              Book review.             
    The Suburban Book of The Dead      
           by Robert Rankin.           
                                       
   The final part in the Armageddon    
trilogy (subtitled Armageddon  - the   
remake) is a great follow up to the    
brilliant books that have gone before. 
It helps to have read the previous two 
books, but most of the jokes make sense
even if you fail to spot all the in-   
jokes. Barry the time travelling sprout
is back, Rex Mundi is back, Jonathan is
here, but several new faces add to the 
enjoyment of this Pratchettian tour-de-
force. One classic is Lazlo Woodbine,  
Laz to some people, a characature P.I. 
who always works in the first person.  
The way the cast take on life, talking 
to the author, quoting catchphrases and
avoiding running gags if possible make 
this a story on par with Guards!Guards!
, Hitchhiker's Guide and The Stainless 
Steel Rat. The adventure follows Rex as
he struggles to overcome the AntiChrist
and put the world to rights. The world 
is in a lot of trouble after God gave  
the contract to Elvis Presley, now made
immortal by Barry the Time Sprout. If  
that seems complicated, don't forget   
Jonathan Crawford, the boy wonder, who 
is running the world as a computer game
for the gods. The book is littered with
gags, - 'I merge into the shadows so   
well Hank Marvin wouldn't know the     
difference.'                           
    'I'm not happy about this chief.'  
    'The Hank Marvin gag? I thought it 
was OK.'                               
 and - 'She was the kind of blonde who 
had lips that looked better around a   
cool martini than a dwarf's dongler.   
    'The name's Woodbine ma'am, some   
call me Laz.'                          
    'I'll just call you Mr.Shithead.'  
she said in a way I found most winsome.
                                       
   Each chapter starts with a quote    
from the gospel according to Presley   
and maybe some words of wisdom. For    
instance- 'And Elvis said unto Eve, Put
down that apple and back away from the 
tree.' or 'You make few friends when   
travelling North on a South-bound high 
way.' - Lazlo Woodbine. Such attention 
to detail gives the book a personality 
on a par with Pratchett's Discworld.   
   Price : 3.99, available now.        
                                       
                                       
                                       
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