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PREPARE FOR THE ZARGIAN DELEGATION: The civil service satire ... with added aliens!
“Prepare for the Zargian Delegation!” is the debut novel of humorous and satirical author, John Donkeyplonk. John spent 25 years in the UK civil service, in various Departments. His debut novel draws on that broad experience to imagine how the Civil Service would react to the news that an alien civilisation was sending a delegation to visit Earth. The result is a hilarious satirical romp through the Civil Service mindset – think a more up to date “Yes Minister” but with an added touch of alien!
The central character in “Prepare for the Zargian Delegation” is Ian Baines, a junior civil servant. Ian is surprised when he is invited to provide organisational and administrative support to the mysterious “Project Zarg.” He is even more surprised to find out that his boss is to be a nerdy Finance Director, Emmanuel Godley, who has been temporarily loaned to the Project to inject fresh and innovative business thinking. And when he discovers that the purpose of Project Zarg is to agree how to engage with beings from the Planet Zarg who are on their way to Earth to open negotiations ….
But how will the strange mix of civil servants on the Project decide to respond? Should we serenade the Zargians with the best of Earth music? Devise an interactive workshop? Or just blast them out of the skies before they even arrive? And why does Emmanuel Godley stick his head in a Perspex hood and constantly scratch his armpits? And who on earth are the “Leafies”?
Set in London and in Sheffield, “Prepare for the Zargian Delegation” is a primarily a funny book for whoever reads it, although it does explore some serious issues, like the influence of religious cults, and surrogacy. It will appeal in particular to serving or former civil servants in any country; but also to anyone who has had to experience the “group think” of a bureaucracy or major corporation – or indeed to anyone with an irreverent sense of humour!
The central character in “Prepare for the Zargian Delegation” is Ian Baines, a junior civil servant. Ian is surprised when he is invited to provide organisational and administrative support to the mysterious “Project Zarg.” He is even more surprised to find out that his boss is to be a nerdy Finance Director, Emmanuel Godley, who has been temporarily loaned to the Project to inject fresh and innovative business thinking. And when he discovers that the purpose of Project Zarg is to agree how to engage with beings from the Planet Zarg who are on their way to Earth to open negotiations ….
But how will the strange mix of civil servants on the Project decide to respond? Should we serenade the Zargians with the best of Earth music? Devise an interactive workshop? Or just blast them out of the skies before they even arrive? And why does Emmanuel Godley stick his head in a Perspex hood and constantly scratch his armpits? And who on earth are the “Leafies”?
Set in London and in Sheffield, “Prepare for the Zargian Delegation” is a primarily a funny book for whoever reads it, although it does explore some serious issues, like the influence of religious cults, and surrogacy. It will appeal in particular to serving or former civil servants in any country; but also to anyone who has had to experience the “group think” of a bureaucracy or major corporation – or indeed to anyone with an irreverent sense of humour!
302 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 20, 2025
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