Reviews

This is what people have been saying about the books published by Whippleshield Books:

Apollo Quartet 4: All That Outer Space Allows

“some of the best in science fiction and anyone interested in the Apollo program or the history of science fiction should read Sales’ four novellas” SF Signal

“absorbing and undeniably powerful, and takes risks that I wish I encountered more frequently in the genre” Nerds of a Feather

“fully formed and overwhelmingly believable” Michael J Martineck

“I wouldn’t hesitate to urge any genre reader to seek these out in whatever form you can find them” British Fantasy Society

“Ginny is a splendid protagonist, a being of flesh and blood and believable needs and wants, of her time while almost-but-not-quite transcending it, fascinating even in her smallest actions” David Tallerman

“Sales has combined an amazing amount of research and no little literary and science fictional skill into a thought-provoking and thorough look at one of the central set pieces of our modern mythology” Strange Horizons

“Ian Sales has finished his Apollo Quartet, and the final book is brilliant” Glen Mehn

“Eckhardt is a brilliant, conflicted creation” The Guardian

“beautifully written and closes off the arc of the Quartet stories in a truly satisfying way” Blue Book Balloon

“Ian Sales’ All That Outer Space Allows is provocative in more than one way: about Apollo, about science fiction, about the Quartet, about its own narration and story, and I like that very much” SF (365)

“es un homenaje tan grande al género que cualquier aficionado la disfrutará enormemente” Fantástica Ficción

“a compelling read that not only comments on society in general, but on a particular group of people who dream of adventures around distant stars” Amazing Stories

“the strongest of the novellas in my opinion” SF Signal

“Sales is going after big game here, and in my opinion he pulls it off magnificently” Dave Hutchinson

Apollo Quartet 3: Then Will The Great Ocean Wash Deep Above

“Excellence is here.” Adam Roberts

“With Then Will the Great Ocean Wash Deep Above, I have no doubt that this series is going to be masterpiece” David Tallerman

“possesses an understanding of the human side of life outside Earth’s atmosphere and a sharp eye for the details of the technology that supports said life” Speculiction

“tight and well-crafted and a pleasure to read” Glen Mehn

“it has a distinct literary edge that makes you think hard and fast about how the world carries on its merry way” British Fantasy Society

“Elegantly written and painstakingly researched, this book does something very clever and very important: It presents us with a world in which women were placed at the forefront of space exploration.” Ruthless Culture

“Sales is damn brilliant at writing stuff like this and I can’t wait for the day when he’ll be discovered by, well, everyone.” Upcoming4me

“Well worth your time and attention.” Nerds of a Feather

“for all Sales’ hard-SF terminology, these space fictions assume a kind of spiritual outlook, emphasising a coming to terms with the universe” SF(365)

“An impressive depth of research combined with a love of space programs is aptly married to excellent writing.” SF Signal

“Sales really nails it with this book. I think it is his best work yet. You should go and buy it now.” Tony’s Thoughts

“Ian Sales continues to show his skill as a writer by the way he manages to combine hard SF with literary fiction” Amazing Stories

“Recomiendo encarecidamente a cualquier lector al que le guste la ciencia ficción hard que se haga con las entregas de Apollo Quartet” Fantástica Ficción

“This is absolutely brilliant Alternate History” Weirdmage’s Reviews

Apollo Quartet 2: The Eye With Which The Universe Beholds Itself

“Considering much of the surrounding content regarding setting and technology is hyper-realistic, the fact Sales was able to pull off such a palpable feeling of suspense is worth noting” Speculiction

“This ironic ingress into the personal is what makes Sales’s science fiction so exciting” Vector

“There is madness in the ambition of Ian Sales.” Ruthless Culture

“excellently written, carefully composed, bold in its use and abuse of the limitations of the novella format” David Tallerman

“another excellent novella that isn’t at all difficult to heartily recommend” British Fantasy Society

“What’s so striking about this novella is the air of resignation and melancholy that Sales creates” David Hebblethwaite

“Standout in its category–well worth your time and attention” Nerds of a Feather

“Overall this is a great Hard SF novella. It is also a great Alternate History novella.” Weirdmage’s Reviews

“those who appreciate it when authors don’t simply throw out science should definitely check out this work” Amazing Stories

“The world on that Rock is what Sales really excels at, the descriptions of humans functioning in deep space. I don’t think I’ve read any other fiction that comes near in this respect.” chaotopia

“Sales has created a true and complex story in just a few pages” Geek Syndicate

“Sales certainly knows his stuff, both from a technology standpoint and from a prose style standpoint.” Kaedrin

” the parallel timelines evolve with increasingly tense narratives” The Book Smugglers

“…the novella is a solid work of science fiction. It leaves this reviewer very curious and very interested as to what the alternate Apollo program seen in the next Apollo Quartet novella will be.” SF Signal

“The story is one of discovery, of governments and paranoia, but it is a deep, personal story as well, and it’s beautiful.” Glen Mehn

“This is in my opinion the best book that Mr Sales has written and I hope to read the next one soon.” Tony’s Thoughts

“The Eye With Which… is a worthy sequel and impressive advance, a must-buy; if you don’t know Sales’s work, I thoroughly recommend it. It’s detailed, thoughtful, artfully constructed, and highly impressive sf.” (SF) 365

“… once more amazing stuff from Ian Sales and we would go so far to say that The Eye With Which The Universe Beholds Itself will likely be a contender for the best novella published in 2013.” Upcoming4.me

Apollo Quartet 1: Adrift on the Sea of Rains

“Sales is certainly a talented author, and I expect more excellent work from him in the future.” The World in the Satin Bag

“hard sf with human interest – otherwise known as geeking out embedded with true emotion” Speculiction

“an unabashed glorification of the heydays of NASA infused with speculative science fiction” Potpourri of Science Fiction

“…the presiding spirit of Adrift is consistently one of quiet, elite, elegant wit.” All That is Solid Melts into Aargh

“It’s utterly, utterly glorious.” Kate of Mind

“I cannot recommend this highly enough” thierstein.net

“it goes without saying that “Adrift on the Sea of Rains” surely deserves the nomination for the Sidewise” Alternate History Weekly Update

“I hope he’ll keep writing for a long time.” Wis[s]e Words

“something fresh, something exciting, a story of ideas that has a character and his feelings at its heart” One Chapter More

“depicts well – very well, rather –the ongoing sense of desperation and isolation of the astronauts on the Moon” The Book Smugglers

“pr0n para ingenieros” Sense of Wonder

“packed with invention and fleeting displays of true literary grace” Vector

“What is extraordinary about ‘Adrift…’ is the sensory vividness of the space environment. I have never felt so physically present on the Moon or in a cramped spacecraft.” chaotopia

“it’s a small wonder of modern science-fiction” David Tallerman

” … one of the most outstanding self-published books of the year, and a homage to the golden age of SF writing and the Apollo space programme.” The Guardian

“a confident piece of short science fiction which shows and tells other writers how not just to ‘infodump’ with abandon – but entertain.” Poejazzi

“What I knew in advance about Ian Sales’ fiction was that he was interested in combining a literary approach with proper hard science; I think he’s pulled that off in this novella.” David Hebblethwaite

“Interesting alternate-history premise, great writing and development.” SusieBookworm

“Thoughtfully constructed with obvious love for the source material and wonderfully original.” Neil Williamson

“…grounded in hard science, hurtling towards a satisfying, yet shocking, conclusion.” Interzone

“simply one of the best space operas I’ve ever read.” Pornokitsch

“Sales manages to convey a lot in a limited amount of space, especially the worldbuilding is excellent.” Weirdmage’s Reviews

“There is a lot going on in this novella stylistically. It’s a piece that needs and deserves to be read carefully. If Sales manages this kind of quality writing in the remaining three parts we’ll end up with something special indeed.” Val’s Random Comments

“Any Cop?: Literate, interesting, and a little bit insane. Tense, claustrophobic, and set in space. So yeah, lots of cop.” Bookmunch

“These descriptions are more personal and lingering than one often finds in SF, and I found them deliciously effective” Berit Ellingsen

“combines considerable talent with a vivid imagination and serious research” The British Fantasy Society

“More of the same will do just fine, thank you” Global Junkie

“Excellent use of space science … well written … [its] meticulous detail shows a deep appreciation for the Apollo program” SF Signal

“I am not normally that much of an admirer of hard sf but Sales combines the interest in total accuracy and adherence to scientific likelihood with the more human angle in a way I found very satisfactory.” Paper Knife

“Sales writes very well, and has an impressive knack of creating atmosphere through imagery” Alt Hist

“Go out and buy this thing; I suspect this is an important work.” The Automatic Cat

“In a word: fascinating.” Glen Mehn

“this story stands comparison with any of those nominated for the recent BSFA Awards” Jack Deighton

“What sets this work apart is not the ‘what’ of space ventures, but the ‘why’” Michael J Martineck

“its willingness to risk the entire narrative on an ending which implicates the foundational principles of hard sf itself” Science Fiction 365

“the really good shit” Dylan Fox

“captures the desolations and isolation that life on such a base must engender” Tony’s Thoughts

“a wonderful little novella” Solar Bridge

“well worth reading and … makes a useful addition to any serious SF reader’s library.” To the Last Word

“I think Adrift on the Sea of Rains is a contender for next year’s novella awards” The Singularity Sucks

“This is probably the best piece of science fiction I’ve read so far this year” Lavie Tidhar

“a more than worthy addition to the genre and a fantastic opening for Whippleshield Books” Upcoming4.me