TATLUAE - TaTa For Now

Well I did say I was a slow reader. Yes, finally, I have finished “The Answer” by local MK author Andy Bacon. Before I started to read, I would have said I wasn’t an enthusiastic fan of SciFi. I do like Futurama (far better than the Simpsons, Futurama made me blub, not once but twice. You know the episodes, Fry’s fossilised dog and Fry’s Lucky Clover) And also “Red Dwarf”, more of which later.

Anyway, I digress. I thought the book got off to slow start, but I realise that was because I wasn’t really in a proper SciFi mood. However, I soon found myself drawn into the story of K, a sort of “First Contact” biologist who has been deployed to a distant planet, home of a long dead but very advanced civilisation. The main distinctive feature of the planet is a huge diamond shaped structure reaching from the surface to the outer atmosphere. This is “The Chun”. The monolith’s purpose is unclear at first, but as the story progresses we learn a little more.

Unfortunately for K, the planet holds a secret, One, which the Rogue Nation and evil commander “The Marth” (an utter barbarian of the first water) aims to use to their very great advantage, and the universe’s greater suffering.

Having raced to the end of the book, I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked the rich seam of very dark humour running through it (it will make you think twice about going for a poop in the woods, at least) It does have so much of “Red Dwarf” flavour about it that I can highly recommend “The Answer” to any fan of that sort of silly but dark stuff. There is violence and gore aplenty in a “Shaun of the Dead” manner. The ending is quite touching, with no doubt that this needs at least one sequel. I am glad to say that I am looking forward to it.

Tags: "The Answer", Book, Dark Humour, Humour, Milton Keynes, Red Dwarf, SciFi, TATLAUE