Attack of the Unsinkable Rubber Ducks
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Review
'Sharply satirical and poignantly funny, this is a gripping and highly entertaining read.' Time Out 'Chris Brookmyre is a genius.' Mirror 'Brookmyre has no equal.' Maxim 'Exhilerating linguistic fluency and keenly subversive intelligence' Scotland on Sunday
Metro
'Funny, fast-paced satire... a page-turning slice of Tartan Noir that further enhances Brookmyre's reputation'
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
34 of 35 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Well now, this is a pleasant surprise. Brookmyre's last novel was the first to really break the familiar though hugely enjoyable formula of all his other books - incompetent terrorists or wannabee gangsters getting into explosive siege situations with high bodycounts and an even higher expletive quotient. It was a formula however that was starting to get a bit stale, but with 'Blood and Hard Black Pencil' Brookmyre showed that he was capable of stretching his range a little bit. 'Attack of the Unsinkable Rubber Ducks' goes much further.
It might be slightly toned-down and lacking the usual barrage of one-liners, but Brookmyre's mordant sarcasm and bitter cynicism is still there, and there is no slacking in the writer's mischievous debunking of the establishment. If anything, his target in 'Rubber Ducks' is a rather more pertinent one than the usual government-led conspiracies, small-time ned gangsters and anonymous terrorist organisations. In his targeting of the fraudsters and tricksters who call themselves mediums, spiritualists and psychic entertainers, it's not too much of a stretch to see he is attacking the credulous public's growing tolerance and acceptance for the unscientific beliefs of Creationism and Intelligent Design and their encroachment into the nation's classrooms. (A few sideswipes at the Holyrood and the Daily Mail don't go amiss either).
Anyone looking for the familiar explosive Brookmyre pyrotechnics is going to be disappointed by this new book, but those who consider the author a talented writer will be delighted to see him develop his style and range and put all that bitter rage towards something more meaningful than the enjoyable but all-blurred-into-one homogeneity of his previous books. It's not perfect however. Brookmyre attempts a few sleights of hand of his own here which are delightful to see play out - his research into the tricks of the trade is evident and he makes a convincing case - but the major revelations are rather predictable in their outcome. Still, it's a welcome new change of direction and a progressive one that is very promising indeed.
It might be slightly toned-down and lacking the usual barrage of one-liners, but Brookmyre's mordant sarcasm and bitter cynicism is still there, and there is no slacking in the writer's mischievous debunking of the establishment. If anything, his target in 'Rubber Ducks' is a rather more pertinent one than the usual government-led conspiracies, small-time ned gangsters and anonymous terrorist organisations. In his targeting of the fraudsters and tricksters who call themselves mediums, spiritualists and psychic entertainers, it's not too much of a stretch to see he is attacking the credulous public's growing tolerance and acceptance for the unscientific beliefs of Creationism and Intelligent Design and their encroachment into the nation's classrooms. (A few sideswipes at the Holyrood and the Daily Mail don't go amiss either).
Anyone looking for the familiar explosive Brookmyre pyrotechnics is going to be disappointed by this new book, but those who consider the author a talented writer will be delighted to see him develop his style and range and put all that bitter rage towards something more meaningful than the enjoyable but all-blurred-into-one homogeneity of his previous books. It's not perfect however. Brookmyre attempts a few sleights of hand of his own here which are delightful to see play out - his research into the tricks of the trade is evident and he makes a convincing case - but the major revelations are rather predictable in their outcome. Still, it's a welcome new change of direction and a progressive one that is very promising indeed.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is Brookmyres best yet, a very well sequenced plot that skips a merry dance whilst debunking hokum and bunkum irrespective of whether it is PSI or Whooo as he calls it, or religion - Brookmyre leaves little doubt that to him both are equally ridiculous. Therefore some readers of a religious persuasion may not take to it but for those that do they are in for a treat. A cleverly twisting plot that re-introduces a favourite character - Jack Parlabane.
Brookmyre is at his sarcastic windmill tilting best with this book. Git it up yer - a stoater.
I cannot agree with those who scored this low, it cannot be for reasons of poor plot or development, but each to his own. Not suitable for Christians, Muslims, Spiritualists or other believers in the absurd etc etc you have been warned.
A very, very entertaining read.
Brookmyre is at his sarcastic windmill tilting best with this book. Git it up yer - a stoater.
I cannot agree with those who scored this low, it cannot be for reasons of poor plot or development, but each to his own. Not suitable for Christians, Muslims, Spiritualists or other believers in the absurd etc etc you have been warned.
A very, very entertaining read.
28 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Was looking forward to this when I saw the title and that it was the return of Parlabane investigative journalist.
The book starts with jack telling us he's dead and it's due to his meeting TV psychic Gabriel Lafayette. The story is told by Parlapane and others in a past tense.As a confirmed cynic he's seen as the perfect candidate to take part in scientific experiemnts to prove or disprove as Jack would say all this pyschic nonsense.
It's only really the second half of the book where the tory gets going and I felt the twists for once were fairly easy to predict. The first half is very slow particularly if you already know the character. Maybe with the last two books not being about Jack, Brookmyre felt the need to reference his previous books more.
There's some genuine laugh out moments I particularly liked the character Spammy's explanation for giving up smoking canabis.
For those loyal Brookmyre readers this is ok not his best but still worth reading. For anyone who hasn't read his books before please don't start with this it won't give you a real feel for how good Brookmyre can be.
Jack Parlabane I thought was a great creation with his dry humour and "criminal" methods of investigating here he's led by others and comes across as stupid
To sum up if you love Brookmyre it's worth reading but if you wait for the paperback version you might be glad you waited and saved a few quid.
The book starts with jack telling us he's dead and it's due to his meeting TV psychic Gabriel Lafayette. The story is told by Parlapane and others in a past tense.As a confirmed cynic he's seen as the perfect candidate to take part in scientific experiemnts to prove or disprove as Jack would say all this pyschic nonsense.
It's only really the second half of the book where the tory gets going and I felt the twists for once were fairly easy to predict. The first half is very slow particularly if you already know the character. Maybe with the last two books not being about Jack, Brookmyre felt the need to reference his previous books more.
There's some genuine laugh out moments I particularly liked the character Spammy's explanation for giving up smoking canabis.
For those loyal Brookmyre readers this is ok not his best but still worth reading. For anyone who hasn't read his books before please don't start with this it won't give you a real feel for how good Brookmyre can be.
Jack Parlabane I thought was a great creation with his dry humour and "criminal" methods of investigating here he's led by others and comes across as stupid
To sum up if you love Brookmyre it's worth reading but if you wait for the paperback version you might be glad you waited and saved a few quid.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
More Parlabane fun
Another Jack Parlabane novel and I have to say this one is excellent. Great character in Jack and laugh out loud funny at times. Read more
Published 3 months ago by scotdc9
When does it start?
Only having read a couple of Brookmyre's in the past (which I thoroughly enjoyed), I was not sure what to expect. What I found though was a book that I couldn't get into. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Paperback righter
Attack of The Unsinkable Rubber Duck
This is a great story and I have enjoyed listening to it watching it, it is read beautifully by Mr. Billy Boyd and I have listened to it over and over again
Published 7 months ago by Kay Griffin
Don't duck this outstanding read...
Do you believe in ghosts? Do we really live on in some conscious form after we die, capable of communicating with the world of the living?
Aye, right. Read more
Aye, right. Read more
Published 8 months ago by sjhigbee
The best of Brookmyre's novels that I have read
This has to be the best of Christopher Brookmyre's novels that I have read. In his surprise new post as Rector of Kelvin University, Jack Parlebane becomes involves in an... Read more
Published 10 months ago by J. R. Johnson-Rollings
A good book but not what I buy Brookmyre for.
This was well written and well executed (no pun intended - mostly because there were no executions). I buy Brookmyre to make me laugh, to be irreverent and to keep me guessing. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Jr
Not so good
Have loved all of his earlier books and usually look forward to reading the next new release. This, as others have said, is a departure and all the worse for it. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Jol
Poor
I was so impressed with my first Brookmyre experience (Tale Etched in Blood), I rushed out for more. Read more
Published 23 months ago by pigsmayfly
Bit of a curate's egg
In spite of the violence and deaths in Christopher Brookmyer's books, I can usually laugh out loud. This book was interesting about the origins of Spiritualism but I don't want to... Read more
Published on 20 Jan 2010 by Mrs. Margaret Flower
Book
The book was new as advertised and in perfect condition - as for the content, absolutely fantastic; I laughed out loud!
Published on 11 Jan 2010 by PD James
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