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The Forty First Wink
"5 stars! This book was a total riot. I kept finding myself guffawing and snorting at all the odd, random moments and exceptionally clever word play one liners. The image of a whale on a pogo stick will stay with me for a while.”
–Vix Kirkpatrick, TheDailyBookworm.com
Marty is having a bad morning. Roused from slumber by a gang of polo mallet-wielding monkeys and a mysterious voice in his wardrobe, he must quickly come to terms with the fact that the world outside his door is now the world inside his head. Lying in wait amidst bleak, gloomy streets, deserted theme parks, and circus-themed nightclubs, lurks the oppressive shadow of a myriad of giggling, cackling pursuers, hell bent on throwing a custard pie or two into the works.
Assisted by a string of half-cocked schemes, a troupe of tiny unlikely allies, and (literally) the girl of his dreams, Marty sets out on a heroic quest to wake up and get out of bed.
Early reviews have compared The Forty First Wink to the works of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams.
Equal parts epic, funny and dark, The Forty First Wink plummets headlong into the realms of askew reality, adding elements of the macabre, and squeezing in an unlikely love story for good measure. It will take you on a journey where not even the sky is the limit, and literally anything could be around the next corner. The question is, do you have the guts (and the sanity) to find out?
–Vix Kirkpatrick, TheDailyBookworm.com
Marty is having a bad morning. Roused from slumber by a gang of polo mallet-wielding monkeys and a mysterious voice in his wardrobe, he must quickly come to terms with the fact that the world outside his door is now the world inside his head. Lying in wait amidst bleak, gloomy streets, deserted theme parks, and circus-themed nightclubs, lurks the oppressive shadow of a myriad of giggling, cackling pursuers, hell bent on throwing a custard pie or two into the works.
Assisted by a string of half-cocked schemes, a troupe of tiny unlikely allies, and (literally) the girl of his dreams, Marty sets out on a heroic quest to wake up and get out of bed.
Early reviews have compared The Forty First Wink to the works of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams.
Equal parts epic, funny and dark, The Forty First Wink plummets headlong into the realms of askew reality, adding elements of the macabre, and squeezing in an unlikely love story for good measure. It will take you on a journey where not even the sky is the limit, and literally anything could be around the next corner. The question is, do you have the guts (and the sanity) to find out?
Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2014
6 people are currently reading
453 people want to read
About the author
James Walley
8 books17 followersHailing from the mystical isle of Great Britain, James Walley is an author who prefers his reality banana shaped.
His debut novel, The Forty First Wink, released through Ragnarok Publications in 2014 scuttles gleefully into this bracket, with a blend of humour, fantasy and the unusual.
A clutch of follow up work, both short and long (including books two and three in the Wink trilogy) are in the offing, and have a similar demented flavour.
When not writing, James is partial to a spot of singing, the odd horror movie or ten, and is a circus trained juggler.
His debut novel, The Forty First Wink, released through Ragnarok Publications in 2014 scuttles gleefully into this bracket, with a blend of humour, fantasy and the unusual.
A clutch of follow up work, both short and long (including books two and three in the Wink trilogy) are in the offing, and have a similar demented flavour.
When not writing, James is partial to a spot of singing, the odd horror movie or ten, and is a circus trained juggler.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 9, 2014
Review copy
Bizarre, stream-of-consciousness, fantasy; It's hard to put a finger on James Walley' s debut novel. One thing's for sure, you won't be bored.
Marty thinks he's awakened with a massive hangover, but actually he's still asleep and stuck in his dream with evil clowns, cloth pirates, bodies of water made of paper, mirror images with a mind of their own, flying galleons, and much more.
"When he had woken that morning, he had not expected to be going to work, and he had certainly not expected to be arriving at work at the helm of a pirate galleon, with a small army of stuffed toys and a massive robotic bird. Even as insane as that concept sounded in his head, it sure beat taking the bus."
With a writing style reminiscent of the late Douglas Adams (while remaining entirely Earthbound, if you don't count a flying Pirate ship), James Walley takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride of an adventure.
True, this isn't great literature, but it certainly is great fun.
The Forty-First Wink will be released on June 16, 2014 from Ragnarok Publications. Set a reminder for yourself to grab this one when it comes out.
Highly recommended.
Bizarre, stream-of-consciousness, fantasy; It's hard to put a finger on James Walley' s debut novel. One thing's for sure, you won't be bored.
Marty thinks he's awakened with a massive hangover, but actually he's still asleep and stuck in his dream with evil clowns, cloth pirates, bodies of water made of paper, mirror images with a mind of their own, flying galleons, and much more.
"When he had woken that morning, he had not expected to be going to work, and he had certainly not expected to be arriving at work at the helm of a pirate galleon, with a small army of stuffed toys and a massive robotic bird. Even as insane as that concept sounded in his head, it sure beat taking the bus."
With a writing style reminiscent of the late Douglas Adams (while remaining entirely Earthbound, if you don't count a flying Pirate ship), James Walley takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride of an adventure.
True, this isn't great literature, but it certainly is great fun.
The Forty-First Wink will be released on June 16, 2014 from Ragnarok Publications. Set a reminder for yourself to grab this one when it comes out.
Highly recommended.
June 6, 2014
Ragnarok Publications does it again. The Forty-First Wink is a delightful journey into the realm of dreams and beyond. Right from the first page, a reader will be immersed into author James Walley’s fertile imagination and given no break. The adventure is relentless and quick, rendering this novel a solid choice for summertime reading for consumers of all ages.
Imagine rediscovering Douglas Adams all over again and injecting his works with the likes of Grant Morrison and Dr. Seuss. As I devoured the advanced copy, I could not stop thinking how wonderful this tale would be as an animated film. I dearly hope this marvelous work is merchandised one day with toys and video games. When reading this, one could not deny craving to have a scale-model of Timber’s pirate ship complete with Whipstaff, Oaf and the twins on their shelves. Read this and you’ll know what I mean.
A tight narrative packed with remarkable imagery, The Forty-First Wink will be that book which opens the Bizarro genre to wide markets. Good job, Ragnarok!
Imagine rediscovering Douglas Adams all over again and injecting his works with the likes of Grant Morrison and Dr. Seuss. As I devoured the advanced copy, I could not stop thinking how wonderful this tale would be as an animated film. I dearly hope this marvelous work is merchandised one day with toys and video games. When reading this, one could not deny craving to have a scale-model of Timber’s pirate ship complete with Whipstaff, Oaf and the twins on their shelves. Read this and you’ll know what I mean.
A tight narrative packed with remarkable imagery, The Forty-First Wink will be that book which opens the Bizarro genre to wide markets. Good job, Ragnarok!
June 18, 2014
The Forty First Wink is not your average kind of novel. It’s a laugh-out-loud, ‘glorious romp’ of a novel, which offers a delightful mix of humour, adventures, quirky characters and memorable dialogue. It’s also James Walley’s debut as an author, and another excellent offering by Ragnarok Publications.
The story starts off with a bang (literally) when our main protagonist, Marty, wakes up with a hangover, a gang of polo mallet wielding monkeys and a mysterious voice in his wardrobe. There are also the whistling, can-can dancing birds, the talking pirate doll (Timbers), the crazy reflection in the mirror… In short, it’s a dream unlike any other you’ve ever had. And it only escalates from there. Throughout the pages we get to meet creepy clowns, Jamaican, French and German canaries (the distinction is important), a crew of pirates that rivals Jack Sparrow’s, and the so-called League of Fairly Impressive Super Folk… Simply put, the book is a wonderful mosaic of colourful, memorable and fantastic images, glued together by a fast-paced plot and some of the best dialogue in a ‘comedy’ novel I've read in a while.
To illustrate that, here’s a quick glance at one of my favourite interactions between Marty and Timbers, which also introduces a very special… hmm… super hero:
‘“Well, there's the Tea Lady,” Timbers mumbled, “but I doubt she'd be of much use.”
“No, she doesn't sound it.” Marty rubbed his forehead in anticipation of what would surely be imminently onrushing disappointment. “What does she do?”
Timbers, to his credit, tried to dress it up, “Well, she has this shiny tray that she flings about. Oh, and she can shoot hot tea from her eyes.”
Marty puffed out his cheeks and shook his head skeptically. “That's not massively helpful.”
Timbers was defiant. “Depends if you want a cup of tea.”’
And that’s just the Tea Lady. Needless to say, the rest of the League is not much better (or is that worse?), but I’d definitely love to see them in their own adventure. In fact, the whole cast of The Forty First Wink is assembled brilliantly and will surely stay with you long after the final pages of the novel. That, in my view, is one of Walley’s greatest strengths as a writer – the ability to portrait unlikely heroes.
Another highpoint is the writing style. To be perfectly honest, the first comparison that came to my mind when I started reading the novel was Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. Have you read Alice? It’s quite a unique experience, the first time ever you open those pages and ‘meet’ the White Rabbit, the Caterpillar, the Hatter, and, of course, the Cheshire Cat.
I felt exactly the same way while discovering and exploring James Walley’s world. There was that same sense of wonder, same sense of fascination, that lets you know you've got something special in your hands. The prose, too, reminded me of the lyrical, light and accessible style of Carroll’s Alice, only it was fast-forwarded to the present, thus sparing us some of those longish, nineteenth century sentences…
Last but not least, I feel that The Forty First Wink is a novel that would appeal equally to teens and their parents, and which offers something for everyone, being fans of Terry Pratchett, Lewis Carroll, Fantasy, or good literature in general.
As a conclusion, I’d suggest you take advantage of the summer months and warm, sunny weather, and sit back and enjoy the light-hearted, fun and exciting adventure that is The Forty First Wink. Just don’t read it too quickly, because you’d definitely want more once you’re finished! Personally, I'm eager to see where James Walley takes us next…
The story starts off with a bang (literally) when our main protagonist, Marty, wakes up with a hangover, a gang of polo mallet wielding monkeys and a mysterious voice in his wardrobe. There are also the whistling, can-can dancing birds, the talking pirate doll (Timbers), the crazy reflection in the mirror… In short, it’s a dream unlike any other you’ve ever had. And it only escalates from there. Throughout the pages we get to meet creepy clowns, Jamaican, French and German canaries (the distinction is important), a crew of pirates that rivals Jack Sparrow’s, and the so-called League of Fairly Impressive Super Folk… Simply put, the book is a wonderful mosaic of colourful, memorable and fantastic images, glued together by a fast-paced plot and some of the best dialogue in a ‘comedy’ novel I've read in a while.
To illustrate that, here’s a quick glance at one of my favourite interactions between Marty and Timbers, which also introduces a very special… hmm… super hero:
‘“Well, there's the Tea Lady,” Timbers mumbled, “but I doubt she'd be of much use.”
“No, she doesn't sound it.” Marty rubbed his forehead in anticipation of what would surely be imminently onrushing disappointment. “What does she do?”
Timbers, to his credit, tried to dress it up, “Well, she has this shiny tray that she flings about. Oh, and she can shoot hot tea from her eyes.”
Marty puffed out his cheeks and shook his head skeptically. “That's not massively helpful.”
Timbers was defiant. “Depends if you want a cup of tea.”’
And that’s just the Tea Lady. Needless to say, the rest of the League is not much better (or is that worse?), but I’d definitely love to see them in their own adventure. In fact, the whole cast of The Forty First Wink is assembled brilliantly and will surely stay with you long after the final pages of the novel. That, in my view, is one of Walley’s greatest strengths as a writer – the ability to portrait unlikely heroes.
Another highpoint is the writing style. To be perfectly honest, the first comparison that came to my mind when I started reading the novel was Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. Have you read Alice? It’s quite a unique experience, the first time ever you open those pages and ‘meet’ the White Rabbit, the Caterpillar, the Hatter, and, of course, the Cheshire Cat.
I felt exactly the same way while discovering and exploring James Walley’s world. There was that same sense of wonder, same sense of fascination, that lets you know you've got something special in your hands. The prose, too, reminded me of the lyrical, light and accessible style of Carroll’s Alice, only it was fast-forwarded to the present, thus sparing us some of those longish, nineteenth century sentences…
Last but not least, I feel that The Forty First Wink is a novel that would appeal equally to teens and their parents, and which offers something for everyone, being fans of Terry Pratchett, Lewis Carroll, Fantasy, or good literature in general.
As a conclusion, I’d suggest you take advantage of the summer months and warm, sunny weather, and sit back and enjoy the light-hearted, fun and exciting adventure that is The Forty First Wink. Just don’t read it too quickly, because you’d definitely want more once you’re finished! Personally, I'm eager to see where James Walley takes us next…
March 26, 2015
Well, that was weird.
If you wonder who out there might be around to offer the kind of whimsy and weirdness that readers loved from Terry Pratchett, James Walley is a writer you may want to consider.
In The Forty-First Wink, Marty is your usual lovable schlub. One morning he awakes with what he believes to be one monster hangover. Why else would there be monkeys in his bedroom wielding polo mallets?
Well, turns out Marty is trapped inside his own mind, or more accurately, his dreams. All of the wacky and whacked out entities now surrounding him have populated his dreams for as long as he can remember, and finds himself aligning with a few to find a way to wake up and stop his mirror-image doppelganger from sabotaging his plans. The tiny toy pirate might be some help. The actual girl of his dreams, too. The psycho clown? Err ... maybe keep looking.
With an abandonment of dry British humor and an embracing of the absurd, Forty-First Wink is a mix of Alice in Wonderland and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, with some Robot Chicken for seasoning. It's madly off in all directions, yet manages to keep a towline of a plot pushing the story forward through the kaleidoscopic dreamscape that is Marty's mind.
It might be a bit rough around the edges, but it's fun and a strong showing from a debut author that has my attention when it comes to his next book.
If you wonder who out there might be around to offer the kind of whimsy and weirdness that readers loved from Terry Pratchett, James Walley is a writer you may want to consider.
In The Forty-First Wink, Marty is your usual lovable schlub. One morning he awakes with what he believes to be one monster hangover. Why else would there be monkeys in his bedroom wielding polo mallets?
Well, turns out Marty is trapped inside his own mind, or more accurately, his dreams. All of the wacky and whacked out entities now surrounding him have populated his dreams for as long as he can remember, and finds himself aligning with a few to find a way to wake up and stop his mirror-image doppelganger from sabotaging his plans. The tiny toy pirate might be some help. The actual girl of his dreams, too. The psycho clown? Err ... maybe keep looking.
With an abandonment of dry British humor and an embracing of the absurd, Forty-First Wink is a mix of Alice in Wonderland and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, with some Robot Chicken for seasoning. It's madly off in all directions, yet manages to keep a towline of a plot pushing the story forward through the kaleidoscopic dreamscape that is Marty's mind.
It might be a bit rough around the edges, but it's fun and a strong showing from a debut author that has my attention when it comes to his next book.
June 6, 2014
The Forty First Wink was quite a bit different from what I've gotten used to in the last year or so and it took me a long time to finish it...
Having said that, it's a heck of a fun read.
It begins with Marty (our hero) waking up with a monster hangover which quickly turns into something quite different. High adventure! Clowns! Pirates! THE GIRL OF YOUR DREAMS! It's great kids, step up and take a peek.
I actually got this copy free in exchange for an honest review and here's a quick and dirty one because I'm new at the review copy game: As soon as I'm done here I'm going to contact Mr. Walley and see if I can pay him for it.
I don't really know what else I can say about it without giving too much away but I can tell you that I'd dig hanging out in the author's imagination for a while.
Having said that, it's a heck of a fun read.
It begins with Marty (our hero) waking up with a monster hangover which quickly turns into something quite different. High adventure! Clowns! Pirates! THE GIRL OF YOUR DREAMS! It's great kids, step up and take a peek.
I actually got this copy free in exchange for an honest review and here's a quick and dirty one because I'm new at the review copy game: As soon as I'm done here I'm going to contact Mr. Walley and see if I can pay him for it.
I don't really know what else I can say about it without giving too much away but I can tell you that I'd dig hanging out in the author's imagination for a while.
June 18, 2014
When I first got the PR email telling me about this book and asking if I wanted a copy to review, I recall saying that it sounded “too entertaining to say no to”. Happily, I was right!
Admittedly, surreal humour doesn’t always hit the mark with me. I absolutely adore Terry Pratchett’s Discworld opus, but I was much less taken with Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - both of which this author’s writing has been compared to. In fairness, I think it’s a tricky thing to hit the right notes with. You can never know what will tickle someone’s funny bone, or be sufficiently creepy when need be. James Walley does both, for me, and does it very well.
Clowns in pogo-stick cars, people. You have been warned.
But please don’t let that put you off. This story has plenty to shudder about, but it also has a great adventure story to tell. The whole waking-dream approach naturally gives the author free rein to go nuts, and he also does this well. Who doesn’t love talking toy pirates, right? His gift for writing comedy is also a credit to him. As it turns out, it is kind of difficult to be terrified of evil clowns when they’re bouncing around on a bouncy castle and being fought, cannonball-style, by one of the aforementioned toy pirates.
And part of me now dearly wishes that bouncy castle kung-fu was more of a thing.
As for the adventure part, again Walley hits all the right notes – and comes up with some wonderfully ridiculous modes of transportation while he’s at it. Case in point: the Flying Fathom. It’s a pirate ship… Carried through the air by a giant mechanical parrot. Because dream. Because why not?
Setting all of the surreal aside for a moment, I’ve got to say that my favourite part of all this is probably the most normal aspect (and that is by no means a failure on the author’s part!) – the sense of camaraderie between Marty, our protagonist, and the toy pirate crew who help him on his quest. Their pirate captain, Timbers, is Marty’s favourite childhood toy come to life; naturally, Marty rediscovers along the way why he treasured (no pun intended) this toy so much. And Timbers himself is a fantastic character. The tiny toy knows no fear, launching himself into the adventure and (literally) straight at clown faces with equal amounts of pirate abandon. Quite the role model, for a toy…
Here is where it’s got shades of Toy Story, for me. The friendship between a man and his favourite toy is undeniably sweet, but this is a story about daring adventures, and it’s the daring adventure that takes precedence. The lessons Marty begins to learn about self-confidence and Seizing Life In Both Hands never derails this, but instead works nicely hand in hand with it. It adds welcome depth to a story that, without it, might well have fallen a little flat.
This book makes an excellent debut effort. It may not have struck me as quite so laugh-out-loud funny as Pratchett’s work, but it’s definitely on the same scale – and that is nothing at all to sneeze at! It has most certainly put James Walley on my Authors To Watch list.
Admittedly, surreal humour doesn’t always hit the mark with me. I absolutely adore Terry Pratchett’s Discworld opus, but I was much less taken with Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - both of which this author’s writing has been compared to. In fairness, I think it’s a tricky thing to hit the right notes with. You can never know what will tickle someone’s funny bone, or be sufficiently creepy when need be. James Walley does both, for me, and does it very well.
Clowns in pogo-stick cars, people. You have been warned.
But please don’t let that put you off. This story has plenty to shudder about, but it also has a great adventure story to tell. The whole waking-dream approach naturally gives the author free rein to go nuts, and he also does this well. Who doesn’t love talking toy pirates, right? His gift for writing comedy is also a credit to him. As it turns out, it is kind of difficult to be terrified of evil clowns when they’re bouncing around on a bouncy castle and being fought, cannonball-style, by one of the aforementioned toy pirates.
And part of me now dearly wishes that bouncy castle kung-fu was more of a thing.
As for the adventure part, again Walley hits all the right notes – and comes up with some wonderfully ridiculous modes of transportation while he’s at it. Case in point: the Flying Fathom. It’s a pirate ship… Carried through the air by a giant mechanical parrot. Because dream. Because why not?
Setting all of the surreal aside for a moment, I’ve got to say that my favourite part of all this is probably the most normal aspect (and that is by no means a failure on the author’s part!) – the sense of camaraderie between Marty, our protagonist, and the toy pirate crew who help him on his quest. Their pirate captain, Timbers, is Marty’s favourite childhood toy come to life; naturally, Marty rediscovers along the way why he treasured (no pun intended) this toy so much. And Timbers himself is a fantastic character. The tiny toy knows no fear, launching himself into the adventure and (literally) straight at clown faces with equal amounts of pirate abandon. Quite the role model, for a toy…
Here is where it’s got shades of Toy Story, for me. The friendship between a man and his favourite toy is undeniably sweet, but this is a story about daring adventures, and it’s the daring adventure that takes precedence. The lessons Marty begins to learn about self-confidence and Seizing Life In Both Hands never derails this, but instead works nicely hand in hand with it. It adds welcome depth to a story that, without it, might well have fallen a little flat.
This book makes an excellent debut effort. It may not have struck me as quite so laugh-out-loud funny as Pratchett’s work, but it’s definitely on the same scale – and that is nothing at all to sneeze at! It has most certainly put James Walley on my Authors To Watch list.
November 13, 2014
I’ve been reading a lot of very dark, very serious books lately and was about to reach for one I was in the middle of reading when I had the thought, “Yeah, I’m just not in the mood for bleak right now. Let me try something light.” It was a very good idea.
James Walley’s debut can be summed up in one word. Fun. This book is a fun read.
After being rudely awoken inside his own dream, Marty begins his epic quest to escape his own surreal dreamscape and wake up. His companions include the toy, stuffed pirates he had as a child, the girl of his dreams (who in real life he had only one date with and it was a bad one), and a geriatric superhero that devours books (as in eats them).
Pacing was good and it didn't drag. The voice was a strange stream of conscious style, full of weird and humorous clauses and tangents, much like Douglas Adams. Some might find that style a bit awkward to get used to, but once you do, it’s a lot of fun.
James Walley’s debut can be summed up in one word. Fun. This book is a fun read.
After being rudely awoken inside his own dream, Marty begins his epic quest to escape his own surreal dreamscape and wake up. His companions include the toy, stuffed pirates he had as a child, the girl of his dreams (who in real life he had only one date with and it was a bad one), and a geriatric superhero that devours books (as in eats them).
Pacing was good and it didn't drag. The voice was a strange stream of conscious style, full of weird and humorous clauses and tangents, much like Douglas Adams. Some might find that style a bit awkward to get used to, but once you do, it’s a lot of fun.
June 15, 2014
The Forty First Wink plunges you into a strange world that’s a gloriously weird hybrid of Labyrinth, Legend and Who Framed Roger Rabbit with a fast pace that doesn’t let up. Characters are strong and distinct, keeping up with the action and keeping you turning pages. This debut novel is funny and terrifying at the same time, making you relive your own hellish nightmares and wish for companions like Walley’s characters. With flying pirates, talking canaries and deranged clowns The Forty First Wink is a wonderful roller coaster of a read. I look forward to much more from James Walley.
June 18, 2014
An outside reality of what one man's mind. A journey of laughs and almost every child's worst nightmare clowns.
Marty think he has woke up but his journey has just begun. With a cast of likable characters that take on a fight with clowns over sea and in the streets. A rip roaring journey that will have you flying through pages.
Walley's concept of a dream state is very interesting. Clowns and pirates have never been better.
Marty think he has woke up but his journey has just begun. With a cast of likable characters that take on a fight with clowns over sea and in the streets. A rip roaring journey that will have you flying through pages.
Walley's concept of a dream state is very interesting. Clowns and pirates have never been better.
June 7, 2014
James Walley's debut is a roller-coaster through a dream, and never once does the tone drift from a neat blend of adventure and surreal. I was lucky enough to be given a review copy,and boy am I glad. It's unique, but has echoes of Groundhog Day and Alice in Wonderland. The best news? It is the first in a new trilogy.
Go forth and read.
Go forth and read.
September 16, 2016
The words "glorious romp" are accurate - but just too dry to do James Walley's incredibly impressive debut "The Forty First Wink" justice.
I cannot recall the last time I had so much gleeful, ghoulish, surrealistic, garish FUN reading a novel.
You know that feeling you got as a child on Halloween night? The first year that you were old enough to really absorb all the childish mayhem, fun mystery, and underlying creep between your excited giggles?
That was "The Forty First Wink" for me. The magical butterflies, carnival of the dreamy and bizarre that I recall from being a ten-year old child about to set out trick-or-treating as the sun slipped from the October sky.
Walley puts forth a debut effort that is astoundingly imaginative and wonderfully witty --- giving the reader a true treat of depth, wit, color, and even some creep --- bordering some on the psychedelic, while painting a canvas that is utterly and convincingly a dreamscape.
One part merry madness, one part heroic tale, one part fantastical journey through the mind's eye --- James Walley's "The Forty First Wink" is a novel people will be talking about --- and one YOU should be reading.
Marvelous. Take a copy home with you. Send a copy to a friend.
January 16, 2015
This book is clever. It's written well. Has some breathtaking action scenes. Kind of a whale of an adventure. Reminded me of the movie Time Bandits or The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988). Only, this adventure included some pretty epic (and evil) clowns. Oh, and pirates! It certainly deserves more than 4 stars but not quite enough for me to push it to the top along with my ultimate favorites ... close, though. In any case (and more importantly) it entertained the heck out of me. I will definitely be waiting for book II.
June 21, 2014
One of the most fun reads in years. Clowns, stuffed pirates, a flying boat, what more do ya need for a good time? One of those stories where you just want to have out with the characters. Going to miss Timbers and the gang.
June 23, 2014
Love this book just want i have been looking for something with adventures and a lot of laughs Marty, Timbers and the crew are amazing together perfect fit. Its a great read you wont be disappointed im so looking forward to reading more by James Walley
July 12, 2014
A magical and whimsical journey into the inner-worlds of dreams and nightmares, The Forty First Wink details the twenty-something protagonist Marty as he wakes up into a day filled with adventure, talking stuffed pirates, thrilling chases, demonic clowns and wonder; or does he? This book brought me back to my childhood with the memories of such film classics as Time Bandits, Labyrinth, Alice in Wonderland and many more. In fact reading this hectic and whirling comedy was akin to watching one of those cherished classics. I wish I could see what the Jim Henson company would do with this story. In any case, the humor was steady and kept the chuckles coming. Proficient with wit, description, characterization and beyond profecient with wonderful imagination, James Walley needs to keep setting down his dreams for the rest of us to enjoy.
I recieved a free electronic copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I recieved a free electronic copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
July 30, 2014
This was an amazing book about a man named Marty who wakes up in his own dream, meets a toy from his childhood, and clowns from his nightmares. He has to find his way home from his own dream and his own reflection.
August 20, 2014
If Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett had a live child, that child might have come up with The Forty-First Wink.... But, then, James Walley could sue for plagiarism, because he wrote the book first....
A fun read, I thoroughly enjoyed it....
Hurry up and write me some more words, Mr. Walley!
A fun read, I thoroughly enjoyed it....
Hurry up and write me some more words, Mr. Walley!
September 3, 2022
Douglas Adams. Grant Morrison. Dr. Seus. Terry Pratchett. Those four names right there, found in the cover blurb for The Forty First Wink, are what initially caught my interest . . . and what had me so cautious about diving into James Walley's world. If he could live up to that literary legacy, then Walley would have a sure-fire winner on his hands, but were he to stumble even a little . . . well, those are some lofty expectations under which to be crushed.
As it turns out, they are all fair comparisons. This was a fun, imaginative, laugh-out-loud novel that lagged a bit in the middle, as the initial novelty wore off, but which redeemed itself with a madcap climax.
What could possibly be worse that waking up with the worst hangover of your life? Try finding out that you haven't really woken up, but that you are instead destined to suffer with that hangover through a sort of waking dream, one populated by a greedy mirror doppelganger, childhood toys come to life, a Giggletastic carnival, and a very demonic clown. Don't worry, it'll all be okay, so long as you can maintain your sense of humor.
What makes this work so well is the contrast of the slapstick elements in the plot, and the subtle humor of the narration. Walley knows what he's writing is funny, and he trusts the reader to laugh along, without trying to force the issue or nudge-nudge, wink-wink his way into your head. The opening chapters are, in fact, very Prachett-esque, leaving you both amused and confused. The story twists and turns a few times throughout, but even when it hits its darkest moments, there's still a throbbing vein of macabre humor to keep it going.
Whether or not The Forty First Wink every achieves the distinction of a true classic remains to be seen, but I suspect Walley is an author we're going to be seeing a lot more of in the future, and I'm looking forward to it. Humorous fantasy is so very difficult to pull off, but I think he's mastered it here.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
As it turns out, they are all fair comparisons. This was a fun, imaginative, laugh-out-loud novel that lagged a bit in the middle, as the initial novelty wore off, but which redeemed itself with a madcap climax.
What could possibly be worse that waking up with the worst hangover of your life? Try finding out that you haven't really woken up, but that you are instead destined to suffer with that hangover through a sort of waking dream, one populated by a greedy mirror doppelganger, childhood toys come to life, a Giggletastic carnival, and a very demonic clown. Don't worry, it'll all be okay, so long as you can maintain your sense of humor.
What makes this work so well is the contrast of the slapstick elements in the plot, and the subtle humor of the narration. Walley knows what he's writing is funny, and he trusts the reader to laugh along, without trying to force the issue or nudge-nudge, wink-wink his way into your head. The opening chapters are, in fact, very Prachett-esque, leaving you both amused and confused. The story twists and turns a few times throughout, but even when it hits its darkest moments, there's still a throbbing vein of macabre humor to keep it going.
Whether or not The Forty First Wink every achieves the distinction of a true classic remains to be seen, but I suspect Walley is an author we're going to be seeing a lot more of in the future, and I'm looking forward to it. Humorous fantasy is so very difficult to pull off, but I think he's mastered it here.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
January 18, 2016
The Forty-First Wink is a novel which would make an excellent Terry Gilliam movie. It doesn't have that deep psychological edge or dream-logic which makes things like Brazil so appealing but there's some fun stuff here which is reminiscent of Time Bandits (an underrated classic).
If I were to summarize what it's like, I'd say it's what you get when you dump Simon Pegg's character from Shaun of the Dead into Toon Town. It's very obvious the novel was written by a resident of the British Isles since the humor works best when viewed through the lens of a poor working-class schlub dumped into a magical dream world only to get chased around by evil psychotic clowns. All the while being helped by a bunch of toy pirates.
*pause*
Oh wait, that's just the plot.
Sorry.
The premise is Marty is a Generation Y-er who aspires to be an artist but hasn't managed to create anything. Instead, he spends the majority of his existence in a figurative sleepwalking state, going to work and returning home to go back to work in the morning again. He has dreams and works in a profession which is symbolic of the fact they're being put aside for other people's amusement (he's one of the guys animal costumes at theme parks).
One day, Marty's Id has enough of how much he's neglected and seizes control over his body. For most of this, it would mean going on a binge of drinking and causal hook-ups but for Marty results in his consciousness being dumped in his unconscious. The toys from his childhood, evil clowns, the girl he's been crushing on for months, kaiju, Nazis, and very-weird superheroes are the things he encounters in his quest to wake up.
The strength of the story is the way the novel apes Alice in Wonderland with an adult male protagonist. The world he inhabits is extremely random, being the detritus of Marty's existence, so there's more or less nothing which is off-limits. There's also some enjoyable symbolism which doesn't get spelled out, such as the fact pirate toy Timbers representing a time when anything was possible in Marty's life and the fact he's ruining his life by choosing not to engage with it.
If The Forty-First Wink has flaws, it's perhaps the fact the book is hesitant to engage with its protagonist. Marty remains a passive character in his dreamworld, willing to accept things on their own terms. The most honest moment of the book is Marty's lengthy discussion of his feelings for dream-girlfriend Kate as well as how he believes it is a universal truism clowns are horrifying rather than funny. Which is true, by the way.
I think the book could have been improved by exploring more of Mary's life and world in-particular. He goes to visit a bar to find Timbers, for example, but it would have been interesting to have it be one where he's spent a great deal of time. A place like the Winchester from Shaun of the Dead for example. Likewise, it seems somewhat dishonest that we have his fantasy girlfriend and worst nightmares in his subconscious but there's not a nod to the fact there's a dirty-thoughts district in his head.
Now, is the book funny?
That's an interesting question. I've read other reviews and heard it described as a laugh-a-minute romp while I took this as somewhat serious fairy-tale where the random events were dangerous. Is it funny to get chewed out by your reflection? To almost get stomped on by Godzilla? Maybe. It could also be taken at face-value. I suspect the humor content of the story will depend greatly on how the reader takes events.
In conclusion, The Forty-First Wink is a bizarre dream adventure which is quite different from the majority of works out there today. I would have liked Marty to have been more proactive in his pursuit of a better world or more insights into his mindset but I suppose the point of the book is he's a boring person. It's Timber and his eccentric crew who are there to show Marty has the potential to be something more.
7/10
If I were to summarize what it's like, I'd say it's what you get when you dump Simon Pegg's character from Shaun of the Dead into Toon Town. It's very obvious the novel was written by a resident of the British Isles since the humor works best when viewed through the lens of a poor working-class schlub dumped into a magical dream world only to get chased around by evil psychotic clowns. All the while being helped by a bunch of toy pirates.
*pause*
Oh wait, that's just the plot.
Sorry.
The premise is Marty is a Generation Y-er who aspires to be an artist but hasn't managed to create anything. Instead, he spends the majority of his existence in a figurative sleepwalking state, going to work and returning home to go back to work in the morning again. He has dreams and works in a profession which is symbolic of the fact they're being put aside for other people's amusement (he's one of the guys animal costumes at theme parks).
One day, Marty's Id has enough of how much he's neglected and seizes control over his body. For most of this, it would mean going on a binge of drinking and causal hook-ups but for Marty results in his consciousness being dumped in his unconscious. The toys from his childhood, evil clowns, the girl he's been crushing on for months, kaiju, Nazis, and very-weird superheroes are the things he encounters in his quest to wake up.
The strength of the story is the way the novel apes Alice in Wonderland with an adult male protagonist. The world he inhabits is extremely random, being the detritus of Marty's existence, so there's more or less nothing which is off-limits. There's also some enjoyable symbolism which doesn't get spelled out, such as the fact pirate toy Timbers representing a time when anything was possible in Marty's life and the fact he's ruining his life by choosing not to engage with it.
If The Forty-First Wink has flaws, it's perhaps the fact the book is hesitant to engage with its protagonist. Marty remains a passive character in his dreamworld, willing to accept things on their own terms. The most honest moment of the book is Marty's lengthy discussion of his feelings for dream-girlfriend Kate as well as how he believes it is a universal truism clowns are horrifying rather than funny. Which is true, by the way.
I think the book could have been improved by exploring more of Mary's life and world in-particular. He goes to visit a bar to find Timbers, for example, but it would have been interesting to have it be one where he's spent a great deal of time. A place like the Winchester from Shaun of the Dead for example. Likewise, it seems somewhat dishonest that we have his fantasy girlfriend and worst nightmares in his subconscious but there's not a nod to the fact there's a dirty-thoughts district in his head.
Now, is the book funny?
That's an interesting question. I've read other reviews and heard it described as a laugh-a-minute romp while I took this as somewhat serious fairy-tale where the random events were dangerous. Is it funny to get chewed out by your reflection? To almost get stomped on by Godzilla? Maybe. It could also be taken at face-value. I suspect the humor content of the story will depend greatly on how the reader takes events.
In conclusion, The Forty-First Wink is a bizarre dream adventure which is quite different from the majority of works out there today. I would have liked Marty to have been more proactive in his pursuit of a better world or more insights into his mindset but I suppose the point of the book is he's a boring person. It's Timber and his eccentric crew who are there to show Marty has the potential to be something more.
7/10
July 7, 2014
The Forty First Wink is the debut release from British writer, James Walley. The story centers around Marty, who after a night in the company of Tequila manages to awaken trapped inside his own dream. From that very first moment when he comes around to a beer monkey sat on his chest wielding a polo-mallet it’s obvious this is going to be quite a ride. That ride naturally being on land, underwater and, of course, from the deck of a pirate ship being flown through the air, carried by a large metallic parrot.
Marty’s mission, and in turn the story, it turns out is just as you would expect – he just needs to awaken to escape from his current predicament. Aiding Marty on his journey through this craziest of lands Walley has created a great supporting cast in: Timbers, a tiny, cloth pirate from Marty’s youth and the wisecracking star of the show; Kate, the one who due to Marty’s ineffectiveness ‘got away’; and the cloth crew of Timbers’ flying pirate ship in Whipstaff, Oaf and the twins Bob and Also Bob. The geriatric, lycra-clad superhero, I’ll let you discover for yourselves…
Escaping from a dream however is not as easy as you would imagine, especially when added into the mix is Walley’s antagonist Mr. Peepers, scary clown extraordinaire, and his posse of giggling, clawing, red-nosed cronies. It’s enough to encourage Coulrophobia in the best of us. Now, Marty is wanted by Peepers over all the others and he’ll stop at nothing to get his hands on him. This creates almost a constant state of ‘chase’ throughout the novel. From scene to scene Marty stumbles around in an effort to get home, while trying to keep one step ahead of Peepers.
With equal parts humor and suspense in Walley’s debut, it’s easy to see why names like Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett have been mentioned in comparison. In fact, anytime someone seems to write with humor these days the same names get banded around – at least this time I can confirm it’s deserved. One minute you find yourself gripping the arm of the chair as the chase intensifies, the next you get that imaginary nudge in the ribs, accompanied by a cheeky wink, as someone drops a genius one-liner.
In a way what Walley has created is quite brilliant – when your setting is a dreamscape, absolutely anything goes. If you want your cars to be on pogo sticks, that’s fine. If you think the best way for your pirate ship to travel is to be flown by a giant metallic parrot, you know, that’s cool too. The best thing about it all, there’s no need to explain why. No reason necessary, because after all it’s just a dream, and everyone knows how crazy they can be.
Distractions-wise, there was very little to halt the flow. There were a couple of instances when I ‘lost visual’ and had to drop back slightly to get a grip on what exactly was happening. But when everything is a little madcap, that’s always the risk you take. Otherwise, a fully stellar debut from Mr Walley.
I’ll leave you with my favourite quote, I think it says it all:
“In no conceivable reality did he ever imagine he would be riding a pogo stick propelled gangster wagon full of psychotic clowns, anticipating a possible death-defying leap into an ice cream van piloted by a geriatric and a bunch of pirates”
**** 4 1/2 STARS
PAUL
Marty’s mission, and in turn the story, it turns out is just as you would expect – he just needs to awaken to escape from his current predicament. Aiding Marty on his journey through this craziest of lands Walley has created a great supporting cast in: Timbers, a tiny, cloth pirate from Marty’s youth and the wisecracking star of the show; Kate, the one who due to Marty’s ineffectiveness ‘got away’; and the cloth crew of Timbers’ flying pirate ship in Whipstaff, Oaf and the twins Bob and Also Bob. The geriatric, lycra-clad superhero, I’ll let you discover for yourselves…
Escaping from a dream however is not as easy as you would imagine, especially when added into the mix is Walley’s antagonist Mr. Peepers, scary clown extraordinaire, and his posse of giggling, clawing, red-nosed cronies. It’s enough to encourage Coulrophobia in the best of us. Now, Marty is wanted by Peepers over all the others and he’ll stop at nothing to get his hands on him. This creates almost a constant state of ‘chase’ throughout the novel. From scene to scene Marty stumbles around in an effort to get home, while trying to keep one step ahead of Peepers.
With equal parts humor and suspense in Walley’s debut, it’s easy to see why names like Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett have been mentioned in comparison. In fact, anytime someone seems to write with humor these days the same names get banded around – at least this time I can confirm it’s deserved. One minute you find yourself gripping the arm of the chair as the chase intensifies, the next you get that imaginary nudge in the ribs, accompanied by a cheeky wink, as someone drops a genius one-liner.
In a way what Walley has created is quite brilliant – when your setting is a dreamscape, absolutely anything goes. If you want your cars to be on pogo sticks, that’s fine. If you think the best way for your pirate ship to travel is to be flown by a giant metallic parrot, you know, that’s cool too. The best thing about it all, there’s no need to explain why. No reason necessary, because after all it’s just a dream, and everyone knows how crazy they can be.
Distractions-wise, there was very little to halt the flow. There were a couple of instances when I ‘lost visual’ and had to drop back slightly to get a grip on what exactly was happening. But when everything is a little madcap, that’s always the risk you take. Otherwise, a fully stellar debut from Mr Walley.
I’ll leave you with my favourite quote, I think it says it all:
“In no conceivable reality did he ever imagine he would be riding a pogo stick propelled gangster wagon full of psychotic clowns, anticipating a possible death-defying leap into an ice cream van piloted by a geriatric and a bunch of pirates”
**** 4 1/2 STARS
PAUL
August 10, 2016
I'll start by saying this isn't my normal sort of book. I tend to stick to reading Fantasy with a healthy smattering of sci-fi. The Forty First Wink exists in a genre all of its own and if I had to name it I'd probably call that genre Pratchett.
The Forty First Wink follows our protagonist, Marty, as he struggles to wake up. Sounds a bit odd, but that's pretty much the long and short of it. Marty wakes up in his own dream and has to try and find a way out of it. Along for the ride he has a crew of tiny toy pirates, a flying pirate ship, his literal dream girl, and a geriatric not-so-super hero. He soon realises that not everyone in his dream wants him to wake up and chief among those arrayed against him is his own worst fear, clowns.
The story is a lot of fun, though definitely requires a fair amount of leaving your brain outside. I caught myself questioning logic a couple of a times before realising that it was a dream and therefore not entirely supposed to make sense. The pace is roaring, actually it rarely slows down. It's set over the course of a single day... inside dream space, and steadily adds new characters, new areas, and new set pieces.
Marty himself is about as normal as a protagonist can be really. I'm pretty sure he was designed to be the modern every-man and we get to see him grow as the story progresses. In many ways it's about him finding his courage, kind of like a modern Wizard of Oz... actually very much like a modern Wizard of Oz now I think about it. So Dorothy is likeable enough, despite being quite dense at times, and propels the story along nicely in his attempt to wake up.
The stand out character is without a doubt Timbers, the tiny toy pirate captain. Timbers is just pure fun, witty one liners, and a zest for life. He's pretty much Buzz Lightyear... but a pirate... and self-aware.
There are some genius lines in The Forty First Wink. Lines that you might expect from Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams. They actually made me laugh aloud at times and it's quite rare a book manages that.
I have a couple of gripes with the book. Adverbs. The book houses a few too many of them and once I noticed that it became hard to stop noticing it. They're everywhere at times and often completely superfluous... (sorry, had to do it). Most folk probably wouldn't notice, but I did and it kept pulling me out of the narrative.
The other issue is that often I found things over explained or described, leaving little to the imagination which actually hurt my ability to imagine it. I think the author needs to trust in his readers' imagination a bit more.
In the end I give The Forty First Wink 3 stars. The biggest problem I found was that I'm just not really too big a fan of comedy in my books. I found the same when reading Pratchett; I like humour while reading, not comedy.
The Forty First Wink follows our protagonist, Marty, as he struggles to wake up. Sounds a bit odd, but that's pretty much the long and short of it. Marty wakes up in his own dream and has to try and find a way out of it. Along for the ride he has a crew of tiny toy pirates, a flying pirate ship, his literal dream girl, and a geriatric not-so-super hero. He soon realises that not everyone in his dream wants him to wake up and chief among those arrayed against him is his own worst fear, clowns.
The story is a lot of fun, though definitely requires a fair amount of leaving your brain outside. I caught myself questioning logic a couple of a times before realising that it was a dream and therefore not entirely supposed to make sense. The pace is roaring, actually it rarely slows down. It's set over the course of a single day... inside dream space, and steadily adds new characters, new areas, and new set pieces.
Marty himself is about as normal as a protagonist can be really. I'm pretty sure he was designed to be the modern every-man and we get to see him grow as the story progresses. In many ways it's about him finding his courage, kind of like a modern Wizard of Oz... actually very much like a modern Wizard of Oz now I think about it. So Dorothy is likeable enough, despite being quite dense at times, and propels the story along nicely in his attempt to wake up.
The stand out character is without a doubt Timbers, the tiny toy pirate captain. Timbers is just pure fun, witty one liners, and a zest for life. He's pretty much Buzz Lightyear... but a pirate... and self-aware.
There are some genius lines in The Forty First Wink. Lines that you might expect from Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams. They actually made me laugh aloud at times and it's quite rare a book manages that.
I have a couple of gripes with the book. Adverbs. The book houses a few too many of them and once I noticed that it became hard to stop noticing it. They're everywhere at times and often completely superfluous... (sorry, had to do it). Most folk probably wouldn't notice, but I did and it kept pulling me out of the narrative.
The other issue is that often I found things over explained or described, leaving little to the imagination which actually hurt my ability to imagine it. I think the author needs to trust in his readers' imagination a bit more.
In the end I give The Forty First Wink 3 stars. The biggest problem I found was that I'm just not really too big a fan of comedy in my books. I found the same when reading Pratchett; I like humour while reading, not comedy.
February 27, 2017
Fantastic, if not a little bizarre, tale. I would recommend this to anyone wanting a bit of a reality escape as it's just so fun and daft in places. Really enjoyed the mini world James Wallet has built and looking forward to reading the next installment.
December 17, 2014
Marty is having a bad morning. Roused from slumber by a gang of polo mallet-wielding monkeys and a mysterious voice in his wardrobe, he must quickly come to terms with the fact that the world outside his door is now the world inside his head. Lying in wait amidst bleak, gloomy streets, deserted theme parks, and circus-themed nightclubs, lurks the oppressive shadow of a myriad of giggling, cackling pursuers, hell bent on throwing a custard pie or two into the works.
Assisted by a string of half-cocked schemes, a troupe of tiny unlikely allies, and (literally) the girl of his dreams, Marty sets out on a heroic quest to wake up and get out of bed.
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This book - Was so amazingly hilarious. I found myself taking screen shots of random parts of the book, so I could remember them to share with some friends. I laughed SO much. ( And they say laughing is good for the soul. ) It was full of amazing adventures, along with pirates, clowns, ice cream food fiights, kung-fu moves, and an amazing pirate with a killer afro. The romance that was tossed in, was just the perfect amount - Enough to keep you wondering about the two characters, but not enough to pull you away from everything else. It was lovely.
James painted the perfect picture of what could happen if you we're to suddenly wake up in a world where everything you have ever dreamed is something you could experience. Both scary and exhilarating.
My FAVORITE part of this entire book, was Timbers. Timbers is Martys childhood toy pirate, who comes to life in this world he is stuck in, trying to leave. Timbers was hilarious, well written and an amazing friend to have. I would love to have him as a sidekick, he would be the best.
Assisted by a string of half-cocked schemes, a troupe of tiny unlikely allies, and (literally) the girl of his dreams, Marty sets out on a heroic quest to wake up and get out of bed.
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This book - Was so amazingly hilarious. I found myself taking screen shots of random parts of the book, so I could remember them to share with some friends. I laughed SO much. ( And they say laughing is good for the soul. ) It was full of amazing adventures, along with pirates, clowns, ice cream food fiights, kung-fu moves, and an amazing pirate with a killer afro. The romance that was tossed in, was just the perfect amount - Enough to keep you wondering about the two characters, but not enough to pull you away from everything else. It was lovely.
James painted the perfect picture of what could happen if you we're to suddenly wake up in a world where everything you have ever dreamed is something you could experience. Both scary and exhilarating.
My FAVORITE part of this entire book, was Timbers. Timbers is Martys childhood toy pirate, who comes to life in this world he is stuck in, trying to leave. Timbers was hilarious, well written and an amazing friend to have. I would love to have him as a sidekick, he would be the best.
December 10, 2015
Picked this up on a recommendation and enjoying the book blurb that it was potentially like Hitchhikers, it clearly isn't story wise but the comparison on writing style is a good one, with perhaps a touch of Pratchett thrown in for good measure.
I really enjoyed the central idea of someone waking up in their own dream and having to figure out how to wake up and get home. It was a nice plot device that was central to the story but didn't dominate the characters or plot at all.
I would have to say that as sidekicks go a miniature Pirate named Timbers is up there with a zombie head that sings metal songs(Demon Squad)really good interaction between Timbers and the main character.
The story is well written fairly zips along and is a good light hearted read which I needed after a few more serious and involved books.
I can think of very few cons for this book hell I even enjoyed the love interest and the corny I had a really weird dream about you last night ending! Which actually opened up an interesting possibility for future books if the characters were indeed sharing a dream but only one was awake in it!
Clowns, Clowntown, act of genius everyone hates Clowns and Mr Peepers is a scary ass clown the cultural references here just made me laugh the author did a great job with this idea.
So yeah pick it up its a cracker.
I really enjoyed the central idea of someone waking up in their own dream and having to figure out how to wake up and get home. It was a nice plot device that was central to the story but didn't dominate the characters or plot at all.
I would have to say that as sidekicks go a miniature Pirate named Timbers is up there with a zombie head that sings metal songs(Demon Squad)really good interaction between Timbers and the main character.
The story is well written fairly zips along and is a good light hearted read which I needed after a few more serious and involved books.
I can think of very few cons for this book hell I even enjoyed the love interest and the corny I had a really weird dream about you last night ending! Which actually opened up an interesting possibility for future books if the characters were indeed sharing a dream but only one was awake in it!
Clowns, Clowntown, act of genius everyone hates Clowns and Mr Peepers is a scary ass clown the cultural references here just made me laugh the author did a great job with this idea.
So yeah pick it up its a cracker.
May 16, 2016
What do you get if Monte Python has an acid trip? The Forty First Wink, thats what. When Marty wakes up with an epic hangover with the beer monkees banging the drums, and his old pirate doll from his childhood starts talking to him, Marty realizes this is not just another ordinary day. In fact, Marty is trapped in his own subconscious dream, while his id has escaped throught the mirror. Marty then starts a hilarious and darkly comic romp through his subconscious, having allies like the pirate dolls who fly around on a giant metal parrot powerd ship, and his beautiful coworker at the amusement park he works at. Of course, the evil clowns he has chasing him dont want him to escape, since they want their new play toy Marty. What will Marty and his friends do? Well, you'll have to read to find out. With a fast paced and darkly hilarious plot, any fans of Rob Kroese or Terry Pratchett should really enjoy this book. Tim Gerard Reynolds, one of my favorite narrators, was the perfect choice to narrate this book. He really nails the voices and the tone the author was trying to set. Cant wait for book 2!
June 17, 2014
Having waited with bated Kindle for the imminent release of this debut novel, I was definitely not disappointed.
A well-deserved 5 stars awarded from me as this author, from the very first page painted a picture in my head in glorious technicolour with his words! vividly descriptive, funny, twisty, creepy and downright odd in places this novel is an un-putdownable page-turner from the very first word.
From endearing animate pirate toys to mechanical birds, monkeys with hammers (I'm guessing the author also has some experience with tequila along with Marty!) and a very loveable principal character who you just can't help but want it all to work out for, I loved this book. I was dubious when the clowns appeared.... villainous, creepy clowns..... but is there any other way to portray these evil creatures?!
Overall this is a very cohesive storyline, a well thought out plot and this book will take you on a journey inside your own mind that will make you laugh, question your own sanity and I bet you'll take a closer look at your reflection next time you look in a mirror!
A well-deserved 5 stars awarded from me as this author, from the very first page painted a picture in my head in glorious technicolour with his words! vividly descriptive, funny, twisty, creepy and downright odd in places this novel is an un-putdownable page-turner from the very first word.
From endearing animate pirate toys to mechanical birds, monkeys with hammers (I'm guessing the author also has some experience with tequila along with Marty!) and a very loveable principal character who you just can't help but want it all to work out for, I loved this book. I was dubious when the clowns appeared.... villainous, creepy clowns..... but is there any other way to portray these evil creatures?!
Overall this is a very cohesive storyline, a well thought out plot and this book will take you on a journey inside your own mind that will make you laugh, question your own sanity and I bet you'll take a closer look at your reflection next time you look in a mirror!
March 25, 2015
Wowzers! This was great! I've never read humor fantasy before as I always had the blind notion that it was just taking a jab at the genre I loved. I've begun reading Ragnarok Publications' catalog -- which only seems right as I work there -- and when seeing The Forty First Wink I thought, "What the hell, let's give it a shot, people seem to dig it." And after the first section I was mad that no one had forced me to read this sooner.
The atmosphere of the various settings are concisely given and help move the story along uninterrupted. It is chock-full of colorful characters, and physically-so when it comes to the clowns...oh, those damn clowns. I especially enjoyed The Locust, who gathered information and knowledge by eating books.
There's no chapters, which was very odd at first, but I got used to it and it actually accelerated my usual pace as I wasn't trying to just get to the next chapter break.
If I had to compare this to anything I'd probably say Little Nemo meets IT. A very fun and entertaining read; fans of fantasy and/or humor should definitely check this one out.
The atmosphere of the various settings are concisely given and help move the story along uninterrupted. It is chock-full of colorful characters, and physically-so when it comes to the clowns...oh, those damn clowns. I especially enjoyed The Locust, who gathered information and knowledge by eating books.
There's no chapters, which was very odd at first, but I got used to it and it actually accelerated my usual pace as I wasn't trying to just get to the next chapter break.
If I had to compare this to anything I'd probably say Little Nemo meets IT. A very fun and entertaining read; fans of fantasy and/or humor should definitely check this one out.
February 4, 2015
What an absolutely charming and delightful book.
Written in a wordy, very British style, James Walley's book is full of fun and fancy. Humorous, clean, and teetering on the edge of Bizarro, it was just a joyful read. Marty, his stuffed pirate friend Timbers, and crew encounter some strange friends and foes in the world located deep inside of Marty's dreams. Beautiful detailed, I could easily picture the scenes in my head. Walley is working on the sequel to The Forty First Wink and I can't wait to pick it up. This was the lighthearted read I was hoping for.
Written in a wordy, very British style, James Walley's book is full of fun and fancy. Humorous, clean, and teetering on the edge of Bizarro, it was just a joyful read. Marty, his stuffed pirate friend Timbers, and crew encounter some strange friends and foes in the world located deep inside of Marty's dreams. Beautiful detailed, I could easily picture the scenes in my head. Walley is working on the sequel to The Forty First Wink and I can't wait to pick it up. This was the lighthearted read I was hoping for.
July 16, 2014
This book was a delight from start to finish. I went in expecting Douglas Adams with a dash of Terry Pratchett, and it did not disappoint. The writing style is bouncy and fun, and each turn of the Kindle page left me delighted and sometimes surprised, always for the better.
Everything from the stuffed pirate friends to their massive mechanical parrot to the whales on pogo sticks and hangover monkeys left me wanting more.
Everything from the stuffed pirate friends to their massive mechanical parrot to the whales on pogo sticks and hangover monkeys left me wanting more.
September 7, 2016
After all the hype I'm left disappointed. The Author has used that much description in parts you are left wondering what the plot is?
It's ok for a debut, but I didn't want to read a thesaurus.
It's ok for a debut, but I didn't want to read a thesaurus.
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