by Duane Spurlock
Flaming London by Joe R. Lansdale (Burton, MI: Subterranean Press, 2005.)
For those who like a tongue-in-cheek change of pace, Lansdale’s Flaming London may fit the bill. A sequel of sorts to his Zeppelins West (which featured, among others, Sitting Bull, Wild Bill Hickok, Annie Oakley, Buffalo Bill (his head, at least, which was floating in a jar of – well, I’ll leave that surprise to readers – atop a robot body), a zeppelin carrying his Wild West Show to Japan, samurai, Captain Nemo and his submersible -- the Naughty Lass (things are different in Lansdale’s world) -- Dr. Momo (better known as Dr. Moreau to us, thanks to H.G. Wells), an intelligent seal named Ned, and various others.
Flaming London picks up Ned’s adventures after the first book. Herein he encounters Mark Twain, Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Beadle’s Steam Man of the Prairie (a dime novel creation), the Martian invasion recounted by Wells in his famous novel, the Flying Dutchman, a giant talking ape, rips in the fabric of time (are we still talking about Lansdale or Mike Moorcock here?), and more. The narrative style is glib, the humor frequently on the bawdy side, and the story makes fast and loose with tales many consider the foundations of modern SF . . . so Flaming London isn’t for everyone. But for a change of pace, this is certainly the book you should pick up. Nicely illustrated by Timothy Truman. (Apparently there will be a third and final entry in this series of Ned the seal’s adventures. Stay tuned.)
Links:
The Orbit is the name of Joe R. Lansdale's web site home, for all things Lansdale. Visit for some info about this idiosyncratic SF/Fantasy/hard-boiled/folktale author: www.joerlansdale.com/
You'll find Flaming London at Amazon. Click here.
You'll find Zeppelins West at Amazon as well. Click here for more info.
For a copy of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds illustrated by the alien-on-earth Edward Gorey, check Amazon by clicking here.
The Huge Hunter Or The Steam Man Of The Prairies is available in a paperback edition from Amazon, for those who are intensely curious about this dime novel creation. Click here for more info.
Posted by ds at February 3, 2007 11:48 AM
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