Publishers Weekly
★ 07/15/2019
J.R.R. Tolkien gets what’s coming to him in this hilarious fifth YouSpace novel (after The Good, the Bad, and the Smug), a witty parody of high fantasy. A few contemporary humans travel to an alternate reality known as the Hidden Realms and immediately attempt to gentrify it, though it is one of the oldest and most feared places in the multiverse. Their plans clash with the bureaucratic obsession of the elves, the strangely progressive New Evil governance style of the goblin king, and the avarice of the dwarves, and may also bring about an ancient prophecy spelling out the end of the world. The broad cast includes a wraith who’d rather be a supermodel, a Dark Lord fixated on benevolent reform, a con artist hoping to make her fortune, and some snooty married couples who imagine they’re retiring in style to their very own magical towers. Holt’s dry silliness is the perfect vehicle for critiquing both current events and classic fantasy novels. Clever and entertaining all the way through, this should find a place in the hearts of anyone who likes their fantasy with a side of irreverent humor. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
"Clever and entertaining all the way through, this should find a place in the hearts of anyone who likes their fantasy with a side of irreverent humor. "—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A broadly comic, pratfall-filled commentary on society."—Locus
"Extremely entertaining . . . . Holt's verbal acuity simply does not falter."—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) on The Management Style of the Supreme Beings
"This is a must-read for those who grew up in awe of The Phantom Tollbooth...Holt achieves near-perfection in his new comic fantasy."—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) on The Good, The Bad and The Smug
"Exceedingly clever and funny."
—RT Book Reviews on The Good, The Bad and The Smug
"Satisfying and entertaining."
—RT Book Reviews on The Outsorcerer's Apprentice
"Holt has a zany humor that will appeal to fans of Terry Pratchett and Christopher Moore."
—Library Journal on The Outsorcerer's Apprentice
"Tom Holt's Doughnut presents a roller-coaster ride through the world of physics and the origins of the universe."—Library Journal on Doughnut
"Holt adds to his repertoire of comedic sf, one of the most difficult genre acts to master. Theo is an engaging hero; his brilliance is counteracted by his laziness and his compassion, which is matched by his sense of survival. Place this title alongside Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's Good Omens, Pratchett's "Discworld" series, and the absurdist works of mainstream authors such as John Barth and Gilbert Sorrentino."—Library Journal (Starred Review) on Doughnut
"Blonde Bombshell is a clever, funny, tirelessly inventive, apocalyptic leg-hump of a book."—Christopher Moore, New York Times bestselling author, on Blonde Bombshell
