Book description
Colonel Katterfelto has lately returned to London. He departed America
under something of a cloud . . . of smoke, issuing from his Spiritual
Laboratory, which the townsfolk of Wormcast, Arizona, marched upon with
their flaming torches. This catastrophic conflagration caused
considerable concern to the pious colonel, who had been engaged in the
creation of 'Heaven's last and best gift to Mankind', The Mechanical
Messiah. And he was, after all, being guided in this Great Work by holy
angels, communicating to him through his monkey butler, Darwin. It is
1897, twelve years since The War of the Worlds and two since Worlds War
Two*. The British Empire encompasses Mars, and an uneasy peace exists
between the peoples of Venus, Jupiter and Earth. In London there are
many marvels of the modern age to be experienced. Amongst these is The
Electric Alhambra Music Hall, where crowds thrill to The Earl Grey
Whistle Test, a musical extravaganza featuring such top turns as
Hayward's Acrobatic Kiwis, The Travelling Formbys and the newly-arrived
Colonel Katterfelto's Clockwork Minstrels. But all is far from well in
old Whitechapel, where a monster is once more abroad in the night-time
streets, committing hideous acts of murder. Can this be the return of
Jack the Ripper, or has something altogether unearthly materialised to
spread fear, panic and mayhem? Something Hellishly evil?
Famed consulting detective Cameron Bell is already on the case, but it
may take nothing less than the New Messiah Himself to save London, The
Empire and all of the solar system from the impending apocalypse!
'Stark raving genius' Observer
*See The Japanese Devil Fish Girl and other Unnatural Attractions
. Robert Rankin is an unrepentant Luddite who writes his bestselling
novels by hand in exercise books. He is the author of THE HOLLOW
CHOCOLATE BUNNIES OF THE APOCALYPSE
, THE WITCHS OF CHISWICK
, THE BRENTFORD TRILOGY
(5 books), THE ARMAGEDDON QUARTET
(3 books) and many more.
www. thegoldensprout. com
