Stephen and his friends spent their teenage years immersed in the fantasy gaming worlds of wizards and warriors, undertaking quests to fight evil occultists, vanquish terrible monsters and rescue damsels in distress. Now, twenty-something years later, there is a real-life quest. Life as a monk has hardly prepared Brother Stephen for the mission ahead. Demon Rutspud is definitely not a damsel, but he is in distress. The evil occultists are real and if Stephen doesn’t rescue Rutspud from a fate worse than death, no one will… Sword-wielding Satanists, stir crazy demons, super-smart squirrels, magical garbage and a suitcase that cannot be stopped run riot in a story about the bonds of friendship and dark deeds in suburban cellars.
This is the last book in the Clovenhoof series which focuses on Stephen and Rutspud which have been my least favourite characters throughout the series. However this last book gave both characters a back story so I could get on board with them more than I have done previously.
This series has been hit and miss for me right the way through but overall I had a good time and I'm glad I've read it.
At time of posting this series is available on Kindle Unlimited.
This is not a book for everyone and as with the previous one in the series you really need to have read some of the prior books to be caught up.
Demon Rutspud has been summoned to a circle in the bowels of Birmingham (UK) to aid a coven in ...setting things right, making the world a nicer place to live, when people were polite and tidy. Yes a bunch of WI drop outs have traded their book club for Satanism. And Monk Steven will leave Wales and head home to free his friend. Yes a Demon and a Monk are BFFs.
While poor Rutspud is tortured by his captors and forced to channel their bizarre spells, Steven is reuniting with his gamer friends and searching high and low for the missing demon. At the same time squirrels are cleaning up the area and trash has begun following its litterer home. Strange things are afoot.
This is the eighth in the Clovenhoof books and follows on directly from Hooflandia. Although you could still read this as a stand alone book but there are parts of the previous book mentioned. This one does have Jeremy in it for a brief couple of moments but he’s not centric to the story in any way. This time it’s a Rutspud & Stephen (Rutspud’s monk BFF from Bardsey) adventure. Some characters from previous books (Lennox, Darren, Animal Ed to name a few) are along for the ride and what a ride it is. Another great story in the Clovenhoof series.
The main characters of Hellzapoppin' are back again to book end the series. Considering that book was the worst in the series (in my eyes) I wasn't happy to see them again for the finale.
The plotline is rather odd too. Rutspud has been kidnapped by a bunch of grannies that "what to make things right and proper" in their neighborhood so they turned to satanism, obviously...
Meanwhile Steven reunited with his DnD friends from childhood and cue the 90s nostalgia vomit. It's a very bad sign when I'm just sitting there waiting for the author to bring up blockbusters disappearing and it actually happens.
Overall not the best and at times the very obvious pandering was grating.
Rutspud has been taken, he is now summoned and Stephen is tasked with finding him. This is where a few of our characters in previous books we find are actually linked. Stephen in his teens was friends with Animal Ed, Lennox the barman and even Darren our satanist and now god worshipper from earlier stories. I enjoyed having this connection of them all and them all meeting again. A great story as always from Heide and Iain!!
I really would like to find a couple of pages without piss, shit and semen. I think one of the authors writes an amusingly satiric book about social customs and the other then empties a concrete mixer full of body products all over it. The price of each book in the series goes up, so there must be a receptive group of readers somewhere, with a mental age of about 14. I quit. The satire's not worth it.
Another excellent outing from all our favourite characters from the Mecca that is Sutton Coldfield. Our main man Jeremy has a few cameo appearances but for once all the mayhem and mishaps have nothing to do with him. So scroll back up hit purchase, open the Lambrini and warm up the Findus
This is another lovely silly book from Goody and Grant. Personally I found the humour a wee bit less raucous that the actual Clovenhhoof books themselves, but it still raises many titters. There was a very silly section involving cheese in an orifice (not that orifice!) and perhaps a wee nod to Robert Rankin in there? (which is fine by me). All in all a fine start to the reading year.
Heide and Iain never disappoint! The only thing I didn't like about this book was its length. Far too short! I absolutely love the universe they have created, and I plan on taking all of my vacations there.
I love the friendship between Rutspud the demon and Stephen the monk and to be honest I prefer to read about them rather than Clovenhoof and his gang. This was infinitely more enjoyable to read than book 7
Demon Rutspud has been summoned and imprisoned. His best friend (and Monk) Stephen sets out to find and free him. Of course, absurd things happen along the way. I enjoyed this series and this was a good finish that left the characters in a good place in case the authors ever decide to move forward.
Oh how I love Rutspud, what a (can't believe I'm saying this) lovable demon. In the land of Clovenhoof this is the new shining star. Bonkers, laugh a minute bonkers.
Really enjoyed this book, despite not starring the three main characters this book massively improved on the previous book in the series.
Love Rutspud, I'm glad he shows up as often as he does throughout the series.
It was nice to have some back story for familiar side characters and see how they handle the insane situation they found themselves in.
My only real complaint is that I felt time wasn't split super evenly between Rutspud and Steven and the short time frame of events meant very long chapters (there were POV breaks so not like you had to stop in the middle of a page or anything). Honestly, I'm probably just nit picking to justify why it's only 4 stars rather than 5.
It was funny and built the tension really well. I hope the last few books in the series are this good
I hope this series becomes as long and as all encompassing as Terry Pratchett's Discworld. I loved this series and have been seeking out the short story collections that different outlets seem to have. All of them are very easy to reread or relisten to because the antics are kind of like episodes. It's the cast of Blackbooks meets the sherriff of Fargo with theology patchworked in a really funny and interesting way. What would Heaven and Hell be like if "as on Earth so it is in Heaven" was taken more literally? That's what this was with a great cast of characters and hilariousness in every page.