then, through a series of memories interwoven with the present, we see some of how the characters came to be. Layers peel back, and we find someone quite different underneath.
The characters are well-rounded, drawn in shades of somber gray, as real people tend to be. Some are likeable, some despicable, but the author manages to find at least a little good in everyone, although the despicable are not always punished and the good do not always prevail.
The writing is always strong and clear. It is heavy on historical and technical detail, especially in the first story, Spring. Those details provide a richness and flavor that make the lives of the characters more meaningful. All in all, it's an interesting collection.
I received this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
February 13, 2015
Spring, summer, and autumn…three seasons, three stories about life in England in the 1980s. I’ve never been to England and I was just a tot in the 1980s, so this book really piqued my interest. I wasn’t disappointed—the stories were educational and very entertaining, especially “Autumn” (the third story).
I was immediately drawn to the characters: good people, bad people, but all the same people with their good and bad sides like in the real world. Robbin’s writing style is very engaging; his descriptions vivid, and I was able to picture the scenes. Robbin’s writing expertise and his ability to flesh out well developed characters are impressive. All three stories were different, well-paced and had excellent dialogue.
Overall, Robbin impressed me with his mastery of building interesting and honest characters, with real feelings and real limitations, who are engaged in their ongoing daily struggles for survival and happiness. I’ll like to read more of his works.
Disclaimer: The author kindly provided a free copy in exchange for my unbiased review.
I was immediately drawn to the characters: good people, bad people, but all the same people with their good and bad sides like in the real world. Robbin’s writing style is very engaging; his descriptions vivid, and I was able to picture the scenes. Robbin’s writing expertise and his ability to flesh out well developed characters are impressive. All three stories were different, well-paced and had excellent dialogue.
Overall, Robbin impressed me with his mastery of building interesting and honest characters, with real feelings and real limitations, who are engaged in their ongoing daily struggles for survival and happiness. I’ll like to read more of his works.
Disclaimer: The author kindly provided a free copy in exchange for my unbiased review.
June 13, 2015
It's a tall order to conjure three "slice of life" novellas side by side in a book and make them compelling for the reader. Ultimately, though, I didn't find the short stories that interesting. I was also hard-pressed to see how, given that the book states these three stories are derived from England in the 1980's, just how these stories convey the "feel" of that decade. i.e. Thatcherism, IRA strife, incredible wealth disparity, union-busting.
My interest was heightened in two scenes: one in the first story, when reporter Katherine asked a medical doctor, Dr. Bryce, about the symptoms of hypothermia, effectively causing suspense and foreshadowing as to the tragedy on the ship. Another scene, in the third story, had an adult son, Tim, of a family meet his brother's new wife, Tamsin, after the shot-gun marriage between those two. It was fascinating to see how Tim confronted a new window on his life and learn of someone who is so different from his family.
My interest was heightened in two scenes: one in the first story, when reporter Katherine asked a medical doctor, Dr. Bryce, about the symptoms of hypothermia, effectively causing suspense and foreshadowing as to the tragedy on the ship. Another scene, in the third story, had an adult son, Tim, of a family meet his brother's new wife, Tamsin, after the shot-gun marriage between those two. It was fascinating to see how Tim confronted a new window on his life and learn of someone who is so different from his family.
April 13, 2015
Three Seasons by Mike Robbins
This trilogy is as well researched and written as previous books I have read by this author.
SPRING is the story of Skip who invented a longliner which attached the bait automatically. His desperate drinking caused the tragedy which followed its trial run. The descriptions of the fishing industry are fascinating.
SUMMER is centred around a gliding club, again described in intimate detail. Roy Dickson is the instructor who battles with the careless behaviour of one of his pupils, Terry Malcolm with interesting and unexpected consequences.
AUTUMN I found slightly confusing with so many flashbacks and forward winds, but again an interesting background in the university life of tutor, Paul Makepeace.
A book well worth a read.
This trilogy is as well researched and written as previous books I have read by this author.
SPRING is the story of Skip who invented a longliner which attached the bait automatically. His desperate drinking caused the tragedy which followed its trial run. The descriptions of the fishing industry are fascinating.
SUMMER is centred around a gliding club, again described in intimate detail. Roy Dickson is the instructor who battles with the careless behaviour of one of his pupils, Terry Malcolm with interesting and unexpected consequences.
AUTUMN I found slightly confusing with so many flashbacks and forward winds, but again an interesting background in the university life of tutor, Paul Makepeace.
A book well worth a read.
February 20, 2015
REVIEW OF ‘THREE SEASONS’ BY MIKE ROBBINS
‘Three seasons’ is a set of three unrelated short story/novellas set in England in the 1980s. The stories in themselves are not sensationalist – there are no mighty revelations, no surprise endings, no fireworks. And yet they provide wonderful social commentaries that exercise the mind long after the last page is turned. Mike Robbins is an accomplished author of great skill.
This is an honest assessment of a free review copy of ‘Three Seasons’.
‘Three seasons’ is a set of three unrelated short story/novellas set in England in the 1980s. The stories in themselves are not sensationalist – there are no mighty revelations, no surprise endings, no fireworks. And yet they provide wonderful social commentaries that exercise the mind long after the last page is turned. Mike Robbins is an accomplished author of great skill.
This is an honest assessment of a free review copy of ‘Three Seasons’.
December 17, 2015
This book was won as part of a goodreads first reads giveaway.
I found this book very hit and miss. While the first story had me drawn in from the start, feeling emotional and wanting more, the second left me struggling to follow the story and barely wanting to pick up the book. The final story was a nice, simple end to the book.
I found this book very hit and miss. While the first story had me drawn in from the start, feeling emotional and wanting more, the second left me struggling to follow the story and barely wanting to pick up the book. The final story was a nice, simple end to the book.
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