The award for New discovery which I have overindulged in and now regret it goes to Robert Rankin. Karen picked up the first novel in the Brentford Trilogy from the library back in June. I read it in about four days, and enjoyed in greatly. During the remainder of the year I read books two and three of the trilogy (which is actually roughly seven books long now – an idea ripped off from Douglas Adams if ever I saw one) and three other Robert Rankin novels (Waiting For Godalming, The Witches Of Chiswick and The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies Of The Apocalypse).
Rankin writes roughly two books per year, and it is easy to see why. I laughed out loud a few hundred times during the first book that I read. Second time round, I recognised half of the jokes. By the time I got to the sixth book, it was just a few smirks. I should have saved myself the trouble, and stopped after four.
That aside, his writing is very funny, acerbic, generally well paced and full of the kind of mundane yet hilarious dialogue that makes me wonder if Robert Rankin takes a notepad to the pub with him.
If you like daft humour with a sprinkling of light science fiction and conspiracy theories, I recommend The Antipope and The Witches Of Chiswick. And then stop.
Sproutlore – The Robert Rankin fan site
Happy new year !
I’m a big fan of the Brentford books myself, but they do get a little repetitive, I concur.
Happy New Year to all at Uborka Towers!
i really enjoyed the Brentford books, but some of his other books got a bit ‘vaugue’ for me.
i love love LOVE Robert Rankin! He has some misses (the repetitiveness), but every third one or so is just great. The “Apocolypse” series is my favourite by far and the last one that really stands out is “Voodoo Handbag”. That said, I haven’t been able to read any since 2001 because he doesn’t exist this side of the Atlantic. Very sad.