Rachel Barrowman’s MASON: The Life of R A K Mason wins more plaudits, this time from the Herald. Gordon McLauchlan finds it “a scholarly, well crafted and well written book that not only does much to explain a complex personality, but also illuminates his time and the difficulties faced then by writers and artists.” The resurgence of interest in Ronald Allison Kells Mason and the universal praise for this book means we could be looking at a surprise Christmas hit.

On the international front, Alan Lightman’s Reunion also wins approval from the Herald. Reviewer Michael Larsen calls it “a delicate and insightful novel” with “accurate - occasionally emotionally brutal – writing”. (Lightman is an interesting character: he is an MIT physicist who writes literary novels, and best known for Einstein's Dreams, a short and almost plotless novel set in Berne in 1905.)

The world seems to be divided into those who like Terry Pratchett and those who haven’t read him. Pratchett’s new book Monstrous Regiment is apparently a winner, and he has moved on from the “firecracker fantasy” stuff. Reviewer David Larsen concludes: “This is a dark book in some ways, but it's also hilarious. A S Byatt has described Pratchett as having "a multifarious genius for strong parody". If you haven't discovered him yet, you've a great many treats in store.”