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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
stooopendous and a bit complicated but it doesn't matter., 29 Mar 2000
I tell you what, I miss Douglas Adams. (I'll get to that later.)The real charm of Robert Rankin is the triumph of style over content. No, content over content. And the style. That. Well, actually, I like the way he makes a big mess of a story. This particular book is THE perfect introduction to Mr Rankin. He writes in such a personable way it's easy to forgive (and wallow in) some of the cheesiest gags, and forgive the totally bent physics. The pages are sprinkled with footnotes (some of the best stuff). Few writers out there have the gall to totally interrupt the story to tell you another. Few writers have the sense of fun to call a chapter, "That Ludicrous 'It was All Just A Terrible Dream' Bit They Always Have". Few writers apologise at the front of the book for the convoluted plot, with advice about what to do with the book once read. But Mr Rankin is unique, possibly drunk often, and nothing other than funny. So... Mr Adams: Yes he was a bit pompous and a bit Oxford/Cambridge, but he was funny (except for the tv series of H2G2 which was plain bloody awful). But ANYWAY, the charm of Mr Rankin fills that gap, and he does it without pretentions. I'm reminded of a quote about Mr Rankin - "A sort of drinking man's HG Wells". I keep trying out comedic SF authors but only Mr Rankin has me laughing outloud in bed alone. (jeez, how sad does that sound?) I used to work in advertising, hence: Buy the book, you idiot.
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by Robert Rankin
by Robert Rankin
by Robert Rankin
by Robert Rankin
by Robert Rankin
