Path: netaxs.com!usenet From: "Sean Gaffney" Newsgroups: rec.arts.drwho Subject: Ship of Fools: Review by the Happy Guy Date: 23 Dec 1997 22:59:38 GMT Organization: newsread.com ISP News Reading Service Lines: 110 Message-ID: <01bd0fcc$3c85f940$8880abcf@gaffney> NNTP-Posting-Host: nh-ts01-16.iconn.net X-Newsreader: Microsoft Internet News 4.70.1155 Xref: netaxs.com rec.arts.drwho:304861 WARNING: this is a review of Ship of Fools, with all that that entails. There could be several things said within the confines of this review that might possibly offend the author and cause him to post all sorts of scabrous comments about my reviewing talent (or lack thereof), my genetic history and my gratuitous use of the word 'fnerk'. Heads may, in fact, roll. Probably not, though, as I adored this book. SPOILERS!!! Well, where should we start? This is another one of those books that has been eagerly awaited for a LONG time. It was Late September of 1996 that Dave first mentioned that he was horribly murdering people, and who wanted to be done in? Thus, there exists a certain kind of anticipation, along with a bit of trepidation. After all, when including the names of about 30-40 radwers, it's impossible to be subtle about it. Could Dave carry off the subtlety necessary? Of course not, but it doesn't really matter. This is a Dave Stone book, which means it's written with a sort of joyous shamelessness. Almost every single bad joke and in-reference is done well, and for the few that aren't - well, there'll be another one in a paragraph or two. The specifics: PLOT: Jeez Louise. This plot is impressive, bringing back things that you'd completely forgotten about, throwing red herrings about with the glee of a mad Scotsman, and then slapping you in the face as you realise what's really going on. Appendix II, for example, actually had my mouth drop open. Seriously. BENNY: Sorry, Matt. I've read part of Beyond the Sun (before I misplaced it, along with Oh No It Isn't! (genuinely lost, btw, not deliberately lost)), and she's done well there, but this is most definitely Bernice Summerfield - bloody buggery bollocks and all. This is the Bernice that we've fallen in love with while reading the NAs. Drinks like a fish, but not to a point where we begin to pity her (yeah, Mortimore). Moreover, bon mots are just pouring out of her mouth. Marvellous. OTHERS: The detectives, who at first seem to be cartoons, and then later prove far more interesting, are hilarious. Then of course there are all of the victims of our killer (including myself, and a big thankyouthankyouthankyou to Dave), which for the most part do not jar, though working the phrase 'random companion' into the book without jarring proved impossible even for Dave. I also love the Cat's Paw, and wonder if we might see more of her. VILLAINS: Well, the ARVIS was OTT, but at least it was designed to be that way. I must confess that I kinda guessed its role, but since Dave surprised me so many other times, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say that we were supposed to get this. And Krytell was utterly loathable from the start. You cheered at the end of the book. STYLE: Even if all the above were awful, this book would still win people over by the sheer joy with which it is written. There have been books where I've noted that the writer must have had fun putting it on the page, but never one where I've wanted to be there, watching Dave's mind skip along gleefully, writing the next bit. This book has been crafted. (Well, they all have, but you know what I mean.) OVERALL: Boy, it's been a while since I've had the occasion to write a review like this. (Been a while since I've written a review.) But this book just blew me away, to the point where I'm kicking myself for putting it off for this long. I do believe I'll move straight on to Down (and I've had Down so long, it looks like Up to me). This book was addictive. 10/10. Now: buy me a drink you bastard. --Sean Gaffney --Happy Guy, semi-retired and living in Crystal Tokyo