Robert Rankin

[biodroid]

While I am in the mode of reading Pratchett and actually getting his humour now I would like to know is Robert Rankin any good. A colleague recommends him and says he's pretty funny. What do you guys reckon?

 

[Ursa major]

I've read two of Robert Rankin's books:

Waiting for Goldalming, which (if I recall correctly) was really good fun;

and

Snuff Fiction, which was less so, but it still had its moments.

 

[The Judge]

I was given about half a dozen of Rankin's books several years agao and dutifully read them all, though I can't now recall any of the titles. I have to say I found them a bit wearying after a while. Some of the humour is funny, but it goes on and on, like a child who has found a joke book and has to read - out loud - every single one.

And he shares with early Pratchett the deliberate twisting of plot and character just so that he can lead up to a joke at the end of it. But whereas Pratchett evolved his style to write fewer jokes but more genuinely witty lines, the Rankins seemed to stay at the same level - almost as if he had a contractual obligation to have a punchline on every page. Subtle it is not.

J

 

[Joey Sixknuckles]

For beginners I recomend the Brentford Trilogy (5 books) or the Armageddon Trilogy (3 books) also The Garden of Unearthly Delights was great and is stand alone.

I have a soft spot for him and have read nearly all his books, but he is an aquired taste, and is a one trick pony, it's just a trick I like.

Spike Milligan on acid is a good description of him, both his good points and his bad.

 

[AE35Unit]

I've read a few of his books from the 90s,Raiders of the Lost Car Park etc,(the Jerry Cornelius trilogy or summat,can't remember now)
Very funny! Garden of Unearthly Delights is good too but not as funny. Not read anything since tho-must fix that but like Pratchett he brings out like one a year so its fun playing catch up. One of Rankin's key phrases is 'Its an old charter or something'

 

[AE35Unit]

Spike Milligan on acid is a good description of him, both his good points and his bad.

I just LOVE Spike Milligan,a true eccentric and comic genius who I'd love to have met!

 

[joolzred]

For beginners I recomend the Brentford Trilogy (5 books) .....

Me too! I've heard his style described as "far-fetched fiction" - seems quite apt!

I like the titles of his Brentford novels - East of Ealing, The Brentford Triangle, The Sprouts of Wrath, etc.

 

[Urien]

The Brentford Triangle (first three books), especially the Antipope are probably my favourite (I think they would make a good TV series). Though "They came and ate us" is my favourite title.

 

[Daisy-Boo]

I was given about half a dozen of Rankin's books several years agao and dutifully read them all, though I can't now recall any of the titles. I have to say I found them a bit wearying after a while. Some of the humour is funny, but it goes on and on, like a child who has found a joke book and has to read - out loud - every single one.

And he shares with early Pratchett the deliberate twisting of plot and character just so that he can lead up to a joke at the end of it. But whereas Pratchett evolved his style to write fewer jokes but more genuinely witty lines, the Rankins seemed to stay at the same level - almost as if he had a contractual obligation to have a punchline on every page. Subtle it is not.

J

I agree 100%. I bought his latest, Necrophenia, and couldn't finish it precisely because of the reasons you cited.

 

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy]

THE ANTIPOPE is fantastic. His recent books have seen severely diminishing returns. Stick to the older titles.