This is the extraordinary tale of an ordinary man in a race against and across time. Join Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, H. G. Wells, Queen Victoria, Jack...
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reviews
Feb 13, 2011
Adam
rated it: 
Preincarnate is a bumbly kind of book, good-hearted and easily distracted, and that's how I read it: in snatches over a couple of months while trying to remember what it was about, exactly. It's pretty disjointed in terms of its narrative, more of a sequence of funny scenes than an actual story per se, but it was charming enough (and my good will towards Micallef for his previous creative endeavours) to make me stick with it.
Ostensibly it's a story about a guy who gets murdered by h More...
Ostensibly it's a story about a guy who gets murdered by h More...
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Mar 07, 2011
Carin
rated it: 
This is Shaun Micallef’s (The Leading Australian Comedian of the Entire Cosmos) first novella, linking such matters as Jack the Ripper, Tom Cruise, time travel, Freemasons, space travel and Matthew Reilly all together in one reasonable size book. It is not for the faint hearted, nor those who simply don’t ‘get’ Micallef. (I’m not talking about Talking About Your Generation but if you simply do not see the wisdom of David McGahan’s world around him, Dr Miracle and futility of Panadol now Panadol
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Jan 30, 2011
Mark
rated it:
I’ve finished book number three in my fifty two book 2011 reading challenge and I’m pleased to report I’m still on track. Here’s my mini-review of Shaun Micallef’s debut novella, Preincarnate.
For those who are unfamiliar with the author, the dust jacket of this 222 pager describes Micallef as ‘Australia’s pre-emient comic Renaissance man’ and that’s not, in my opinion, too grandiose a statement.
In a career spanning theatre, radio, film and, most successfully, TV, Micalle More...
For those who are unfamiliar with the author, the dust jacket of this 222 pager describes Micallef as ‘Australia’s pre-emient comic Renaissance man’ and that’s not, in my opinion, too grandiose a statement.
In a career spanning theatre, radio, film and, most successfully, TV, Micalle More...
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Feb 21, 2011
Nick
rated it:
Anarchic. Chaotic. Undisciplined. Yes, all those things and funny. It’s no real surprise as it’s pretty much a text based representation of what Shaun Micallef is like as a TV host… and he is this country’s best one by a long way. There are many things wrong with this book as you would expect from a ripping yarn school boy adventure, through time and space, with huge, undiluted dollops of acid and funny. In fact there are huge dollops of other things in there as well – like Blade Runner. He must
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Jan 19, 2011
pinknantucket
rated it:
It was fun, as you might expect from Mr Micallef. I experienced some trepidation prior to reading this handsome volume (lovely illustrations!) as I'm very fond of Micallef and if he'd written a bad book I didn't want to know. But this is an enjoyable amusement, reading quite how you'd expect a book by Micallef to read. (Perhaps still not QUITE successful at ironing out the inevitable problems associated with a time-travel plot). Also, a hint now and then of something deeper that makes me wonder
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Aug 06, 2011
Sally
rated it:
I adore Shaun Micallef and will gladly read or view any and everything he has to offer. I knew Preincarnate was not going to be my favourite book but I have faith in Shaun and was not disappointed. Preincarnate is boggling and I could not quite follow what was going on at all times, particularly considering the significant jumps in time (and space) but it was entertaining and full of Mr Micallefs delightfully zany humour which is throughout the book including in footnotes and a section at the e
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Feb 21, 2011
Catherine
rated it: 
I was drawn in by the amusing blurb: 'Shaun Micallef smashes his mighty fist onto the keyboard of his soul and produces a novel of such breathtaking brilliance that if Patrick White were alive today he'd hurl his own typewriter into the sea and start a lawn-mowing business'.
But the amount of quirkiness in this book completely out-quirked the plot, the characters and me to the point where I'm not really sure what the book was about. It did make me laugh a couple of times, but overall I foun More...
But the amount of quirkiness in this book completely out-quirked the plot, the characters and me to the point where I'm not really sure what the book was about. It did make me laugh a couple of times, but overall I foun More...
Dec 08, 2011
Becca
rated it: 
I really wanted to love this. I've adored Shaun Micallef for years. But it was a very disjointed book. I loved some bits of it. There were some bits that were laugh out loud funny, but it was a very confusing book in places. I did enjoy the previews for his next few books though.
I'll definately give him another try as he had some moments reminiscient of Douglas Adams and I think he could get better and better.
I'll definately give him another try as he had some moments reminiscient of Douglas Adams and I think he could get better and better.
Nov 22, 2010
Hayley
rated it:
I love Shaun Micallef like a sugar daddy and while I desperately wanted to like this I just became more and more confused as the book progressed. He is a talented writer without doubt but his cleverness, nonsensical wit and scattered cultural references ultimately make Preincarnate a confused mess. Plus, as Tom Cruise so aptly puts in on page 149, 'the switching from Omniscient Narrator and First Person Narrator confuses me'. Certainly read it if you like Shaun and have a strong grasp of the
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Mar 31, 2011
Penelly
rated it:
I had quite high expectations for this because I'm a fan of Micallef's quick and surreal wit. It was an easy read and relatively enjoyable, and some of it was was quite funny. However, overall, the story didn't really work for me. It was a strange time-travelling kind of tale, with characters from history and fiction. The best bit were the silly footnotes.
Mar 28, 2011
Luke
rated it:
This is just a scream. The perfect little palate cleanser between weightier tomes. A hilarious debut from one of our finest comic geniuses. It's laugh out loud and very him. The plot makes not an iota of sense, but why should we expect it to? It wildly veers from the surreal to the insane to the decidedly Blytonesque - often within the space of a sentence. Special cheers to the random Tom Cruise, Dan Brown and Matthew Reilly gags. Sheer silliness and I can't wait for his next one.
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Feb 11, 2012
Emma
rated it:
I don't know how I could have ever entertained the possiblity that something by Shaun Micallef could make any logical sense. This book sure doesn't - to me at least. If there's a logical sense in there, it's hidden pretty good in amongst the time travel, Loch Ness monster, gibes at Matthew Reilly and Dutch accents, random sci-fi, secret orders, illegal bicycle riding, a missing paragraph about badgers and Tom Cruise.
Even though I couldn't follow the plot at all I still somehow couldn More...
Even though I couldn't follow the plot at all I still somehow couldn More...
Jul 27, 2011
Jess
rated it:
Having thoroughly enjoyed Shaun as a presenter on TV, I jumped at the chance to buy this book.
What a disappointment. I found it merely a jumble with no cohesive storyline, some silly footnotes, and a lack of any real humour. I would have a hard time recommending this book to anyone.
What a disappointment. I found it merely a jumble with no cohesive storyline, some silly footnotes, and a lack of any real humour. I would have a hard time recommending this book to anyone.
Dec 24, 2010
Tony
rated it:
Many giggles in this farcical romp through time and space - ultimately just too erratic to be completely enjoyable. Feel the author himself got lost at some point and just let any sense of plot dissipate in increasingly more bizarre moments.
Feb 25, 2011
KathT
rated it:
Hilarious! A lot of things happening in one book so sometimes left me thinking "what just happens? How did I get here? Don't read before bed as it could give you the giggles as it did to me- I kept waking up my hubby!
Feb 15, 2012
Lauren
rated it:
This is a crazy story. If you love somewhat paradoxical time travel and Shaun Micallef's humour, this is the book for you. I only became certain of what was going on when I reached page 132. And even that was short-lived.
Several times, when a new link between Micallef's nutters adventure and real-world history became clear, I found myself thinking, 'Oh, this could be so cool.' Several tangents later, I wasn't so sure!
Give the book a go. You might love it. If not, it's only 22 More...
Several times, when a new link between Micallef's nutters adventure and real-world history became clear, I found myself thinking, 'Oh, this could be so cool.' Several tangents later, I wasn't so sure!
Give the book a go. You might love it. If not, it's only 22 More...
Sep 13, 2011
Joshua
rated it:
Not a bad, quick read. Rather trippy with a Red Dwarf sense of space and time. The best parts were the pages after the main story had finished (and completely unrelated to the book).
Jul 13, 2011
Viv
rated it:
It was very clear from the first page of this book that it was Micallef who wrote this and kudos for him for having such a clear style. However, I got horrendously lost and confused by the plot. This may have been my fault for reading this at the airport at 3am, but I felt like it didn't make too much sense and then ended suddenly and I'm not sure what happened. Still I think people who like other things Micallef has done will enjoy this.
Jan 21, 2011
Claire
rated it:
It was a very weird and confusing book. I enjoyed it because it shows Shaun Micallef's humour and you really have to be a fan to like this book. The switch between third and first person is what will confuse you the most but that what makes you want to read more. The ending will blow your mind.
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Mar 05, 2011
Danielle
rated it:
Clever postmodern novel with typical Micallef humour. Reminicent of Douglas Adams. An enjoyable ride!
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Jun 29, 2011
Christabel
rated it:
Silly, jumbled mess of a read--lots of fun. I gave up trying to keep track of the timeline after the first few chapters, and just went along for the ride. Highlights for me were the footnotes, references to badgers, appearances of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and the recommended reading guide at the end.
Jul 29, 2011
Tamz
rated it:
I was left feeling both amused and confused. Amused because I love the humor and Micallef's comical style in the book; confused because..well.. I don't think I understood what I just read :s Although I can understand that Micallef was playing with the idea of time traveling and soul transfer (never thought I would find Sir Conan Doyle and Tom Cruise in one novel), but it left me confused with how the process was actually played out.
Nov 30, 2010
Justin
rated it:
Completely baffling at times, but hilarious from the first pages all the way until the little previews of upcoming books at the end.
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Jun 19, 2011
Abbie
rated it:
Erratic, confusing, but fun. I could hear Shaun Micallef's voice in my head with every word. Better read in one sitting if you want to retain even a glimmer of what is going on. Probably only for hard core Micallef fans.
Feb 15, 2012
Feb 14, 2012
Feb 09, 2012
