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Pluto's in Uranus!
Dave suffers from OCF – Obsessive Compulsive Fatalism.
Every day he is compelled to follow his online horoscope, and to actively seek out and participate in their prophesies.
One fated day, the signs are so compelling they embolden him to take a high stakes horse racing gamble.
The consequence of his wager will lead Dave into situations way beyond his control and comfort zone, and his path will be crossed by an intriguing hotchpotch of larger-than-life characters.
This eccentric bunch of strangers include a Benny Hill loving vicar, a transvestite, a hippy, a diamond thief, a sausage roll addicted Bank manager, an underworld female mechanic, an ’ungry man, some piranha fish, a chimpanzee and many others.
Pluto’s in Uranus! is the story of a ‘tryer’ whose lucky omens will come back to taunt him.
KUSHTI BOK!
Every day he is compelled to follow his online horoscope, and to actively seek out and participate in their prophesies.
One fated day, the signs are so compelling they embolden him to take a high stakes horse racing gamble.
The consequence of his wager will lead Dave into situations way beyond his control and comfort zone, and his path will be crossed by an intriguing hotchpotch of larger-than-life characters.
This eccentric bunch of strangers include a Benny Hill loving vicar, a transvestite, a hippy, a diamond thief, a sausage roll addicted Bank manager, an underworld female mechanic, an ’ungry man, some piranha fish, a chimpanzee and many others.
Pluto’s in Uranus! is the story of a ‘tryer’ whose lucky omens will come back to taunt him.
KUSHTI BOK!
204 pages, Paperback
Published November 30, 2020
2 people want to read
About the author
Patrick Haylock
1 book2 followersPatrick Haylock is a globally unrecognised writer who if you discount a school sweet pea growing competition, has won no awards whatsoever!
He was born in Enfield at a very dark time in the world. It was 1:45 am, to be precise, and it wasn’t too long before it dawned on him.
To make something of himself he was going to need two things the ability to tell the difference between a green onion and a scallion, and a good education.
Wormley Primary and Baas Hill Comprehensive schools did their best to fulfil both requirements, and after giving them 12 years of his life, they gave him seven printed sheets of paper, and the knowledge that there was no difference between a green onion and a scallion.
He also learned that the difference between onions and bagpipes was that no one ever
cries when you chop up bagpipes.
The certificated wisdom secured a national newspaper messenger’s job, which led to an editorial trainee position, followed by a production editor’s post, and progression
into freelance journalism.
‘Knowing his onions’ helped him to successfully establish his own publishing company, design studio, online retro webstore and high street art gallery.
Patrick lives with his wife in a converted Old Essex Brewery, where he claims the 6% ABV air quality inspires him to craft his nutty tales.
Although a ‘new voice’, in the literary world, those ‘in the know’ will willingly testify that his gift for imaginative storytelling is engaging, and, amusingly unique!
Follow Patrick’s alter ego on twitter Patthequipper@twitter.com
He was born in Enfield at a very dark time in the world. It was 1:45 am, to be precise, and it wasn’t too long before it dawned on him.
To make something of himself he was going to need two things the ability to tell the difference between a green onion and a scallion, and a good education.
Wormley Primary and Baas Hill Comprehensive schools did their best to fulfil both requirements, and after giving them 12 years of his life, they gave him seven printed sheets of paper, and the knowledge that there was no difference between a green onion and a scallion.
He also learned that the difference between onions and bagpipes was that no one ever
cries when you chop up bagpipes.
The certificated wisdom secured a national newspaper messenger’s job, which led to an editorial trainee position, followed by a production editor’s post, and progression
into freelance journalism.
‘Knowing his onions’ helped him to successfully establish his own publishing company, design studio, online retro webstore and high street art gallery.
Patrick lives with his wife in a converted Old Essex Brewery, where he claims the 6% ABV air quality inspires him to craft his nutty tales.
Although a ‘new voice’, in the literary world, those ‘in the know’ will willingly testify that his gift for imaginative storytelling is engaging, and, amusingly unique!
Follow Patrick’s alter ego on twitter Patthequipper@twitter.com
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 30, 2021
Thank you to Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources for asking me to take part in the book tour for Pluto's in Uranus and giving me a free copy in return for an honest review.
Dave is obsessed with his daily horoscope, which he reads every morning. His horoscope predicts that a rare conjunction between Pluto and Uranus will give him good fortune and that some unexpected opportunities are about to come his way. After following its advice, he makes some new friends as well as a few enemies too.
I was drawn to Pluto's in Uranus after reading the author bio and blurb, which made me chuckle straight away.
I really liked the main character, Dave. He was really relatable and I felt for him throughout the novel as he becomes embroiled in more and more surreal scenarios! His parents are great characters too — his visit to see them was a great addition to the story. I laughed at how he and his Mum have been replacing the garden produce with supermarket vegetables, and his Dad singing 'Greenfinger' to the tune of Goldfinger.
I enjoyed the jokes and banter between Dave, Foggy and Jo/Joe too. A lot of this was great fun and flowed really well, such as when Dave and Joe think Foggy's real name is Lionel and start singing Lionel Ritchie classics to him. I could definitely imagine these as real conversations between friends!
The humour in the book is great, although crude at times. My favourite sections were Dave's experience selling items at the Church bazaar, and his first meeting with Greg. There were a few occasions when I felt that it missed the mark, such as a Dutch musician asking to buy a 'sex' from the window and the assistant calling the police. But overall there were lots of genuinely funny moments that reminded me a little of Only Fools and Horses and other classic British comedy shows.
Pluto's in Uranus is a fun, slightly surreal read that is sure to brighten up your day. It's a fairly quick read at 204 pages and is packed with interesting characters and a good story. It felt like a sequel may be on the cards from the ending — and I think it is the only book I've read that ends with the word 'pancake'!
Dave is obsessed with his daily horoscope, which he reads every morning. His horoscope predicts that a rare conjunction between Pluto and Uranus will give him good fortune and that some unexpected opportunities are about to come his way. After following its advice, he makes some new friends as well as a few enemies too.
I was drawn to Pluto's in Uranus after reading the author bio and blurb, which made me chuckle straight away.
I really liked the main character, Dave. He was really relatable and I felt for him throughout the novel as he becomes embroiled in more and more surreal scenarios! His parents are great characters too — his visit to see them was a great addition to the story. I laughed at how he and his Mum have been replacing the garden produce with supermarket vegetables, and his Dad singing 'Greenfinger' to the tune of Goldfinger.
I enjoyed the jokes and banter between Dave, Foggy and Jo/Joe too. A lot of this was great fun and flowed really well, such as when Dave and Joe think Foggy's real name is Lionel and start singing Lionel Ritchie classics to him. I could definitely imagine these as real conversations between friends!
The humour in the book is great, although crude at times. My favourite sections were Dave's experience selling items at the Church bazaar, and his first meeting with Greg. There were a few occasions when I felt that it missed the mark, such as a Dutch musician asking to buy a 'sex' from the window and the assistant calling the police. But overall there were lots of genuinely funny moments that reminded me a little of Only Fools and Horses and other classic British comedy shows.
Pluto's in Uranus is a fun, slightly surreal read that is sure to brighten up your day. It's a fairly quick read at 204 pages and is packed with interesting characters and a good story. It felt like a sequel may be on the cards from the ending — and I think it is the only book I've read that ends with the word 'pancake'!
April 4, 2021
Once there was a man called Dave who had a problem. It sounds like a conventional idea for a story, but when Patrick Haylock writes a novel about it there is very little conventional about it. Dave has a strange outlook on life in this surreal and very funny book about a man just trying to find the money to pay back a work syndicate after he disobeyed their instructions and followed his horoscope that black cats would be lucky. The description of the book says he meets “an intriguing hotchpotch of larger than life characters”, which is an understatement. The characters in this novel of a frantic few days of Dave’s life surely defy description, even though Dave does his best. His parents are memorable, a vicar has an outrageous turn of phrase, and his two companions on a surreal journey combine acceptance of every odd situations with their own memorable contributions. This is a funny, surreal and fast paced book that is always unexpected, and never lingers long over the improbable. Memorable for the right reasons, I was certainly interested to have the opportunity to read and review this book.
Dave is person of habit, compelled to consult his horoscope first thing every morning. On reading that day that black cats and new friendships are on the way, he ineptly decides to place a large bet with other people’s money, a decision he quickly regrets. Given two weeks to remedy the situation, he decides that he must raise funds rather quickly, but not just by a simple bank loan which would have been too predictable for this novel. On consulting online advice, he comes up with a list of money making ideas. He discovers that a church is offering the opportunity to sell unwanted items, so he raids his house for suitable objects. It is this sale which causes him to come into contact with a whole range of characters that have very individual talents. I particularly liked the story of his father, whose lack of success in actually growing vegetables in his garden had been concealed by judicious purchases from the supermarket by his wife and son. To give more away of the plot would be unfair, but suffice to say that a memorable journey by a unique conveyance is well worth waiting for, as well as the people encountered along the way.
This is a unique and very funny book which takes a little getting used to, but is really worth exploring for those enjoy the different and unusual. Dave is a character who is seen as obsessive, and yet is always well intentioned. I especially enjoyed the church sale, with all of the mistakes that a first time visitor could make, and his luckless encounters with those eager to get a bargain. Those he meets are worth encountering, and their enthusiasm to help in his quest is very funny. Getting advice from the assortment of people he meets is perhaps not the most straightforward way of dealing with the situation, but that certainly contribute to a very funny set of events. This is a memorable and unusual book, and I recommend it to those with a taste for surreal humour.
Dave is person of habit, compelled to consult his horoscope first thing every morning. On reading that day that black cats and new friendships are on the way, he ineptly decides to place a large bet with other people’s money, a decision he quickly regrets. Given two weeks to remedy the situation, he decides that he must raise funds rather quickly, but not just by a simple bank loan which would have been too predictable for this novel. On consulting online advice, he comes up with a list of money making ideas. He discovers that a church is offering the opportunity to sell unwanted items, so he raids his house for suitable objects. It is this sale which causes him to come into contact with a whole range of characters that have very individual talents. I particularly liked the story of his father, whose lack of success in actually growing vegetables in his garden had been concealed by judicious purchases from the supermarket by his wife and son. To give more away of the plot would be unfair, but suffice to say that a memorable journey by a unique conveyance is well worth waiting for, as well as the people encountered along the way.
This is a unique and very funny book which takes a little getting used to, but is really worth exploring for those enjoy the different and unusual. Dave is a character who is seen as obsessive, and yet is always well intentioned. I especially enjoyed the church sale, with all of the mistakes that a first time visitor could make, and his luckless encounters with those eager to get a bargain. Those he meets are worth encountering, and their enthusiasm to help in his quest is very funny. Getting advice from the assortment of people he meets is perhaps not the most straightforward way of dealing with the situation, but that certainly contribute to a very funny set of events. This is a memorable and unusual book, and I recommend it to those with a taste for surreal humour.
August 23, 2023
I was drawn to Pluto’s in Uranus after reading the author bio and blurb, which made me chuckle straight away.
I really liked the main character, Dave. He was really relatable and I felt for him throughout the novel as he becomes embroiled in more and more surreal scenarios! His parents are great characters too — his visit to see them was a great addition to the story. I laughed at how he and his Mum have been replacing the garden produce with supermarket vegetables, and his Dad singing ‘Greenfinger’ to the tune of Goldfinger.
I enjoyed the jokes and banter between Dave, Foggy and Jo/Joe too. A lot of this was great fun and flowed really well, such as when Dave and Joe think Foggy’s real name is Lionel and start singing Lionel Ritchie classics to him. I could definitely imagine these as real conversations between friends!
The humour in the book is great, although crude at times. My favourite sections were Dave’s experience selling items at the Church bazaar, and his first meeting with Greg. There were a few occasions when I felt that it missed the mark, such as a Dutch musician asking to buy a ‘sex’ from the window and the assistant calling the police. But overall there were lots of genuinely funny moments that reminded me a little of Only Fools and Horses and other classic British comedy shows.
Pluto’s in Uranus is a fun, slightly surreal read that is sure to brighten up your day. It’s a fairly quick read at 204 pages and is packed with interesting characters and a good story. It felt like a sequel may be on the cards from the ending — and I think it is the only book I’ve read that ends with the word … to find out which word acquire a copy of the book here
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plutos-Uranu...
Claire L
I really liked the main character, Dave. He was really relatable and I felt for him throughout the novel as he becomes embroiled in more and more surreal scenarios! His parents are great characters too — his visit to see them was a great addition to the story. I laughed at how he and his Mum have been replacing the garden produce with supermarket vegetables, and his Dad singing ‘Greenfinger’ to the tune of Goldfinger.
I enjoyed the jokes and banter between Dave, Foggy and Jo/Joe too. A lot of this was great fun and flowed really well, such as when Dave and Joe think Foggy’s real name is Lionel and start singing Lionel Ritchie classics to him. I could definitely imagine these as real conversations between friends!
The humour in the book is great, although crude at times. My favourite sections were Dave’s experience selling items at the Church bazaar, and his first meeting with Greg. There were a few occasions when I felt that it missed the mark, such as a Dutch musician asking to buy a ‘sex’ from the window and the assistant calling the police. But overall there were lots of genuinely funny moments that reminded me a little of Only Fools and Horses and other classic British comedy shows.
Pluto’s in Uranus is a fun, slightly surreal read that is sure to brighten up your day. It’s a fairly quick read at 204 pages and is packed with interesting characters and a good story. It felt like a sequel may be on the cards from the ending — and I think it is the only book I’ve read that ends with the word … to find out which word acquire a copy of the book here
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plutos-Uranu...
Claire L
March 31, 2021
Just the synopsis alone had me laughing and I knew immediately that Patrick share my sense of humour!
This book is fun, fast paced and hilarious – probably one of my favourite books this year, so far – it’s so different – in a good way, that it will stay on your mind, I won’t forget it in a hurry, that’s for sure.
I fell in love with Dave straight away and felt quite protective of him throughout the book, the situations he gets himself into, really are quite funny but also quite serious at times and he is so reliant on his horoscope reading for life advice and big decisions, and although I am an avid follower of my own horoscope, I use them – like most people who believe in them more seriously than just being entertainment – as a guide of the energies at play to assist – poor Dave! 🤣🙈
The other characters in this book are just as real and relatable as Dave , including his parents, who are both super fun!
some of the scenarios Dave gets himself into are laugh out loud – you have been warned – look out for the motorbike and Piranha fish incidents and also his friendship with Greg are all stand-out hilarious moments.
A fantastic book that is a light-hearted read and can easily be devoured very quickly – too quickly to be honest, I didn’t want it to end… could be the start of a series, maybe? I really hope so.
This book is fun, fast paced and hilarious – probably one of my favourite books this year, so far – it’s so different – in a good way, that it will stay on your mind, I won’t forget it in a hurry, that’s for sure.
I fell in love with Dave straight away and felt quite protective of him throughout the book, the situations he gets himself into, really are quite funny but also quite serious at times and he is so reliant on his horoscope reading for life advice and big decisions, and although I am an avid follower of my own horoscope, I use them – like most people who believe in them more seriously than just being entertainment – as a guide of the energies at play to assist – poor Dave! 🤣🙈
The other characters in this book are just as real and relatable as Dave , including his parents, who are both super fun!
some of the scenarios Dave gets himself into are laugh out loud – you have been warned – look out for the motorbike and Piranha fish incidents and also his friendship with Greg are all stand-out hilarious moments.
A fantastic book that is a light-hearted read and can easily be devoured very quickly – too quickly to be honest, I didn’t want it to end… could be the start of a series, maybe? I really hope so.
March 31, 2021
Dave checks his horoscope every day. On this particular day, his horoscope tells him that Pluto is in Uranus which for him means a time of rebirth. The horoscope continues to say that he should take a leap of faith and that a black cat crossing his path will boost his finances.
With those words of wisdom, Dave makes a bad bet which looses he and his work colleagues a bunch of money!
Dave has to figure out a way to get the money back and what ensues is a hilarious adventure involving a sometimes crossdresser, a medicinal medicine smoker, 8 red-bellied piranhas, and a motorcycle with a sidecar. (And that’s only a small portion of the craziness).
My Thoughts
This book reminded me of some of Dave Barry’s fiction books like Big Trouble and Insane City. (Which if you haven’t read, are incredibly funny)
This book is set in England so there were some terms and slang that I wasn’t familiar with. I still was able to enjoy the story itself.
The characters are well..characters! Lots of eccentric and big personalities make appearances during this read.
This was an easy read and only took about 2 hours.
I really liked the ending. Everything was tied up nicely!
With those words of wisdom, Dave makes a bad bet which looses he and his work colleagues a bunch of money!
Dave has to figure out a way to get the money back and what ensues is a hilarious adventure involving a sometimes crossdresser, a medicinal medicine smoker, 8 red-bellied piranhas, and a motorcycle with a sidecar. (And that’s only a small portion of the craziness).
My Thoughts
This book reminded me of some of Dave Barry’s fiction books like Big Trouble and Insane City. (Which if you haven’t read, are incredibly funny)
This book is set in England so there were some terms and slang that I wasn’t familiar with. I still was able to enjoy the story itself.
The characters are well..characters! Lots of eccentric and big personalities make appearances during this read.
This was an easy read and only took about 2 hours.
I really liked the ending. Everything was tied up nicely!
April 6, 2021
I went into this book not really knowing what to expect from it, and what a fun read it turned out to be. I enjoyed it alot.
This was an easy read, filled with many laugh out loud moments following Dave's adventures and mishaps.
This was an easy read, filled with many laugh out loud moments following Dave's adventures and mishaps.
December 31, 2020
Finished my reading year on a high. This was a very fun read and managed to put a smile on my face in what has been an utterly miserable year x
March 15, 2021
Review to follow
March 22, 2021
This is a fun filled read with great characters and a zany madcap motorbike ride with piranha fish and a chimp! An easy read in one sitting story which will certainly make you smile.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews