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mxsallybend's review
4.0
Douglas Adams. Grant Morrison. Dr. Seus. Terry Pratchett. Those four names right there, found in the cover blurb for The Forty First Wink, are what initially caught my interest . . . and what had me so cautious about diving into James Walley's world. If he could live up to that literary legacy, then Walley would have a sure-fire winner on his hands, but were he to stumble even a little . . . well, those are some lofty expectations under which to be crushed.
As it turns out, they are all fair comparisons. This was a fun, imaginative, laugh-out-loud novel that lagged a bit in the middle, as the initial novelty wore off, but which redeemed itself with a madcap climax.
What could possibly be worse that waking up with the worst hangover of your life? Try finding out that you haven't really woken up, but that you are instead destined to suffer with that hangover through a sort of waking dream, one populated by a greedy mirror doppelganger, childhood toys come to life, a Giggletastic carnival, and a very demonic clown. Don't worry, it'll all be okay, so long as you can maintain your sense of humor.
What makes this work so well is the contrast of the slapstick elements in the plot, and the subtle humor of the narration. Walley knows what he's writing is funny, and he trusts the reader to laugh along, without trying to force the issue or nudge-nudge, wink-wink his way into your head. The opening chapters are, in fact, very Prachett-esque, leaving you both amused and confused. The story twists and turns a few times throughout, but even when it hits its darkest moments, there's still a throbbing vein of macabre humor to keep it going.
Whether or not The Forty First Wink every achieves the distinction of a true classic remains to be seen, but I suspect Walley is an author we're going to be seeing a lot more of in the future, and I'm looking forward to it. Humorous fantasy is so very difficult to pull off, but I think he's mastered it here.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
As it turns out, they are all fair comparisons. This was a fun, imaginative, laugh-out-loud novel that lagged a bit in the middle, as the initial novelty wore off, but which redeemed itself with a madcap climax.
What could possibly be worse that waking up with the worst hangover of your life? Try finding out that you haven't really woken up, but that you are instead destined to suffer with that hangover through a sort of waking dream, one populated by a greedy mirror doppelganger, childhood toys come to life, a Giggletastic carnival, and a very demonic clown. Don't worry, it'll all be okay, so long as you can maintain your sense of humor.
What makes this work so well is the contrast of the slapstick elements in the plot, and the subtle humor of the narration. Walley knows what he's writing is funny, and he trusts the reader to laugh along, without trying to force the issue or nudge-nudge, wink-wink his way into your head. The opening chapters are, in fact, very Prachett-esque, leaving you both amused and confused. The story twists and turns a few times throughout, but even when it hits its darkest moments, there's still a throbbing vein of macabre humor to keep it going.
Whether or not The Forty First Wink every achieves the distinction of a true classic remains to be seen, but I suspect Walley is an author we're going to be seeing a lot more of in the future, and I'm looking forward to it. Humorous fantasy is so very difficult to pull off, but I think he's mastered it here.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
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