But like Mr Davies's other works, "Vanished Kingdoms" gives full rein to his historical imagination and enthusiasms, imparting a powerful sense of places lost in time.
Klim, probably reflecting that a real robber would have vanished long ago with the horse and cart, came out of the forest and went hesitatingly up to his passenger.
Mass market paperbacks, which have been declining for years anyway, will probably disappear, as will hardbacks for mysteries, thrillers, "romance fiction," etc.
In a related development, the sharp distinction between museum and heritage sites on the one hand, and theme parks on the other, is gradually evaporating.