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I did not know then that my first visit would mark the beginning of the end. I just knew that I had arrived late to my first ever Science Fiction and Fantasy book club, and that it was a good thing because it meant I sat next to the free wine.

I had gone to book club that night because I’d been meaning to go for ages, and this was the first time they’d chosen something I’d already read. Good Omens is by Sir Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. It is a lively telling of the fun side of the apocalypse, written by two national treasures before they were quite so treasured. It had delivered a bumper harvest of new members, all keen to discuss something they had all read already. There were around 30 of us, all sitting in a large, unruly oblong on the shop floor of the glorious Piccadilly branch of Waterstones. 


Miranda is the Queen of the book club, and that night she ruled justly over the 30 or so tipsy people with strong opinions to enable us to have a sensible conversation about Good Omens. I was struck by her excellent posture and her statement red lipstick. What struck me more than anything is how much the assembled mass of the book-club loved Miranda, our hostess. The group had been meeting a year, and they celebrated with a touching ceremony. The regulars each gave her a small gift. Books, booze and book tokens were handed over like a geeky Ceremony of the Pens. It showed better than anything else could have done how grateful they were to have met her and each other through this monthly gathering of nerds.    

The reason my attendance marked the beginning of the end of book-club is that having 30 or so eccentric readers debating sci-fi loudly began to cause problems for other customers. So, Piccadilly Waterstones evicted the book-club a few meetings later. But it was just a new beginning, with Trafalgar Square Waterstones now taking on our happy band. There is no longer free wine, but I understand some punters bring their own. I will when I go next time. The geeks are lovely, friendly people who don’t mind at all if you haven’t read the book, as long as you don’t mind that there will be spoilers. Fair enough, say I.

As the book club discussion wound down that night, most members went straight to the sci-fi and fantasy section and excitedly recommended things to each other. I can think of no more effective sales force. Despite the fact that I am banned from all book buying, and I meant to buy a Pratchett, I was strongly advised to read Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere. I bought it, read it and loved it. I had to stop myself turning back to the beginning to read it again from the beginning the moment I finished it. I will join the geeks for their next meeting in Trafalgar Square, and will gladly buy their next recommendation even if sober.  Although I must admit, I’ll be reading the new Philip Pullman Book of Dust first.  I love the quiet elegance with which that man writes the remarkable.

London Sci Fi and Fantasy Book Club meet monthly, and publish details of their meetings on their Facebook Group (just search London Sci Fi and Fantasy book  club and it comes right up!).