The cruise of the talking fish

by W.E. Bowman

Having brought the highest mountain in the world to its knees, Binder, leader of the expedition to conquer Rum Doodle, soon sets off on a new adventure, aboard the raft Talking Fish. With only two cats, one frog, one oyster and five fellow-adventurers as crew, he is determined to master the challenges of the deep.

Genres: Humor, Fiction

118 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

William Ernest Bowman

Reviews

[Spencer Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading The Ascent of Rum Doodle, Candide and Python came to mind, but this one made me think of Douglas Adams. I think he probably spent a lot of time with both books in his youth. I would highly recommend this for Hitchhiker and Dirk Gently fans.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frustrating. This is much more of a broad parody than The Ascent of Rum Doodle. While the mountaineering book's cast had their individual (often ridiculous) quirks, they were still recognizable as exaggerated people, and a lot of the fun came from the narrator completely misunderstanding them. This book, on the other hand, features impossible caricatures with the narrator not nearly as deluded, so the humor rests on what these characters do and what set-pieces they find themselves embroiled in. In that respect there are some good scenes - the running thread with the cats is the strongest part of the book, wonderfully surreal - but overall I didn't find the book as funny as it was intended to be.

[Sheska · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compared to this book, The Ascent of Rum Doodle was a relatively mild account of an entirely sane expedition. This, on the other hand, was sheer cartoonish absurdity from start to finish, and I loved every second of it, especially having read Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon-Tiki account. Here, you once again get the somewhat inconsistent navigation and a diet that leaves a lot to be desired, as well as plenty of ingroup friction when it comes to such important matters as the Darwinian disagreement, the kitten controversy and the date line dispute. Nothing that a little suffering can’t help.

Any other time I probably wouldn't have rated it this high, but, dammit, I needed a good laugh and this really hit the funny bone.

[Savior Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Cruise of the Talking Fish" by W.E. Bowman is a lesser-known yet brilliantly humorous and imaginative work.

Introduction
Following the success of "The Ascent of Rum Doodle," Bowman's "The Cruise of the Talking Fish" is a comical adventure that parodies classic exploration narratives. It narrates a whimsical journey in search of talking fish, filled with absurdity and wit.

Pros

👍 Engaging and Humorous Plot**: The story's absurd premise is executed with delightful humor and charm.
👍 Creative Storytelling**: Bowman's imaginative narrative makes for a fun and unpredictable read.
👍 Parody of Adventure Genre**: The novel cleverly satirizes traditional adventure tales, offering a fresh take on the genre.

Cons

👎 Niche Humor**: The specific style of humor may not resonate with all readers.
👎 Lesser-Known Work**: As a sequel to a cult classic, it might be overlooked by many.
👎 Limited Character Development**: Focus on humor and adventure might come at the expense of deeper character exploration.

Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

"The Cruise of the Talking Fish" earns a solid 4 out of 5 stars for its unique blend of adventure and humor, despite its few limitations.

Reading Suggestions Similar to This Book:

1. "Three Men in a Boat" by Jerome K. Jerome: A classic humorous tale of three friends on a boating holiday along the Thames.
2. "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams: A staple in humorous science fiction, known for its wit and absurdity.
3. "Chantilly" by Savior Sullivan : A modern novel with a blend of humor and adventure, similar in spirit to Bowman's work.

[Rhys · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second reading of the novel. I have read The Ascent of Rum Doodle four times but the sequel is more difficult to obtain.

This second 'Binder' adventure is as funny and inventive as the first one. The wit is perhaps not quite as dry (which is appropriate, considering the story is set on a raft at sea) and the action is a little more zany (for want of a better word). Events are rather more impossible than in the earlier narrative. But it is still excellent and I feel it is underrated compared with the other book.

There is very much a British 1950s science-fiction flavour about the scene involving the spacecraft Argonaut, which is due to be launched from a remote Pacific island, the sort of thing Compton Mackenzie was doing late in his career.

I am convinced that Michael Palin's Ripping Yarns TV series was directly inspired by Bowman's two novels. It's just a shame there aren't any more books in the 'Binder' series. Well, in fact, there is a third volume, but it remains unpublished. I have spoken to Bowman's son about this and who knows? Maybe one day it will be released... I hope so!

[Amos O'Henry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm, not quite up there with Rum Doodle, quite silly really, which is exactly the point you see. All’s well and all that.