The Foot on the Crown

by Christopher Fowler

It is said a legend is just a beautiful lie...

In the second half of the first millennium, the legends say that London disappeared for over four hundred years. We know almost nothing about what happened during that time. But if we could shine a light on the city's ruined walls, we would be in for a shock.

The Romans are long forgotten. It is now King Scarabold who rules what little remains of the city, together with his over-entitled daughter Giniva, her effete brother Leperdandy and their wayward, lunatic relatives - all squabbling and fighting amongst themselves for the future of their corrupted dynasty while trying to hide their most terrible secret.

And ranged against Scarabold is a horde of bitter enemies from both without and within his dysfunctional household - the eerie Sheathwing, Lord Carapace Earl of Beetles, the warlike nuns of Étranges Cadeaux, a primate called M'Lin, Orobus the serpent, the terrifying Mater Moribund and the sinister child-spies Spackle and Peut - united in their desire to bring king's troubled reign to a bloody end.

But the arrival of a mysterious outsider into the midst of the beleaguered Scarabold's snake-pit of a court that seems to offer a semblance of hope. The stranger's name is Watborn and he is a birdcatcher - strong, silent, he will infiltrate the royal family for a purpose that is all of his own . . .

As fiendishly-armed warriors gather beneath the walls, the battle for London, its body and its soul as much as its bricks and mortar, is about to begin - and who will be left unscathed at the field's end?

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Historical

512 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 20, 2025

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Christopher Fowler was an English writer known for his Bryant & May mystery series, featuring two Golden Age-style detectives navigating modern London. Over his career, he authored fifty novels and short story collections, along with screenplays, video games, graphic novels, and audio plays. His psychological thriller Little Boy Found was published under the pseudonym L.K. Fox.
Fowler's accolades include multiple British Fantasy Awards, the Last Laugh Award, the CWA Dagger in the Library, and the inaugural Green Carnation Award. He was inducted into the Detection Club in 2021. Beyond crime fiction, his works ranged from horror (Hell Train, Nyctophobia) to memoir (Paperboy, Film Freak). His column Invisible Ink explored forgotten authors, later compiled into The Book of Forgotten Authors.
Fowler lived between London and Barcelona with his husband, Peter Chapman.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that was thrilling! Sometimes I thought of it as a fairy tale for adults and at other times more as a work of a loose historical fiction, then, there were some chapters where I thought I'd strolled into horror and I had to look away. Overall, I guess it is best summed up as fantasy and the sticker on the spine of my library book states that it is 'Fantasy,' anyway.

I loved the creative names of some of the characters such as: Spackle and Peut (twin brothers), Fumblegut, Dr. Fangle, Lady Dwinoline, Carapace Sheathwing, Quaff and my personal favourite, Leperdandy.

Quotes that caused me to pause:

"A legend is just a beautiful lie."

Giniva is trying to get her brother to own up to knowing the identity of her suitor, she takes a guess: "That awful man who smelled like a pond and was covered in mud. Ethelplum-somebody..."

"Nobody enters the history books by being cautious."

"She fell to stitching the head of a soldier's steed. Telling a story in loops of coloured thread was a woman's way of chronicling the truth."

"The twin progeny of Aunt Asphyxia looked like a pair of shaved fruit bats stuffed into velveteen breeches."

"Fumblegut was pounding a mouse flat with a mallet."

"Like many men of vision in the world of capital, he sat back and polished his nails as death and disaster approached."

"There was no denting that Watborn had been seduced by this new world, but his deepest conviction still held: that he had been drawn here by a higher power to end a great harm."

[Adam Siviter · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re expecting a Bryant and May type fantasy novel, then this isn’t for you. It’s a sprawling, dreamlike tale of a London that never existed, but might have…it is clearly Fowler’s Ghormengast, with the story largely taking place in a vast city fortress populated with wonderfully named characters such as Leperdandy and Scarabold. It takes a while to get going, but the quality of the writing shines through, with twists, shocks and a driving narrative. A wonderful final story from a much loved author. The last paragraph sums up everything that Christopher Fowler was about. He is much missed.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well this was a strange turn up for the books! A strange jewel in Christopher Fowler’s crown. A grim dark historical fantasy mashup of genres. I started off enjoying it but as the novel wore on, I began to become bored. Possibly it worked well as some bizarre sort of swan song, but it didnt really compare to his fabulous Bryant & May series. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

[Madison Pollard-Shore · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn't for me. The attempts at humour fell flat, and felt a little childish for me. Tonally, it felt like a Horrible Histories novel, but I'm never going to read that for 512 pages!

The writing for me was far too descriptive, and bits of it felt unnecessary, especially the entire scene that centred around the king farting.

This book was the pinnacle of crazy fantasy names, like Carapace and Leperdandy.

If you like Fowler, you might enjoy this book. If you're looking for an epic fantasy (which the page count would suggest), this might not be the one for you.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a book I would have picked up on the blurb, but it's Fowler.
Not only that, it's Fowlers last book that he mentioned working on fairly often, so I had to read it.
As I said, not my usual sort of book.
Are they all like this? Slightly mad? Mostly amusing? Little bit sinister?
Genuinely there was a moment or two that I just laughed out loud (very rare for me) and others when I reread a few sentences as surely I'd got it wrong.
Very entertaining

[Sleepy Book Lover]

Thank you for this eARC.

A historical fiction novel somewhere between farce and epic—the closest thing in terms of tone I can think of would be Horrible Histories, but with added in-depth character work and a rich portrayal of sociopolitical inequality.

I adored the detail of the world created, every moment anchored in our grim medieval setting, down to the vocabulary and names (some of my favourite names were: Scarabold, Leperdandy, Skank-Damply and Squeam). All the details felt consistent and internally logical, even when by any normal metric, they were ridiculous.

I enjoyed the way the novel primarily followed people who didn’t fit into this medieval society—Watborn, a birdcatcher who yearns for more than a peasant’s stock; Giniva, who struggles against forced marriage with some quite astounding violence; and probably my favourite character, Leperdandy, a soft-hearted ‘fop’ who manages to learn his own form of bravery. All three were strong protagonists to root for in their own right.

The first half of the novel moved a little slowly for my taste; but around the halfway point, the pace sped up and it felt like I was rocketing through the book. I also think the second half was so enjoyable partly because of the groundwork done in the earlier parts, so perhaps I can forgive the pacing after all.

As someone born and bred in London, the ending of the book was touching. Fowler raised questions of history, story-telling and the idea of a city, without ever compromising on his humour. Overall, a very enjoyable book. I look forward to its official release, and was sad to find out about Fowler’s death, since this book was something special.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I miss Christopher Fowler. I can't imagine the effort it must have taken to get the wonderfully sprawling (and almost bonkers) tale out at the very end of his life. It seems absolutely like him that he did it though...

[David Grieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

An utterly bonkers historical fantasy set in a London (Londinium) in the dark ages that could have been. All the characters are larger than life, the setting is grotesque and bizarre and the plotline is manic. It is also by turns funny and disturbing. But above all, it is brilliant. The story absolutely rushes along, with barely a pause in the 500 odd pages. A wonderful book and a real shame it was his last.

[Mark Redman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christopher Fowler’s final novel, The Foot on the Crown, is a testament to his unmistakable and mischievous imagination.

Set during the enigmatic period of London’s history in the second half of the first millennium—an era shrouded in mystery when the city seemingly vanished for over four centuries—the story immerses readers in a world where the Romans are long forgotten. King Scarabold now rules over the remnants of the city, alongside his over-entitled daughter, Giniva, her effete brother, Leperdandy, and a host of eccentric relatives. Their internal squabbles are overshadowed by the looming threat of a coalition of enemies, including the eerie Sheathwing and the warlike nuns of Étranges Cadeaux.

The narrative is gripping, and I particularly enjoyed the arrival of Watborn, a mysterious birdcatcher with his own hidden agenda, which adds layers to the unfolding drama. As tensions escalate, the battle for London’s very soul begins, leaving me questioning who—if anyone—will emerge unscathed.

This was my first book by Fowler, and I loved how he blends dark humour with vivid, gory battle descriptions. His unique tone both satirised and pays homage to the fantasy genre, making for an engaging and memorable read. For me, this novel not only showcases Fowler’s sharp wit and masterful storytelling but also serves as a fitting conclusion to his illustrious career.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Random House UK, for providing a free eBook in exchange for an honest review.

[Acantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very strange book, and I really don't know what I make of it, even once completed.

It was very well written, and while I struggled for the first 100 or so pages as the pacing was slow, the characters many and the bodily fluids unnecessarily graphic, it did start to kick into a higher gear as time went on. The story started to really weave, this way and that, with constant backstabbing and twists, leaving you with that 'just one more chapter' urge that made the pages speed past.

A lot of characters are killed by fire, burning, melting, flesh otherwise slipping from bone, which is okay the first time or two, it it starts to wear thin after yet another character is lovely described in their agony filled death throws.

The star of the book - although not the main character - is the prince. Watching his progression through the story, his growth, his actions and the way in which he grew and changed was a delight. He was my favourite part of the story by far, from his foppish, dandy ways when the only thing that redeems him, is his love for his sister, all the way to who he eventually becomes.

In the end though, this is a book about mostly horrible people, doing mostly horrible things, and in the end, getting mostly horrible rewards - but at 500 pages, its a lot of horrible to sit through for that payoff.

~Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review~

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny old book; very Gormenghastian in many ways (cast of characters, setting, worldbuilding) but then also not quite as madly committed to the grotesque as Peake is, nor does it drag the comedy of manners to its absolute final and irretrievable form like Gormenghast does, presumably because Fowler needs to rescue a few characters from the brink of being irredeemably batshit so they can Build A New London. As a northerner sworn to despise the Big Smoke (hey... happy Yorkshire day) it took a while to sell me on the Londinium stuff but I bought it at the end lol, and I enjoyed the how the medieval analogue still focused around how London (and Britain's, by extension) strength is its multiculturalism, and how no matter where everyone's from, everyone is Still Londoners, above everything else. I thought the pacing was a bit shot and the tone sort of sprawled around between slapstick and sudden moments of horror and grimdark that weren't always balanced that well, but I liked the background bildungsroman that Leperdandy has a lot, Fowler has a really strong descriptive talent (for better or for worse!), and I said '....ohhhh...' when they said Watborn's name was Artur— the Arthurian bent was subtle until the end and I liked the nod to some of the origin stories, like the idea that he was descended from the Romans. Had a lot to like, short chapters meant you could trot through pretty well, but I did find it overlong and a little unbalanced sometimes.

[Silvan Loher · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a hilarious romp! This book was a true joy to read, funny, exciting, and absolutely bonkers. It was also a true page-turner, with unexpected twists and turns, and the further I got, the more I found myself reading it in a "just one more chapter"-mode until late at night. (The chapters are many and short, so it's easy to justify staying up a bit longer for just one more chapter, and one more, and one more...). The writing is also very entertaining and humorous, and it often made me laugh out loud.

I also especially liked that beyond all humour, grotesque and satire, there is a true comment on sociological inequality, and on the silliness of birthright privileges and the made-up stories of "royal blood" - a mythology made up to keep and justify privileges and inequality, as the princess and the prince find out (and rebel against) in the course of the story.

Many reviewers have already commented on the silly names for most characters, so I don't need to list them up - my favourite silly name was "the Reverend Skank-Damply".

While much of the book revoves around awful people doing horrible things, there are enough characters to care for and root for, namely the main heroes, Watborn the bird-catcher, princess Giniva, and prince Leperdandy, as well as some minor characters like Goldhawk the head cook and Magister Ambrosius.
My favourite was Leperdandy though, whose character has a nice arc. #teamleperdandy

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, this is not for everyone, but I loved this book. Chris has written a masterpiece about London in the Dark Ages and it's filled with adventure, humor, depravity, and imagination. Some of the scenes depict the grim conditions of the times in vivid, graphic detail, so be warned.
But, it's also spectacularly entertaining. You'll want to keep reading because each chapter compels you to find out what happens next. And, along the way, you're going to be astounded by Fowler's storytelling gifts. Get ready to experience a very different version of the mythic tales of King Arthur, Guinevere, Robin Hood, and Herne, the Green Man.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to read a classic fantasy book this is not the right one, if you want to read a very funny and well written story this the right one.
This is Fowler and I wanted to read it because it's his last book.
I laughed out loud, read it in a "one more chapter" mode, and thoroughly enjoyed it.
If you are a Christopher Fowler's fan read it, if you don't know him but want to read a quirky and humorous story read it
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[james holden · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want to wallow in extraordinary grotesque historical fantasy this is a five star book. The lack of pace (and pacing), some weak characterisation and a plot to invest in made it a trudge of a read. But it’s Fowler so there is enough brilliance to stay the course. Of course.

[Ido · Rating 4 out of 5]

I highly recommend this witty novel.
The characterisation is top notch.
Full review to follow.
Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Kronk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable, bonkers story which was refreshingly fast-paced.

[Martin Molloy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable departure from Christopher's usual work. lots of gruesome deaths. However, it was a sad read knowing that this was his last work. We've lost a brilliant, talented author.

[Tabitha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read, won't lie found it once or twice hard to follow exactly what was happening and to whom! Overall though a good read.

[Alastair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not Christopher Fowler's usual style this is more of a fairytale/Gormenghast like book set in a version of London. Dark, funny and well worth reading

[Mrs Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a strange one, a bit of a cross between Gormenghast and Rotherweird, but enjoyable. An imagined history of London in the Dark Ages.

[Imogen Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

brilliant fun

[Michelle Rock-Davis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Life is too short to finish a book you dislike this much. Not my cup of tea at all, did not find it funny or interesting.