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Web Site Story [Paperback]

Robert Rankin (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)

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Book Description

Publication Date: 1 Nov 2001

They wrote it off as a scare story. The Millennium Bug, the non-event of the twentieth century. But they were wrong, because the Bug was real. Is real. It’s a computer virus and it’s about to make the deadly species cross-over, from machine to mankind. The Black Death was spread by rats. But this plague will be spread by a mouse. The computer mouse. And do you know how many different kinds of computer viruses there are? And just what they do? And just what they might do to you if you become infected? No? Then read this book and learn the terrible truth.

Or perhaps you’d rather take a holiday in Brentfordland®? Formerly known as Brentford, this Thamesside Shangri La is now London’s first ever suburban theme park and holiday village. A world of excitement, relaxation and fabulous fun, waiting just for you. To find out more, log on to the Brentfordland® web site. Just give your computer mouse a wiggle.

Go on.

What harm can it do?

Product details

  • Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Corgi (1 Nov 2001)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0552147435
  • ISBN-13: 978-0552147439
  • Product Dimensions: 10 x 17.5 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 572,034 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Product Description

Amazon Review

Robert Rankin claims he's invented a whole new literary genre, "Far-Fetched Fiction", and his latest novel Web Site Story certainly fits the description. Again science fiction, fantasy and low comedy collide in that most mythic region of the Rankin cosmology, Brentford.

The eternal city has many aspects, each dafter than the last. This time it's joy, joy, happy joy in utopian 2022 Brentford, transformed by the teachings of Hugo Rune (The Most Amazing Man Who Ever Lived) and advanced but nevertheless deeply silly holistic footgear. Every Eden has a serpent, though, and the sinister Mute Corp computers which have replaced PCs can give you the real Millennium Bug:

The Black Death was spread by rats.
But this plague will be spread by a mouse.
The computer mouse.

Symptoms include amnesia--bringing a Brentford Magical History bus tour to a most peculiar end--and then disappearance. Can this be the Rapture, with virtuous Brentfordians translated bodily to heaven in the world's last days? Or can it be (for Rankin is having fun with slippery realities like Philip K Dick's) that the world has already ended?

Incredibly sexy girl investigator Kelly, master of the deadly art of Dimac, brushes off various males panting after her body as she penetrates the suburb's unlikely cyber secrets. Suitably off-the-wall set pieces follow, the most farcical being a pub poetry night that turns into a colossal punch-up. Zippy one-liners abound, and terrible old jokes stagger zombie-like from their graves--not to mention the running gags. (All together now: "I told you not to mention the running gags!") Very indescribable, very Rankin. --David Langford --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

'One of the rare guys who can always make me laugh.' Terry Pratchett.; 'To call Rankin irreverent doesn't begin to describe just how good he is at playing with the rules' Mirror.; 'Rankin does for England what Spike Milligan does for Ireland. There can be no higher praise." Mail on Sunday.; 'Everybody should at least read one Rankin in their life' Daily Express.; 'He becomes funnier the more you read him' Independent.
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Customer Reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
10 reviews
4.1 out of 5 stars
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars The Matrix.... Rankin style!!! 16 Nov 2001
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This book is not one of RR's better works but when you consider the competition it's up against it still deserves 4 stars. If you're new to his work start with something else and work your way up to this one.

The new millenium has come and gone without a problem, or has it? Who is in control? What exactly is going on? And why hasn't it affected the good folk of Brentford?

Another Rankin story of good vs evil, man vs machine, Brentonians vs the forces of darkness. As usual, Rankin takes a little while to get going (this one probably moreso than others) but don't let that put you off. There are running gags aplenty, obscure references to 70's console games, a classic Brentonian character or two and all the local pubs, a holographic creature from Griffin Island, not to mention the Rapture!!!

and everything.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Play the game 31 July 2006
By Jane Aland VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
Robert Rankin's 22nd novel is set once more in Brentford, only this time in the near future of the 2020's, so while there are some familiar locations and aging supporting characters (including a seemingly immortal Old Pete) the bulk of the main cast are brand new. The story revolves around a deadly computer virus that, in a neat turnaround, enable computers to play games with humans, and Brentford's struggle against being turned into a theme park. Typically unhinged Rankin humour abounds, with plenty of running gags and a wild looping plot that wanders all over the place and includes a nice twist finish. It's perhaps not among Rankin's very best books - the plot is perhaps a bit too unhinged for it's own good, and the hero ends up getting shunted off into something of a subplot in the books last third - but this is still deliciously loopy stuff, and very funny.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Very enjoyable, if a bit shallow in places. 31 Jan 2002
By A Customer
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I'd read two of Rankin's books before getting around to this one - I found 'The Antipope' very difficult to get into, although it got a lot better towards the end and 'Waiting for Godalming' was rather better (and funnier, IMO).

Of the three books I've read so far, Website Story is by far the best, and manages to be both anachronistic (in the case of Brentford and its denizens) and futuristic (as in Mute Corp - I'm sure that any resemblance to another large computer company whose name begins with M is purely coincidental :-) ), and both serious and laugh-out loud funny, something which can't really be said of the other Rankin books I've read.

People seem fond of comparing Rankin to Terry Pratchett, which isn't really fair to either author. Rankin loses out in terms of writing style, which is often annoyingly disjointed, and character development which is often non-existent. The latter opinion may be revised after I read more of his books (as I most certainly will) but 'Website Story' suffers in that apart from the hero and heroine of the book, there seem to be a lot of bit-part roles.

Criticisms aside, this is very good and often very funny book and a good introduction to Rankin's often off-kilter style, but if you're expecting Pratchett-type material then you may well be disappointed.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars This may be the best rankin yet
This book is simply robert rankins finest to date. The wonderfully insane story is presented, as in other rankin books, in many splintered sections, all seamingly unconnected... Read more
Published on 23 Oct 2001
4.0 out of 5 stars Almost back on form
The dictionary definition for flawed genius should be "Robert Rankin." His books are nearly always packed with inventive, left of field ideas, and Website Story is no... Read more
Published on 26 July 2001
2.0 out of 5 stars Not up to Rankin standard
This one's far from my favorite Rankin book. The story takes way too much focus from the characters, who are usually the most fun about Rankin's books. Read more
Published on 28 May 2001 by Simon Joensen
5.0 out of 5 stars Once Again
Once Again Mr Rankin has shown us that no matter how many books he has written he can still come up with another great one. Read more
Published on 17 May 2001
5.0 out of 5 stars Best book for some time
Rankin's Brentford based books are clearly a cut above the rest. The running gags are a tradition, an old charter or something. Read more
Published on 9 May 2001
4.0 out of 5 stars Better than the last few!
Definitely a return to form after the last few, pretty poor books. Not up to the standard of his early stuff though, but at least there is almost no poetry in this one thank... Read more
Published on 30 April 2001 by lindsay.marshall@ncl.ac.uk
4.0 out of 5 stars New territory, but a bit muddled.
After an undeservedly lukewarm response for his last effort "Waiting for Godalming", Rankin returns with a Brentford tale, set 21 years into the future, and incorporating... Read more
Published on 6 April 2001
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