A malfunction in a sleeping pod on a spacecraft traveling to a distant colony planet wakes one passenger 90 years early. Sweet Thames is ‘a thriller and a love story… full of Dickensian vitality’ (Marion McLeod, New Zealand Listener, 16-22 April 2005). Why it has been ballasted with such a deathly boring title I cannot imagine, but English Passengers deserves to be welcomed into port with a riot of bunting and prizes. You can unsubscribe from our list at any point by changing your preferences, or contacting us directly.

Pilgrims by Matthew Kneale review – witty, thoughtful

It was great to see a story like this one told in a way that didn't spend most of its time trying to dialogue it's way into Oscar nominations.In a writing career spanning more than two decades, Kneale has produced several other books and won a clutch of prizes, though most critics would agree that to date English Passengers remains his finest work.

English Passengers - Penguin Books UK

Captain Kewley is the light of the story, the comic relief, the voice that steers the reader through the story and indeed through the waters of the globe, from Britain to Tasmania.They are at least reading copies, complete and in reasonable condition but usually secondhand; frequently they are superior examples. Gus realizes that Jim awakened Aurora; Gus does not condone Jim's actions but understands, and tells Aurora that a "drowning man" (meaning the suicidal Jim) will grab onto any lifeline. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 41 out of 100, based on 48 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".