The King of Scanlon’s Rock

The latest offering from British Humourist, David Luddington, once more shows why he is gathering quite a cult following in his unique style of classic British comedy. Blending the gentle timeless comedy of the Ealing Comedies, or PG Wodehouse, with a sharp eye for the absurdities of modern life, Luddington draws the reader into worlds which exist on the border between reality and nostalgia.

As always, it is his characters which raise his books above most comedy writers, and this one is no exception. Jim Sullivan is a fading rock legend who decides to declare independence on his small outcrop of Cornish rock, much to the dismay of the British establishment. A minor civil servant, with a penchant for detail, is sent to put a stop to this nonsense and this is where the mayhem begins. We are quickly introduced to a string of unforgettable characters who leap from the page and each have their own part in this David and Goliath romp.

One of the joys of a Luddington book, is the way one is led gently into a world which so gradually becomes more absurd, that it is only afterwards that one realises just how far from reality we have travelled. And this one is no different. What starts out as something which could be an episode from Yes Minister, ends up somewhere closer to Terry Pratchett, but without the fantasy elements.

It has been mentioned countless times that David Luddington is the natural successor to Douglas Adams, but that doesn’t really do him full justice. As with Adams, Luddington’s characters are all quite endearing, and the humour is drawn through character, rather than crudity. Where they differ however, is Luddington wider range. Where Adams found himself trapped in the Hitchhiker’s Universe, Luddington constantly creates new worlds and situations then peoples them with characters who will stay with you long after the final page.

The King of Scanlon’s Rock is highly recommended and is available in all book outlets.