Written by one of Baen Books’ flagship authors, The Philosophical Strangler takes gleeful aim at most things held sacred within the fields of fantasy-fiction, modern politics, religion, philosophical contemplation and morality in general with a rampaging wit and refreshing insensitivity that will have any frequent visitor of Discworld feeling at home and welcome.
Heroic Criminals to Make Robin Hood Redden
Meet Greyboar, preeminent among the professional stranglers of Grotum and as of recent, newest student of one of the wisest philosophical minds ever to have lived.
Sadly, that’s ‘lived’ in the literal past-tense, as Greyboar’s guru departed the world shortly after exposing the strangler to the light of higher reasoning, leaving the full-time murderer, part-time muser to find his own way along the logical path to enlightenment.
Now, meet Ignace, Greyboar’s duly-appointed agent. Life is hard for Ignace (and he’ll be the first to admit it); he’s the representative for the most decorated and sought-after strangler in all of Grotum – and Grotum’s the kind of place where a decent pair of thumbs can find steady, steady work, don’t you know? – but lately, all this philosophy crap is proving just maddening! Greyboar already had a hefty list of restrictions on the kind of work they accepted before getting all scholarish – he won’t choke girls, for one, as a result of a promise to his sister, and then there’s the bit about making any and all jobs that require burking a lawyer strictly pro bono (one must give back to the community, after all).
Now though, as Greyboar continues with his esoteric inquiries, it’s all becoming enough to drive any good agent batty, and ever since Greyboar’s sister, Gwendolyn, went and dragged them into her campaign of revolution and political rabblerousing, well, things are just getting right out of hand . . .
Putting the Squeeze on all Things Sanctimonious
As with his other books, which include Pyramid Scheme, Pyramid Power and the long-running 1632 series, Flint’s usual combo of sharp wit and blunt delivery defines Strangler, albeit to an extent that fans will likely not have seen before. Indeed, it seems as if the author decided to truly let loose and leave no punch pulled this time around, as Greyboar and Ignace tangle with everything from wooing Greyboar’s girlfriend, named Schrödinger’s Cat – and yes, that’s actually a character based on the quantum theory of superposition – to rescuing an artist from Even Worse Hands (think 'The Adams Family's Thing on growth hormones' and you’ll have the right idea).
With Ignace providing a thoroughly disgruntled narrative along the way, the duo ranges far and wide from their base of operations at the Sign of the Trough, pub of pubs and the true heart of New Sfinctr, although we'll get not a word from him about one period in particular; a bit of messy business they got caught up in while hiding out in Prygg (those interested in learning more of that little adventure may look to Forward the Mage, Flint’s pseudo-sequel to Strangler).
As diverse as are the topics satirized by Flint, it’s perhaps the fans of religious reflection and theology-majors with a healthy sense of humour who’ll be most entertained, given the frequency with which spiritually sensitive matters are routinely dragged into the light and satirically skewered. For example, a later section of the book, wherein the heroes attempt to navigate Grotum’s demonic nether-regions, is presented in a half-chapter’s worth of epically awful poetry, in reference to Dante’s Inferno.
There isn’t much that can be said in open-minded admonishment here. So long as you’ve a taste for the wacky, the off-colour, the unapologetic and particularly if you’re an avid reader of Terry Pratchett, but have been feeling a little disloyal lately, the Philosophical Strangler is just the gripping good read you’ve been after.
Tyler Feltmate - I'm a recent graduate whose obsession with writing arose from the moment I realized I possess the fundamental need for a 'delete' key ...
