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Time Snake and Superclown
This important new novel by the talented author of Candy Man, Vincent King, now makes its first appearance in Britain. It explores, through the eyes of a mysterious central figure, the concept of who or what is the alien among us and how do we know we all see the same thing.
As the Watcher moves through a series of times and worlds of his own, omnipotent, invulnerable, guarding the Zone against the Alien, he tries to understand why the wraiths, the fragile humans, feel no threat from the universe.
And the answer, when he finally learns it, is one which is both tragic and hopeful for the destiny of Mankind.
As the Watcher moves through a series of times and worlds of his own, omnipotent, invulnerable, guarding the Zone against the Alien, he tries to understand why the wraiths, the fragile humans, feel no threat from the universe.
And the answer, when he finally learns it, is one which is both tragic and hopeful for the destiny of Mankind.
191 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 8, 2014
Probably a minor classic, but certainly not for everyone.
This book has a reputation on the internet.
After it was called "the most demented book of all time" and "one of the weirdest SF books ever". I was expecting something totally crazy.
But, Time Snake and Superclown is not actually totally weird...
Ok, the main character does get his face turned into a clown mask and many of the scenes and transitions are bizarre and dreamlike. The setting in particular defies definition - perhaps I could call it a kind of non-linear holographic earth.
But the structure of the thing is actually relatively conventional, as is the prose, as are many of the motifs and themes employed. (e.g. first contact with the alien, man's evolution away from violence, etc.)
A large part of it consists of chasing an elusive and entrancing female character - male gaze activated. Hardly breaking new ground there.
In structure the book is a sort of Sci-Fi equivalent of twist-thriller movies like Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo or Brad Anderson's The Machinist, with perhaps some David Lynch elements thrown in. As in the aforementioned films, practically nothing makes sense until you are nearly at the end of the story. And even then, much ambiguity remains. You may be doomed to reread.
King went to art school and I thought of this when encountering tedious levels of detail in some of scenes as well as a reference to "Cubistic" art. It contains vivid images too. Comprehension isn't a big problem. The vocabulary is small, and the book specific words ("lightskin", "The Zone", "The Watcher", etc) are used so often that their meaning can be grasped within 3 chapters.
There are only 4 characters, and I suppose you could call it a psychological novel.
I'll admit I found the book frustrating, and I was considering only 3 stars until I came to the ending. Thank goodness for the ending because the story is confusing to say the least.
In conclusion, despite what the title suggests, this is not a joke book to laugh at like the diary of an LSD tripper. I was initially disappointed that it wasn't more fun but instead I found an original but difficult minor SF classic.
This book has a reputation on the internet.
After it was called "the most demented book of all time" and "one of the weirdest SF books ever". I was expecting something totally crazy.
But, Time Snake and Superclown is not actually totally weird...
Ok, the main character does get his face turned into a clown mask and many of the scenes and transitions are bizarre and dreamlike. The setting in particular defies definition - perhaps I could call it a kind of non-linear holographic earth.
But the structure of the thing is actually relatively conventional, as is the prose, as are many of the motifs and themes employed. (e.g. first contact with the alien, man's evolution away from violence, etc.)
A large part of it consists of chasing an elusive and entrancing female character - male gaze activated. Hardly breaking new ground there.
In structure the book is a sort of Sci-Fi equivalent of twist-thriller movies like Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo or Brad Anderson's The Machinist, with perhaps some David Lynch elements thrown in. As in the aforementioned films, practically nothing makes sense until you are nearly at the end of the story. And even then, much ambiguity remains. You may be doomed to reread.
King went to art school and I thought of this when encountering tedious levels of detail in some of scenes as well as a reference to "Cubistic" art. It contains vivid images too. Comprehension isn't a big problem. The vocabulary is small, and the book specific words ("lightskin", "The Zone", "The Watcher", etc) are used so often that their meaning can be grasped within 3 chapters.
There are only 4 characters, and I suppose you could call it a psychological novel.
I'll admit I found the book frustrating, and I was considering only 3 stars until I came to the ending. Thank goodness for the ending because the story is confusing to say the least.
In conclusion, despite what the title suggests, this is not a joke book to laugh at like the diary of an LSD tripper. I was initially disappointed that it wasn't more fun but instead I found an original but difficult minor SF classic.
June 14, 2011
3.5/5. I'll admit, I bought this book for the title. I assumed I was going to be reading about the adventures of two crazy characters called Time Snake and Superclown as they booted around in space, but I was totally wrong on that assumption. This book is dark, confusing, and gritty. The main character is a mystery from the start - you begin thinking he's got some anti-social disorder but you end up with a completely different assessment at the end. And seemingly absurd concepts, like the main character's obsession with the lady of the novel, which make no sense at the start, make more sense at the end. In truth, I really liked the novel - it was different and definitely not some fluffy sci-fi (like Mirror Friend, Mirror Foe I read recently), but it was a little too descriptive and I could have done with a little more explanation instead - there were parts where I was completely confused, but in a bad way, not in an intentional, mimetic-to-the-character's situation way. It would be interesting to re-read the book knowing what I know now, but I'm not sure if I would bother. Maybe in a decade or so. it's a good read, overall. It's NOT a light read, by any means though - you have to work a bit to get into it.
unread-forever
March 2, 2012here, read this. please!
http://io9.com/5082454/the-most-demen...
http://io9.com/5082454/the-most-demen...
July 14, 2014
I guess this book had some cool parts, but overall, it's a lot of the narrator being really oblivious to what is quite obviously going on, and repeating himself A LOT... with ellipses tossed in... at random... seemingly.
So I can't say I'd recommend this book to anyone. Even for the camp factor, or the few bits of weirdness scattered throughout. It's just too tedious a read.
So I can't say I'd recommend this book to anyone. Even for the camp factor, or the few bits of weirdness scattered throughout. It's just too tedious a read.
June 15, 2026
Vincent King published his last novel, Time Snake and Superclown, in 1976 as an Orbit paperback. Like all of his works, it has never seen a modern reprint.
Where to begin? This is an odd little number. Somewhere in the slipstream caverns of Doris Piserchia and Anna Kavan's Ice resides the Superclown. Although King is nowhere close to the talent of Kavan, and is really not even a good writer, but it's more nuanced than that.
Frankly, the novel is somewhat unreadable as a whole. As with Piserchia, you have to suspend the will to understand what the writer is actually trying to say, or where we even are, or what even just happened, in favor of atmosphere and texture. Meaning, you sort of need to not read a story, and then you might enjoy it. King does the ambience reasonably well, and there are fleeting moments where his prose is very effective, even arresting, but then it crumples again under the weight of his shaky storytelling abilities.
What ultimately caught me here is that the book is charming, charming because it could only ever exist in science fiction. I mean, what publisher worth their weight would publish this? It's completely and utterly batshit, hallucinogenic, senseless, and devoid of all attempts toward orientating the reader. King explains nothing, because there's really nothing to explain; it's all just a whirlwind of happenings, perhaps experimental self-indulgence. And through all of this, I enjoyed this thing. It's utterly ridiculous, and I have absolutely no idea what the fuck King was driving home at the end of the novel, but I found myself needing to read it, just to see where he would throw me next. Some of these scenes are highly memorable, and I eventually adjusted to King's preference for visual craftsmanship over explanation.
I can recommend this to those who like to play around in the cellars of the New Wave. For reasons I cannot explain, I will be reading more King soon.
Where to begin? This is an odd little number. Somewhere in the slipstream caverns of Doris Piserchia and Anna Kavan's Ice resides the Superclown. Although King is nowhere close to the talent of Kavan, and is really not even a good writer, but it's more nuanced than that.
Frankly, the novel is somewhat unreadable as a whole. As with Piserchia, you have to suspend the will to understand what the writer is actually trying to say, or where we even are, or what even just happened, in favor of atmosphere and texture. Meaning, you sort of need to not read a story, and then you might enjoy it. King does the ambience reasonably well, and there are fleeting moments where his prose is very effective, even arresting, but then it crumples again under the weight of his shaky storytelling abilities.
What ultimately caught me here is that the book is charming, charming because it could only ever exist in science fiction. I mean, what publisher worth their weight would publish this? It's completely and utterly batshit, hallucinogenic, senseless, and devoid of all attempts toward orientating the reader. King explains nothing, because there's really nothing to explain; it's all just a whirlwind of happenings, perhaps experimental self-indulgence. And through all of this, I enjoyed this thing. It's utterly ridiculous, and I have absolutely no idea what the fuck King was driving home at the end of the novel, but I found myself needing to read it, just to see where he would throw me next. Some of these scenes are highly memorable, and I eventually adjusted to King's preference for visual craftsmanship over explanation.
I can recommend this to those who like to play around in the cellars of the New Wave. For reasons I cannot explain, I will be reading more King soon.
June 27, 2021
An unreadable example of the worst of New Wave SF.
July 18, 2021
A weird psychological stream of consciousness. Very much a product of its time. Very Kubrick
August 11, 2021
I'm not sure what to make of this really. I don't think it's anywhere near as "demented" or wacky as some reviewers do. The most bizarre element is that the protagonist has his face turned into that of a clown's, but other than that it's mostly just a nightmarish time-trek story. It's one long chase-mystery, and I don't think it asks you to suspend your disbelief too much until the end, where things get way too expository. Otherwise, it is, if anything, uneventful. I guess it's kind of like a sci-fi noir. The vision of the future is bleak and grimy, our protagonist tells his story in a pulp-like fashion, there's a femme-fatale, and everyone is despicable.
Vincent King has an odd style. I read him because I find him interesting, rather than because I think he's a good writer. His style is a mesh of pulpy and literary. It's frantic and free, and his dialogue makes everyone sound like gibbering idiots. A lot of his prose is enjoyable just because it's so strange, or at the very least, aesthetically appealing; but he tends to overuse ellipses and italics, which can get annoying.
I've read two of his novels prior to this: Another End, which was barmy, and barmy enough to be lovable in spite of its faults; and Light a Last Candle, which was just erratically paced and packed to the brim with ideas. Messy, but enjoyable. And then I also read his short story, Testament, which I actually thought was very good - maybe short fiction is something he's better suited to. I'm yet to read Candy Man which, unlike everything else he wrote, actually had some small success and garnered some cult appreciation. For some reason, I've left that one till last.
Time Snake and Super Clown is by far the worst thing by him I've read, and also the least interesting. King does convey a cool atmosphere for most of it, but he also does a bad job of describing things in a way that puts a good picture in the reader's mind. Everything felt vague, and I ended up just imagining everything based on the red-centric cover art. Given that, and the association with clowns and this ginger/red-haired man that constantly appears to our main character, everything was just red and orange in my imagination, and it was rather bland. The tone is quite bleak, and I guess "dark", but it mostly comes across as silly.
I'm not sure I have a clear notion of what King was getting at with the ending. I'm also not that bothered about knowing. Most of the book felt pretty weak in terms of subtext or doing anything beyond milking the protagonist's naive confusion as much as possible.
If you're interested in Vincent King, don't start with this one. If you've read everything else (there isn't much of it), this is worth a look for the sake of completion.
Vincent King has an odd style. I read him because I find him interesting, rather than because I think he's a good writer. His style is a mesh of pulpy and literary. It's frantic and free, and his dialogue makes everyone sound like gibbering idiots. A lot of his prose is enjoyable just because it's so strange, or at the very least, aesthetically appealing; but he tends to overuse ellipses and italics, which can get annoying.
I've read two of his novels prior to this: Another End, which was barmy, and barmy enough to be lovable in spite of its faults; and Light a Last Candle, which was just erratically paced and packed to the brim with ideas. Messy, but enjoyable. And then I also read his short story, Testament, which I actually thought was very good - maybe short fiction is something he's better suited to. I'm yet to read Candy Man which, unlike everything else he wrote, actually had some small success and garnered some cult appreciation. For some reason, I've left that one till last.
Time Snake and Super Clown is by far the worst thing by him I've read, and also the least interesting. King does convey a cool atmosphere for most of it, but he also does a bad job of describing things in a way that puts a good picture in the reader's mind. Everything felt vague, and I ended up just imagining everything based on the red-centric cover art. Given that, and the association with clowns and this ginger/red-haired man that constantly appears to our main character, everything was just red and orange in my imagination, and it was rather bland. The tone is quite bleak, and I guess "dark", but it mostly comes across as silly.
I'm not sure I have a clear notion of what King was getting at with the ending. I'm also not that bothered about knowing. Most of the book felt pretty weak in terms of subtext or doing anything beyond milking the protagonist's naive confusion as much as possible.
If you're interested in Vincent King, don't start with this one. If you've read everything else (there isn't much of it), this is worth a look for the sake of completion.
June 14, 2018
Like many people, I bought this book because I found it on a couple of Sci-Fi recommendation lists.
It has a reputation for being crazy and demented and with a title like that, I just had to read it.
So how was it? It's a very poorly written novel with a story that barely makes sense. I finished the book and I'm not really sure about a lot of things and I don't care. The book spends too much time telling us how the protoganist feels and describing emotions in lengthy detail that has no relevance to the story. This should've been a part of a short stories collection instead being a 190-page mess of a book.
This book should've been reduced by at least 70%.
I did like the ending, however.
I still think its not worth anyone's time.
Tl;dr It's bad.
It has a reputation for being crazy and demented and with a title like that, I just had to read it.
So how was it? It's a very poorly written novel with a story that barely makes sense. I finished the book and I'm not really sure about a lot of things and I don't care. The book spends too much time telling us how the protoganist feels and describing emotions in lengthy detail that has no relevance to the story. This should've been a part of a short stories collection instead being a 190-page mess of a book.
This book should've been reduced by at least 70%.
I did like the ending, however.
I still think its not worth anyone's time.
Tl;dr It's bad.
March 29, 2026
Far from being the most unhinged book of all time. Most surreal book of all time? Perhaps.
I liked a lot about this. It feels less like a science fiction novel and more like a surreal art piece, moving from painting to painting to painting to painting. It started off pretty strong I felt, but it slowly goes off the rails leaving me with lots of questions, which isn't a bad thing don't get me wrong. But the story is very wandering. At points it feels less like a story and more like a collection of settings and hallucinations. At points the protagonist is even time travelling, but it happens with such subtlety that you cant pinpoint it.
My problem is that this wandering psychedelic experience is just way too relied upon, and around 3/4s of the way in it starts feeling like a real slog. I just think if Vincent slowed down a bit and grounded the story here and there this would have been a much less confusing and much more cohesive experience.
Not an amazing work of fiction, but one that I still appreciate for all it's flaws.
I liked a lot about this. It feels less like a science fiction novel and more like a surreal art piece, moving from painting to painting to painting to painting. It started off pretty strong I felt, but it slowly goes off the rails leaving me with lots of questions, which isn't a bad thing don't get me wrong. But the story is very wandering. At points it feels less like a story and more like a collection of settings and hallucinations. At points the protagonist is even time travelling, but it happens with such subtlety that you cant pinpoint it.
My problem is that this wandering psychedelic experience is just way too relied upon, and around 3/4s of the way in it starts feeling like a real slog. I just think if Vincent slowed down a bit and grounded the story here and there this would have been a much less confusing and much more cohesive experience.
Not an amazing work of fiction, but one that I still appreciate for all it's flaws.
November 23, 2021
In the book, reality is very plastic. It’s hard to apply logic to situations that can morph into something different.
May 29, 2022
This book is so bad it's HILARIOUS.
July 21, 2023
Weird, bizarre, trippy, this has it all. 180 pages of WTF, 10 pages of payoff.
April 24, 2024
I don’t even know what I’m rating this. It’s completely unlike anything I’ve ever read. Felt like an unsettling dream, which I think I liked?
February 4, 2025
What the fuck?
May 19, 2025
Atrocious
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews