Fun with Dick

by John Dolan

Twenty-five-year-old Richard Blackheart - geek, wage slave and Superman wannabe - seems destined for a life of dull obscurity. Then one day he hits upon an idea for the ultimate non-self-help book, 'How to Die Alone, Smelly and Unloved', and things start to change … 'Fun with Dick' is a heart-wrenching, hilarious and harrowing tale of one man's struggle against gravity and cats. It is not recommended for people who are easily triggered. If you do read it, keep your shrink's phone number handy.

185 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 17, 2020

About the author

"Makes a living by travelling, talking a lot and sometimes writing stuff down. Galericulate author, polymath and occasional smarty-pants."

John Dolan hails from a small town in the North-East of England. Before turning to writing, his career encompassed law and finance. He has run businesses in Europe, South and Central America, Africa and Asia. He and his wife Fiona currently divide their time between Thailand and the UK.

John is the author of the Time, Blood and Karma; Children of Karma; and Crimes of Inhumanity series, as well as several standalone novels.

Reviews

[Sheila Patel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twenty-five year old Richard, whose life spirals out of control with his family, girlfriend and job decides to write a non-self help book called 'How to Die Alone, Smelly & Unloved'. Add a childhood friend called Gastric, Superman and a crazy shrink, you have a story of complete chaos.
This is an intelligent book, full of humour, wit and sarcasm and I mean loads of it, there are no holds barred, you will utter a few Omgs and check around you to see if anyone is watching! For fans of The Catcher in The Rye and those struggling with reality, this is a must read. Well done Mr Dolan!

[Olga Miret · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read and reviewed all the books John Dolan has published so far, and you’d be forgiven for thinking that, after seven (well, eight, as he also co-authored one) books, he wouldn’t be able to surprise me any longer. Well, wrong! I kept reading the book and wondering what I was missing. Things couldn’t be quite as simple as they appeared. Of course, they couldn’t.
This is a novel that would be perfect for a book club, because there are tonnes of things to discuss, but the book club would need to be pretty special. Some of the topics that are mentioned in the book, even if not described in detail or explicitly, would put off (or even trigger) some readers; and the novel is a nightmare for those who are sticklers for political correctness, because, humour or not, it is extremely dark, and it takes no prisoners. The cast of characters seems recruited from a variety of book in different genres: a Jewish psychiatrist, a bullying and unkind sister; an extremely overweight and lazy friend; the mother of said friend, who is a bit of a cougar (or a lot, as the protagonist knows only too well); a dismissive boss and a bunch of peculiar work colleagues working for the games' industry; a girlfriend who is more interested in her ex than in the protagonist; and a central character called Dick Blackheart, who dreams of being a superhero with special powers but appears to be a looser. A passing conversation convinces him that he should write a pretty special non-self-help book (‘How to Die Alone, Smelly and Unloved’, and the title is quite indicative of the content, although perhaps not of how truly extreme the advice is), and somehow that seems to help him focus. Shortly after, things take a turn for him, seemingly a downward trend, and he makes a decision. He is going to travel to Thailand with his friend Nigel, who will serve as his experimental subject for the book, and finish it. And perhaps…
I won’t try to go into every single detail of the book, because readers should go into it without clear expectations and see what they make of it. I’ve mentioned the issue of the sensitive topics (the list is too long to include, but I’d suggest that if you can think of a taboo topic, it is quite probably there, or close to it), and the novel is narrated in the first person, so that might not suit everybody’s taste. Dick’s dead-pan style is very peculiar, and in a way it makes his adventures, and his efforts at keeping up his mood and looking on the bright side, all the more affecting. Yes, there are very funny moments, although many of them are cringe-worthy as well. You are both laughing and horrified at your own laughter at the same time. You feel sorry for Dick and appalled by some of the things he says and writes. Is he joking or is he in earnest? There are subjects and topics most of us wouldn’t dare to joke about, but that does not seem to be the case for Dick. Why? He seems a pretty mild individual when we meet him, harmless, and unlucky when it comes to the things that make life shine. But be warned. You read on at your own peril.
I liked the way the protagonist drags us in, and we can’t help but watch as things unravel. We might feel appalled, dismayed, and disgusted, but somehow we need to accompany Dick in his trip of self-discovery (or self-revealing) until the very end. The extracts from his book are a must-read, and Nigel’s mother is quite a character, and not the only one. I also enjoyed the cameo appearance of David Braddock, the main character in the author’s other series. He wouldn’t have wanted to miss this for the world. The book seems to move from a pretty light beginning into darker and darker depths, and it takes a very skilled writer to pull the trick off and not lose the readers in the process. It also takes a pretty daring one. Oh, and I love the ending as well.
I don’t have any dislikes, other than the fact that the book is quite short, but that might work in its favour as it increases its impact, and I am not sure that most readers would have wanted things to get even darker (especially not at a moment like that).
I recommend this book to Dolan’s fans, although with the warning that it is darker than most of his other work (or perhaps it appears so because it’s all packed in a very short length, because despite the sharp humour, the other novels are not easy reads either). Many sensitive subjects appear in its pages (trauma, parental loss, bullying, child abuse, violence, drug and alcohol abuse, prostitution, and more…), so it needs to be approached with caution. It is a fantastic read, and I recommend those who might harbour doubts about it, to check a sample and see how they feel. It is not an ordinary novel, and I’m sure I won’t forget it any time soon. If ever.

[Laurette Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ready for a crazy, addictive ride with Richard Blackheart, latest creation of author John Dolan? Fans of his mesmerising series of noir thrillers set in Thailand featuring PI David Braddock will be eager to pounce on this latest novel and find out what the master has in store. Seems like he has switched genres, segueing from Braddock to Blackheart, from Koh Samui to London, as smoothly as Fred Astaire swinging from Viennese waltz to cheeky cha cha. However in ‘Part 1: On Being a Dick’, there’s something about the narrator’s voice, recounting his life-story so far and his aspirations for the future, that has echoes of Braddock in its self-deprecating humour and cynical assessment of the human condition. We find ourselves becoming as attached to Dick as we were to Dave as he describes growing up mostly ignored and unloved. His virtually friendless schooldays, plus his dysfunctional relationships with his now-deceased (in a plane crash) parents and his still-surviving kick ass sister, drive the young loner to seek refuge in the fantasy world of superhero comic books, in particular that of Superman, responsible for convincing the young protagonist of his own ability to fly (his attempts to date have been thwarted due to the presence of Kryptonite under Hampstead Heath).
His current situation, as a young man living and working in 2004 London, can best be described as ‘not very meaningful’. Though he is the first to point out that his problems are ‘of the first world variety’, we can’t help sympathising, possibly because he relates them like a deadpan stand-up comic. His place of work (a computer games producing company) resembles an asylum for the deluded, his boss, a nemesis by the name of Waddle, makes David Brent look like Mahatma Gandhi, and his social life is less than sparkling. When not reading the 768 comic books (graphic novels) in his Ikea cabinet and being visited by a stray cat, he plays computer games or goes to the cinema with his only friend, the fat and sweaty Nigel (aka Gastric) a loner and misfit still living with his Mum. No wonder Dick’s been on meds and seeing a shrink for years. It’s all brilliantly written, with larger than life characters and surreal, deeply noir, humour (his account of a brainstorming session at the office is enough to have you howling with mirth and horror).
However the future is knocking at Dick’s door with two exciting new developments. The amiable Dr Finkelstein, treating our hero for (among other things) ‘his obsession with achieving self-powered flight’, has prompted him, thanks to his self-help book ‘Count Your Blessings’, to stop and, well, count his blessings. So far these have amounted to six, but recently a seventh has been added– a girlfriend! Also, Dick has come up with a new project, more achievable than flying – writing a ground-breaking book. An unforeseen spin-off from his sessions with Dr F, this consists of a 20-step manual. ‘How to Die Unloved, Smelly, and Alone’ encourages readers to 'go with the flow and accept the idea that they are utter failures as human beings’. ‘Self-improvement’, Dick has concluded ‘is swimming against the natural order of things. ’ The first two steps– ‘Drop Litter’ and ‘Never Hold in your Flatulence’(my euphemism to comply with acceptable review language)– give an idea of the flavour. Dick’s observations on current cultural norms such as being thoughtful and considerate, never giving offence and always apologising, are hilarious and scandalously non-pc. Is Dick becoming a rebel?
So, what next in the hero’s sentimental education and coming of age? Just when we think we have a handle on the book’s main themes and an idea of where the hero’s metamorphosis is heading, there’s a change of tone, a bit like one of those distant rumbles of thunder on a cloudless day. In ‘Part 2: On having Fun’, there’s a disconcerting switch in circumstances and locale – Dick is in Bangkok with Nigel –along with a different timbre to the narrator’s voice (is he starting to sound a bit like Jim Fosse?). Readers may remember at this point which, of all his 768 graphic novels, he liked the best, describing it as ‘moving, thrilling and horrifying.’
What happens will not be revealed here. Suffice it to say that the denouement in Dick’s story had this reader sitting on the edge of her seat before going back to page 1 and starting again with this ‘tale of dark laughter’. Another impressively plotted, psychologically satisfying read from this multi-talented writer, one which will not disappoint old fans and certainly attract new ones.

[Ellie Midwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must admit, I went through a whole range of emotions while reading “Fun with Dick.” It’s one of those books, in which the main protagonist uses gallows humor to depict something really tragic and what’s been happening to Richard lately is nothing short of tragic. From the very beginning, it was obvious that he was battling some sort of inner demons, but what exactly it was, you won’t get to know till the very end.

Despite having his own list of “blessings” to count - a tremendous inheritance, a tolerable job he thinks suits him, a girlfriend he thinks he loves - Dick watches his life as though from the sidelines instead of being an active participant, which is common for people battling (or managing, in his case) depression or suffering from some sort of trauma or PTSD. Even when his best friend’s mother who basically takes over his apartment and forces him into a relationship he doesn’t want to be a part of, he just goes with the flow and traumatizes himself even more without realizing it. Or, perhaps, he does realize that and imposes this self-destructive behavior on himself, which is also characteristic of people with trauma. His book, “How to die alone, smelly, and unloved,” is yet another cry for help carefully veiled as a sarcastic guide to self-destroy oneself in twenty easy steps, so perhaps, it was indeed the latter.

In any case, the gallows humor here hides something profoundly deep and you’ll find yourself actually shaken after our hero takes a spontaneous trip to Thailand with the above-mentioned best friend and finishes his journey in a way you’d never expect. The final chapter will have you by the guts, I promise. Written in a witty way with a healthy dose of cynicism, this book is a brilliant study of human character, which I would highly recommend to everyone.

[Eichin Chang-Lim · Rating 5 out of 5]

FUN With DICK is written in the first-person narrative tense. In the very beginning, the main character deliberately slates his name and introduces himself as Dick Blackheart. His name alone is enough to give readers a brilliant, out-loud laugh. From there, he tells his story introspectively, followed by his inspirational non-self-help book — HTDAS&U (How To Die, Alone, Smelly, and Unloved) — an incredible anti-political-correctness manual of twenty tips packed with satirical humor and plenty of diverting gags. Readers will find the amusement of classic super-hero characters intertwined in the storyline. It ends with a convoluted psychological twist and genuine pathos. Once again, I cannot help but admire the unique writing style of this manuscript penned by Mr. John Dolan.
I have read and relished all of Mr. Dolan’s books, including his two mystery thriller series (seven books in total). His writing is funny, witty, intelligent, philosophically cynical, and musing. Very often, he thought-provokingly delves deep into the unsettled human nature in his keen way. You will find all these characteristics in FUN with DICK.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a psychological thriller, satirical humor, or the classical-super-hero story with excellent writing.

[Caleb Pirtle III · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Fun with Dick, the irrepressible John Dolan delivers exactly what he promises to deliver: a tale of dark laughter. There are tears amidst the laughter, loneliness that hides behind the sound of laughter at the strangest of times, and a man who is on a roller coaster picking up speed on his way to self-destruction.
Dolan is a genuine genius when it comes to creating sad sack heroes who are thrown into bizarre circumstances and consider it merely part of their daily grind. We laugh with them. Mostly we cry for them. And we hope against hope that, with any luck at all, they will be able to crawl out from beneath those personal demons who have left their lives muddled, dull, and headed down the darkness of a dead end street.
He gives us Dick Blackheart, a shallow creature whose existence winds its way among comic books, a feral cat, and a delusion that he could be Superman if the angry gods had not placed Kryptonite beneath the park for the sole purpose of keeping him from flying. His one final stab for notoriety is the decision to write a non-self-help book, “How to Die Alone, Smelly and Unloved.” If nothing else, it is his personal view of his own autobiography, the story of someone who has thrown away his life, but it keeps keeps coming back so he can throw it away again.
Then comes his journey to Thailand, and Dick Blackheart becomes a changed man. Like a master magician, John Dolan reveals the man as he was supposed to be, and only someone with Dolan’s fictional dexterity can remove the believable layers of trauma and depression, leaving the reader wondering why he or she didn’t understand the real Dick Blackheart from page one.
Fun with Dick is witty. It’s irreverent. It’s disturbing. It lingers in your mind. It’s an emotional journey that you can’t afford to miss, even though Dolan warns you to keep your shrink’s phone number handy. He’s laughing. You shouldn’t be.

[Veronica Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard 'Dick' Blackheart is sliding through life not as a participant, but someone who prefers to sit on the sidelines, emotionally disconnected, looking from the outside in. His constants in life are his comic books, his love for all things Superman, a vitriolic sister, a feral cat who graces him with sporadic appearances, his rather dormant companion, Gastric--a friend whose life consists of eating, gaming, laced with bountiful bouts of flatulence, and trying to dodge the carnal encounters with Gastric's lecherous mother.

Dick's been in therapy for years after the untimely death of his distant dad and gin guzzling mother, but not even the jogging suit glam of Dr. Finkelstein can crack his emotion proof wall. His one bit of therapy dabble is a book project he's started, How to Die Alone, Smelly and Unloved, but will he ever complete it?

One fate filled day, Dick's life changes--his sort-of girlfriend dumps him, he's fired from his meh job, and he decides to travel to Thailand with Gastric, all in one fell swoop! Dick's a changed man, a man of steel, determined to follow his destiny--wherever that might lead. Author Dolan takes us on an emotion explosion journey as we witness the unfolding of Dick's destiny and the eventual exposure of his kryptonite, shielded mind. Wiley wit, dark humor, and bittersweet antics keep you glued to the end. Satire is not dead--a read to put life and its trauma dramas into perspective. The ending will leave you gobsmacked, highly recommended!

[Jonathan Finch · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Fun With Dick” is great fun from start to finish. Mr Dolan’s black humour will be appreciated by anyone with a penchant for dark laughs. It’s a novel of divisions and alienation, involving two countries. The first is the UK - where grim people doing game things – is / are depicted comically. The farce is fun for anyone not involved in it! The relationships are all flawed and the sex is violent and unfulfilling. Food makes its appearance, and is a killer, too. Incest, competition, mercenary capitalism, ruthlessness, strut the Dolan English stage…so Thailand seems to offer a breath of fresh air. The reader breathes a sigh of relief when the “hero” and his maladjusted friend fly off…to touch down in the City of Angels. Only there is no relief and the city is not too near heaven! Destiny and a tumultuous past see Dick “flying” towards another destiny, another life and another set of probably unbearable circumstances, all served up in John Dolan’s inimitable prose which makes even the most serious of events farcical and blackly risible.
There’s a problem with the first-person narrator’s end but that quibble just doesn’t dent the excellent tone of voice and an ebook without typos. Well done, Mr Dolan, for publishing another book of excellent English prose without flaws.

[Lee Holz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like those of all really good writers, John Dolan’s novels are all explorations of the human condition. Fun With Dick shares this with Dolan’s David Braddock detective stories. Indeed, Braddock makes a cameo appearance in this book, and we are given our first concrete physical description of Braddock. This is because those novels, in which Braddock is the protagonist (whereas Dick is the protagonist here), are also written in the first person singular. Dolan is a master of that most difficult of voices.
There are other similarities among the novels. Much of the action takes place in Thailand. The philosophical, albeit somewhat muted, is part of Dick’s makeup. There is significant psychological insight. Dolan’s sardonic humor is on steroids here. This may be the funniest serious book you will ever read. Finally, the surprises are sudden and stark but, in hindsight, the inevitable results of the masterful plot development (Karma again, John?) I won’t say what I think Fun With Dick is really about because to do so would give away the story and spoil the reader’s enjoyment. I will just say I found this book to be the author’s best and most important book to date.

[Mat Cooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read all of John's Braddock series and absolutely loving them, I was really looking forward to this book - it promised to be a change of direction and it was going to be interesting to see how it developed!

Being a bit of a nerd myself, I could 'sort of' identify with the protagonist and his working environment - I think we all know the little 'Napoleon complex' person....

John's character development is, as always, top notch and this book really had me hooked from page 1.

The humour in this book is very dark yet beautifully executed! As a Brit, it was really appreciated!

The Braddock cameo was a brilliant touch. As I was reading it, I had a real sense of Deja vu!

The ending was a real 'open mouth' moment but then looking at the first chapter it _should_ have been expected!

Overall - another amazing book from a fabulous author!

Really looking forward to more of your work!

[Ian Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This dark humoured, first-person narrative grabs the reader from the very first page to the last. Dick, the aforementioned narrator and protagonist, sarcastically tells us the tale of his bizarre and odd life – starting out with his family, his employment with a poorly run gaming company, an affair with his best friend’s mother, and his repugnance to physical contact. The last two points running in opposition to one another. He also has an unhealthy addiction to comic book characters, which leads him and his best friend to Bangkok, Thailand, where he has a metamorphosis of a sort. This is an excellent read, and I recommend it to anyone who values satire and a well written story.

[Brenda Perlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun With Dick by John Dolan is a witty, sarcastic, dark comedy that didn’t have to do much to pull me in. Curiosity killed the cat but not my attention!

I love humor that’s mixed with grit, and takes us to some, umm...interesting places. And does so with sharp dialog and surprising moments that are both disturbing and laughable at the same time.

The author knows how to take control of a story and doing so in a daring, twisted heap!

[Ted Bun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this irreverent look at life through the distorted lens of author John Dolan's mind.

Meet Dick, Richard as he was named. A confused and unhappy soul, his parents are dead, his sister isn't nice to him. His boss hates him, as do most of his colleagues.

His best friend is an overweight slob whose mother is rather keen on young Dick.

His only other 'friend' is his shrink ... Why does Richard need a shrink? You'll find out as the story reaches its conclusion.

[Victoria Dougherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is quintessential British satire and I loved it. Hilarious, at times tragic, but always entertaining.

[Lisette Brodey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this snarky, quirky story of Richard (Dick) Blackheart, who at twenty-five, doesn’t like sex and needs pharmaceutical assistance to partake in it. He also has little appreciation for reading, but nonetheless, decides to write a book called How to Die Alone, Smelly, & Unloved. And he works for a game developer … until he doesn’t. And he has a girlfriend … until he doesn’t.

As Richard tells his story (one might call it a “second coming-of-age”), he narrates the brief chapters of this book as he writes them. The author’s droll humor provided many laugh-out-loud moments as he expertly zeroed in on what many humans do (though not willingly in most cases) to indeed die alone, smelly & unloved.

I don’t want to give any more away, but I will say that the book got better and better with every turn of the page. Some might see it as a character study of an odd young man, which details his relationships … and travels … with others. Though quite hilarious in parts, Dick’s odd ways started to make more sense to me as I learned more about him. I thought the ending was brilliant.

Highly recommend this witty and irreverent charmer!

[Robert Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Dolan, in his David Braddock heptalogy, has proven himself a skilled craftsman of dark humor, ingenious writing, shocking surprise, disturbed characters, and whip-smart dialogue. In Fun with Dick, those characteristics are fully in evidence. The star of the show is Dick Blackheart who could not possibly be more different from David Braddock. Dolan’s usual sardonic wit now blends seamlessly with one LOL gag after another, which only proves his versatility as a writer.

Dick is the consummate neurotic techno-geek, but self-aware enough to know it, and even to make fun of his own anxiety and dweebiness.

He works at an on-line gaming development firm, peopled by geeks just like him, and his best friend weighs 14 stone (look it up. I had to), which provides Dolan with endless quips. Dick’s prize possession is his massive comic book collection, which he describes in some detail, leading me to believe (since at times in my life I myself have been a comic book afficionado) that Mr. Dolan knows of what he speaks, sharing accurate details about key issues in the history of sequential art (that’s comic book talk. Just skip ahead, please). Who’d a thunk that, in the head of the creator of David Braddock, there is an inner geek. This side of Dolan we have not seen before, and as with so much of what he puts to page, it’s the surprise that beguiles.

Here’s just a bit of plot talk, without a spoiler. Dick is thinking of giving up psychotherapy because of his distaste for self-help books penned by therapists. He says, “Perhaps a non-self-help book was actually the answer – something to blast away the saccharine, idealistic bullshit spouted by well-meaning (but ultimately misguided) practitioners of the Talking Cure.” Then he decides to write such a book, and the quoted excerpts of the various steps to anti -enlightenment (endarkenment?) are hilarious. Dick’s mean-spirited, crude, and juvenile advice is rendered with gleeful insensitivity. But somewhere beneath the cynical bluster is a hurtin’ puppy.

Attempting to predict a Dolan plot trajectory is a fool’s errand. In Fun with Dick, the reader becomes more and more uneasy as events seem to overtake Dick. The plot lurking beneath the plot is gradually revealed, turning everything on its head. You will feel queasy, then appalled, then aghast, then astonished. Brace yourself. You can’t finish this book and still be breathing.

[Brenda Guiton · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is nothing more uplifting than a good laugh, guaranteed to send the dopamine rushing. John Dolan’s ‘Fun with Dick’ did this for me in spades! The epitome of black humour (something I’m able to appreciate) it is one of the funniest books I’ve read.

It begins with Richard Blackheart’s stab at his parents for his chosen name and all the detrimental ways that its shortened version of Dick impedes on the lives of those unfortunate enough to be saddled with it. We are then given some background about Dick’s formative years, his failure at school and his one and only friend, Gastric – a character weighing 25 stone and a walking garbage receptacle for anything remotely edible.
More important, we learn of Dick’s dreams of flying, born of an obsession with American comics – namely Superman – and the reason his parents sent him for therapy.

Against all the odds, Dick secures a decent job at Matchatho Games where he develops skills in digital design. The brainstorming sessions amongst the staff when coming up with ideas for new games and the reaction to their presentations are hilarious, as are Dick’s sessions with his shrink, Dr. Finkelstein. It’s as a result of his therapy sessions, along with Dr. Finkelstein’s self-help manuals, that Dick is inspired to write a book of his own – an antithesis of all self-improvement books written by the so-called experts that are totally at odds with Dick’s take on life.

From hereon, his work-in-progress is fed into the story of his daily life, which includes an impromptu trip to Thailand with friend, Gastric. The author paints a vivid picture of Bangkok, its streets, the nightlife and places of cultural interest. To describe what happens to the pair on their adventure would involve spoilers.

This well constructed story is nothing short of brilliant. The wit just keeps on coming and I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face the whole of the way through. It is a credit to the author’s imagination and ingenuity. Intelligent writing and good editing make this book a joy to read. I shall definitely be delving into more of John Dolan’s work. 5*

[T.W. Dittmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun with Dick is a carnival ride through the fun-house life of Dick Blackheart.

Mr. Nolan's brilliantly dark humor is forefront in this tale, while his philosophical side peeks out in flashes of inspired examination of the human condition.

I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Cameron Garriepy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A narrative train on a collision course

I don’t know how to review this book without spoiling it utterly, except to say it is a narrative train on a collision course, and not at all what I was expecting. Brilliant.

[Bibiana Krall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun With Dick by John Dolan presents the main character Nigel as what we call in the Deep South, 'a hot mess.' This book is a wicked and dark adventure with a look at simmering angst, fitting in and the lies we tell ourselves and perhaps the world to make it through.

* Fair warning. If you are overly sensitive to basically anything, proceed with caution... as the humor is extra dark, sarcastic and cherry-bomb ironic. Whatever might get you kicked out of the country club or the holiday party is discussed or actually happens. Truth be told some of it wasn't funny to me. In the creative sketches it helped me to better understand the characters, it was illuminating and served the story well. On the flip side, some of it was so honest, off the wall and in your face, I threw my Kindle down and laughed.

This is the fourth book I have read and the range this author astounds me. Think of this story as

Alaska x Flies x Deadpool x Catcher

My connection to the story and the MC was the centralized aspect of a misfit and the idea that when you boil irreverence and sarcasm away, we are all searching for happiness and a place where we can be accepted and just be ourselves.

[Pat Mcdonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love an anti-hero or in this case Richard Blackheart is an anti-superhero. I can’t comment on the story of Dick having fun because I would want every reader to enjoy this plot as it unfolds. Suffice to say I read a lot during the sleepless hours of the night and there is one incredibly funny piece on flatulence that had me laughing out loud which could have sounded spooky (as I was reading in the dark on my mobile).

I read slowly because I think with skimming you might miss something; even so I have read ALL this author’s books twice because I enjoyed them so much. It’s not just that he’s an exceptionally brilliant storyteller, character creator and one of the finest writers we currently have, he is so well researched.

I loved the cameo appearance of David Braddock his rather attractive private detective in his Time, Blood and Karma & Children of Karma series which for any of us Fans of Dolan was a treat.

I really only have the one problem with John Dolan, prolific though he is, he can’t write fast enough for me. More please!

[Tony McManus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark British Humour At Its Best.

Having read John Dolan's "Time, Blood and Karma" series, I was made aware of his dark sense of humor via his alter ego, David Braddock. And as a fellow Brit, I share it. "Fun with Dick" is absolutely hillarious. Well recommended.