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The Unhappy Medium #1
The Unhappy Medium
ASIN B00ILRX3D0 moved to the most recent edition here
Arch skeptic and poster boy for the age of reason, Dr Newton Barlow thought he knew everything. Now he knows better.
Turns out that there is not only an afterlife, it’s his only available career path. Up against the very worst of human nature, Barlow is going to have to forget everything he ever believed in if he's going to save this world – and the next.
Arch skeptic and poster boy for the age of reason, Dr Newton Barlow thought he knew everything. Now he knows better.
Turns out that there is not only an afterlife, it’s his only available career path. Up against the very worst of human nature, Barlow is going to have to forget everything he ever believed in if he's going to save this world – and the next.
394 pages, ebook
First published February 22, 2014
1711 people are currently reading
2608 people want to read
About the author
T.J. Brown
5 books67 followersT J Brown was born in Dorset during the 1960s but was too young to realise how good the decade was meant to be. Instead, he had to make do with the 1970s, which only became interesting towards the end when many, Brown included, started wearing charity-shop clothes and swearing. Conscription into arts school was at this time mandatory and as a result Brown found himself reading German literature, creating miserable paintings and performing music that in retrospect, and at the time, was dreadful.
After three lost years at art school Brown moved to London to begin five lost years on the margins of the capital’s fashionable underbelly. After all that, a career in publishing almost came as a relief. And so, after many years producing illustrated books on astronomy and aviation, Brown returned to his love of comic writing.
He lives in Kent, dangerously close to two pubs.
After three lost years at art school Brown moved to London to begin five lost years on the margins of the capital’s fashionable underbelly. After all that, a career in publishing almost came as a relief. And so, after many years producing illustrated books on astronomy and aviation, Brown returned to his love of comic writing.
He lives in Kent, dangerously close to two pubs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 301 reviews
September 10, 2025
Set in the UK, we first take a trip to the dying village of Langton Hadlow, where, whilst a museum curator is pondering its decline, he also witnesses a paranormal event.
Elsewhere, salesman Chris Baxter inadvertently gives a lift to The Bonetaker, a benevolent being he thinks is a vagrant.
We then finally get to meet our protagonist, Dr Newton Barlow. A sceptical scientist turned TV celebrity who ends up with his reputation in tatters after a scandal.
Following a friend's death and the loss of yet another job, he gets caught up in the fight between good and evil and reluctantly takes a job as a medium – trying to stop evil crossing from purgatory into this world.
This was slow to begin with, so slow it was almost a DNF. I get that the Author was trying to build background, but it was really, really drawn out. It only started to warm up at about the 40% mark, and even then, it was lukewarm.
This had elements that had potential. The Bonetaker, for instance, was an interesting character. Some parts of the plot and story also had potential – the good trying to keep the evil in purgatory, etc. But it just dragged out way too much in places. It was just badly executed and desperately needed a good edit.
I went into this as I was in the mood for a comedy. I wanted something to make me laugh – this was slightly amusing a couple of times at best.
I'm not sure who this humour would appeal to. It was super dry; I mean, like, arid. There were a lot of weird similes and phrases used in this too that I think were meant to be witty. For instance:
"chasing a knot around Newton's shoulder blade like a gerbil under a rug."
When I started this, it was with the hope of reading a funny paranormal series. This is a trilogy, but I just didn't find it good enough or engaging enough to continue, I'm afraid.
This was a huge disappointment. It was neither 'fast-paced' nor 'hilarious'. The blurb lied to me. :(
Elsewhere, salesman Chris Baxter inadvertently gives a lift to The Bonetaker, a benevolent being he thinks is a vagrant.
We then finally get to meet our protagonist, Dr Newton Barlow. A sceptical scientist turned TV celebrity who ends up with his reputation in tatters after a scandal.
Following a friend's death and the loss of yet another job, he gets caught up in the fight between good and evil and reluctantly takes a job as a medium – trying to stop evil crossing from purgatory into this world.
This was slow to begin with, so slow it was almost a DNF. I get that the Author was trying to build background, but it was really, really drawn out. It only started to warm up at about the 40% mark, and even then, it was lukewarm.
This had elements that had potential. The Bonetaker, for instance, was an interesting character. Some parts of the plot and story also had potential – the good trying to keep the evil in purgatory, etc. But it just dragged out way too much in places. It was just badly executed and desperately needed a good edit.
I went into this as I was in the mood for a comedy. I wanted something to make me laugh – this was slightly amusing a couple of times at best.
I'm not sure who this humour would appeal to. It was super dry; I mean, like, arid. There were a lot of weird similes and phrases used in this too that I think were meant to be witty. For instance:
"chasing a knot around Newton's shoulder blade like a gerbil under a rug."
When I started this, it was with the hope of reading a funny paranormal series. This is a trilogy, but I just didn't find it good enough or engaging enough to continue, I'm afraid.
This was a huge disappointment. It was neither 'fast-paced' nor 'hilarious'. The blurb lied to me. :(
November 1, 2023
Rating: 3* of five
It was a fun ride, but it went on too long and lost its humorous momentum. The idea of Dr. Newton Barlow, disgraced scientist, as the unhappy medium was a great set-up, but the set-up bits of the book were longer than necessary. This would be a hoot for a TV series idea! Not likely to pick up vol. 2 unless it's free or 99¢.
It was a fun ride, but it went on too long and lost its humorous momentum. The idea of Dr. Newton Barlow, disgraced scientist, as the unhappy medium was a great set-up, but the set-up bits of the book were longer than necessary. This would be a hoot for a TV series idea! Not likely to pick up vol. 2 unless it's free or 99¢.
August 6, 2014
Few books take me more than a couple of days to read, this book took about 6 weeks.
Considering the originality, humour, excitement and quality of the majority of the book, I can't understand how it came to pass that there is nothing gripping for several chapters at the beginning. Only the fact I'm a physicist like Newton made me carry on at first, his character really appealed to me.
After two weeks I went on Amazon to check I hadn't been mistaken in seeing a 4* average review and I wasn't alone. Yet now I've finished it I feel that it was so good that I can only remove one star... reluctantly!
The writing is superb, the usual mistakes present in ebooks are, thankfully, absent, all loose ends have been tied up at the end.
I highly recommend this book but you will have to hurry through the beginning.
Considering the originality, humour, excitement and quality of the majority of the book, I can't understand how it came to pass that there is nothing gripping for several chapters at the beginning. Only the fact I'm a physicist like Newton made me carry on at first, his character really appealed to me.
After two weeks I went on Amazon to check I hadn't been mistaken in seeing a 4* average review and I wasn't alone. Yet now I've finished it I feel that it was so good that I can only remove one star... reluctantly!
The writing is superb, the usual mistakes present in ebooks are, thankfully, absent, all loose ends have been tied up at the end.
I highly recommend this book but you will have to hurry through the beginning.
May 11, 2017
Oh my god you are not getting paid by the word! Get to the point!
April 13, 2016
I got so far into this book, only to find myself thinking - who cares? So, not for me. Far too facile, far too knowingly humorous, far too reminiscent of college humour of twenty years past. However, I really do think Brown has missed his calling - his depictions of bona fide history were masterly. I seriously think he would be better writing humorous histories for adults. I enjoyed these interludes far more than the rest of the book...
July 3, 2017
This longish novel was a lovely read, and the prose is often rather delicious (and as a Yank I'm probably obligated to also say how very British it seemed). There are lots of frills and brief side-tours that add spice and interest, especially for those readers who like a good rumble around an antique store.
After an eerie little prologue, the story starts waaaay back in the mid-1100s giving obscure historical details that are crucial to the rest of the story, even if it might not seem so at first. Most of the story takes place "right about now", and the protagonist is Newton Barlow, a hip young theoretical physicist and TV personality—sort of like an even groovier Carl Sagan but into fusion research instead of cosmology. Newton has his ups and downs. Real mind-blowing downs, in fact, about 20% through the book. But much of the story also concerns his re-rise from the depths, and I won't tell you how. Chapter Nine contains the narrative of a wonderful first date; the kind all of us might love to experience with that real deep instant connection and awesome sauce poured all over it.
The action/adventure elements ratchet up rather a lot in the last quarter or so. I enjoyed a load of characters, like the bespectacled mentor, the fab new girlfriend, the sullen teenage daughter, the trigger happy priest, the medieval machinery, the Spanish Inquisition, and the souped-up Citroën. Golly. In fact, I woke up around 4:00 a.m., after having stopped 86% of the way through the book the night before, and scurried into my dark study to read the rest of it.
Along the way through the 400 e-pages of this delightful work, I didn't spot even one typographical error, so this one has now been inducted into the company of other Golden Rodent award recipients.
Oh... I obtained this for free during one of those Amazon promotions, but in retrospect, I would gladly have paid the going $3.99 price.
After an eerie little prologue, the story starts waaaay back in the mid-1100s giving obscure historical details that are crucial to the rest of the story, even if it might not seem so at first. Most of the story takes place "right about now", and the protagonist is Newton Barlow, a hip young theoretical physicist and TV personality—sort of like an even groovier Carl Sagan but into fusion research instead of cosmology. Newton has his ups and downs. Real mind-blowing downs, in fact, about 20% through the book. But much of the story also concerns his re-rise from the depths, and I won't tell you how. Chapter Nine contains the narrative of a wonderful first date; the kind all of us might love to experience with that real deep instant connection and awesome sauce poured all over it.
The action/adventure elements ratchet up rather a lot in the last quarter or so. I enjoyed a load of characters, like the bespectacled mentor, the fab new girlfriend, the sullen teenage daughter, the trigger happy priest, the medieval machinery, the Spanish Inquisition, and the souped-up Citroën. Golly. In fact, I woke up around 4:00 a.m., after having stopped 86% of the way through the book the night before, and scurried into my dark study to read the rest of it.
Along the way through the 400 e-pages of this delightful work, I didn't spot even one typographical error, so this one has now been inducted into the company of other Golden Rodent award recipients.
Oh... I obtained this for free during one of those Amazon promotions, but in retrospect, I would gladly have paid the going $3.99 price.
June 12, 2024
**AUDIBLE**
Absolutely fantastic, fantastical and funny.
I was just immersed in the good versus evil hilarity of this. The one liners had me sniggering away and the characters were perfectly portrayed by the narrator. And let’s face it, who doesn’t love a gun wielding priest with buck teeth!?
Brilliant listen and on to number 2.
Absolutely fantastic, fantastical and funny.
I was just immersed in the good versus evil hilarity of this. The one liners had me sniggering away and the characters were perfectly portrayed by the narrator. And let’s face it, who doesn’t love a gun wielding priest with buck teeth!?
Brilliant listen and on to number 2.
March 6, 2014
The Unhappy Medium has everything I look for in a comedic fantasy/SF novel. The protagonist is a skeptic (think Mythbusters, James Randi, Harry Houdini et al) who finds that reality is...not as he had always assumed. Call it supernatural noir with a dash of historical (not to mention prehistorical) fiction for flavor, along the lines of the Bobby Dollar series by Tad Williams, the Inferno series by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, the Reality Dysfunction series by Peter F. Hamilton, or the Ghost Trilogy by L. E. Modesitt.
Although the novel is a self-contained story, the author also sets up what looks to be a bang-up series. Highly recommended to any SF, fantasy, or horror fan who likes their humor dry and their spooks snarky. In the interest of avoiding spoilers, I’ll just say if any of this sounds like your cup of tea (with a nod to the charming UK and continental settings, including castles *and* pubs, not to mention the lovingly restored WWI-era tank that plays a role), grab this book!
Although the novel is a self-contained story, the author also sets up what looks to be a bang-up series. Highly recommended to any SF, fantasy, or horror fan who likes their humor dry and their spooks snarky. In the interest of avoiding spoilers, I’ll just say if any of this sounds like your cup of tea (with a nod to the charming UK and continental settings, including castles *and* pubs, not to mention the lovingly restored WWI-era tank that plays a role), grab this book!
July 18, 2020
There is a fine line between humor and inanity. This book falls face-first on the wrong side of that line.
March 14, 2014
It's one thing to write a funny book - and this is certainly a very funny book - but it's another to weave in advanced science and a far-reaching roam through history and make it all seem necessary to the story. That's the great thing about this book: the obvious joy taken in knowledge and the world itself serves to season a supernatural romp with something altogether mature. It could easily be a series - let's hope it is - and any one of its themes would be enough for most writers. Ambitious, eh - but successful too. Eminently readable and like nothing quite else out there, this is great fun.
October 8, 2014
A very funny book, in the spirit (pun intended) of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's Good Omens, or the writing of Christopher Moore. Initial chapters set up the various characters, paying off in a rollicking finish as they come together later in the story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
November 19, 2021
November 2021 - dropping down to one star because I remember approximately one and a half things about this book seven months later.
February 11, 2021
This could have been good but was crying out for an edit.
There was so much casual sexism in this book it makes me question whether the author has ever met a woman. Stilettos aren't all stripper heels. Having your ghosts walk around saying I'm a bad girl feels like a weird porn insert. His ex wife wasn't an evil seductress taking advantage of him, he was just an idiot who ignored all his marital problems. Women on dating sites aren't all crazy. Grown women aren't girls and shouldn't be called girls. In this book women are either evil heartless bitches or life giving angels and there is no in between. Like really, his dead nan wants to come back from purgatory and clean his house and make him bread? Sounds really realistic. If you're a horrible woman you can be redeemed only if you are Newton's daughter and it is because of some magic talk he gave you where he made your mental health struggles all about himself. Now you're cured!
There was sooo much sidetracking from the plot. Boring exposition. World building for a novel set in the real world is unnecessary. Really should have been half as long. No one cares about the family tree of the museum curator who appears three times. Get to the bloody point.
The main character was intensely unlikable, probably because we see all the sexism coming from him. So boring. So smug. So predictable. Like wow Newton, you know science. We get it. Let's go ruin this ghost walk your daughter wanted to go on because despite being a grown man you just can't hold your tongue. Sarcasm isn't a personality. He doesn't have any levels as a character. He never acted differently under pressure, he was never stressed. Always just a smug prick. Anything he supposedly did feel we were told and not shown. He is claustrophobic but never felt walls pressing in or air being sucked out. Just looks at a narrow tunnel and says I don't like that but goes on in anyway.
Villain was boring. The most evil man ever and that was what we got? Some sex mad priest who liked torturing people? Yawn.
There also never seemed to be any stakes. No one was ever really in danger. They were in dangerous situations but there wasn't any atmosphere of tension built.
When the plot did get going it was interesting and enjoyable but then the good bits were interrupted by pointless people appearing or some boring comment. Or truly terrible similes and metaphors.
This book really does have potential but just needs an edit and some direction and focus. Realising at the 90% mark it was self published made everything make sense.
There was so much casual sexism in this book it makes me question whether the author has ever met a woman. Stilettos aren't all stripper heels. Having your ghosts walk around saying I'm a bad girl feels like a weird porn insert. His ex wife wasn't an evil seductress taking advantage of him, he was just an idiot who ignored all his marital problems. Women on dating sites aren't all crazy. Grown women aren't girls and shouldn't be called girls. In this book women are either evil heartless bitches or life giving angels and there is no in between. Like really, his dead nan wants to come back from purgatory and clean his house and make him bread? Sounds really realistic. If you're a horrible woman you can be redeemed only if you are Newton's daughter and it is because of some magic talk he gave you where he made your mental health struggles all about himself. Now you're cured!
There was sooo much sidetracking from the plot. Boring exposition. World building for a novel set in the real world is unnecessary. Really should have been half as long. No one cares about the family tree of the museum curator who appears three times. Get to the bloody point.
The main character was intensely unlikable, probably because we see all the sexism coming from him. So boring. So smug. So predictable. Like wow Newton, you know science. We get it. Let's go ruin this ghost walk your daughter wanted to go on because despite being a grown man you just can't hold your tongue. Sarcasm isn't a personality. He doesn't have any levels as a character. He never acted differently under pressure, he was never stressed. Always just a smug prick. Anything he supposedly did feel we were told and not shown. He is claustrophobic but never felt walls pressing in or air being sucked out. Just looks at a narrow tunnel and says I don't like that but goes on in anyway.
Villain was boring. The most evil man ever and that was what we got? Some sex mad priest who liked torturing people? Yawn.
There also never seemed to be any stakes. No one was ever really in danger. They were in dangerous situations but there wasn't any atmosphere of tension built.
When the plot did get going it was interesting and enjoyable but then the good bits were interrupted by pointless people appearing or some boring comment. Or truly terrible similes and metaphors.
This book really does have potential but just needs an edit and some direction and focus. Realising at the 90% mark it was self published made everything make sense.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2017
This rambling, overlong tale of a disgraced academic Newton Barlow, who is suddenly offered a new career from beyond the grave as a medium (a very unhappy one at that) just seemed to stretch on and on into eternity (much like the fate of the characters in the book). There was something about another disgraced sales executive, who was possessed by a very disgraced, evil Cardinal and how they all get together for some ritualistic human sacrifice in order to escape purgatory. The act of reading the novel became almost purgatory in itself - it seemed to just go on - and on - and on. The potential for humour was there - but I couldn't really find it, although the odd phrase made me smile.
The story took too long to set up - as early as chapter three I was thinking 'this could do with a good edit' to tighten up the plot. I won't offer any spoilers - I'm afraid by 75% of the way through my Kindle edition (so I gave it a good go) I decided I didn't deserve to suffer through any more and I gave up, so I don't actually know what happened in the end. I don't like giving up on books - but by that stage I'd decided that actually I didn't really care anymore. Disappointing.
The story took too long to set up - as early as chapter three I was thinking 'this could do with a good edit' to tighten up the plot. I won't offer any spoilers - I'm afraid by 75% of the way through my Kindle edition (so I gave it a good go) I decided I didn't deserve to suffer through any more and I gave up, so I don't actually know what happened in the end. I don't like giving up on books - but by that stage I'd decided that actually I didn't really care anymore. Disappointing.
September 7, 2018
There are very few books that I haven't finished, in fact only two in my lifetime. This is one. I just couldn't get past the boring scientific background story before getting to what could have been good. Others have said once you get to the meat of the story it's good. I just couldn't get there. There was nothing to peak my interest to keep turning those pages. I also found no humor in the 5 or so chapters that I read.
July 10, 2014
I struggled to get into the story for the first 20% of the book, but ended up really liking it :-)
June 16, 2021
While I will agree with some of the other reviews that the writing can feel a little long winded at times, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The concept of a ‘disgraced’ theoretical physicist becoming a medium is not something I have come across before and I really did enjoy the way the author described Purgatory and what can happen after death. I do wish the book contained more interactions between Newton and actual spirits, but apart from that I can’t complain. I wouldn’t necessarily call this a light read as it can be a bit wordy, but if you’re looking for something humorous and original involving the paranormal I’d definitely recommend it. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel!
Read
August 11, 2024This was a good read. I would read another
April 28, 2016
Terrible Comparisons/Phrases
"But above everything, Chris Baxter loved selling. He was awesomely good at it, each new deal an orgasmic climax to a complex, intimate seduction."
"As if he were using his hands to seduce a sexually frustrated duchess"
"Behind him a stream of military oaths caught the breeze and floated towards the ruins of the castle, rearing up above the morning mist like broken false teeth."
"scare yourself so much you need to return to your hotel urgently for clean underwear."
"with a face like bad pickles"
"the words released half as speech and half as a slow, erotic exhalation"
"chasing a knot around Newton's shoulder blade like a gerbil under a rug"
"Viv, with nowhere to hide, squirmed like a Taliban at the end of a laser designator and slid downwards in the passenger seat."
"[NAME]'s eyes widened so far he began to resemble a character in a manga comic."
"With all the professionalism of a drugged Congolese militiaman."
Other Terrible Quotes
"didn't Sporty Spice write something about the homeless?"
"He was pierced to an insane degree in an attempt to emphasise a sense of the sinister, which, like all Goths, he simply didn't possess."
"Germaine had been her husband's professional confidant, ally, and in many ways a scientific equal." But, of course, she was the one who became a stay home mom.
"Newton [a character's first name] was determined to be Carl Sagan than Professor Brainstorm." (What does that mean? Who knows.)
"Somewhere between the two [events], Dr Newton Barlow had been pinned to the wall by a vivacious blond biologist." Note: the biologist is a woman. These people are all heterosexual. Of course.
"Superficially [the hired corporate thugs] resembled archaeologists but the bushy beards were in most cases probably false."
"At 7pm, Juliet asked Piers to lay the table. The guests arrived and by 8.30 sharp, dinner had been served. Sarah and Daniel had popped up from Hoxton an the other two were singles, set up awkwardly by Juliet. They tried frantically to break the ice in the embarrassing spotlight of Juliet's clumsy matchmaking. Lulu was not quote as ready to move on from her divorce as Juliet thought she was, especially as it had only been finalised a day earlier, and Edward, the new junior partner from Pier's architectural practice, was not exactly in the mood for a long-term commitment either, given his studiously concealed fixation for men in leather hats." HAHAHAHAH AREN'T CLOSETED GAY PEOPLE FUNNY??? (No.)
"It was the body, oh his body, so young and fit; teeth clean like white mice, no trace of Popery, no hint of Lutheran, Baptist, Jew, Muslim or Buddhist within his empty soul, nothing to restrain or inhibit the Inquisitor's foul purposes."
"What on earth is a hunter's chicken anyway? I mean, if he were any good as a hunter he'd kill something impressive, like a moose. But a chicken? How hard is it to hunt and kill a chicken?"
"After all, what is a nation if it is not a large-scale housing development?"
"Right now, the most evil person on earth is a human resources manager in Wisconsin, a ghastly woman of such hideous malignancy that she makes Stalin look like a children's entertainer."
(shout out to Wisconsin!!)
"Enthusiastically in love, she and Newton treated themselves to a vast, almost biblical curry, but it left both of them unable to do much when the lights went out except gasp like freshly caught fish."
"You must believe me, we are in big deepy do-do. The fate of the mortal world is at stake!"
"When the Inquisition came to town, the only person to benefit was the one selling toilet paper."
(Two evil minions and a sarcastic good guy talking)
"But I'm not registered on Facebook, sir. I find it a bit ... creepy. Can you text me?"
"Surely you're on Twitter? Or LinkedIn?"
"Text, tweet, whatever the fuck, look we'll work it out later. Jeez."
"But above everything, Chris Baxter loved selling. He was awesomely good at it, each new deal an orgasmic climax to a complex, intimate seduction."
"As if he were using his hands to seduce a sexually frustrated duchess"
"Behind him a stream of military oaths caught the breeze and floated towards the ruins of the castle, rearing up above the morning mist like broken false teeth."
"scare yourself so much you need to return to your hotel urgently for clean underwear."
"with a face like bad pickles"
"the words released half as speech and half as a slow, erotic exhalation"
"chasing a knot around Newton's shoulder blade like a gerbil under a rug"
"Viv, with nowhere to hide, squirmed like a Taliban at the end of a laser designator and slid downwards in the passenger seat."
"[NAME]'s eyes widened so far he began to resemble a character in a manga comic."
"With all the professionalism of a drugged Congolese militiaman."
Other Terrible Quotes
"didn't Sporty Spice write something about the homeless?"
"He was pierced to an insane degree in an attempt to emphasise a sense of the sinister, which, like all Goths, he simply didn't possess."
"Germaine had been her husband's professional confidant, ally, and in many ways a scientific equal." But, of course, she was the one who became a stay home mom.
"Newton [a character's first name] was determined to be Carl Sagan than Professor Brainstorm." (What does that mean? Who knows.)
"Somewhere between the two [events], Dr Newton Barlow had been pinned to the wall by a vivacious blond biologist." Note: the biologist is a woman. These people are all heterosexual. Of course.
"Superficially [the hired corporate thugs] resembled archaeologists but the bushy beards were in most cases probably false."
"At 7pm, Juliet asked Piers to lay the table. The guests arrived and by 8.30 sharp, dinner had been served. Sarah and Daniel had popped up from Hoxton an the other two were singles, set up awkwardly by Juliet. They tried frantically to break the ice in the embarrassing spotlight of Juliet's clumsy matchmaking. Lulu was not quote as ready to move on from her divorce as Juliet thought she was, especially as it had only been finalised a day earlier, and Edward, the new junior partner from Pier's architectural practice, was not exactly in the mood for a long-term commitment either, given his studiously concealed fixation for men in leather hats." HAHAHAHAH AREN'T CLOSETED GAY PEOPLE FUNNY??? (No.)
"It was the body, oh his body, so young and fit; teeth clean like white mice, no trace of Popery, no hint of Lutheran, Baptist, Jew, Muslim or Buddhist within his empty soul, nothing to restrain or inhibit the Inquisitor's foul purposes."
"What on earth is a hunter's chicken anyway? I mean, if he were any good as a hunter he'd kill something impressive, like a moose. But a chicken? How hard is it to hunt and kill a chicken?"
"After all, what is a nation if it is not a large-scale housing development?"
"Right now, the most evil person on earth is a human resources manager in Wisconsin, a ghastly woman of such hideous malignancy that she makes Stalin look like a children's entertainer."
(shout out to Wisconsin!!)
"Enthusiastically in love, she and Newton treated themselves to a vast, almost biblical curry, but it left both of them unable to do much when the lights went out except gasp like freshly caught fish."
"You must believe me, we are in big deepy do-do. The fate of the mortal world is at stake!"
"When the Inquisition came to town, the only person to benefit was the one selling toilet paper."
(Two evil minions and a sarcastic good guy talking)
"But I'm not registered on Facebook, sir. I find it a bit ... creepy. Can you text me?"
"Surely you're on Twitter? Or LinkedIn?"
"Text, tweet, whatever the fuck, look we'll work it out later. Jeez."
August 1, 2021
The thing that stands out to me about this book is that it's old fashioned. But not always in a good way. In the kind of way where the most mean-spirited bits of old British comedies have been melded together. It's very easy to pinpoint the sphere of comedy T J Brown is writing in, and it is undoubtedly very British, with all the smarmyness and self-importance that show up in the characters. As an atheist, horror-loving, British comedy fanatic I was hoping for a bit of spooky fun, but I was left a little disappointed.
The main character of Dr Newton Barlow is someone who the narrative voice clearly thinks is very cool. Even when he's at his lowest, to those who aren't immediately sympathetic to the 'asshole athiest' type, Newton's dismissiveness will probably not culminate in you liking him but rather thinking he has only two traits: 'I love science' and 'I hate religion'- to me this made the main theme of Newton's scepticism being challenged ring a little hollow, because it manifests in repetitive one-liners about how logical Newton is (and you will be told at every opportunity). Even though he does go through change, it doesn't come soon enough because by this time the book has already given off a mountain of quips that make the whole thing come off as self-indulgent.
Most characters are designed to be larger-than-life caricatures, and in most cases it works (like the salesman Christopher Baxter, or the estate developers the Macaulays, who are fun to dislike) but others like Newton's bitch ex-wife are less of a fun pantomime type and more of a flat-out uninspired imitation. The sheer amount of casual sexism is pretty shocking.
The book's other problem is pace. It really suffers from a lack of editing. To be fair to T J Brown, he does try to make every chapter funny and have its own charm. There are lots of chapters that are witty and atmospheric without being strictly all about the main plot, such as the beginning chapter detailing the backstory of the museum curator or the battle of Juggin's lump.
But as a result Newton's rise, fall and recruitment take a long while to get going. This, crossed with the earlier-mentioned fact that I didn't bond with Newton as a character, had me groaning and not looking forward to reading the book.
The action chapters do not help in providing a quicker pace compared to the long chapters of exposition, of which there are many. The info it's dumping on you is easy to understand, there just didn't need to be so much of it.
One thing that annoyed me was how there were around 6 separate jokes where the punchline is 'reality TV'. The first one of these was funny, but they are recycled throughout the book in a way I'm surprised anyone thought wouldn't be entirely obvious.
However, I did make it through the whole book. There are some more genuine moments, like Newton missing his mentor's funeral or connecting with his daughter Gabi. Additionally his girlfriend Viv's fears about making Gabi feel welcome also feel sweet and more realistic. On the horror side, the machine from the antagonist Cardinal La Senza provides some chilling moments, and every description of it had me gleefully upset. This book does have wit, and whilst a rather large portion of the jokes fell flat for me, T J Brown does pepper endless similies and snark throughout to keep the reader entertained. The premise does keep its originality too, with a healthy amount of archaic and modern fears combined.
This book will probably appeal best to people like its main character; young adults like me, even ones who find British comedy funny, will likely grow a little tired of the stereotype veins that run through it and the plodding pace.
The main character of Dr Newton Barlow is someone who the narrative voice clearly thinks is very cool. Even when he's at his lowest, to those who aren't immediately sympathetic to the 'asshole athiest' type, Newton's dismissiveness will probably not culminate in you liking him but rather thinking he has only two traits: 'I love science' and 'I hate religion'- to me this made the main theme of Newton's scepticism being challenged ring a little hollow, because it manifests in repetitive one-liners about how logical Newton is (and you will be told at every opportunity). Even though he does go through change, it doesn't come soon enough because by this time the book has already given off a mountain of quips that make the whole thing come off as self-indulgent.
Most characters are designed to be larger-than-life caricatures, and in most cases it works (like the salesman Christopher Baxter, or the estate developers the Macaulays, who are fun to dislike) but others like Newton's bitch ex-wife are less of a fun pantomime type and more of a flat-out uninspired imitation. The sheer amount of casual sexism is pretty shocking.
The book's other problem is pace. It really suffers from a lack of editing. To be fair to T J Brown, he does try to make every chapter funny and have its own charm. There are lots of chapters that are witty and atmospheric without being strictly all about the main plot, such as the beginning chapter detailing the backstory of the museum curator or the battle of Juggin's lump.
But as a result Newton's rise, fall and recruitment take a long while to get going. This, crossed with the earlier-mentioned fact that I didn't bond with Newton as a character, had me groaning and not looking forward to reading the book.
The action chapters do not help in providing a quicker pace compared to the long chapters of exposition, of which there are many. The info it's dumping on you is easy to understand, there just didn't need to be so much of it.
One thing that annoyed me was how there were around 6 separate jokes where the punchline is 'reality TV'. The first one of these was funny, but they are recycled throughout the book in a way I'm surprised anyone thought wouldn't be entirely obvious.
However, I did make it through the whole book. There are some more genuine moments, like Newton missing his mentor's funeral or connecting with his daughter Gabi. Additionally his girlfriend Viv's fears about making Gabi feel welcome also feel sweet and more realistic. On the horror side, the machine from the antagonist Cardinal La Senza provides some chilling moments, and every description of it had me gleefully upset. This book does have wit, and whilst a rather large portion of the jokes fell flat for me, T J Brown does pepper endless similies and snark throughout to keep the reader entertained. The premise does keep its originality too, with a healthy amount of archaic and modern fears combined.
This book will probably appeal best to people like its main character; young adults like me, even ones who find British comedy funny, will likely grow a little tired of the stereotype veins that run through it and the plodding pace.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 29, 2024
We are in big deepy do-do. The fate of the mortal world is at stake!
As T.J. Brown's exceedingly entertaining "The Unhappy Medium: A Supernatural Comedy" was first published in 2014, I doubt I truly need to provide much review or summary to get across the details of my experience. However, I've decided to plod on anyway as I really don't have anything much better to do today and it is after all February 29th. Meaning that I won't be able to do this on this date again for another 4 years. A bit self-serving, I know, but after this experience, you'll excuse me if my concept and appreciation for the great span of time our Universe has occupied is rather at the forefront on my cranial lobe bits. Hey, I can spout dry and cynical humour (note spelling) out with the best of them!
Mad? Maybe… but successfully mad, and that’s the important thing.
Author Brown starts us off on what seems to be a rather tame series of events or really just general circumstances surrounding a number of locales in what we now deem to be England or Great Britain or however it needs to be clarified. Not that there's more clarity provided into where we're heading with the various plot-lines as we seem to be witnessing a great deal of loose threads blowing in the proverbial wind. How these are all eventually respun into a nice ball of, if not logic then certainly a conclusively satisfying outcome is still somewhat beyond me, though the longer I think on it, surprisingly enough the more sense it makes. Still, you should perhaps prepare yourself to go from wealth to poverty, fame to disgrace, good to evil and back again as well as some rather confusing appearances by what seems at first to be someone or something outside of the usual classification of "human".
This is hardly the place for a whole load of theological argy bargy. This is a time for action.
It's not an incredibly evenly paced book in that we take a lot of different opportunities to flash back to events of the past - from the rise and fall of our cousins Homo neanderthalensis at our own hands (talk about awkward family reunions) to the rise and fall and rise again of the British monarchy ("He was affable, eager to please and about as assertive as a ballet dancer on a rugby pitch...As a King he was all but useless.") to even quite thoroughly detailed views on the Spanish Inquisition. All together now: no one expects the Spanish Inquisition, although we are treated to an inside look at the very real aspect of the fear, surprise, and of course ruthless efficiency they were known for. I'm not entirely convinced after this telling that they were really all that fanatically devoted to the Pope - if even Christianity for that matter - but their nice red uniforms did at least keep the blood from showing up quite so thoroughly when things got messy. And yes, I will send the Monty Python office a cheque for useage of their text accordingly.
You have your ... err ... good, and then ... well, you have your evil. Good is good, and evil is essentially bad.
But it is during these rather irregular jaunts looking into the pasts and details of each story-line that we get to know a splendid array of different characters, although again, it is difficult at first to decide who we're supposed to be following most closely. I'm going to go with Dr. Newton Barlow, who is apparently supposed to come across as an extremely intelligent and much more hip version of the States' own Dr. Bill Nye. No, no bowties for Newton as he rubs elbows with not only the great physicists of our time but also the "hip" crowd from models to rock stars and more. Not only is his work attention-grabbing but equally so his skeptical yet entertaining demeanor as a rebuttalist against all things mystical, religious or otherwise unable to be proved by hard science makes him rise quickly to the top. It's easy then to see his downfall approaching at the hands of big business and the illogical machinations of capitalism, but hey, we had to get him on the whole "don't call them Ghostbusters" team somehow, no? Needless to say, following these first few decades of his life is quite intriquing.
I know he’s evil and everything, but I wasn’t expecting him to be such an annoying prick.
And we don't even get to meet some of the most important players that begin to appear and ply their trade until the book is more than halfway along, by which point both said characters and the bullets are just zipping around every which way. Why our introduction to the Reverend J.M. Bennet - who winds up being more than key to the exciting conclusion and the scary bits leading up to same - doesn't even occur until the 3/4's mark. And that's not even including his fine band of rescueteers of various faiths and denominations who despite all appearances to the contrary wind up being more than a capable fighting force. It's enough to make one review their entire consideration of Hugh Jackman's "Van Helsing" as being much more than a nice fictional diversion and wonder just what goes on in the deeper catacombs of the Vatican City (among others). Oh and it just gets better as "aspects" (things, etc.) we've seen earlier and throughout the book come into play as the aforementioned ball of twine finally gets tightened up and stored back next to the comfy chairs.
He certainly has his moments. More Dick Dasterdly than Darth Vader.
All-in-all, if Maximus asks, I was very entertained. Sure, my reading experience was not without a dose of severe confusion or three, but that's to be expected. The author is obviously setting this entire cast and unique the living, the dead, and 'others' up for a string of exciting escapades - much like we witnessed as Newton got his Purgatorial legs underneath him - and that isn't always easy. Why Cardinal Balthazar De La Senza probably wouldn't have to struggle much at all to get me to confess to similar impressions of even Sir Terry Pratchett's "Discworld" books back when I first started. Still if Sister Wendy wanted to have a go at making me feel dirty and sinful, well, who am I to stand in the way of renewing one of the worst chapters in human history, eh?
When you die, there are a few things that pop up you weren’t expecting.
So again, bravo to all and I can't wait to pick up a copy of the second book and see how things roll along now that my sensitivity and other important skills have been introduced to the world between. And now maybe goodreads can stop recommending these books to me every time I log in a review for any and all tomes written by any and all residents of however many bits qualify as the British Isles! And while we're talking geography, it's always nice to zoom around the olde country, whether it be from the dry wastelands of Spain (¡Sé que sé!) to the miserably cold and wet streets of Germany (ich weiss ich weiss). Until next time!
As T.J. Brown's exceedingly entertaining "The Unhappy Medium: A Supernatural Comedy" was first published in 2014, I doubt I truly need to provide much review or summary to get across the details of my experience. However, I've decided to plod on anyway as I really don't have anything much better to do today and it is after all February 29th. Meaning that I won't be able to do this on this date again for another 4 years. A bit self-serving, I know, but after this experience, you'll excuse me if my concept and appreciation for the great span of time our Universe has occupied is rather at the forefront on my cranial lobe bits. Hey, I can spout dry and cynical humour (note spelling) out with the best of them!
Mad? Maybe… but successfully mad, and that’s the important thing.
Author Brown starts us off on what seems to be a rather tame series of events or really just general circumstances surrounding a number of locales in what we now deem to be England or Great Britain or however it needs to be clarified. Not that there's more clarity provided into where we're heading with the various plot-lines as we seem to be witnessing a great deal of loose threads blowing in the proverbial wind. How these are all eventually respun into a nice ball of, if not logic then certainly a conclusively satisfying outcome is still somewhat beyond me, though the longer I think on it, surprisingly enough the more sense it makes. Still, you should perhaps prepare yourself to go from wealth to poverty, fame to disgrace, good to evil and back again as well as some rather confusing appearances by what seems at first to be someone or something outside of the usual classification of "human".
This is hardly the place for a whole load of theological argy bargy. This is a time for action.
It's not an incredibly evenly paced book in that we take a lot of different opportunities to flash back to events of the past - from the rise and fall of our cousins Homo neanderthalensis at our own hands (talk about awkward family reunions) to the rise and fall and rise again of the British monarchy ("He was affable, eager to please and about as assertive as a ballet dancer on a rugby pitch...As a King he was all but useless.") to even quite thoroughly detailed views on the Spanish Inquisition. All together now: no one expects the Spanish Inquisition, although we are treated to an inside look at the very real aspect of the fear, surprise, and of course ruthless efficiency they were known for. I'm not entirely convinced after this telling that they were really all that fanatically devoted to the Pope - if even Christianity for that matter - but their nice red uniforms did at least keep the blood from showing up quite so thoroughly when things got messy. And yes, I will send the Monty Python office a cheque for useage of their text accordingly.
You have your ... err ... good, and then ... well, you have your evil. Good is good, and evil is essentially bad.
But it is during these rather irregular jaunts looking into the pasts and details of each story-line that we get to know a splendid array of different characters, although again, it is difficult at first to decide who we're supposed to be following most closely. I'm going to go with Dr. Newton Barlow, who is apparently supposed to come across as an extremely intelligent and much more hip version of the States' own Dr. Bill Nye. No, no bowties for Newton as he rubs elbows with not only the great physicists of our time but also the "hip" crowd from models to rock stars and more. Not only is his work attention-grabbing but equally so his skeptical yet entertaining demeanor as a rebuttalist against all things mystical, religious or otherwise unable to be proved by hard science makes him rise quickly to the top. It's easy then to see his downfall approaching at the hands of big business and the illogical machinations of capitalism, but hey, we had to get him on the whole "don't call them Ghostbusters" team somehow, no? Needless to say, following these first few decades of his life is quite intriquing.
I know he’s evil and everything, but I wasn’t expecting him to be such an annoying prick.
And we don't even get to meet some of the most important players that begin to appear and ply their trade until the book is more than halfway along, by which point both said characters and the bullets are just zipping around every which way. Why our introduction to the Reverend J.M. Bennet - who winds up being more than key to the exciting conclusion and the scary bits leading up to same - doesn't even occur until the 3/4's mark. And that's not even including his fine band of rescueteers of various faiths and denominations who despite all appearances to the contrary wind up being more than a capable fighting force. It's enough to make one review their entire consideration of Hugh Jackman's "Van Helsing" as being much more than a nice fictional diversion and wonder just what goes on in the deeper catacombs of the Vatican City (among others). Oh and it just gets better as "aspects" (things, etc.) we've seen earlier and throughout the book come into play as the aforementioned ball of twine finally gets tightened up and stored back next to the comfy chairs.
He certainly has his moments. More Dick Dasterdly than Darth Vader.
All-in-all, if Maximus asks, I was very entertained. Sure, my reading experience was not without a dose of severe confusion or three, but that's to be expected. The author is obviously setting this entire cast and unique the living, the dead, and 'others' up for a string of exciting escapades - much like we witnessed as Newton got his Purgatorial legs underneath him - and that isn't always easy. Why Cardinal Balthazar De La Senza probably wouldn't have to struggle much at all to get me to confess to similar impressions of even Sir Terry Pratchett's "Discworld" books back when I first started. Still if Sister Wendy wanted to have a go at making me feel dirty and sinful, well, who am I to stand in the way of renewing one of the worst chapters in human history, eh?
When you die, there are a few things that pop up you weren’t expecting.
So again, bravo to all and I can't wait to pick up a copy of the second book and see how things roll along now that my sensitivity and other important skills have been introduced to the world between. And now maybe goodreads can stop recommending these books to me every time I log in a review for any and all tomes written by any and all residents of however many bits qualify as the British Isles! And while we're talking geography, it's always nice to zoom around the olde country, whether it be from the dry wastelands of Spain (¡Sé que sé!) to the miserably cold and wet streets of Germany (ich weiss ich weiss). Until next time!
January 27, 2022
This reviews the audiobook. Good narration for the most part.
Okay, I got over my initial confusion and disgust with the unpleasant characters. It finally got funny. Not that I larfed out loud or anything, but it was a relief when the vicar stepped into the story.
There was more backstory than I was interested in. In fact, it started with backstory - so much so that I wondered if I had received the correct audiobook and had to check. I feel that the book could have used that thingie where it starts in medias res so you want to know how it got to this state of affairs. And then we had to slog through the villain's interminable backstory, which we needed to know, I grant you, but it just went on and on and on in hyperbolic evil.
When we finally meet our "hero" - Newton - he's an asshole. Of the Richard Dawkins variety: too smart and way too smug. Very annoying - and I'm an atheist. He deserves everything he has coming to him, which I guess is supposed to humanize him. He does become a bit less annoying. Still, as he sinks into doing exactly the wrong thing when with his daughter, I cringed.
By the end, though, I was on his side and almost tempted to continue with the series. Almost. Not sure I want to fritter my audio credits on it.
I would never return the book, although the company allows it, but I was sorely tempted in the beginning. I've kept worse. At the very least it's not the narrator's fault. This one, in fact, did his best, although I think he softened the ex-wife a bit too much at the end. But the vicar. Oh, he made my day. Bless 'im. Not that I think he should keep appearing. One can get too much of a good thing.
Okay, I got over my initial confusion and disgust with the unpleasant characters. It finally got funny. Not that I larfed out loud or anything, but it was a relief when the vicar stepped into the story.
There was more backstory than I was interested in. In fact, it started with backstory - so much so that I wondered if I had received the correct audiobook and had to check. I feel that the book could have used that thingie where it starts in medias res so you want to know how it got to this state of affairs. And then we had to slog through the villain's interminable backstory, which we needed to know, I grant you, but it just went on and on and on in hyperbolic evil.
When we finally meet our "hero" - Newton - he's an asshole. Of the Richard Dawkins variety: too smart and way too smug. Very annoying - and I'm an atheist. He deserves everything he has coming to him, which I guess is supposed to humanize him. He does become a bit less annoying. Still, as he sinks into doing exactly the wrong thing when with his daughter, I cringed.
By the end, though, I was on his side and almost tempted to continue with the series. Almost. Not sure I want to fritter my audio credits on it.
I would never return the book, although the company allows it, but I was sorely tempted in the beginning. I've kept worse. At the very least it's not the narrator's fault. This one, in fact, did his best, although I think he softened the ex-wife a bit too much at the end. But the vicar. Oh, he made my day. Bless 'im. Not that I think he should keep appearing. One can get too much of a good thing.
March 8, 2015
I hate being the type of modern reader who complains that it took too long for anything to happen, but that's partly my complaint here. And once things *do* start to happen, I found that the characters irritated me enough that I had a hard time caring about them.
The protagonist *does* go through some well-needed spiritual and character growth, but I didn't actually like him until nearly the end of the book. And even with foreshadowing, at least one of the characters seemed like a deus ex machina. The villain himself could have been clipped from any of several evil magicians of ancient lineage who are too puffed up to notice their own weaknesses.
The protagonist *does* go through some well-needed spiritual and character growth, but I didn't actually like him until nearly the end of the book. And even with foreshadowing, at least one of the characters seemed like a deus ex machina. The villain himself could have been clipped from any of several evil magicians of ancient lineage who are too puffed up to notice their own weaknesses.
May 29, 2016
This was great fun. Science, skeptics, supernatural, evil corporations, ghosts, bitchy ex wife, sullen teenager, religious fanatics, and a layer of Richard Bach Illusions (and the effortless art of car maintenance), just for starters. Lots of disparate components eventually converged at the end with no loose ends. It was just a wacky blend of unlikely ingredients tied together with a fun story and lots of dry Brit humor, a satisfying conclusion, and an opening for more adventures. If my life wasn't so crazy, I would have gobbled this up in one night. Wavered on the stars (4-1/2 or 5?) but given the fun, coherent story and no major editing goofs, had to give credit.
March 21, 2020
I really tried to finish this book, but it was not worth the time. The book suffers from the lack of a good editor to cut down on the excessive background and the tortured similes. The author seems to be a Terry Pratchett wannabe, but his hand is far too heavy. The premise is interesting, and I wanted to follow it, but Brown crosses the line between whimsical situations and genuinely disturbing ones too often. I had to stop reading. There is also an earnestness in some passages as if Brown has been rehearsing some of his arguments for years and wants to convince others. Sorry, I need to move on to something more literary and considered.
January 15, 2021
This one didn't really work for me. You go from quite a light, jokey chapter that's easy to read to one that gets bogged down in too much detail. There's one detailing a character's entire family tree, another where a character gives a very waffly description of what happens to souls when you die (which is then summarised by another character in about 4 sentences). These 'info dumps' really slow down the pace. The big section on La Senza's life history (at around the 75% mark) was where this book lost me - I realised that I just didn't care who he was or what happened to any of the characters, so I skimmed through the rest.
June 9, 2017
I got to 39 percent mainly on the strength of the quirkiness of the descriptions and some humor in the writing. But the book just rambles. I'm not too sure I care much about these characters or what happens to them so I won't be finishing. It just seems like a fairly straightforward good versus evil type supernatural story clogged up with a lot of rambling, pointless asides, tons of unneeded description and following back everybody's family tree. Several chapters into the book very little has actually happened.
July 15, 2019
If you enjoy British humour, a good mystery mixed with a bit of paranormal, then this is a book for you. You'll do a lot of eye-rolling and grinning, that will have others watching you and doubting your sanity.
I won't give any spoilers, but the book centers around a bad spirit that escapes the confines of Purgatory, and it's up to humans - under the direction of some wacky good ghosts/spirits - to get the bad spirit back to his prison cell in Purgatory. Does that grab you attention?
If you want to remove yourself from the pressures of your life or work, then I highly recommend this book.
I won't give any spoilers, but the book centers around a bad spirit that escapes the confines of Purgatory, and it's up to humans - under the direction of some wacky good ghosts/spirits - to get the bad spirit back to his prison cell in Purgatory. Does that grab you attention?
If you want to remove yourself from the pressures of your life or work, then I highly recommend this book.
December 5, 2020
The author doesn’t know whether he’s writing a thriller or a piece of whimsy. The plot and the central conceit are half decent. The action pieces aren’t too bad and if he’d cut most of the attempts at humour, which are very laboured in places, he might have a half decent story. The principal bad guy appears to have been lifted from a Carry On film.
What this book very badly needed was editing. Someone to keep the author focused.
I really must find a way of avoiding these self published efforts.
What this book very badly needed was editing. Someone to keep the author focused.
I really must find a way of avoiding these self published efforts.
July 11, 2020
Front-loaded exposition by the bucketload: I half read, half skimmed the opening chapter, which consists of something like 97% description of setting and 3% character (curate? curator?) walking through the village. I gave up on Lord of the Rings for the same reason, but at least Tolkien had the excuse of 'world building' to fall back on. The Unhappy Medium sounds so promising too, but it needs a brutal developmental edit.
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