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Death, the Devil, and the Goldfish
From the Bahamas to Heathrow airport, to the rain soaked streets of London the dead have ceased dying.
This is inconvenient for a number of reasons but what's the real reason behind the chaos?
In London we find Nigel Reinhardt, a disgraced, confused, and gifted London police constable who owns a prophetic goldfish. In Ireland the Angel of Death questions the value and position of his current employment. At Majestic Technologies Celina McMannis works diligently on a top secret project. At the South Pole there lives a very unhappy penguin.
When the Devil hatches a nefarious plot to take over the world by possessing a cute little kitty and seizing a factory of robotic Christmas elves it's up to Nigel and his group of unlikely companions to save the world or die trying... or both.
This is inconvenient for a number of reasons but what's the real reason behind the chaos?
In London we find Nigel Reinhardt, a disgraced, confused, and gifted London police constable who owns a prophetic goldfish. In Ireland the Angel of Death questions the value and position of his current employment. At Majestic Technologies Celina McMannis works diligently on a top secret project. At the South Pole there lives a very unhappy penguin.
When the Devil hatches a nefarious plot to take over the world by possessing a cute little kitty and seizing a factory of robotic Christmas elves it's up to Nigel and his group of unlikely companions to save the world or die trying... or both.
250 pages, Paperback
First published December 5, 2012
27 people are currently reading
825 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Buckley
9 books147 followersAndrew Buckley is an accomplished storyteller, educator, and keynote speaker with over two decades of experience in creative writing, storytelling, and marketing. As a published author, Andrew favours playing in the fantasy and paranormal sandboxes and has a terrible habit of writing with a humorous and satirical slant despite being asked politely on numerous occasions to ‘please stop doing that’. He continues to successfully navigate both traditional and self-publishing landscapes, crafting engaging speculative fiction that resonates with readers of all ages.
Known for his distinctive voice that seamlessly blends humour with compelling narratives, Andrew has established himself as a versatile creator across multiple platforms, including novels, comic books, screenplays, and podcasts. His engaging presentation style and deep understanding of storytelling mechanics make him a sought-after speaker at schools, colleges, writing conferences, and comic conventions worldwide.
Andrew is a self-proclaimed film school-educated writer, which means he’s spent most of his life with no money and a strong opinion about bad movies. Around the turn of the century he attended the Vancouver Film School’s Writing for Film and Television program, graduating with excellence, and successfully selling multiple film and TV properties that have never seen the light of day. After abandoning the industry for many years, he was dragged kicking and screaming back into the film world when he co-wrote *Knight Terror*, a feature length horror comedy that is scheduled for production in late 2025.
As a marketing professional, Andrew has lent his expertise to major national and international brands, specializing in content creation, copywriting, and strategy development. His academic contributions include developing curriculum and teaching marketing, social media, and communication theory at the post-secondary level.
Based in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley, Andrew continues to expand his creative portfolio while sharing his knowledge and passion for storytelling through various mediums. He is represented by Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary Management and maintains an active presence in both traditional and digital publishing spaces.
At the time you’re reading this, he’s likely busy working on several new projects and attempting to bend time and space to allow for more hours in the day.
Known for his distinctive voice that seamlessly blends humour with compelling narratives, Andrew has established himself as a versatile creator across multiple platforms, including novels, comic books, screenplays, and podcasts. His engaging presentation style and deep understanding of storytelling mechanics make him a sought-after speaker at schools, colleges, writing conferences, and comic conventions worldwide.
Andrew is a self-proclaimed film school-educated writer, which means he’s spent most of his life with no money and a strong opinion about bad movies. Around the turn of the century he attended the Vancouver Film School’s Writing for Film and Television program, graduating with excellence, and successfully selling multiple film and TV properties that have never seen the light of day. After abandoning the industry for many years, he was dragged kicking and screaming back into the film world when he co-wrote *Knight Terror*, a feature length horror comedy that is scheduled for production in late 2025.
As a marketing professional, Andrew has lent his expertise to major national and international brands, specializing in content creation, copywriting, and strategy development. His academic contributions include developing curriculum and teaching marketing, social media, and communication theory at the post-secondary level.
Based in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley, Andrew continues to expand his creative portfolio while sharing his knowledge and passion for storytelling through various mediums. He is represented by Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary Management and maintains an active presence in both traditional and digital publishing spaces.
At the time you’re reading this, he’s likely busy working on several new projects and attempting to bend time and space to allow for more hours in the day.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
January 31, 2015
This story starts off with the Devil making a contract with God to get to come to earth for a week. What he does't read in the contract is that if the body he wants is not available then God gets to send him to an available body. Thus we have the Devil possessing a cat.
Death gets drunk and lets the Devil cat talk him into quitting his job. Thus people quit dying. People should die and they try to but then their souls just turn around and go back to where they are. Confusion ensues.
The cast of characters are stellar. You have Rupert the cab driver who I find hilarious-he talks non stop about stealing hotel soaps and Gabriel who was a penguin before being granted a body during the craziness. Those are just a couple of my favorites.
The two characters that shine though are the Devil and Death. Flipping hilarious.
Andrew Buckley has a talent for taking stories where I've never seen them go before and I likes it. This was his first book and for a first book it's pretty dang strong.
I did like Stiltskin much better but this one wasn't chump change.
I will be changing my answering recording to this thanks to this book: Hi, you've reached the Devil in the very pits of Hell; unless you wish to be ravaged relentlessly I suggest you don't leave a message. Oh, and wait for the beep.
I did receive a copy of this book from the author and yes he is my friend. That has nothing to do with nothing and these are my true thoughts. As far as I know Andrew Buckley does not have mind control. Maybe.
Death gets drunk and lets the Devil cat talk him into quitting his job. Thus people quit dying. People should die and they try to but then their souls just turn around and go back to where they are. Confusion ensues.
The cast of characters are stellar. You have Rupert the cab driver who I find hilarious-he talks non stop about stealing hotel soaps and Gabriel who was a penguin before being granted a body during the craziness. Those are just a couple of my favorites.
The two characters that shine though are the Devil and Death. Flipping hilarious.
Andrew Buckley has a talent for taking stories where I've never seen them go before and I likes it. This was his first book and for a first book it's pretty dang strong.
I did like Stiltskin much better but this one wasn't chump change.
I will be changing my answering recording to this thanks to this book: Hi, you've reached the Devil in the very pits of Hell; unless you wish to be ravaged relentlessly I suggest you don't leave a message. Oh, and wait for the beep.
I did receive a copy of this book from the author and yes he is my friend. That has nothing to do with nothing and these are my true thoughts. As far as I know Andrew Buckley does not have mind control. Maybe.
March 5, 2016
This was silly. Refreshingly so.
Death has an existential crisis and quits his job, leaving the world confused and populated with the undead.
The devil asks God for some time off and goes on a holiday. Except, that the body he was supposed to use is currently not available and he ends up in another one, which he is less satisfied with.
The goldfish is a messenger between the different ethereal spheres. If only he could remember what the message was.
What a great read.
Death has an existential crisis and quits his job, leaving the world confused and populated with the undead.
The devil asks God for some time off and goes on a holiday. Except, that the body he was supposed to use is currently not available and he ends up in another one, which he is less satisfied with.
The goldfish is a messenger between the different ethereal spheres. If only he could remember what the message was.
What a great read.
February 11, 2017
Death, the Devil, and the Goldfish by Andrew Buckley is such a funny and crazy book! The devil gets a week vacation on earth to cause havoc in a body of his choice. There is fine print that is included. Well, he ends up in a cat due to this fine print. Hard to cause chaos on earth as a cat but he makes a good effort. Meanwhile, Death goes to the Bahamas, there is a psychic goldfish but he is very forgetful and sooo funny, and a man/penguin/man! The blending of these stories with a crooked cop, two blundering bad guys and robot elves makes this story so ridiculously funny. Who could possibly put these items together and get a story that works? Buckley, that's who! Not only does it work but it is great! Loved this nutty story!
March 14, 2014
Death, the Devil, and a Goldfish walk into a bar......
I jest.
Goldfish can't walk.
The Devil has been wallowing in hell, torturing souls and having a bang up time but realizes he needs a bit of a vacation. God agrees and gives Devil a week to walk the human world possessing any body of Devil's choosing. However, God has a wicked sense of humor, and the Devil apparently doesn't thoroughly read the contracts he signs.
Mr. Devil ends up in the body of a cat named Fuzzbucket, much to his dismay. This doesn't deter his diabolical plans to wreak havoc on humanity. The Devil convinces a rather drunk-ass Death to take a hiatus and without the Grim Reaper acting as soul escort, people simply stop dying.
Never fear! There is a band of heroes that work on saving the day and the world entire. This is done with the help of a prophetic goldfish, a penguin who dreamt he was a man then actually became one, and a few humans in the mix. Oh, and an elf named Eggnog.
I may not have enjoyed this one as much as
, but it was well worth the price of admission.
3.5 Ninja-Bunnehs-With-Horns
I jest.
Goldfish can't walk.
The Devil has been wallowing in hell, torturing souls and having a bang up time but realizes he needs a bit of a vacation. God agrees and gives Devil a week to walk the human world possessing any body of Devil's choosing. However, God has a wicked sense of humor, and the Devil apparently doesn't thoroughly read the contracts he signs.
Mr. Devil ends up in the body of a cat named Fuzzbucket, much to his dismay. This doesn't deter his diabolical plans to wreak havoc on humanity. The Devil convinces a rather drunk-ass Death to take a hiatus and without the Grim Reaper acting as soul escort, people simply stop dying.
Never fear! There is a band of heroes that work on saving the day and the world entire. This is done with the help of a prophetic goldfish, a penguin who dreamt he was a man then actually became one, and a few humans in the mix. Oh, and an elf named Eggnog.
I may not have enjoyed this one as much as
, but it was well worth the price of admission. 3.5 Ninja-Bunnehs-With-Horns
November 19, 2013
Book Info: Genre: Urban Fantasy/Humorous
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Those who enjoy their humor silly
My Thoughts: After my complaints about the bad editing in the last Curiosity Quills book I read, I was absolutely delighted to find this one very well edited; I only noticed three editing mistakes in the whole book! Nicely done.
This book was an absolute hoot, just hilarious. It reminded me in some ways of Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett, although maybe not quite as silly. For example: “Part of Hell's policy clearly stated that everyone had to stand in line for at least five years before entering.” Then there is the start to Death's little adventure, which went a little something like this:
Disclosure: I received a copy from Curiosity Quills via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: From the Bahamas to Heathrow airport, to the rain soaked streets of London the dead have ceased dying.
This is inconvenient for a number of reasons but what’s the real reason behind the chaos?
In London we find Nigel Reinhardt, a disgraced, confused, and gifted London police constable who owns a prophetic goldfish. In Ireland the Angel of Death questions the value and position of his current employment. At Majestic Technologies Celina McMannis works diligently on a top secret project. At the South Pole there lives a very unhappy penguin.
When the Devil hatches a nefarious plot to take over the world by possessing a cute little kitty and seizing a factory of robotic Christmas elves it’s up to Nigel and his group of unlikely companions to save the world or die trying… or both.
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Those who enjoy their humor silly
My Thoughts: After my complaints about the bad editing in the last Curiosity Quills book I read, I was absolutely delighted to find this one very well edited; I only noticed three editing mistakes in the whole book! Nicely done.
This book was an absolute hoot, just hilarious. It reminded me in some ways of Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett, although maybe not quite as silly. For example: “Part of Hell's policy clearly stated that everyone had to stand in line for at least five years before entering.” Then there is the start to Death's little adventure, which went a little something like this:
“Death had stopped for a quick drink. The Irish made good beer, and Ireland was on the way to Greece, which happened to be his next stop. A quick drink turned into a couple of quick drinks, and then a couple of slower drinks, and continued to escalate until two hours later when Death found himself outside that same pub screaming mindless obscenities at the lamppost.”This quote made me laugh, too:
“Religious fanatics around the world, believing that the Second Coming was upon them, went wild. Many of them formed study groups, other danced in the street, ministers began scheduling church meetings, and somebody woke up the Pope.”One more and then I promise to stop:
“God was always in the mood for a practical joke; Death fondly remembered when He had created the platypus: half duck, half beaver, laid eggs. God thought that was hilarious.”At any rate, this was an excellent and very fun story and I highly recommend it if you like silly British humor and fun stories. Check it out.
Disclosure: I received a copy from Curiosity Quills via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: From the Bahamas to Heathrow airport, to the rain soaked streets of London the dead have ceased dying.
This is inconvenient for a number of reasons but what’s the real reason behind the chaos?
In London we find Nigel Reinhardt, a disgraced, confused, and gifted London police constable who owns a prophetic goldfish. In Ireland the Angel of Death questions the value and position of his current employment. At Majestic Technologies Celina McMannis works diligently on a top secret project. At the South Pole there lives a very unhappy penguin.
When the Devil hatches a nefarious plot to take over the world by possessing a cute little kitty and seizing a factory of robotic Christmas elves it’s up to Nigel and his group of unlikely companions to save the world or die trying… or both.
August 9, 2014
I don't know what I expected but it was definitely not prepared for the likes of the Hitchhiker's Guilde meets the Discworld:) I loved the palette of unlikely characters: the Devil sloshed into the body of a cat and "lovingly" called Lucy by his henchmen who love hanging people from building by their ancles, Jerome, the penguin turned human, Death, who's resigned his job at the realisation that he was just a "glorified doorman", the brilliant detective who stole and gambled the PD's helicopter in Vegas and the fiery Scottish AI scientist who created robot elves and last but not least the goldfish who predicts the future and sends telepathic messages but never realised its part in the grand scheme due to its 3-second memory span.
I had great fun with the story and its characters. Buckley's humour is clever and wry. Apart from the crazy and extremely amusing story, I loved his funny observations and good-humored jokes. The story was complicated and fast-paced and the outcome was unexpected and satisfying:)
Overall this was a very enjoyable ride. I'll definitely read Buckley's other book, Stiltskin.
I had great fun with the story and its characters. Buckley's humour is clever and wry. Apart from the crazy and extremely amusing story, I loved his funny observations and good-humored jokes. The story was complicated and fast-paced and the outcome was unexpected and satisfying:)
Overall this was a very enjoyable ride. I'll definitely read Buckley's other book, Stiltskin.
March 18, 2014
Actual rating: 3.75 stars (yes, I totally went there with a funky rating; I will explain below).
Any spoilers will be clearly marked.
Soooo…wow….this is presenting itself to be quite the difficult review for me to write. I'm struggling with putting my thoughts and feelings into words. I've sat down in front of the computer to write this review multiple times since I finished the book, and my words just escape me. This probably won't be the best review you've ever read, and it definitely won't be the best review out there on this particular book. (I'm sorry…!!!)
So the idea is that the devil sparks a deal with God to allow him to come play on Earth for 7 days. Of course, God makes him sign a contract with some stipulations. In his excitement, the Devil fails to read some of the fine print. He chooses a perfect body that he will inhabit for the week, but alas…God gets the last laugh there. He ends up as a cat. This does not detract from his evilness, and perhaps even explains my cats to me. I am now wondering if these crazy fools have the devil in them too!!
Death hasn't had an easy time as of late, so when a cat (evil, psycho cat) talks him into quitting his job, he doesn't argue. People stop dying. The world is sort of in chaos.
A quirky, funny Goldfish is behind a lot of the events that happen….he made me giggle every time he discovered his castle…again, and again, and again…
Of course, Andrew Buckley's humor is dispersed throughout the entire story. And trust me, he's a funny dude!! I thoroughly enjoy his crazy brain!! This is definitely an original story!! This was Andrew's first published novel, and it's a strong one!! Why only 3.75 stars? I don't know…I can't explain it. I laughed and giggled throughout, but some parts kinda dragged for me. I'm not really sure why? Maybe it's just me. I couldn't go with 3.5 stars because I felt like it deserved better, but I just couldn't justify 4 stars, so I chose to do a crazy 3.75 rating. Why? Cuz I can!! :-P
If you haven't read either of Andrew Buckley's books, I suggest you start with
. THAT BOOK WAS SO MUCH FUN!!!! And ANOTHER cliffy, Andrew?!!! REALLY?! ARGH!!
A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my thoughts or rating of this book. The fact that Mister Buckley is becoming one of my favorite authors also in no way influenced my rating or review.
Any spoilers will be clearly marked.
Soooo…wow….this is presenting itself to be quite the difficult review for me to write. I'm struggling with putting my thoughts and feelings into words. I've sat down in front of the computer to write this review multiple times since I finished the book, and my words just escape me. This probably won't be the best review you've ever read, and it definitely won't be the best review out there on this particular book. (I'm sorry…!!!)
So the idea is that the devil sparks a deal with God to allow him to come play on Earth for 7 days. Of course, God makes him sign a contract with some stipulations. In his excitement, the Devil fails to read some of the fine print. He chooses a perfect body that he will inhabit for the week, but alas…God gets the last laugh there. He ends up as a cat. This does not detract from his evilness, and perhaps even explains my cats to me. I am now wondering if these crazy fools have the devil in them too!!
Death hasn't had an easy time as of late, so when a cat (evil, psycho cat) talks him into quitting his job, he doesn't argue. People stop dying. The world is sort of in chaos.
A quirky, funny Goldfish is behind a lot of the events that happen….he made me giggle every time he discovered his castle…again, and again, and again…
Of course, Andrew Buckley's humor is dispersed throughout the entire story. And trust me, he's a funny dude!! I thoroughly enjoy his crazy brain!! This is definitely an original story!! This was Andrew's first published novel, and it's a strong one!! Why only 3.75 stars? I don't know…I can't explain it. I laughed and giggled throughout, but some parts kinda dragged for me. I'm not really sure why? Maybe it's just me. I couldn't go with 3.5 stars because I felt like it deserved better, but I just couldn't justify 4 stars, so I chose to do a crazy 3.75 rating. Why? Cuz I can!! :-P
If you haven't read either of Andrew Buckley's books, I suggest you start with
. THAT BOOK WAS SO MUCH FUN!!!! And ANOTHER cliffy, Andrew?!!! REALLY?! ARGH!!A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my thoughts or rating of this book. The fact that Mister Buckley is becoming one of my favorite authors also in no way influenced my rating or review.
October 22, 2016
I admit I only bought this book a few years ago because of the cover. Then I just set it aside and never read it till now. Though I now realize there is a flaw in the cover design Death is an angel not a skeleton as the boney hand portrays.
This book did something that few humor books have done and that is make me laugh out loud. I admit it was not the best story and had a lot going on but it had enough to entertain me.
This book did something that few humor books have done and that is make me laugh out loud. I admit it was not the best story and had a lot going on but it had enough to entertain me.
August 13, 2016
Entertaining Silliness, With Style
You know that old quote - "Dying is easy; comedy is hard" - really applies to books like this. It is very hard to write a silly humor book that stays the course. The plot gets too manic, or the characters wear out their welcome, or the jokes start to repeat themselves, or the author only has so many tricks and you start to see the wheels turning in the background. Andrew Buckley's books are always a pleasure to me because his inventiveness and cleverness and ability to plot and to create characters is sustained and varied.
This book has the right number of engaging and appealing main characters. It has lots of entertaining supporting characters. It's plot is enough to drive the narrative without becoming inane or undisciplined. There is snappy dialogue, funny throwaway observations, tight little bits of business and then some more subtle slow build up jokes that result in nice payoffs later. The variety and the pacing keeps you invested in the book and the plot leaves a lot of room for improvised riffs.
In fact, some of the diverting asides, that have very little to do with the story as such, are among my favorite parts. For example - The Angel of Death has a built in magical protection that leads any living person who interacts with him to almost immediately forget the details or even the fact of the encounter. The problem is that when Death is on vacation and orders a drink from a cocktail waitress she forgets the order as soon as she turns away from him. I'm sorry, but that kind of clever little humorous grace note just cracks me up.
It also matters that this is a generous, cheerful and good-hearted book. Even when Buckley is needling a type or being a bit snarky it is clever and good humored snark. There is nothing mean or awkward about Buckley's humor or the targets of that humor. The fun is clever and wry. More than anything else I suspect that's why people are tempted to invoke Monty Python and Douglas Adams and the like when describing Buckley's books. This is knowing and aware and sophisticated humor at times, but always forgiving and generous.
So, a very nice find and a very nice addition if you need a touch of clever light humor. And who, from time to time, doesn't need that?
Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
You know that old quote - "Dying is easy; comedy is hard" - really applies to books like this. It is very hard to write a silly humor book that stays the course. The plot gets too manic, or the characters wear out their welcome, or the jokes start to repeat themselves, or the author only has so many tricks and you start to see the wheels turning in the background. Andrew Buckley's books are always a pleasure to me because his inventiveness and cleverness and ability to plot and to create characters is sustained and varied.
This book has the right number of engaging and appealing main characters. It has lots of entertaining supporting characters. It's plot is enough to drive the narrative without becoming inane or undisciplined. There is snappy dialogue, funny throwaway observations, tight little bits of business and then some more subtle slow build up jokes that result in nice payoffs later. The variety and the pacing keeps you invested in the book and the plot leaves a lot of room for improvised riffs.
In fact, some of the diverting asides, that have very little to do with the story as such, are among my favorite parts. For example - The Angel of Death has a built in magical protection that leads any living person who interacts with him to almost immediately forget the details or even the fact of the encounter. The problem is that when Death is on vacation and orders a drink from a cocktail waitress she forgets the order as soon as she turns away from him. I'm sorry, but that kind of clever little humorous grace note just cracks me up.
It also matters that this is a generous, cheerful and good-hearted book. Even when Buckley is needling a type or being a bit snarky it is clever and good humored snark. There is nothing mean or awkward about Buckley's humor or the targets of that humor. The fun is clever and wry. More than anything else I suspect that's why people are tempted to invoke Monty Python and Douglas Adams and the like when describing Buckley's books. This is knowing and aware and sophisticated humor at times, but always forgiving and generous.
So, a very nice find and a very nice addition if you need a touch of clever light humor. And who, from time to time, doesn't need that?
Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
October 23, 2013
Meet a talking cat with hellfire in its eyes. Better still, let Death meet a talking cat and see what happens next. When the ghostcatcher stops work and the catcatcher becomes catatonic, you’ll know you’re in for a wild ride. Read a chapter at a time. Rest. Repeat. And enjoy the Pythonesque humor of world chaos, general irreverence, occasional irrelevance, and multiple snide asides.
Things you will learn; hanging upside down off the side of buildings is a perilous pursuit, but robbing the evidence locker may be more so; birds don’t go green with envy; and “the South Pole is a damned cold place to live,” even for penguins.
But cats, goldfish, fallen angels and falling cops aren’t the only partially human characters in this tale. Some of them even have attention spans longer than three minutes—a capacity rendered in enjoyably Hitchhiker’s Guide style. Some are mechanical. Some are lawyers... And some are looking for God.
In the steps of Monty Python and hitchhikers with towels, but a little more longwinded, Death, the Devil, and the Goldfish is a fun, illogical tale filled with fascinating premises, confusing impossibilities, hard-headed humor, three-minute chapters, and movie-style special effects. Who knows, it maybe become a movie one day.
Disclosure: I won an ecopy in a blog tour.
Things you will learn; hanging upside down off the side of buildings is a perilous pursuit, but robbing the evidence locker may be more so; birds don’t go green with envy; and “the South Pole is a damned cold place to live,” even for penguins.
But cats, goldfish, fallen angels and falling cops aren’t the only partially human characters in this tale. Some of them even have attention spans longer than three minutes—a capacity rendered in enjoyably Hitchhiker’s Guide style. Some are mechanical. Some are lawyers... And some are looking for God.
In the steps of Monty Python and hitchhikers with towels, but a little more longwinded, Death, the Devil, and the Goldfish is a fun, illogical tale filled with fascinating premises, confusing impossibilities, hard-headed humor, three-minute chapters, and movie-style special effects. Who knows, it maybe become a movie one day.
Disclosure: I won an ecopy in a blog tour.
December 28, 2012
With a penchant for funny media involving the grim reaper, I could not pass up a chance to read Death, the Devil, and the Goldfish by Andrew Buckley. While the book is definitely speculative fiction, I am positive if I found it my local library the little sticker on the back cover would not be Saturn with Sci-fi printed beneath it. It would have a pair of Groucho Marx moustache glasses above the word Humor. Not only do the British vocabulary and setting reminded me of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the complex story and hilarious vignettes just scream Douglas Adams reincarnated. Despite the stylistic similarities, this book carries a collection of characters and themes, which are unique and fascinating.
Although reading from the point of view of a goldfish sounds tedious, the truth is I found I really looked forward to the little fish’s occasional scenes. The whimsical voice of the book lifts it to a higher level of reading enjoyment. Yet, at the same time, the complicated braid of characters coming together wouldn’t let me put the book down.
...read the full review at http://www.speculatorsclub.com
Although reading from the point of view of a goldfish sounds tedious, the truth is I found I really looked forward to the little fish’s occasional scenes. The whimsical voice of the book lifts it to a higher level of reading enjoyment. Yet, at the same time, the complicated braid of characters coming together wouldn’t let me put the book down.
...read the full review at http://www.speculatorsclub.com
April 11, 2022
Such a fun read. Not quite Christopher Moore and not quite Terry Pratchett - but close and fun and funny in its own unique way. Lots of plot threads running that somehow fantastically all end up connected and tied in a nice neat bow by the end - except for one that is still out there waiting for the next book to be woven with it. Personified Death (and God), a penguin, a devil-possessed cat (although some may feel that's redundant) and a goldfish - with a castle in its bowl. Oh, and robot elves - what's not to love?
June 21, 2015
My Opinion: If you like British humor, you will love this book! I was very surprised to find out that this was Andrew Buckley's first book because it is crazy, totally out of control, and in my humble opinion, very, very well written. I can't imagine how he kept track of everything that was gong on because it was hard for me to do it, and I was just reading it!
The Devil possesses a cat and convinces Death, over many drinks in an Irish pub, to quit his job. Thus, people stop dying, or do die but can't get into heaven or hell without going through Death, which is becoming quite a nuisance! To add to the fun, we have a goldfish who can predict the future and sends out messages telepathically, but he has an attention span of 3 seconds so once he sends it, it's gone from his memory! My favorite part is how after each message is sent, he swims around his fishbowl and discovers the castle in it, again, and again, and again, and it makes him so happy every time!
My other favorite character is the penguin turned human, who has a very interesting way of viewing the world!
There is also a detective, a bunch of evil elves, including Eggnogg the dancing elf, an AI genius of Scottish ancestry, and many more, too many to list here! I loved them all, but the Angel of Death was especially fun because he traveled in a cloak of magic that made everyone who saw him or interacted with him in any way completely forget him as soon as they turned away, which made ordering a drink at a local bar somewhat difficult!
Overall I thought this book was terribly funny in a way that reminded me of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which I absolutely loved! There is a special kind of humor to these two books - what I've heard called throwaway humor, with one liners thrown this way and that, and each of them funnier than the one before. It is very entertaining and definitely worth your time to read. I recommend it to lovers of British humor, which is pithy and fabulous, and anyone who likes to reads Terry Pratchett, as this book brings his books to mind when you are reading it.
I received a copy of this book free of charge through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
The Devil possesses a cat and convinces Death, over many drinks in an Irish pub, to quit his job. Thus, people stop dying, or do die but can't get into heaven or hell without going through Death, which is becoming quite a nuisance! To add to the fun, we have a goldfish who can predict the future and sends out messages telepathically, but he has an attention span of 3 seconds so once he sends it, it's gone from his memory! My favorite part is how after each message is sent, he swims around his fishbowl and discovers the castle in it, again, and again, and again, and it makes him so happy every time!
My other favorite character is the penguin turned human, who has a very interesting way of viewing the world!
There is also a detective, a bunch of evil elves, including Eggnogg the dancing elf, an AI genius of Scottish ancestry, and many more, too many to list here! I loved them all, but the Angel of Death was especially fun because he traveled in a cloak of magic that made everyone who saw him or interacted with him in any way completely forget him as soon as they turned away, which made ordering a drink at a local bar somewhat difficult!
Overall I thought this book was terribly funny in a way that reminded me of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which I absolutely loved! There is a special kind of humor to these two books - what I've heard called throwaway humor, with one liners thrown this way and that, and each of them funnier than the one before. It is very entertaining and definitely worth your time to read. I recommend it to lovers of British humor, which is pithy and fabulous, and anyone who likes to reads Terry Pratchett, as this book brings his books to mind when you are reading it.
I received a copy of this book free of charge through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
January 12, 2021
This book left something of an impression on me when I read it six or seven years ago. It's every bit as outright ridiculous and hilarious as I remember. Yeah, there are plot holes you can drive a bus through, but I didn't even mind as I was swept through gag after gag. It's undeniably clever and witty, and even though there's not much more to it than that, what more does one really need?
September 1, 2021
Fun little book! A shame there aren't more.
April 16, 2018
You guys! My first review of 2018 is five stars! If you follow my reviews regularly, you know I don't hand out five stars very easily. I hope this bodes well for the rest of the year. Fingers crossed anyway. 😆 What can I say about this book? I'm so pleased I read it; I'm not sure words can describe how much I loved it. First, though, let me tell you a bit about how I discovered it.
So I listen to this fantastic podcast called Read.Write.Repeat. I just adore the hosts, Kelsey and Kaisha. The podcast is really fun and has a little bit of everything bookish, including author interviews. One of their first of these was an interview with Andrew Buckley. It's hilarious, and things such as devil-cats, agents, and humor writing are discussed. So, yeah, I learned of Andrew and his books listening to that and pretty much immediately decided I needed to look into his titles. I ended up buying another one of his books, a middle grade story called Hair in All the Wrong Places, for my oldest nephew, but to be completely honest, I kinda wanna borrow it back to read. 😄
So onto the review. I started reading it over Christmas whilst trapped in a car with a rabid, shouty football fan listening to the UVA game on the radio. Pro-tip for life: always have books on you! Within the first few minutes of reading, I was cracking up out loud in said car. Andrew Buckley mentioned in his Read.Write.Repeat interview that he really enjoys Douglas Adams-esque kind of silly humor, and he nailed that in this book. It also reminds me of a BBC Radio series called Old Harry's Game.
This is definitely one of those books that I started reading at the right time too. Christmas was a bit stressful, and I had just finished a book that was, while really well written, sad and not really to my taste. Andrew did such a good job of fitting a bunch of seemingly disparate pieces together to make a clever, cohesive story. On top of that, sometimes when authors have a bunch of separate pieces moving around, it gets a little janky and confusing and you're like, "What is happening? This is a lot to keep up with." Not with this one. Nope. Everything happening just kind of flowed, and each piece was entertaining all by itself.
I know this is the part where I would usually talk about what I didn't like in the book, but I honestly have nothing. It's hilarious and well crafted and I've begun telling everyone around me how much they need to read it, sooooooo that's it.
So I listen to this fantastic podcast called Read.Write.Repeat. I just adore the hosts, Kelsey and Kaisha. The podcast is really fun and has a little bit of everything bookish, including author interviews. One of their first of these was an interview with Andrew Buckley. It's hilarious, and things such as devil-cats, agents, and humor writing are discussed. So, yeah, I learned of Andrew and his books listening to that and pretty much immediately decided I needed to look into his titles. I ended up buying another one of his books, a middle grade story called Hair in All the Wrong Places, for my oldest nephew, but to be completely honest, I kinda wanna borrow it back to read. 😄
So onto the review. I started reading it over Christmas whilst trapped in a car with a rabid, shouty football fan listening to the UVA game on the radio. Pro-tip for life: always have books on you! Within the first few minutes of reading, I was cracking up out loud in said car. Andrew Buckley mentioned in his Read.Write.Repeat interview that he really enjoys Douglas Adams-esque kind of silly humor, and he nailed that in this book. It also reminds me of a BBC Radio series called Old Harry's Game.
This is definitely one of those books that I started reading at the right time too. Christmas was a bit stressful, and I had just finished a book that was, while really well written, sad and not really to my taste. Andrew did such a good job of fitting a bunch of seemingly disparate pieces together to make a clever, cohesive story. On top of that, sometimes when authors have a bunch of separate pieces moving around, it gets a little janky and confusing and you're like, "What is happening? This is a lot to keep up with." Not with this one. Nope. Everything happening just kind of flowed, and each piece was entertaining all by itself.
I know this is the part where I would usually talk about what I didn't like in the book, but I honestly have nothing. It's hilarious and well crafted and I've begun telling everyone around me how much they need to read it, sooooooo that's it.
April 4, 2017
Loved it
March 23, 2017
As said elsewhere, this does have a certain similarity to the Hitchikers Guide. A story of the absurdity of the human condition, and what sort of absurd characters those from the Judeo-Xtian pantheon would be, forced into the modern era. It just goes to show you that we should probably embrace or own Celtic-Gaelic mythology rather than provide so much support to the sillyness of Middle Eastern nonsense. The plot is funny, the characters extra ridiculous reflections of English-ness, and if there had been Top Gear making Cameos it would have fit. They didn't, but they could have. The audiobook is nicely acted and I enjoyed listening to it.
January 11, 2013
Detective Nigel Amadeus Reinhardt hat ein Problem. Nicht nur hat er kein sonderlich gutes Händchen bei Frauen, nein, seine Spielsucht kostet ihn auch fast seinen Job nachdem herauskommt, dass er den Helikopter seines Arbeitsgebers auf dem Gewissen hat. Da alles besser ist als Nichtstun und drohende Arbeitslosigkeit, nimmt Nigel einen neuen Fall an und besucht eine verzweifelte ältere Dame, die felsenfest davon überzeugt ist ihre geliebte Katze Fuzzbucket sei auf einmal von Teufel höchstpersönlich besessen. Was gar nicht so unwahrscheinlich ist.
Währendessen bekommt der Teufel, von Gott persönlich abgesegnet natürlich, endlich die Erlaubnis eine Woche Urlaub auf der Erde zu machen. Seit dem letzten missglückten Ausflug, bei dem er aus Versehen in der Schlange statt Eva gelandet ist, sind einige Jahre ins Land gegangen, und der Teufel ist mehr als aufgeregt. Doch, wie es oft so ist, nicht alles läuft nach Plan und der Herr der Hölle endet im Körper eines Kätzchens namens Fuzzbucket.
Und während der Tod, der Sensenmann persönlich, seinen Job kündigt und auf einmal niemand mehr stirbt, wird Celina McMannis, beteiligte Wissenschaftlerin im Künstliche-Intelligenz-Projekt Santa Claus, gezwungen sich in der Kantine ihrer Firma zu verbarrikadieren, ein Pinguin wechselt den Körper und Jeremiah der Goldfisch scheint seltsame Dinge zu sehen.
Nigel, natürlich, ist bald schon mitten drin. Und der Teufel hat einen Plan. Einen Plan der Weihnachtselfen beinhaltet. Unter anderem.
“The Devil tried again. He fixed Cedric with the sort of stare that would make Jack the Ripper whimper like a little girl, give up killing, and open a dental practice.”
“Death, the Devil and the Goldfish” ist das Debütwerk des aus England stammenden aber in Kanada lebenden Autors Andrew Buckley, und wurde Anfang Dezember 2012 von Curiosity Quills Press veröffentlicht.
Allein eine Inhaltsangabe zu schreiben oder einen Hauptcharakter auszuwählen erwies sich bei diesem besonderen Werk als eine gewisse Herausforderung, denn es sind einfach so unglaublich viele Personen und Charaktere vertreten, die alle eine wichtige Rolle spielen. Letztendlich habe ich mich für Nigel entschieden, wohl auch, weil Nigel die Figur ist, die den roten Faden bildet und alle anderen Personen und Handlungsstränge miteinander verbindet.
Die gesamte Handlung, so verwirrend sie zunächst auch erscheinen mag, verläuft in einem rasanten Tempo, mit schnellen Szenenwechseln, und springt von Charakter zu Charakter. Mit Hilfe dieser Taktik gelingt es Andrew Buckley, aus dem zunächst chaotisch wirkenden Wirrwarr einen unglaublich gut durchdachten Plot zu formen.
Der trockene britische Humor, und ein wenig auch der Schreibstil des Autors selbst, erinnern in ihrer Art an Douglas Adams und seinen Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, und das durchweg im rein positiven Sinne, und ohne als Kopie der Adams-Werke zu enden.
“And so, after a lot of alcohol, provoking by the local townsfolk, and a long conversation with a suspicious-looking cat, Death, The Angel of Death, The Grim Reaper, The Guide to the Afterlife himself, decided that he’d had enough. And right there on the spot, he quit.”
Die vielen Charaktere sind liebevoll gestaltet und mit Vergangenheit und Persönlichkeit ausgestattet, die, selbst wenn nicht offensichtlich erwähnt oder nur durch Andeutungen vermittelt, trotzdem deutlich im Verhalten der betreffenden Person spürbar ist. Schnell schließt man als Leser Nigel, Celina, Fuzzbucket, Tod und den Pinguin ins Herz. Und natürlich auch den Goldfisch, der mit seiner recht kurzem Aufmerksamkeitsspanne bei jeder Runde durch sein Goldfischglas ein kleines Schloss im Wasser vorfindet.
Die Geschichte ist rasant, skurril, voller Überraschungen und gespickt mit fantastischen Charakteren. Ich ziehe meinen Hut vor der eigenwilligen Genialität des Autors.
“Death, the Devil and the Goldfish” sprüht nur so vor britischem Humor, Ideenreichtum und liebenswert-skurrilen Charakteren. Viel mehr gibt es nicht so sagen, ohne den Spaß am Buch zu verderben. Ein absolutes Muss, wenn man den Mut hat sich auf eine zunächst verworrene, aber am Ende absolut brilliante Geschichte einzulassen.
Währendessen bekommt der Teufel, von Gott persönlich abgesegnet natürlich, endlich die Erlaubnis eine Woche Urlaub auf der Erde zu machen. Seit dem letzten missglückten Ausflug, bei dem er aus Versehen in der Schlange statt Eva gelandet ist, sind einige Jahre ins Land gegangen, und der Teufel ist mehr als aufgeregt. Doch, wie es oft so ist, nicht alles läuft nach Plan und der Herr der Hölle endet im Körper eines Kätzchens namens Fuzzbucket.
Und während der Tod, der Sensenmann persönlich, seinen Job kündigt und auf einmal niemand mehr stirbt, wird Celina McMannis, beteiligte Wissenschaftlerin im Künstliche-Intelligenz-Projekt Santa Claus, gezwungen sich in der Kantine ihrer Firma zu verbarrikadieren, ein Pinguin wechselt den Körper und Jeremiah der Goldfisch scheint seltsame Dinge zu sehen.
Nigel, natürlich, ist bald schon mitten drin. Und der Teufel hat einen Plan. Einen Plan der Weihnachtselfen beinhaltet. Unter anderem.
“The Devil tried again. He fixed Cedric with the sort of stare that would make Jack the Ripper whimper like a little girl, give up killing, and open a dental practice.”
“Death, the Devil and the Goldfish” ist das Debütwerk des aus England stammenden aber in Kanada lebenden Autors Andrew Buckley, und wurde Anfang Dezember 2012 von Curiosity Quills Press veröffentlicht.
Allein eine Inhaltsangabe zu schreiben oder einen Hauptcharakter auszuwählen erwies sich bei diesem besonderen Werk als eine gewisse Herausforderung, denn es sind einfach so unglaublich viele Personen und Charaktere vertreten, die alle eine wichtige Rolle spielen. Letztendlich habe ich mich für Nigel entschieden, wohl auch, weil Nigel die Figur ist, die den roten Faden bildet und alle anderen Personen und Handlungsstränge miteinander verbindet.
Die gesamte Handlung, so verwirrend sie zunächst auch erscheinen mag, verläuft in einem rasanten Tempo, mit schnellen Szenenwechseln, und springt von Charakter zu Charakter. Mit Hilfe dieser Taktik gelingt es Andrew Buckley, aus dem zunächst chaotisch wirkenden Wirrwarr einen unglaublich gut durchdachten Plot zu formen.
Der trockene britische Humor, und ein wenig auch der Schreibstil des Autors selbst, erinnern in ihrer Art an Douglas Adams und seinen Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, und das durchweg im rein positiven Sinne, und ohne als Kopie der Adams-Werke zu enden.
“And so, after a lot of alcohol, provoking by the local townsfolk, and a long conversation with a suspicious-looking cat, Death, The Angel of Death, The Grim Reaper, The Guide to the Afterlife himself, decided that he’d had enough. And right there on the spot, he quit.”
Die vielen Charaktere sind liebevoll gestaltet und mit Vergangenheit und Persönlichkeit ausgestattet, die, selbst wenn nicht offensichtlich erwähnt oder nur durch Andeutungen vermittelt, trotzdem deutlich im Verhalten der betreffenden Person spürbar ist. Schnell schließt man als Leser Nigel, Celina, Fuzzbucket, Tod und den Pinguin ins Herz. Und natürlich auch den Goldfisch, der mit seiner recht kurzem Aufmerksamkeitsspanne bei jeder Runde durch sein Goldfischglas ein kleines Schloss im Wasser vorfindet.
Die Geschichte ist rasant, skurril, voller Überraschungen und gespickt mit fantastischen Charakteren. Ich ziehe meinen Hut vor der eigenwilligen Genialität des Autors.
“Death, the Devil and the Goldfish” sprüht nur so vor britischem Humor, Ideenreichtum und liebenswert-skurrilen Charakteren. Viel mehr gibt es nicht so sagen, ohne den Spaß am Buch zu verderben. Ein absolutes Muss, wenn man den Mut hat sich auf eine zunächst verworrene, aber am Ende absolut brilliante Geschichte einzulassen.
October 17, 2013
“Had anyone bothered to listen to his theory about the devil, the dead not dying, Santa Claus, his elves, and a penguin, they would have eventually found out that he was right on the money.”
Our author, Mr. Buckley, thanks his parents for giving birth to him in England where, as he tells it, “...the sense of humor is far more ridiculous than anywhere else in the world.” Indeed, there’s no other accounting that I can see for the frolic contained inside the pages this wonderful book. I shouldn’t say it—oh, all right then, I shall—Monty Python comes to mind, and the merry plot lines of that standard British comedy fare. No one expects the Spanish Inquisition. Likewise, to launch the book, no one expects the professor’s ‘barefaced cheek’ to take such a nasty turn, as students wait with bated breath to hear his latest theory: ‘Global public nudity?’ Yes, ahem, among other equally audacious schemes that seem well within reasoned consideration for the soon to be scorned professor.
Ah, but wait! As the story evolves we meet Fuzzbucket the cat/devil; Nigel being the devoted private eye even while dangling by his ankles, courtesy of Big Ernie; Celina the Scottish siren who eventually wins the heart of…sorry, ya’ gotta read that part; and many others— Chester, Dr. Ranja whose wife ‘stepped out for milk’ two weeks before; Cedric in animal control; Gerald the penguin; the law firm of Chatham, Chithum and Chump, and on and on.
Here’s the thing: People have stopped dying. The Devil is more than a little perplexed at this, and as one might imagine the morticians are annoyed beyond sense. They go on strike, and who can blame them? Majestic Technologies has been up to some sort of unsavory business, a project to reboot Santa Claus, using lemons no less to generate electricity. Again, ya’ gotta read what Santa Claus is rebooted as. He ain’t the jolly old fellow you think, ho-ho-ho.
Buckley’s writing is past snark and into whimsically funny. Celina’s Scottish father is ‘busy having a heart attack’ and the fighting McManiss clan lives among the ‘nervous sheep.’ Rupert the cabbie stays occupied spinning tales about his vast collection of hotel soaps, while delivering our characters to their appointed rounds, stopping long enough only to relieve himself and write his name on walls. Lawrence is born ‘without a sense of humour.’ Referring to Santa and his minions, it is ‘customary for elves passing lemons along,’ etc. etc.
Back to the story: Fuzzbucket/Devil is under contract for a very short spell on earth, and Death is close behind, though a bit lost with no clientele. Our Goldfish, Jeremiah, is fascinated with the castle in his little bowl, while wholly unimpressed at his innate ability to transmit complex computer code telepathically. Nigel and Celina have a plan to disrupt the end-times scenario, as a clock ticks down, raising the suspense at every turn of the page. Alas, the explosion that erases Majestic Technologies leaves our little band… Well, enough of this, curl up with a shaker or two of lemon juice and prepare to be entertained. This sort of fiction works when it makes a reader question the writer’s stability, and I must say, if this work is any indication, Buckley may have been into the mushrooms, but his whimsical tale works very well indeed.
Technical issues in the book are few. Chapter 12 is a tad strong on italics, which makes it difficult to read. There are many, many colorful characters, perhaps too many to keep track of. Buckley’s strong suit is creating characters. That said, he may wish to flesh them out a bit, give them quirks and an outline, or at least where they shop for socks.
All in all a greatly satisfying romp of a book, with a wholly unpredictable ending and the thing every fictional work ought to have these days, material enough left over for a sequel. This one has more than enough, plus directions for the Macarena. Read it; you’ll laugh, a lot.
Byron Edgington, author ofThe Sky Behind Me: A Memoir of Flying & Life
Our author, Mr. Buckley, thanks his parents for giving birth to him in England where, as he tells it, “...the sense of humor is far more ridiculous than anywhere else in the world.” Indeed, there’s no other accounting that I can see for the frolic contained inside the pages this wonderful book. I shouldn’t say it—oh, all right then, I shall—Monty Python comes to mind, and the merry plot lines of that standard British comedy fare. No one expects the Spanish Inquisition. Likewise, to launch the book, no one expects the professor’s ‘barefaced cheek’ to take such a nasty turn, as students wait with bated breath to hear his latest theory: ‘Global public nudity?’ Yes, ahem, among other equally audacious schemes that seem well within reasoned consideration for the soon to be scorned professor.
Ah, but wait! As the story evolves we meet Fuzzbucket the cat/devil; Nigel being the devoted private eye even while dangling by his ankles, courtesy of Big Ernie; Celina the Scottish siren who eventually wins the heart of…sorry, ya’ gotta read that part; and many others— Chester, Dr. Ranja whose wife ‘stepped out for milk’ two weeks before; Cedric in animal control; Gerald the penguin; the law firm of Chatham, Chithum and Chump, and on and on.
Here’s the thing: People have stopped dying. The Devil is more than a little perplexed at this, and as one might imagine the morticians are annoyed beyond sense. They go on strike, and who can blame them? Majestic Technologies has been up to some sort of unsavory business, a project to reboot Santa Claus, using lemons no less to generate electricity. Again, ya’ gotta read what Santa Claus is rebooted as. He ain’t the jolly old fellow you think, ho-ho-ho.
Buckley’s writing is past snark and into whimsically funny. Celina’s Scottish father is ‘busy having a heart attack’ and the fighting McManiss clan lives among the ‘nervous sheep.’ Rupert the cabbie stays occupied spinning tales about his vast collection of hotel soaps, while delivering our characters to their appointed rounds, stopping long enough only to relieve himself and write his name on walls. Lawrence is born ‘without a sense of humour.’ Referring to Santa and his minions, it is ‘customary for elves passing lemons along,’ etc. etc.
Back to the story: Fuzzbucket/Devil is under contract for a very short spell on earth, and Death is close behind, though a bit lost with no clientele. Our Goldfish, Jeremiah, is fascinated with the castle in his little bowl, while wholly unimpressed at his innate ability to transmit complex computer code telepathically. Nigel and Celina have a plan to disrupt the end-times scenario, as a clock ticks down, raising the suspense at every turn of the page. Alas, the explosion that erases Majestic Technologies leaves our little band… Well, enough of this, curl up with a shaker or two of lemon juice and prepare to be entertained. This sort of fiction works when it makes a reader question the writer’s stability, and I must say, if this work is any indication, Buckley may have been into the mushrooms, but his whimsical tale works very well indeed.
Technical issues in the book are few. Chapter 12 is a tad strong on italics, which makes it difficult to read. There are many, many colorful characters, perhaps too many to keep track of. Buckley’s strong suit is creating characters. That said, he may wish to flesh them out a bit, give them quirks and an outline, or at least where they shop for socks.
All in all a greatly satisfying romp of a book, with a wholly unpredictable ending and the thing every fictional work ought to have these days, material enough left over for a sequel. This one has more than enough, plus directions for the Macarena. Read it; you’ll laugh, a lot.
Byron Edgington, author ofThe Sky Behind Me: A Memoir of Flying & Life
September 21, 2013
(Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
I've been spending my evenings with Death, the Devil, and the Goldfish. From the start, it's obvious I've been dropped into some crazy world where the Devil leaves his beloved pet fish, Percy, to vacation on earth and cause chaos, and where the Angel of Death hates his job--doing the same mindless job day after day, a cop is being held upside down from the top of a building because of past-due debt, and . . . there is no end in sight! Actually, for the folks in the novel, there may be no end in sight because thanks to Death's argument with a lamppost, he quit his job and the recently dead aren't staying dead.
Sounds like part zombie novel, but there are no zombies in sight, just a slew of seemingly unrelated characters who slowly find themselves woven into a much larger story.
Despite what would be a serious problem--the devil roaming the earth, intent on destruction, and the dead not dying--the book is simply hilarious. Andrew Buckley immediately drew me in with a fun tone and style.
"Around a year ago, a disgraced priest had taken to chopping up certain members of his congregation. New Scotland Yard took a few weeks to put two and two together, and once they discovered the answer was clearly four, they then multiplied it by twenty-seven, added one-million-seven-hundred-thousand-three-hundred-and-ninety-one, then divided the whole thing by Pi . . . ." Death, the Devil, and the Goldfish, 31.
Andrew Buckley has taken nonsense and turned it on its head, rolled around in it for a while, threw in some crazy, a couple of fish and a penguin, and mixed it all with a couple of martinis (or a few dozen).
There is, however a dark side. In addition to Death (aka Fuzzbucket--the name of his Earthly feline vessel), the Devil, and the cop, Nigel, I've already mentioned we also have a goldfish named Jeremiah who only has a three-second memory span, Celina a robotics engineer with an obsession with yogurt, Gerald a penguin who hates the cold, and a slew of other characters that I really couldn't keep track of.
One minute you're in London, the next you're in the South Pole. For a while, I even forgot the Devil was a character in the book. Wait, no . . . Wait where were we? Who?
Are we stuck in the three-second mindset of the fish?
I wanted to love it. The dry, witty humor was highly entertaining, yet by Chapter Thirteen the constant shifts in perspective left me feeling like my brain would turn to pudding.
This book won't be for everyone, but if you can handle the constant state of upheaval created by the constant breaks in the story, and you like witty satire, you should give it a shot.
I've been spending my evenings with Death, the Devil, and the Goldfish. From the start, it's obvious I've been dropped into some crazy world where the Devil leaves his beloved pet fish, Percy, to vacation on earth and cause chaos, and where the Angel of Death hates his job--doing the same mindless job day after day, a cop is being held upside down from the top of a building because of past-due debt, and . . . there is no end in sight! Actually, for the folks in the novel, there may be no end in sight because thanks to Death's argument with a lamppost, he quit his job and the recently dead aren't staying dead.
Sounds like part zombie novel, but there are no zombies in sight, just a slew of seemingly unrelated characters who slowly find themselves woven into a much larger story.
Despite what would be a serious problem--the devil roaming the earth, intent on destruction, and the dead not dying--the book is simply hilarious. Andrew Buckley immediately drew me in with a fun tone and style.
"Around a year ago, a disgraced priest had taken to chopping up certain members of his congregation. New Scotland Yard took a few weeks to put two and two together, and once they discovered the answer was clearly four, they then multiplied it by twenty-seven, added one-million-seven-hundred-thousand-three-hundred-and-ninety-one, then divided the whole thing by Pi . . . ." Death, the Devil, and the Goldfish, 31.
Andrew Buckley has taken nonsense and turned it on its head, rolled around in it for a while, threw in some crazy, a couple of fish and a penguin, and mixed it all with a couple of martinis (or a few dozen).
There is, however a dark side. In addition to Death (aka Fuzzbucket--the name of his Earthly feline vessel), the Devil, and the cop, Nigel, I've already mentioned we also have a goldfish named Jeremiah who only has a three-second memory span, Celina a robotics engineer with an obsession with yogurt, Gerald a penguin who hates the cold, and a slew of other characters that I really couldn't keep track of.
One minute you're in London, the next you're in the South Pole. For a while, I even forgot the Devil was a character in the book. Wait, no . . . Wait where were we? Who?
Are we stuck in the three-second mindset of the fish?
I wanted to love it. The dry, witty humor was highly entertaining, yet by Chapter Thirteen the constant shifts in perspective left me feeling like my brain would turn to pudding.
This book won't be for everyone, but if you can handle the constant state of upheaval created by the constant breaks in the story, and you like witty satire, you should give it a shot.
December 12, 2012
I've had a hard time thinking of what to rate this and how to review it. I want to almost work backwards because it might make more sense that way...
I had a hard time picking out 1 main character, but I guess it'd be Nigel, the police officer. Then there's Death (as in the Grim Reaper). And a penguin who got put into the body of a millionaire. And a scientist Celina who invented robotic elves. And of course there's The Devil and the Goldfish. See what I mean about hard to review?
Ok, so here's the summary: Nigel, the police officer, is investigating why no one is dying in London and why a cat suddenly has turned into the devil. He also has a gambling problem and is harassed by two stupid goons. The Devil, on a week-long jaunt to earth ok'd by God, got "accidentally" (always read the fine print) put into the body of a cat. He, as the cat, convinced Death to quit. Hence the no one dying. The penguin knew he was meant for bigger things and then *bam* he ends up a man and washes up on the same island where Death is vacationing. Back in London, Celina is locked in the lunch room kitchen hiding from the robotic elves that have taken over due to a programming glitch (there's the Devil at it again). And the goldfish? Well, he's prophetic. He receives messages and flings them out to the universe hoping that they reach the appropriate person. And since he's a goldfish he has about a 10 second attention span, he constantly wonders why there's a castle in his bowl. So, the motley team of Nigel, the penguin, Death and Celina have to try and stop the Devil and his evil mechanical elves from completing his dastardly plan.
I had a hard time getting into the book because I was so confused. It reads similar to a Douglas Adams book - very witty with dry British humor. I had to get adjusted to it. And the plot jumps from person to person, so I had to figure out what each story had to do with the next. It does come together, it does, I just had to figure out how. Once it did, it was funny and I enjoyed the characters. It was fun. And silly. And a bit ridiculous, but it's supposed to be. It's set up with a bit of a cliff-hanger at the end, so I'm assuming that there will be a sequel, which I'll have to read since by the end I cared about the characters. And that's the point, right? To care about the characters.
I recommend this for fans of The Hitchhiker's Guider To The Galaxy, people who enjoy British humor, or anyone who read this and just has to find out HOW all these things came together.
I had a hard time picking out 1 main character, but I guess it'd be Nigel, the police officer. Then there's Death (as in the Grim Reaper). And a penguin who got put into the body of a millionaire. And a scientist Celina who invented robotic elves. And of course there's The Devil and the Goldfish. See what I mean about hard to review?
Ok, so here's the summary: Nigel, the police officer, is investigating why no one is dying in London and why a cat suddenly has turned into the devil. He also has a gambling problem and is harassed by two stupid goons. The Devil, on a week-long jaunt to earth ok'd by God, got "accidentally" (always read the fine print) put into the body of a cat. He, as the cat, convinced Death to quit. Hence the no one dying. The penguin knew he was meant for bigger things and then *bam* he ends up a man and washes up on the same island where Death is vacationing. Back in London, Celina is locked in the lunch room kitchen hiding from the robotic elves that have taken over due to a programming glitch (there's the Devil at it again). And the goldfish? Well, he's prophetic. He receives messages and flings them out to the universe hoping that they reach the appropriate person. And since he's a goldfish he has about a 10 second attention span, he constantly wonders why there's a castle in his bowl. So, the motley team of Nigel, the penguin, Death and Celina have to try and stop the Devil and his evil mechanical elves from completing his dastardly plan.
I had a hard time getting into the book because I was so confused. It reads similar to a Douglas Adams book - very witty with dry British humor. I had to get adjusted to it. And the plot jumps from person to person, so I had to figure out what each story had to do with the next. It does come together, it does, I just had to figure out how. Once it did, it was funny and I enjoyed the characters. It was fun. And silly. And a bit ridiculous, but it's supposed to be. It's set up with a bit of a cliff-hanger at the end, so I'm assuming that there will be a sequel, which I'll have to read since by the end I cared about the characters. And that's the point, right? To care about the characters.
I recommend this for fans of The Hitchhiker's Guider To The Galaxy, people who enjoy British humor, or anyone who read this and just has to find out HOW all these things came together.
January 18, 2013
The devil has made a deal with God and gets to spend a week on earth. Unfortunately for the devil, the body he had arranged to inhabit is not available, so he is forced to inhabit the body of a cat. Things get worst for the world when the Angel of Death is then convinced by the prince of darkness into quitting in a drunken rage. So, not only is the devil free to run amok but people can no longer die. Then there is a thing with evil elves and a penguin who becomes human. If this sounds confusing trust me, it will all become clear when you read this book.
As I was reading this book, I kept wondering how I was going to review it. So much happened that at times I felt that it was headed nowhere and had no discernible plot. To add to the problem, I don't even think I can say that Death, the Devil, and the Goldfish, even had a clear protagonist. The protagonist could easily have been a penguin named Gerald, a police officer named Nigel, or a scientist named Celina. With the importance of Death in story, I'm sure some might argue that the protagonist is actually the grim reaper. The only thing that I can identify for certain is that the devil is indeed the antagonist.
Normally I wouldn't even finish a book with this much confusion but would you believe that not only did I finish Death, the Devil and the Goldfish, I loved it? The plot was thin at best and the story seemed to move from amusing anecdote to anecdote. Normally, this would not be enough to hold any book together but Buckley's writing is laugh out loud funny and with each absurdity, I became more and more excited to see where his imaginative mind would go next.
How could I not love a story which involved the devil inhabiting the body of a cat named Fuzzbucket and then getting frustrated about having to cough up furballs? Then there is the penguin who shifts into the body of a millionaire, while his body is shifted to a plane where humans worship penguins. There is also the line dancing elves, which of course makes us question how the macerna ever became a popular dance. Also, the very idea of God as a wine waiter, wisely guiding the universe along is absolutely irreverent. It is impossible to read this book and not giggle.
Read more
As I was reading this book, I kept wondering how I was going to review it. So much happened that at times I felt that it was headed nowhere and had no discernible plot. To add to the problem, I don't even think I can say that Death, the Devil, and the Goldfish, even had a clear protagonist. The protagonist could easily have been a penguin named Gerald, a police officer named Nigel, or a scientist named Celina. With the importance of Death in story, I'm sure some might argue that the protagonist is actually the grim reaper. The only thing that I can identify for certain is that the devil is indeed the antagonist.
Normally I wouldn't even finish a book with this much confusion but would you believe that not only did I finish Death, the Devil and the Goldfish, I loved it? The plot was thin at best and the story seemed to move from amusing anecdote to anecdote. Normally, this would not be enough to hold any book together but Buckley's writing is laugh out loud funny and with each absurdity, I became more and more excited to see where his imaginative mind would go next.
How could I not love a story which involved the devil inhabiting the body of a cat named Fuzzbucket and then getting frustrated about having to cough up furballs? Then there is the penguin who shifts into the body of a millionaire, while his body is shifted to a plane where humans worship penguins. There is also the line dancing elves, which of course makes us question how the macerna ever became a popular dance. Also, the very idea of God as a wine waiter, wisely guiding the universe along is absolutely irreverent. It is impossible to read this book and not giggle.
Read more
March 1, 2013
*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book on Netgalley from the publisher in return for an honest review*
Author
Andrew Buckly was born in Manchester. As a child he wrote a story about a big blue dinosaur which got awarded by his elementary teacher with a gold star.
In 1997 he moved to Canada where he attended the Vancouver Film School’s Writing for Film and Television program where he graduated with excellence.
After pitching and developing several screenplay projects for film and television he worked in marketing and public relations for several years before venturing into a number of content writing contracts. During this time he abandoned screenwriting altogether and began writing his first novel.
Andrew lives in the Okanagan Valley, BC with his wife, children and pets.
Review
My first thought when I saw this book on Netgalley was "how did someone manage to put a goldfish in with Death and the Devil."
The several characters each have their own start in the story. It is clear from the beginning they are going to end up together but you are not sure in which capacity. I loved Gerald and the Death the most. They are the most hilarious combination. One thing that did bother me was that the author named some of the main characters alike.
I must confess that I admired the many different ways the author found to describe the relationship between the goldfish and the castle.
The story is a chain of the most stupid situations a human being (or not so human being) can find himself stuck in combined with the thoughts of every other sane person hearing the story. As the author mentions in his book that dark lonely half collapsing house no person with a normal working brain would enter....Still the characters have to live trough the situation wondering why them and solve the problems they get into. As some do not have previous experience in solving problems in a normal way this makes for some very hilarious situations.
This book is hilarious, funny and balancing just on the right site of morality and I have not laughed like this about a book in a long time
Author
Andrew Buckly was born in Manchester. As a child he wrote a story about a big blue dinosaur which got awarded by his elementary teacher with a gold star.
In 1997 he moved to Canada where he attended the Vancouver Film School’s Writing for Film and Television program where he graduated with excellence.
After pitching and developing several screenplay projects for film and television he worked in marketing and public relations for several years before venturing into a number of content writing contracts. During this time he abandoned screenwriting altogether and began writing his first novel.
Andrew lives in the Okanagan Valley, BC with his wife, children and pets.
Review
My first thought when I saw this book on Netgalley was "how did someone manage to put a goldfish in with Death and the Devil."
The several characters each have their own start in the story. It is clear from the beginning they are going to end up together but you are not sure in which capacity. I loved Gerald and the Death the most. They are the most hilarious combination. One thing that did bother me was that the author named some of the main characters alike.
I must confess that I admired the many different ways the author found to describe the relationship between the goldfish and the castle.
The story is a chain of the most stupid situations a human being (or not so human being) can find himself stuck in combined with the thoughts of every other sane person hearing the story. As the author mentions in his book that dark lonely half collapsing house no person with a normal working brain would enter....Still the characters have to live trough the situation wondering why them and solve the problems they get into. As some do not have previous experience in solving problems in a normal way this makes for some very hilarious situations.
This book is hilarious, funny and balancing just on the right site of morality and I have not laughed like this about a book in a long time
January 29, 2013
With "Death, the Devil and the Goldfish", Andrew Buckley has successfully skirted many of the problems plaguing humorous books. His is not the tiring mode of a Christopher Moore or Carl Hiaasen so much as Douglas Adams, with a bit of Mark Twain (I'm thinking of "Letters from the Earth"), and a pinch of Clive Barker. There is insanity, there is silliness, but running beneath it all are very delectable philosophical conundrums and questions. The beauty of this book is that it works on both levels: one can explore the questions, or just roll with the laughs.
Perhaps most significantly, the beat of the novel resounds with a sense of fun and play. Andrew Buckley clearly had a great time in the literary sandbox, and that shines through every page.
The prose is effortless and crisp, straining very infrequently for humor. While everything is explained lucidly, as the narrative snowballs in weirdness some readers may experience slowdown, especially those like myself who make a digressive, recreational habit out of trying to string together seemingly disparate elements of a plot: the character of Death at a pub, drunk --nobody in the world is dying -- the Devil inhabiting a cat -- a wonderfully forgetful goldfish -- a gambling telekinetic investigator -- and stepping into this mix are the usuals like, say, Santa Claus or a penguin. It all sounds daunting in a zany way, and, in lesser hands, could easily have disintegrated. Yet everything is accounted for, quilted together in the logic of Buckley's universe, logic to which he's refreshingly faithful (unlike some authors, there's no presumption of "anything goes"). Helpful motifs are artfully deployed, too, subtle through-lines of explication or repetition that provide revitalizing familiarity, respites before facing whatever else -- robotic, demonic or human -- that lurks around the corner.
While the spirits of Halloween and Christmas may brawl over which claims more affinity with "Death, the Devil and the Goldfish", they'll both lose. It is an all-seasons book, but, like any traditional holiday-specific reading or viewing, it will bolster the mood of each. How many can say they've created something like that?
August 4, 2013
I received a free copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
A far-fetched storyline with highly creative characters just gets crazier and crazier. Characters include the Devil who possesses a cat, Death as himself, a dude who used to be a penguin, a goldfish with a very limited memory that spells out important letters in his rocks as the thoughts come to him, deranged mechanical elves, and more. There is constant humor written into the storyline. The humor worked for me at times, but didn't at others. For about the first half of the book, I found the frequent side notes that seemed to be written in purely for humor to be more distracting than funny. I knew I should be laughing, but wasn't and that sort of annoyed me. I don't know what it is, but attributing thoughts to inanimate objects distracted me most. I can deal with it with animals, but things like, "The rain that had momentarily stopped became bored with doing nothing..." were more distracting than they were funny.
However, as I resigned to the fact that there would be bits that were supposed to be funny and weren't to me and the plot overtook the side notes that seemed to be used to help develop the characters, I began to enjoy the ride more. Plus, I had to admit that some of those side notes actually did have me laughing, so that was worth it. And far-fetched humor is the point of this whole book.
It is not at all serious, no in-depth character development, nothing much that requires deep contemplation. It is written to be fun and funny, and does accomplish that goal. The Devil saying goodbye to his beloved goldfish in the beginning had me chuckling. Jeremiah the goldfish was cute and funny, and I loved the sprinkling of appearances made by this very important character. The Devil's preferred instrument of torture gave me a laugh, too. I'd say, all in all, you're bound to find some humor appeal to you no matter who you are, but also some that doesn't work for you -- and it will be all a matter of individual tastes.
A far-fetched storyline with highly creative characters just gets crazier and crazier. Characters include the Devil who possesses a cat, Death as himself, a dude who used to be a penguin, a goldfish with a very limited memory that spells out important letters in his rocks as the thoughts come to him, deranged mechanical elves, and more. There is constant humor written into the storyline. The humor worked for me at times, but didn't at others. For about the first half of the book, I found the frequent side notes that seemed to be written in purely for humor to be more distracting than funny. I knew I should be laughing, but wasn't and that sort of annoyed me. I don't know what it is, but attributing thoughts to inanimate objects distracted me most. I can deal with it with animals, but things like, "The rain that had momentarily stopped became bored with doing nothing..." were more distracting than they were funny.
However, as I resigned to the fact that there would be bits that were supposed to be funny and weren't to me and the plot overtook the side notes that seemed to be used to help develop the characters, I began to enjoy the ride more. Plus, I had to admit that some of those side notes actually did have me laughing, so that was worth it. And far-fetched humor is the point of this whole book.
It is not at all serious, no in-depth character development, nothing much that requires deep contemplation. It is written to be fun and funny, and does accomplish that goal. The Devil saying goodbye to his beloved goldfish in the beginning had me chuckling. Jeremiah the goldfish was cute and funny, and I loved the sprinkling of appearances made by this very important character. The Devil's preferred instrument of torture gave me a laugh, too. I'd say, all in all, you're bound to find some humor appeal to you no matter who you are, but also some that doesn't work for you -- and it will be all a matter of individual tastes.
April 5, 2014
Andrew BuckleyDeath, the Devil and the Goldfish is a story of how the devil leaves hell, death quits his job and a gold fish tells the future. Lucifer, or Luci as he is fondly called by the angel of death (much to his annoyance), signs a contract which allows him to leave hell and inhabit a human body for seven days, only he forgets to read the small print, and as you know, the devil is in the details – pun not intended.
The Devil does not get the body he thinks he would, and so has to improvise. He plans to take over the world and wreck havoc, and actually does an impressive job of it, until Nigel, a newly fired Detective with an unusually calm demeanour and a slight gambling problem; Celina, an artificial intelligence genius who makes her Scottish ancestors proud with her legendary fits of rage; Gerald, a penguin in a human body; Eggnogg, the dancing elf; Death who previously quit his job citing under appreciation; and a prophetic, information spinning gold fish are brought together to form a kick ass team by Heinrich the waiter, who isn’t really a waiter at all.
I have to say, there are quite a number of characters in this book, and a number of things going on at the same time, but most of them tie together in the end. There are still a few dangling parts, but I suppose those are left for the sequel.
All the characters are as real and mad as can be expected in a devil-hijacks-earth kind of story, but the angel of Death is my favourite. He felt the most real to me and he is cool in a “you-won’t-remember-me-in-the-next-minute” way. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book.
The Devil does not get the body he thinks he would, and so has to improvise. He plans to take over the world and wreck havoc, and actually does an impressive job of it, until Nigel, a newly fired Detective with an unusually calm demeanour and a slight gambling problem; Celina, an artificial intelligence genius who makes her Scottish ancestors proud with her legendary fits of rage; Gerald, a penguin in a human body; Eggnogg, the dancing elf; Death who previously quit his job citing under appreciation; and a prophetic, information spinning gold fish are brought together to form a kick ass team by Heinrich the waiter, who isn’t really a waiter at all.
I have to say, there are quite a number of characters in this book, and a number of things going on at the same time, but most of them tie together in the end. There are still a few dangling parts, but I suppose those are left for the sequel.
All the characters are as real and mad as can be expected in a devil-hijacks-earth kind of story, but the angel of Death is my favourite. He felt the most real to me and he is cool in a “you-won’t-remember-me-in-the-next-minute” way. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book.
January 31, 2023
…for all intents and purposes it could be agreed that the events so far in this story had not been normal.
First the serious bits of my review that are necessary to find, peruse and even - dare I say it - digest should you be considering reading this book. It was well-written, brilliantly constructed and indeed, most hilarious! This is truly one of the only books I've read in ages that come close in that realm known as "imho" to being worthy of mention alongside the works of either Douglas Adams or Sir Terry Pratchett, who also famously had a soft spot in his heart for the Discworld's own anthropomorphized version of Death, or I guess correctly stated, their main version of same. I am in fact intending on finishing my review (an abridged version will appear later even on Amazon France), returning the copy I "borrowed" from Kindle Unlimited and then buying a permanent copy for myself, perhaps even one that has been constructed with squished bits of old trees or recycled toilet paper and printed upon accordingly. In other words, I will be reading this one again and perhaps dare I say it again (yes, I'm being very daring in this review or at very least this paragraph).
Death was not having a good day. Incidentally, Death did not normally go by the name Death.
And now, the silly bits: imagine if you will that someone decided to take a very specific passage from the immortal and aforementioned Douglas Adams' "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and expand upon it. Naturally - as most of you have guessed by now no doubt - I am referring to the scene where a sperm whale and a bowl of petunias appeared above an alien planet owing to many things happening at that point in the book. Of course, I'm not indicating one should write a book about the sperm whale's thoughts as we all know this poor creature's brief existence was filled with a lot of curiousity and what might be considered existentialist crap (I suspect he was a hippie). No, what I would suggest is that a tale should have been put together about the petunia's last thought which was of course "Oh no, not again." Naturally, if we had followed up this line of reasoning, we would not only potentially know more about the nature of the universe but also have probably created something very similar to Andrew Buckley's "Death, the Devil and the Goldfish".
Cat possessed by the devil? It’s going to be one of those days.
Yes, you might have guessed by now that I am comparing Buckley's delightfully rendered and terribly British humour (note spelling) treatise to DA's best known novels (please tell me you aren't going to argue about the whole Dirk Gently thing). This is a sometimes subtle, sometimes more akin to a kick in the privates laugh-o-rama that will please any fan of such shows as the various incarnations of HHGTTG, Red Dwarf, Dave Allen, Bottom (I prefer the "live" incarnations of same), Monty Python (I prefer the "non-live" incarnations of same, meaning concerts, not movies) and/or so so many more! Thank goodness growing up my parents gave me NO limitations on the amount of educational TV I could watch because it was (unbeknownst to them) exactly this channel that embedded all these wonderful collections of British, Irish, Scottish and even Welsh (gasp) silliness into my brain. Trust me on this kids, this was well before not only streaming services but even VHS or betamax. And no, getting back to my earlier definitions, I will not be accepting any explanations about the actual division of the British Isles or any of those other nasty bits - some of which are very nasty indeed - at this time!
She’s run off with a one-legged Polynesian midget!
Kindly note that there are probably some spoilers in all that I'm about to say, except when I pause to either make sense or again compliment Buckley's execution of this adventure. And as seeing as how I am most assuredly not Death (capital D, noting the black robe would be a dead giveaway, pardon the pun) and you are most likely not a prescient goldfish - an improbable though hypothetically not impossible situation - you will then want to stop reading here unless you want your whole day thrown into chaos, your taxes audited and, even worse, a great deal of this book ruined for you throughout all eternity! Or not. You decide.
Death chuckled as only Death could.
As you can imagine from my own rantings, this was an extremely strange and unique tale. Heck, we only have to think back about such recent events that forced Celina (the crazed but attractive Scotsperson) to hide in a freezer, Nigel (the sometimes telekinetic police officer with a gambling problem) to get fired, a penguin to turn into a man, a goldfish to predict the future, and all people in the world to stop dying because Death quit his job after an embarrassing run-in with a bunch of drunks in Ireland. Somewhere in all that there's bound to be a redundant statement but I shan't be risking identifying it, eh lads? And where was God (aka Heinrich the wine waiter) in all of this? If you guessed that he was serving beer at a small restaurant a stone’s throw from Piccadilly Circus, you'd have almost been right. And this all of course ignore the bits about dead people not dying, nervous ducks, deranged cyborg elves, and even jolly ol' Saint Nick himself. Were these all random and undoubtedly odd events? Or were they not so random but yet still undoubtedly strange events that may have been connected somehow? Whatever the case, it will probably also involve cat kicking. No, the cats won't be doing that, they'll have that being done to them! You'll see!
Be quiet and stop jumping around or I’ll have you pummeled with a wooden spoon!
Oh and do you want to know something really strange at least to me and maybe 3 other Americans out there? I have stayed in Ramsbottom - a small yet picturesque town just outside of Manchester - many, many times (I cannot in good faith decide if it was Upper Ramsbottom or just plain Ramsbottom)! Yes, I have traversed and stayed in the city's grand hotel that was a converted old cotton mill… and by converted I mean 'they threw some carpeting over the nastier bits but that's about it (remembering that there was no hot water every other day but there was an excellent curry shop near the train station [a favorite among train enthusiasts from around the world owing to their collection of original steam engines!]). Why did I stay in Ramsbottom you ask if there is any way you're still reading this? Well, it was easier for my contact to drive me into the side of Manchester we needed to be then in the mornings. Which was nice because every time I stayed in central Manchester, (or even potentially Upper Manchester) someone tried to blow something up! This can really put a crimp on your evening plans as well as add unexpected delays to your commute!
ANYWAY… Trust me: read this book! You may just save the world!
First the serious bits of my review that are necessary to find, peruse and even - dare I say it - digest should you be considering reading this book. It was well-written, brilliantly constructed and indeed, most hilarious! This is truly one of the only books I've read in ages that come close in that realm known as "imho" to being worthy of mention alongside the works of either Douglas Adams or Sir Terry Pratchett, who also famously had a soft spot in his heart for the Discworld's own anthropomorphized version of Death, or I guess correctly stated, their main version of same. I am in fact intending on finishing my review (an abridged version will appear later even on Amazon France), returning the copy I "borrowed" from Kindle Unlimited and then buying a permanent copy for myself, perhaps even one that has been constructed with squished bits of old trees or recycled toilet paper and printed upon accordingly. In other words, I will be reading this one again and perhaps dare I say it again (yes, I'm being very daring in this review or at very least this paragraph).
Death was not having a good day. Incidentally, Death did not normally go by the name Death.
And now, the silly bits: imagine if you will that someone decided to take a very specific passage from the immortal and aforementioned Douglas Adams' "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and expand upon it. Naturally - as most of you have guessed by now no doubt - I am referring to the scene where a sperm whale and a bowl of petunias appeared above an alien planet owing to many things happening at that point in the book. Of course, I'm not indicating one should write a book about the sperm whale's thoughts as we all know this poor creature's brief existence was filled with a lot of curiousity and what might be considered existentialist crap (I suspect he was a hippie). No, what I would suggest is that a tale should have been put together about the petunia's last thought which was of course "Oh no, not again." Naturally, if we had followed up this line of reasoning, we would not only potentially know more about the nature of the universe but also have probably created something very similar to Andrew Buckley's "Death, the Devil and the Goldfish".
Cat possessed by the devil? It’s going to be one of those days.
Yes, you might have guessed by now that I am comparing Buckley's delightfully rendered and terribly British humour (note spelling) treatise to DA's best known novels (please tell me you aren't going to argue about the whole Dirk Gently thing). This is a sometimes subtle, sometimes more akin to a kick in the privates laugh-o-rama that will please any fan of such shows as the various incarnations of HHGTTG, Red Dwarf, Dave Allen, Bottom (I prefer the "live" incarnations of same), Monty Python (I prefer the "non-live" incarnations of same, meaning concerts, not movies) and/or so so many more! Thank goodness growing up my parents gave me NO limitations on the amount of educational TV I could watch because it was (unbeknownst to them) exactly this channel that embedded all these wonderful collections of British, Irish, Scottish and even Welsh (gasp) silliness into my brain. Trust me on this kids, this was well before not only streaming services but even VHS or betamax. And no, getting back to my earlier definitions, I will not be accepting any explanations about the actual division of the British Isles or any of those other nasty bits - some of which are very nasty indeed - at this time!
She’s run off with a one-legged Polynesian midget!
Kindly note that there are probably some spoilers in all that I'm about to say, except when I pause to either make sense or again compliment Buckley's execution of this adventure. And as seeing as how I am most assuredly not Death (capital D, noting the black robe would be a dead giveaway, pardon the pun) and you are most likely not a prescient goldfish - an improbable though hypothetically not impossible situation - you will then want to stop reading here unless you want your whole day thrown into chaos, your taxes audited and, even worse, a great deal of this book ruined for you throughout all eternity! Or not. You decide.
Death chuckled as only Death could.
As you can imagine from my own rantings, this was an extremely strange and unique tale. Heck, we only have to think back about such recent events that forced Celina (the crazed but attractive Scotsperson) to hide in a freezer, Nigel (the sometimes telekinetic police officer with a gambling problem) to get fired, a penguin to turn into a man, a goldfish to predict the future, and all people in the world to stop dying because Death quit his job after an embarrassing run-in with a bunch of drunks in Ireland. Somewhere in all that there's bound to be a redundant statement but I shan't be risking identifying it, eh lads? And where was God (aka Heinrich the wine waiter) in all of this? If you guessed that he was serving beer at a small restaurant a stone’s throw from Piccadilly Circus, you'd have almost been right. And this all of course ignore the bits about dead people not dying, nervous ducks, deranged cyborg elves, and even jolly ol' Saint Nick himself. Were these all random and undoubtedly odd events? Or were they not so random but yet still undoubtedly strange events that may have been connected somehow? Whatever the case, it will probably also involve cat kicking. No, the cats won't be doing that, they'll have that being done to them! You'll see!
Be quiet and stop jumping around or I’ll have you pummeled with a wooden spoon!
Oh and do you want to know something really strange at least to me and maybe 3 other Americans out there? I have stayed in Ramsbottom - a small yet picturesque town just outside of Manchester - many, many times (I cannot in good faith decide if it was Upper Ramsbottom or just plain Ramsbottom)! Yes, I have traversed and stayed in the city's grand hotel that was a converted old cotton mill… and by converted I mean 'they threw some carpeting over the nastier bits but that's about it (remembering that there was no hot water every other day but there was an excellent curry shop near the train station [a favorite among train enthusiasts from around the world owing to their collection of original steam engines!]). Why did I stay in Ramsbottom you ask if there is any way you're still reading this? Well, it was easier for my contact to drive me into the side of Manchester we needed to be then in the mornings. Which was nice because every time I stayed in central Manchester, (or even potentially Upper Manchester) someone tried to blow something up! This can really put a crimp on your evening plans as well as add unexpected delays to your commute!
ANYWAY… Trust me: read this book! You may just save the world!
February 22, 2013
The devil makes a deal with God - the devil can spend a week on earth in any body of his choosing. However, as it turns out, God is a bit of a trickster with a great sense of humour. The body the devil chooses suddenly becomes unavailable and he finds himself in a body of God's choosing - in a cat named Fuzzbucket (moral here: always read the fine print). Still, the devil is, if nothing, flexible, and is willing to change his plans for world domination to accomodate this unexpected glitch even if it means coughing up a hairball or two in the meantime. To begin his nefarious scheme, he convinces a drunken Death to quit his job - since people aren't used to the no death thing, it is the perfect distraction.
But God who is, by the way, a wine waiter in Brixton, has plans of His own which include a cop named Nigel, a scientist named Celina, and a penguin named Gerald. There is also a prophetically gifted goldfish named Jeremiah and a whole whack of criminally insane robot Christmas elves.
If all this sounds a little (no a lot) crazy, well, it is. The story is, to put it mildly, just a tad off the wall. In many ways, it is sort of like a group of silly vignettes, strung together to create what feels more like a Monty Python skit than a cohesive story. But what it lacks in plot, it definitely makes up in irreverence and humour. Death, the Devil, and the Goldfish is laugh-out-loud funny. It is definitely not one for the laughter impaired but, if you are a fan of British humour, you really have to check this story out - your funny bone will get one heck of a workout.
But God who is, by the way, a wine waiter in Brixton, has plans of His own which include a cop named Nigel, a scientist named Celina, and a penguin named Gerald. There is also a prophetically gifted goldfish named Jeremiah and a whole whack of criminally insane robot Christmas elves.
If all this sounds a little (no a lot) crazy, well, it is. The story is, to put it mildly, just a tad off the wall. In many ways, it is sort of like a group of silly vignettes, strung together to create what feels more like a Monty Python skit than a cohesive story. But what it lacks in plot, it definitely makes up in irreverence and humour. Death, the Devil, and the Goldfish is laugh-out-loud funny. It is definitely not one for the laughter impaired but, if you are a fan of British humour, you really have to check this story out - your funny bone will get one heck of a workout.
July 16, 2014
Nigel Reinhardt starts his day suspended upside down, from the top of a tall building, by a moronic thug. This isn’t too unusual if you owe a loan shark over fifty grand. But it’s probably not the norm for a police detective. Apart from being an awesome copper Nigel has this teensy gambling problem, the result of which has landed him in this little spot of bother. Normally this wouldn’t be too much of an issue as Nigel has a talent for talking himself out of tough spots.
Meanwhile the Devil, Lucifer, Satan, Beelzebub, or whatever is your favorite moniker, has decided to take a week off from Hades to wreak havoc on our little blue planet. Things don’t go too right for him as the body he aimed to posses had the audacity to die and that means he ends up in someone (thing) he didn’t expect. Not too much of a problem; after all he’s the devil. But, collecting souls is a bit of a problem when Death gets rat arsed in Ireland and promptly quits his job. Now no-one is dying.Well, not totally true as they do actually die but as there is no-one to guide them to their correct destination they promptly return to earth, alive.
Nigel has to stop Satan’s plan of world domination, but as his team consists of his prophetic goldfish, the unemployed death dude, a penguin and an employee from a factory that is producing A.I elves things might not actually turn out the way he imagined.
This is a hilarious novel that needs to be on your bookshelf. If you are pissed off with your day this book is sure to lighten your mood considerably.
Meanwhile the Devil, Lucifer, Satan, Beelzebub, or whatever is your favorite moniker, has decided to take a week off from Hades to wreak havoc on our little blue planet. Things don’t go too right for him as the body he aimed to posses had the audacity to die and that means he ends up in someone (thing) he didn’t expect. Not too much of a problem; after all he’s the devil. But, collecting souls is a bit of a problem when Death gets rat arsed in Ireland and promptly quits his job. Now no-one is dying.Well, not totally true as they do actually die but as there is no-one to guide them to their correct destination they promptly return to earth, alive.
Nigel has to stop Satan’s plan of world domination, but as his team consists of his prophetic goldfish, the unemployed death dude, a penguin and an employee from a factory that is producing A.I elves things might not actually turn out the way he imagined.
This is a hilarious novel that needs to be on your bookshelf. If you are pissed off with your day this book is sure to lighten your mood considerably.
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