Another Review at MyShelf.Com

The Last House in the Galaxy

by Andy Secombe

      Andy Secombe has made quite a name for himself as a comic fantasist already, with his delightful Limbo and Limbo II (both reviewed on this site) and now he is back for a third slice of his own brand of magical madness. Freedom fighter Matt Fripp has stolen the Helian Cartogram from the clutches of the evil Gulgus Filch and has made off with it down the nearest wormhole. Trouble is, it is not the right one and instead he ends up in the grounds of Hambledon Hall, a stately home in Devon that is badly in need of repair. It seems ideal as a venue for his ally General Glaak Raffin to host a meeting of the Galactic Alliance, and butler Whipple has the unenviable task of hiding it all from Sir Percy and Lady Trenchard. With fellow rebel Mariella Schprungg in the hands of torturer Glitch McGilvray and the Cartogram playing havoc with the Hall, Matt has to save the universe.

Comic fantasy that works as well as this is a real joy. Secombe's secret lies in having a proper plot instead of just a lot of slapstick and wordplay, and in having a fantasy story with comedy rather than just jokes about fantasy as a genre. There is plenty of humor about modern life, woven together with adventure and topical remarks about the horrors of religious persecution. So there is a lot to enjoy in here, whether it is the sequences in the theme park gone bad, the hilarious aliens, the set pieces in the arena and with the clown or even the happy ending. I couldn't put it down, and love the way it manages to be as satisfying as any other good novel but with the added benefit of being genuinely funny. Secombe probably ought to be available on prescription, so when is his fourth book coming out?

The Book

(Tor UK) Macmillan UK
30 May 2005
Trade Paperback
140504618X
Fantasy [Devon, UK and Fantastic Location]
More at Amazon.co.uk
Excerpt
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The Reviewer

Rachel A Hyde
Reviewed 2005
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© 2005 MyShelf.com