Robert Rankin

After the events of the Brightonomnicon, the teenage Jim O'Malley/Rizla is back in his native Brentford. But all is not well: it seems that Germany won the 2nd world war and now his favourite café serves Bratwurst rather than ‘a full English' for breakfast. Hugo Rune reappears to take Rizla back in time to the ‘40s to help restore history and again defeat Count Otto Black. Again a series of mysteries and who-dunnits need to be solved, this time following the theme of a pack of Tarot cards. ..read more

A hapless teenager is rescued from drowning, but loses his memory. His rescuer is Hugo Rune the self-styled Perfect Master, Guru's Guru, etc, etc. Together they solve 12 mysteries and thwart rune's dark nemesis Count Otto Black.

I first read Armageddon the Musical in 1988 for an interview I did with Robert Rankin. I thoroughly enjoyed it then and upon revisiting it this year I loved the way it made me laugh out loud all over again.

Robert has a wonderful way of writing and incorporating in his books iconic people such as Elvis who takes centre stage and other well knowns in human history. He is totally irreverent and has a dig at everything - but his plot is brilliant! After all aren't we Earthlings in our show 'Earthers' deserving of an extraordinary show if we are about to be axed!

Robert Rankin in real life has a grandchild called Tyler with cerebral palsy who will never be able to walk. Knowing all of this what does Robert do but write a book called Necrophenia, with Tyler (as an adult and normal) as the main character. He has given him a journey in life that is quite fantastic because he has to save planet Earth from a monster in human form who wants to turn earth into a necrosphere with no life on it what so ever.

Jonny Hooker is a guitar-player tormented by imaginary personalities and situations. In trying to solve the Da-Da-De-Da-Da code he finds himself on the run as a murder suspect, trying to uncover a global conspiracy and discover why so many rock musicians die at 27.

The setting of suburban park, local pub and stately home turned museum is a more familiar ‘English' context than the Toy City/Hollywood of ‘The Hollow Chocolate Bunnie of the Apocalypse'/'The Toyminator'.

This book is easier to describe in relation to the films it parodies than trying to fit it into a single book genre. It is set in an alternate reality of Toy City; peopled by old-fashioned toys and nursery rhyme characters, comparable to ‘Who Killed Roger Rabbit'. The main characters Eddy Bear and Jack (a displaced human) become private detectives to solve a series of murders before disaster ensues. As the title indicates, science fiction film plots like the Terminator contribute elements to the story along with Humphrey Bogart style detective setting. ..read more

Country boy Jack is looking for adventure and fortune in Toy City formerly Toy Town, Eddie Bear is trying to work out why his very rich nursery rhyme characters are being brutally slaughtered! There appears to be a serial killer on the loose!

Billie Winkie, Private Eye has gone missimg - who can possibly help Eddie Bear? Step forward country boy Jack, little understanding what exactly he's getting into!