See buying choices for this item to see if it's one of the millions that are eligible for Amazon Prime.

15 used & new from £0.90

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Apocalypso
 
See larger image
 

Apocalypso (Hardcover)

by Robert Rankin (Author)
3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.


2 new from £30.75 13 used from £0.90
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Paperback (New edition) £6.99 £5.49 41 used & new from £0.01

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Waiting for Godalming

Waiting for Godalming

by Robert Rankin
3.2 out of 5 stars (16)  £5.99
A Dog Called Demolition

A Dog Called Demolition

by Robert Rankin
4.1 out of 5 stars (8)  £5.99
The Garden of Unearthly Delights

The Garden of Unearthly Delights

by Robert Rankin
4.5 out of 5 stars (6)  £5.49
The Dance of the Voodoo Handbag

The Dance of the Voodoo Handbag

by Robert Rankin
3.9 out of 5 stars (10)  £5.49
The Fandom of the Operator

The Fandom of the Operator

by Robert Rankin
4.2 out of 5 stars (6)  £5.49
Explore similar items

Product details

  • Hardcover: 289 pages
  • Publisher: Doubleday (3 Dec 1998)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0385409435
  • ISBN-13: 978-0385409438
  • Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 869,456 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #60 in  Books > Fiction > Authors, A-Z > R > Rankin, Robert

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
Robert Rankin's comic fantasies have a laddish good humour which rely heavily, if not excessively, on teasing, class and beer. His protagonists are always forced to compete in a world in which someone else has a silver spoon in their mouth; they muddle their way through his amiably Heath-Robinsonish plots by a mixture of chutzpah, bluster and endurance. Porrig, hero of Apocalypso has a bad attitude that makes even his parents dislike him, but he inherits a shop from a conjuror uncle--a shop which serves as a gateway to other worlds. Not only has he to redeem his uncle from damnation, he also has to save the world from an unpleasant alien vegetable with the power to cloud human minds. Amid all this, we find out what Nelson's Column is for, why railway ticket clerks take so long to sell tickets and the secret that lurks under Mornington Crescent Underground Station. Rankin's humour is a scatter-shot that misses targets as often as it hits, but his unabashed preparedness to use old jokes and the crudest of slapstick is part of a shaggy-dog enthusiasm that is more endearing than otherwise. --Roz Kaveney

Product Description
The Ministry of Serendipity at Mornington Crescent runs everything. When it hears of a spacecraft that crashed into the Pacific 4000 years ago, it sends a team of paranormal investigators to recover it. Danbury Collins is in the team - but he isn't keen. What if a mad alien thaws out?

See all Product Description

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
Check a corresponding box or enter your own tags in the field below

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?


 

Customer Reviews

11 Reviews
5 star:
 (4)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.5 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Magic, 18 Mar 2005
By dogbarkssome (England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)      
This review is from: Apocalypso (Paperback)
Apocalypso, Robert Rankin's 18th novel, struggles a little during it's first half, with two seemingly unconnected tales; one concerning a young lad called Porrig who inherits a magical bookshop, and the other telling the tale of a god-like alien vegetable's awakening from cryogenic suspension and it's plan to enslave humanity - this being Robert Rankin the alien bears a liking not dissimilar to that of a giant sprout. The tale of the alien also features that trio of investigators Sir John Rimmer, Dr Harney, and Danbury Collins, the psychic youth and masturbator, who appeared in The Garden of Unearthly Delights and Sprout Mask Replica, although as they had previously only really appeared in cameos this book is well suited for the first time Rankin reader.

The first half of the novel ambles along in a reasonably pleasant fashion, but it's nothing we haven't had from Rankin before, and with his typically Rankin-ish mysterious family inheritance, and his foot in mouth habit not quite working as a running gag, hero Porrig fails to really engage with the reader.

It's only when the two story strands combine in a tale taking in alternate realities vibrating on different harmonic frequencies, a stage magician called Apocalypso caught in his own version of hell, and an 18inch tall imp called Rippington (that's him on the cover) who is obsessed with his own genitalia (or 'rubbing parts' as he calls them), that Apocalypso clicks into top gear, and the novels second half is as good as anything Rankin has ever written, with some laugh out loud jokes and terrific set-pieces.

While I wouldn't say Apocalypso was consistent enough to rank as one of Rankin's very best books, its still a damn fine comedy - an inventive satire on Hollywood action film cliché with even more bum jokes and knob gags than normal. Apocalypso is a marvellous example of good toilet humour, so come on in, the water's lovely!

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A master piece in the makeing, 25 Aug 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: Apocalypso (Paperback)
While reading this book you are never drawn away,on almost every page there is a reason to pee your pants while laughing. This book is beyond hillerious. You'll be intrigued all the way through. Robert Rankin is a brilliant writer and always maneges to make you laugh. THis book is a perfect example of his work. So read and laugh
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Another fine outing by Rankin, 24 Feb 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: Apocalypso (Paperback)
I have had the pleasure of reding most of his books, and while I have enjoyed them all, I have enjoyed this one in particular. This is a good book for someone who hasnt read any of the others, as they all have links to each other, which I find once you have read them increase the humour and enjoyment of his work. If you enjoy this book then I recomend you start reading everything from his first book "The antipope". I assure you, that you will find him consistantly funny, and unable to read anyone else until you have read all of his books. You`ll never tire of Robert Rankin
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Laugh out loud funny...
I picked this book up when I was much younger and haven't read it since but the plot has never left me. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Abi-Murnu

3.0 out of 5 stars Over- kill on the jokes!
I did find this book very funny in places, but in my opinion the author was quite heavy handed and almost relentless with the jokes at times; they just keep on coming, one after... Read more
Published on 3 Sep 2006 by Julie

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
I've read Rankin books previously, but this book was the one of his I have most enjoyed.

The humour throughout is fantastic and Rankin, so often the master of the... Read more
Published on 1 Aug 2006 by BC

2.0 out of 5 stars Not one of his best
Having enjoyed 'The Garden of Unearthly Delights' I found this book a bit of a disappointment. It's been some time since I read it but I seem to remember it lacked the briliant,... Read more
Published on 19 Sep 2001

1.0 out of 5 stars Its not big and its not clever
I'm amazed Rankin sells books. This must be the worst I have ever read. I found the toilet humour tedious after the 3rd page and by the end of the book, absolutely unbearable... Read more
Published on 15 Aug 2001

3.0 out of 5 stars Rankin does it again, and again, and yes..... again!
The thing about Rankin is that you know what you are going to get. He's almost the Status Quo of comic litereature. That is his strength. Read more
Published on 15 May 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Dam Brilliant
This is the funniest book I have ever read. Robert Rankin is a wacko. The bloke is funnier then terry prachett in a warped way.
Published on 5 May 1999

2.0 out of 5 stars A Running gag too far...
Mr Rankin entertains once again with a confused plot regarding the true controllers of the planet and the great Apocalypso. Read more
Published on 19 Jan 1999

Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


   
Related forums


Listmania!


Look for similar items by category


Feedback


The Body Shop

The Body Shop - Vitamin C Skin Boost
Protect and boost your glow with The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost.

Shop The Body Shop

 

Beauty without the Beast

Olay Regenerist Daily 3 Point Treatment Cream
From au naturel to party glam, we have all the best names in cosmetics and skincare.

Discover Beauty at Amazon.co.uk

 

We've Got Converse

Converse
Stock up on your favourite styles with great deals on Converse shoes.

Shop Converse

 

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

Learn more about Gift Certificates

 
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.

Continue Shopping: Top Sellers
The Girl Who Played with Fire
Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Host
The Host by Stephenie Meyer

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates