This story uncovers suburbia's darkest secrets—mostly in The Flying Swan, where Neville the barman and Archroy, owner of five magic beans, do battle with beasts of the occult—and in particular the rather unpleasant Pope Alexander VI, the last of the Borgias.
The Antipope (The Brentford Trilogy)
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4.4 out of 5 stars
20 reviews
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ode to the drinking man
Aug 20 2000
By Alex De Visscher
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
If you are unacquainted with Rankin's bizarre books, this may well be a good start. It's not his best book, but it's his first. Part of the fun reading Rankin is in the repetitions: Rankin quotes himself constantly, so you won't miss any of that when you start off from here.
"The Antipope" is the first novel in the Brentford series, in which an ordinary London suburb is the scene of grotesque battles between Good and Evil. It's up to Jim Pooley and John Omally, two bums with an insatiable appetite for beer, to save the world, with the help of a mysterious professor and some other highly improbable characters. In this book, the adversary is an evil tramp posessed with formidable powers, who is about to take control of the world as the Pope of some dark new Church.
Two things distinguish Robert Rankin from other comic SF/Fantasy writers like Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett: his profound knowledge of the occult, and the sheer outlandishness and pomp of his stories. Rankin calls himself a tall-tale teller and his books far-fetched fiction. Some scenes in this particular book, like the disastrous cowboy night, and the vain attempts to open a mysterious parcel, just project themselves before your eyes, as if you were watching a movie. And make you laugh aloud.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Persistently amusing.
April 26 2001
By Robert A. Griffith
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
This is one of my favorite books. It's the first of the Brentford series. I find the whole series to be comfortable, likable and highly amusing. It helps to have a taste for the surreal. I found the characters to be very likable. They have the carefree attitudes of the characters from Steinbeck's Tortilla Flat or Cannery Row, but they are intelligent and educated. They are not the type one would expect to be called upon to save the world. Essentially Brentford is the world. Should any character temporarily wander out of Brentford, Brentford would still be the reference point. The pub is the core essence of this world. Nothing is really serious unless if effects the pub. To this little world comes every silly notion that ever landed on the front page of the most bizarre tabloids. The Antipope is the place to start. It's one of the best, and will introduce you to the Brentford perspective. I found after reading a few pages, I wanted to take a break and wait for the smile on my face to ease up a little before I dared to proceed.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not my taste
Oct 25 2008
By M. Pielorz
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
About a year ago I read my first Robert Rankin book 'The Witches of Chiswick' after seeing it in the library and just being attracted to the title. I absolutely loved it. I never laughed aloud so much from reading a book. I was surprised because I am not usually into this genre. My husband read it after me and fell in love too. I then decided that I wanted to read every single book by R. Rankin.
I bought 'Anti-Pope' and neither me or my husband liked it. He gave up 1/4 through and I had to force myself to finish it.
I'm not saying it is bad... it is just not my type of thing. The story was pointless to me and not exciting at all. The writing and posh language of the characters was too surreal and the wit, puns, and silly footnotes from the author that I found in 'Witches of Chiswick' were missing completely.
I'm not giving up on R. Rankin all together, but I wouldn't recommend 'The Anti-Pope' at all.
I bought 'Anti-Pope' and neither me or my husband liked it. He gave up 1/4 through and I had to force myself to finish it.
I'm not saying it is bad... it is just not my type of thing. The story was pointless to me and not exciting at all. The writing and posh language of the characters was too surreal and the wit, puns, and silly footnotes from the author that I found in 'Witches of Chiswick' were missing completely.
I'm not giving up on R. Rankin all together, but I wouldn't recommend 'The Anti-Pope' at all.
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4.4 out of 5 stars
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