I’m a huge fan of Dan Simmons’ sci-fi work, but I was slightly concerned about being disappointed going back to his first novel – a horror/fantasy set in 1970s Calcutta. I needn’t have worried – it was fab!

The story itself reads like some kind of nightmare, entirely wrapped in the setting. When more supernatural elements start to creep in, you’re never sure if it’s real or imagined, but either way the horror cranks up on several levels.

That said, I’m not a fan of being given nightmares, and this was fine. Perhaps the ‘alienness’ of the setting stopped it feeling too threatening, although it also added a big plus in terms of cultural differences.