“Like a Welsh Terry Pratchett… on acid”

 

NO MAJOR SPOILERS

Firstly we marked the jar with a bold sign saying ‘DO NOT TOUCH’ , plus it had a child proof lid AND it was kept on the top shelf away from wandering hands!

Oh dear.. Despite all of the top level security, it seems there’s been a burglary, something’s gone missing and it’s probably going to mean trouble.. Especially for Death 221 who is currently in charge after his promotion to Head Of Plagues after his rather spectacular defeat of Bacchaus (Read Hell On Earth it’ll explain everything) and his plot to bring down the world.

The Eleventh Plague has gone and of course it’s the worst of the plagues, the one so horrifying that it was deemed to awful to release upon the Egyptians all those years ago and the one that had been carefully stowed away for over 2 millennia.. Whoever’s nicked it can’t be up to much good with it and it’s probably a good idea to get it back pretty damned smartish.

Death 221 is charged with finding and returning the plague before it is released on the world and who better to help him than his faithful sidekicks Guardian Angel Jenny, Trainee Vengeance Angel Reg and mere mortal Norris.. They’re joined on this quest by Angelic Times reporter Eleri and Crossword boffin Professor Bostok which is probably a good job as they’ll need all the help they can get.

David has a wonderful writing style, it’s almost as though he’s sitting next to you, reading a story out loud, one he’s told a hundred times over but one that changes subtly each and every time. It draws you in and makes the book a personal thing, a private thing, just between you and the author, an experience no other reader will get because their book is just a little bit different. This one has a Dan Brown/ Terry Pratchett feel about it, without it being a mere copy, there’s plenty of originality to keep it from being just fan fiction and making it a success in its own right.

We pootle along merrily, heading towards our destination in a meandering, round about kind of way, little side stories, random factoids and occasional tangents take us off on mini journeys and it all feels a bit like an after dinner tale, where the teller suddenly remember something really interesting and just has to tell you all about it. Imagine one of Ronnie Corbett’s giant chair jokes, you know there’s going to be a punchline eventually but half the fun is in the getting there! You will laugh at inappropriate moments, you will snort tea/coffee/gin over your pages/e-reader and you will be really miffed when you’ve finished and you have to wait for the next instalment!

I always know when I’ve read a good book, I’m left feeling like my best friends have buggered off on holiday and left me home alone..

After reading The Eleventh Plague I’m still waiting for my postcard..

Wish You Were Here.

 

Reviewed by:

Shan Williams

Added 21st March 2015

More Reviews By
Shan Williams