The Da-Da-De-Da-Da Code (GOLLANCZ S.F.) Paperback – 19 July 2007

latest novel from robert rankin, a writer best described as the english spike milligan. his novels are real world set, usually in brentford, and are highly inventive comic fantasies.If you've never encountered his work before then this isn't probably the best place to start, as whilst you could get into it quite easily some recurring characters and themes do crop up. start instead with his novel the antipope, which is a good book to see whether or not his style is for you.the book is about jonny hooker, a young man living in london who still has an imaginary friend despite being 27, as the friend refuses to go away. he gets a flyer saying he's won a competetion. investigating this further leads him into a tangled web of conspiraces, secret societies, celebrities, time travelling sprouts, and murder.the usual rankin style, then.whilst this does go over old ground to some extent, it's a return to form after two rather disappointing novels. funny, surreal, fourth wall breaking, and with lots of very interesting trivia, it's a fun read if you're a long term fan of his work up to his normal standard.the book runs for 345 pages, and ends with a short note listing how to download music by robert rankin that acts as a soundtrack to it.

I've been a Rankin fan ever since I read 'The Antipope' in the 1980s, and I've got everything he's written, mostly first editions. Until now, I've never had a problem recommending any of his books to people who enjoy humorous writing. But this one doesn't deliver the Rankin magic, somehow. It's all there - the heroic hero, the strangely formal dialogue, the wacky wander through alternative history, the end of the world, the rock and roll, the running gags...Like a cake that didn't rise properly, this has all the right ingredients, but somehow the whole conspires to be less than the sum of its parts. I think my biggest criticism is the problems with plot and continuity that Rankin self-referentially turns into jokes. Once or twice in a book, this is charming and makes you feel you're being let in on a secret joke. When it's done every chapter, it feels like lazy plotting, or a wish to avoid extensive redrafting.Of course, no Rankin is write off and there is much here to celebrate and chortle at. But it's a pale substitute for one of the Rankin 'Golden Age' novels.

Once again Mr Rankin hits the spot for me. His humor never flags and I find him one of the very few people who can make me laugh out loud in an empty room. Be careful if you read it in public places!! Robert Rankin has a humor all of his own and creates little bombs of mirth that explode inside your mind. I not only recommend this book, but all of his works. give yourself a laugh, you know your worth it,

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I'm a great fan of Robert Rankin, although this book was fairly average as they go. My main reason for entering a review is to moan about the footnotes. I bought this book on the Kindle and all the footnotes are are at the back of the book!Who on earth thought that was a good idea? Not only is it a right faff to access them, but there is no way to relate them to the text as they are not numbered. If they can't be placed near the text to which they relate, then please just delete them as they are pointless.

Another fun book, easy to read and hard to put down, as I have just discovered Robert Rankin I cant wait to pick up the next one.

Love this author.

SO happy with this, absolute bargain! Was described as Used - Good, honestly looks brand new and came with free protective cover.