Book Review: Necrophenia

Robert Rankin, 2009, Gollancz

It's the Swinging Sixties, and all Tyler wants to do is front the biggest rock 'n' roll band in history - The Sumerian Kynges. However, from the moment that The 'Kynges play their first gig, Tyler's destiny is taken completely out of his hands. What follows is a tale spanning seven decades, involving zombies, angels, Satan, Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones, time-travel, alternate realities, subterranean cults, fictional Private Investigators, Tyler's mentally 'challenged' brother Andy (who likes to dress up as a dog), and the greatest ukelele-playing band ever. Among other things. This is the tale of how Tyler almost saved Humankind.

If you've ever read a book by Rankin, you'll know exactly what to expect from Necrophenia: a fast-moving, mind-bending, often wildly hilarious, utterly silly romp. Humour being subjective, I'd expect that not everyone who enjoys speculative comedy will necessarily enjoy Rankin's work, but I'd certainly recommend giving it a go. Necrophenia is definitely one of Rankin's more surreal offerings, with really only the thinnest of plots holding together a dizzying collection of weird and whacky scenes. Rankin fans will undoubtedly love it; non fans may need a stiff drink to help them cope.