By Robert Rankin
It starts when Jonny receives a letter telling him that a supercomputer has selected him as a WINNER! WINNER! WINNER! winner and that he needs to claim his prize. Jonny’s constant companion, Mr. Giggles the Monkey Boy, persuades him that all he needs to do is crack the da da de da da code (it’s a musical code, think Waltzing Matilda) and the prize is his. The fact no-one else can see or hear Mr Giggles might be an issue though, after all it has led Jonny into some bother in the past, mostly with the accusations of being a stone bonker and incarceration in Brentford Cottage Hospital, which as it turns out, is what leads Jonny headlong into this adventure; when people start turning up dead – beheaded in fact – and the blame is laid squarely at Jonny’s door.
What follows is murder, mayhem and mystery, as Jonny discovers that the gang behind these dastardly deeds is none other than The Air Loom Gang, led by the infamous Count Otto Black, who have a plan to use the Air Loom, a Heath-Robinson-esque, brainwashing device lifted from the 18th Century to target the minds of the Parliament of Five, the true rulers of the world, and consisting of The Queen of England, Elvis Presley, A-hab the Arab, Billy Bagshaw and Bob The Comical Pup.
Now it’s important to know that Robert Rankin, through some 30 novels, has never let a decent plot get in the way of a good gag. His books are not serious reads, nor are they meant to be, they’re a diversion from everyday life, filled with a very British humour and long may it be so. While this isn’t anywhere near his best is does has some lovely touches and it’s a Brentford novel so it’s filled with knowing references and insider jokes for those who know his work, but it’s a decent standalone so newcomers won’t find it wanting.
There’s a lovely subplot around Robert Johnson, erstwhile King of The Delta Blues who allegedly sold his soul to the devil. Robert Johnson died having recorded only 29 songs, but the book would have us believe that there is a 30th recording called ‘Apocalypse Blues’, the last recording Johnson made before the Devil came to collect his soul. Unfortunately this 30th recording captured the sound of the Devil laughing, a sound so terrible that any who hear it die instantly. This apparently is the reason why so many of the great and the good have died at the age of 27 – they couldn’t resist the temptation, listened to ‘Apocalypse Blues’ and died immediately afterward – brilliantly plausible as a musical horror device!
But on the whole it’s fairly standard Rankin fair, and while it probably helps to know (and love!) Rankin before you get stuck into this book, but for anyone wanting a few diversionary giggles and looking for something new, you’re never far from the next gag and there’s even some laugh-out-loud funnies along the way.
The Da Da De Da Da Code is published by Gollanz and is available from Amazon
Robert Rankin has a website here. The soundtrack to the book, including the infamous Apocalypse Blues, can be found here. More information about the Air Loom can be found here and there is even information on it’s possible first victim.