Reviews

The Good, the Bad and the Smug by Tom Holt

jonniemis's review

Not really my cup of tea - too many disjointed elements with no clear place to get grounded in the story. 

lk234's review

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

gerhard's review

4.0

The doughnut was definitely looking at him. Hello, sailor, it seemed to be saying.

Tom Holt’s latest foray into YouSpace is a bit of a detour into fantasy, probably at the insistence of K.J. Parker. Terry Pratchett inevitably springs to mind, who kind of perfected this trenchant inversion of modern institutions and mores. Or was it Charles Dickens?

Nevertheless, this is a happy comparison. Smug is one of the funniest books I have read in a long time. But it is not slipping-on-a-decapitated-elf’s-head kind of humour. Yes, there is an element of gallows chuckles throughout, particularly some sublimely hilarious takes on YouTube and Wickedpedia.

But behind the repartee and parrying is a very clever critique of modern economics. Not to mention High Fantasy, religion in general. And, of course, the Power of the Doughnut.

jameseckman's review

3.0

A light and extremely funny fantasy, great as a break from overly serious Lovecraftian works and the abuses of modern literature.