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b00kh0arder's review against another edition
5.0
England 1952 (it's been 1952 for the past 66 years but, this being England, no one likes to say anything), Professor Quanderhorn (think Quatermass crossed with a mad scientist with no morals whatsoever) and his team (consisting of his son Troy, half human/half insect and a major breakthrough in "artificial stupidity"; Chief Scientific Consultant Dr Gemini Janusson, the logical half of her brain is powered by clockwork (if you see her right ear begin to rotate, steer clear!); Guuurk, a hostage from the last Martian invasion and who's more interested in getting his leg over than furthering his home planet's invasion plans; Janitor/factotum Jenkins, who's clearly known Quanderhorn for a while and may be more than he appears, and, last but not least, Brian Nylon, test pilot and recovering amnesiac for whom, after the first thing he has to do after he wakes with no memory is to participate in the destruction of a giant broccoli monster that turned out to be a colleague, go from bad to worse) fight to protect earth from unearthly disasters; a lot of which caused by Quanderhorn himself.
Utterly bonkers and brilliantly hilarious (highly recommend you listen to the accompanying BBC Radio 4 series as well! At the time of writing this review, episode 2 is due to air July 2nd 11:30 am on BBC Radio 4), if you love Red Dwarf and Hitchhiker's and/or retro sci-fi in general, there's a good chance you'll love Quanderhorn!
Utterly bonkers and brilliantly hilarious (highly recommend you listen to the accompanying BBC Radio 4 series as well! At the time of writing this review, episode 2 is due to air July 2nd 11:30 am on BBC Radio 4), if you love Red Dwarf and Hitchhiker's and/or retro sci-fi in general, there's a good chance you'll love Quanderhorn!
timinbc's review against another edition
2.0
Let's say this is a tribute to old radio serials AND to the Goon Show.
Then let's say that some radio shows can't be transferred to print in a way that works.
I have some Goon Show scripts. They're fine on paper, because they don't try to do too much.
One idea, one short story, and a LOT of nonsense.
This one's hung on the frame of a novel. There are hints of a coherent plot. There's a gormless protagonist that we want to succeed. He even gets a bit of a love interest. One keeps reading to see where it goes.
As far as I can tell without having finished it, except for a high-speed skim, it goes right up its own backside and collapses like a burst bagpipe.
I stopped halfway through, just after they took the elevator to the moon. It started to feel like the transcript of a Liars' Club meeting, and as if the writers were roaring drunk and there was a printing press in the room with them, committing every idea to print without regard for its merit, or lack thereof.
Pbbbllllffft!
Then let's say that some radio shows can't be transferred to print in a way that works.
I have some Goon Show scripts. They're fine on paper, because they don't try to do too much.
One idea, one short story, and a LOT of nonsense.
This one's hung on the frame of a novel. There are hints of a coherent plot. There's a gormless protagonist that we want to succeed. He even gets a bit of a love interest. One keeps reading to see where it goes.
As far as I can tell without having finished it, except for a high-speed skim, it goes right up its own backside and collapses like a burst bagpipe.
I stopped halfway through, just after they took the elevator to the moon. It started to feel like the transcript of a Liars' Club meeting, and as if the writers were roaring drunk and there was a printing press in the room with them, committing every idea to print without regard for its merit, or lack thereof.
Pbbbllllffft!
matt357's review against another edition
2.0
It feels a little mean to give this book so low a rating, it's not a bad book, it's just really not for me.
I didn't know this was essentially a transcribed series of radio plays, and oh boy does it show. The actions always going, every section break is a cliff hanger, and the slower paced sections rarely last more then 10 pages, there's little character to get hold of past their outlines, but the whole thing just keeps pushing ahead with the next wacky adventure, just like a good serial drama should
I didn't know this was essentially a transcribed series of radio plays, and oh boy does it show. The actions always going, every section break is a cliff hanger, and the slower paced sections rarely last more then 10 pages, there's little character to get hold of past their outlines, but the whole thing just keeps pushing ahead with the next wacky adventure, just like a good serial drama should
pewterdragon's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.5
rainbowraven's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
sillychicken's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
3.0
serena_dawn's review against another edition
4.0
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