Robert Rankin: Unsung genius.

Robert Rankin isn't a name that gets thrown around as often as Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams but is someone I feel is equally as deserving of praise and adulation. His books are damn, damn funny. Painfully so at some points. His are books that go beyond conventional humour. They are at times both surreal and yet familiar. (The cloning of jesus using the turin shroud.......in Brentford.)

The author

Who is Robert Rankin? In the front of his books he claims to be:



"Magus to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Sprout, 12th Dan Master of Dimac, Poet, adventurer, swordsman and concert pianist; big game hunter, Best dressed Man of 1933; mountaineer, lone yachtsman, Shakesperian actor and topless go-go dancer; Robert Rankin's hobbies include passive smoking, communicating with the dead and lying about his achievements. He lives in Sussex with his wife and family."

This tells us more about the man than a proper biography ever could. However, He was born in 1949. Thats about all i could find! Elusive man? He certainly is!. I did find a quote of his in an interview for zone-sf.com. The interviewer asked Robert on his philosophies on life. He replied: "The finest philosophy for life I ever read was printed on the back of a box of matches, it was "Keep dry and away from children." Naturally I jest. Or do I?"

His Books

His books in chronological order:

• Armageddon: The Musical
• They Came And Ate Us: Armageddon II: The B Movie
• The Suburban Book Of The Dead: Armageddon III: The Remake
• The Book Of Ultimate Truths
• Raiders Of The Lost Car Park
• The Greatest Show Off Earth
• The Most Amazing Man Who Ever Lived
• The Garden Of Unearthly Delights
• A Dog Called Demolition
• Nostradamus Ate My Hamster
• Sprout Mask Replica
• The Brentford Chainstore Massacre
• The Dance of the Voodoo Handbag
• Apocalypso
• Snuff Fiction
• Sex and Drugs and Sausage Rolls
• Waiting for Godalming
• Web Site Story.
• Fandom of the Operator
• Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse